Sir Patrick Stewart announced a new teaser trailer for Star Trek: Picard at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). It's a home run, reuniting former cast members from The Next Generation and Voyager, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
In the spellbinding teaser trailer, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Data (Brent Spiner) pay a visit to Picard (Patrick Stewart) who is a shadow of his former self 20 years after events in Nemesis.
Stewart has confirmed Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis will reprise the roles of William Riker and Deanna Troi from The Next Generation respectively. How about Q (John de Lancie), too?
In a departure from Discovery on Netflix. The latest CBS All Access spin-off will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime outside the US in early 2020. Until then, I'll let my Amazon Prime subscription lapse as BritBox, a joint venture between the BBC and ITV, launches in the UK later this year featuring classic Doctor Who.
Star Trek: Discovery recently concluded its second season on CBS All Access and Netflix outside the US. The next Star Trek spin-off from CBS All Access, an untitled series starring Sir Patrick Stewart as fan-favourite Captain Jean-Luc Picard, will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime outside the US.
“There’s only one word that can begin to describe Sir Patrick Stewart as Starship Commander Jean-Luc Picard, and that’s ‘legendary,’” said series executive producer Alex Kurtzman. “We are thrilled beyond measure to have him back in command, bringing the optimistic messages of Star Trek to audiences around the world.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with CBS to bring the newest edition of the storied Star Trek franchise to our international Amazon Prime Video customers,” said Brad Beale, Vice President, Worldwide Content Licensing for Amazon Prime Video. “With the incredible Sir Patrick Stewart returning as the beloved Jean-Luc Picard, we’re excited we can give Trek fans both old and new the opportunity to see him back in action. It’s a terrific addition to our already robust catalog of exclusive Amazon Prime Video content.”
“For 50 years, the Star Trek series have been a global sensation, spanning generations and audiences of all ages. It’s an honor to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back for what is sure to be another world-class extension of the historic franchise,” said Armando Nuñez, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Global Distribution Group. “We look forward to working with the team at Amazon Prime Video to bring this next chapter of the incredible Star Trek franchise to its passionate international fan base.”
This move is surprising as Star Trek has found a comfy home on Netflix. Whilst fans wait for further details, many fans (myself included) are hoping a Captain Pike (Anson Mount) spin-off will be announced. If not, it'll be one of the biggest missed opportunities in the franchise's long-running history.
Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for a third season, which is fantastic news given how much fun the prequel series is with Captain Pike (Anson Mount) at the helm. Mount's portrayal is rapidly becoming my favourite incarnation of the legendary character. Michelle Paradise (The Originals, Hart of Dixie) will serve as co-showrunner along with producer Alex Kurtzman.
“Michelle joined us midway through season two and energized the room with her ferocious knowledge of Trek,” Kurtzman said. “Her grasp of character and story detail, her drive and her focus have already become essential in ensuring the Trek legacy, and her fresh perspective always keeps us looking forward. I’m proud to say Michelle and I are officially running Star Trek: Discovery together.”
As part of a multi-year deal, Kurtzman is overseeing an expansion of the franchise on CBS All Access including a Section 31 spin-off starring Michelle Yeoh and a Jean-Luc Picard series with Sir Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic role.
Despite Discovery's troubled production history, the spin-off is garnering a new generation of fans and has piqued my interest in a way I never thought would be possible.
“The massive success of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’s’ second season launch exceeded our expectations in both driving subscriber growth and generating a phenomenal response from ‘Star Trek’ fans,” said Julie McNamara, executive vice president, original content, CBS All Access. “With Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise at the helm, we look forward to continuing ‘Star Trek: Discovery’s’ journey, growing the ‘Star Trek’ franchise on CBS All Access and bringing fans new ‘Star Trek’ stories for many years to come.”
New episodes of Discovery's second season are available from Friday on Netflix outside the US.
Star Trek: Discovery's second season begins with a fast-paced flourish fizzing with wit, intrigue and action.
The second season has the unenviable task of following up a divisive first season that witnessed Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) starting a Klingon war to an epic Mirror Universe storyline that spotlighted the enemy within and culminated with a distress signal from the USS Enterprise under the command of the legendary Captain Pike. All the while The Orville, on the Fox network, was seen, by some fans, as the successor to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
From a chase through an asteroid field, a sci-fi trope never bettered since Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, to Captain Pike (Anson Mount) sharing command of the USS Discovery, due to a stricken USS Enterprise, and the introduction of Chief Engineer Reno (Tig Notaro). She was instantly relatable and likeable in a scenario worthy of Mass Effect. Series showrunner and director Alex Kurtzman boldly brings the on hiatus Star Trek cinematic franchise to the small screen.
As you can probably gleam. I'm excited for the further adventures of the Discovery crew and Friday's next episode can't come soon enough.
What did you think of the second season premiere? Let me know in the comments below.
Star Trek: Discovery’s second season starts streaming this Friday on Netflix outside the US. Longtime readers will know how much I enjoyed the first season with a few, very minor, reservations regarding the season finale.
Ahead of the new season premiere, CBS All Access has announced a spin-off series starring Michelle Yeoh as Captain Philippa Georgiou. This is Empress Georgiou from the Mirror Universe and, as such, the focus will be on the dark side of Starfleet, the infamous Section 31 introduced in Deep Space 9.
“I’m so excited to continue telling these rich Star Trek stories,” said Yeoh. “Being a part of this universe and this character specifically has been such a joy for me to play. I can’t wait to see where it all goes – certainly I believe it will go ‘where no WOMAN has ever gone before!’”
This is only the latest Star Trek spin-off from CBS All Access under the auspices of new series showrunner Alex Kurtzman. Sir Patrick Stewart is set to reprise the iconic role of Jean-Luc Picard and animated comedy Star Trek: Lower Decks is also in development.
“Michelle has shattered ceilings, broken boundaries, and astonished us with her grace and gravitas for decades,” showrunner Alex Kurtzman said. “As a human, I adore her. As an actor, I revere her. Erika and Boey are remarkable, exciting writers who bring a fresh perspective to the world of Star Trek, and we’re all thrilled to explore the next wild chapter in the life of Captain Philippa Georgiou.”
Are you looking forward to this Star Trek: Discovery spin-off series? Let me know in the comments below.
The CBS All Access Star Trek prequel has found Spock.
Ethan Peck, grandson of Gregory Peck, will play the iconic character, originally portrayed by the late Leonard Nimoy and most recently by Zachary Quinto in JJ Abrams' cinematic reboot, in the new season of Star Trek: Discovery.
In a statement, showrunner Alex Kurtzman explained why he was "thrilled to welcome [Peck] to the [Star Trek] family".
"The great Leonard Nimoy, then the brilliant Zachary Quinto, brought incomparable humanity to a character forever torn between logic and emotion," Kurtzman said. "We searched for months for an actor who would, like them, bring his own interpretation to the role. An actor who would, like them, effortlessly embody Spock’s greatest qualities, beyond obvious logic: empathy, intuition, compassion, confusion and yearning.
"Ethan Peck walked into the room inhabiting all of these qualities, aware of his daunting responsibility to Leonard, Zack and the fans, and ready to confront the challenge in the service of protecting and expanding on Spock’s legacy."
Star Trek: Discovery season 2 premieres on CBS All Access in early 2019. Netflix is expected to stream the series outside the US.
Star Trek fans (myself included) the world over are excited to learn Sir Patrick Stewart is reprising the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in a new Star Trek spin-off for CBS All Access.
"I will always be very proud to have been a part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course," said the accomplished actor, who most recently played Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise.
"It is an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions with him."
Alex Kurtzman, the executive producer on the new untitled series, said: "It's a privilege to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back into the Star Trek fold."
"For over 20 years, fans have hoped for the return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and that day is finally here. We can't wait to forge new ground, surprise people, and honour generations both new and old," Kurtzman said in media reports.
Kurtzman is the new series showrunner for Star Trek: Discovery and is overseeing the franchise's expanded television universe in a 5-year deal.
Inhumans' Anson Mount has been cast as the legendary Captain Pike in Star Trek: Discovery season two, which begins filming in Toronto this month with Alex Kurtzman directing the season premiere. I can't speak to Mount's performance in Inhumans as I bailed minutes into the first episode (DC Comics' superheroes have me covered on television).
Mount will follow in the hallowed footsteps of Jeffrey Hunter in the unaired original series pilot, Sean Kenney as a scarred and mutilated shell of a man and most recently Bruce Greenwood as Kirk's father figure in JJ Abrams' cinematic reboot.
Season one of Star Trek: Discovery ended with the crew answering a distress call from the USS Enterprise under the command of Captain Pike. Season two is expected to explore Starfleet's infamous black ops division, Section 31, in the wake of the Klingon war ending. Is Pike the architect of Section 31?
The first trailer for Star Trek: Discovery has dropped on Netflix. The upcoming prequel series takes place a decade before the adventures of Kirk, Spock and Bones in the original Star Trek.
The Klingons have undergone a CGI makeover, which may be divisive, and Sarek, Spock's father, has a pivotal role to play. Discovery isn't short of interpersonal conflict, but a return to exploration and a sense of wonder, a hallmark of the franchise, is welcome in the wake of the big screen Star Trek reboot with which this isn't directly connected.
However, Discovery seems more a part of the Paramount Pictures cinematic universe than the original series and it could double as a Mass Effect live-action series. The latter unashamedly borrowed from the former. So, we've come full circle. Will Sonequa Martin Green (The Walking Dead) channel FemShep?
Star Trek: Discovery's inaugural season, running for 15 episodes, is coming to CBS All Access and Netflix outside the US this Fall.
Jason Isaacs has appeared in Harry Potter and Star Wars Rebels. His next memorable genre role sees him playing Captain Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery for CBS All Access.
The upcoming prequel series, which will be streamed by Netflix outside the US, should have premiered last January. However, the production has been beset by delays amidst fan fears the series would be mothballed despite the success of Star Trek on the big screen.
Bryan Fuller was initial showrunner on Discovery, establishing the story and mythology, before leaving the series due to other commitments.
“It’s important to get it right,” CBS chairman Les Moonves said. “Star Trek is the family jewels. We’re not going to rush it in. There’s a lot of post-production. But I’m very confident based on what I’ve seen so far.”
Despite the involvement of Alex Kurtzman. It's worth noting the new series is unrelated to the cinematic universe at Paramount Pictures.
A lapsed Star Trek fan. JJ Abrams' cinematic reboot rekindled my enthusiasm for the long-running franchise. Isaacs is an ideal candidate to fill the captain's chair and take his place alongside William Shatner, Sir Patrick Stewart, Kate Mulgrew and Scott Bakula.
Star Trek: Discovery is scheduled to premiere later this year.
The new Star Trek television series has found its showrunner and Rob Wainfur considers the possible implications for the future of Gene Roddenberry's enduring sci-fi franchise...
Guest post by Rob Wainfur
Finally some good news for Star Trek fans. Bryan Fuller is on board for the new TV series on CBS.
The end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 hasn’t been the best start for Star Trek. In comparison that other Star franchise, Star Wars is riding high on the back of the success of The Force Awakens. The $2 billion box office takings vault has recently been opened for JJ Abrams' vision of a galaxy far, far away and fans are heaping praises on how well the franchise is being managed and the direction it’s taken.
In comparison Star Trek fans have set their phasers to maximum setting and turned them on the current producers of Star Trek and the franchise owners. The new trailer for Star Trek Beyond was shot down quicker than it took Troi to destroy the Enterprise in Generations. The trailer just didn’t seem like Star Trek with a Beastie Boys soundtrack and the over emphasis on action. It looked more like a new Guardians of the Galaxy movie than a new Star Trek. Even Simon Pegg was critical of the trailer saying: “I didn’t love it, because I know there’s a lot more to the film.”
Star Trek fans, this one included, turned to a fan movie for a proper Star Trek fix, Star Trek Axanar. The production values are high with gorgeous looking sets, impressive special effects and an all-star line up from the world of Star Trek including Gary Graham as a Vulcan ambassador, Richard Hatch as the sweet-eyed Klingon General Kharn and Kate Vernon as Starfleet Captain Sonya Alexander. Prelude to Axanar had already been released with the likes of Tony Todd, a wonderful actor who I remember from one of the best Star Trek Deep Space Nine episodes, The Visitor. But at the end of 2015 it was revealed that CBS and Paramount had filed a lawsuit against Axanar Productions to halt production on the new fan movie. Although they are fighting the lawsuit it seems that the suits behind Star Trek have forgotten how Star Trek has got to where it is today. Star Trek stands on the shoulders of its passionate fans. The last thing you want to do is turn those fans against you but that seems to be exactly what’s happening. Something had to be done.
There’s been a slither of good news for Star Trek fans. On Tuesday it was announced that Bryan Fuller is to front the new Star Trek TV series which will hit TV screens on CBS in 2017. This is great news as Fuller has a heap of experience in the Star Trek universe. He was the writer for two episodes of Deep Space Nine (my personal favourite Trek series) ‘The Darkness and the Light’ and the excellent and deeply atmospheric episode, ‘Empok Nor.’ He was also the producer of 25 episodes of Voyager and writer for a whole heap of episodes including the enjoyable two parter, ‘Workforce.’
It’s a promising sign and the equivalent of an injection of Ketracel-white that we have someone with Star Trek experience on board for the new show. Fuller has also proven he’s not lost his touch when it comes to quality, bringing the popular Hannibal and Pushing Daisies to TV, both of which ooze quality. He’s also working on American Gods which has a lot of Neil Gaiman fans waiting with baited breath.
What can we expect from Fuller? Well a few years ago he teased us in an interview about some ideas he had for a new Star Trek TV series. He teased us with the idea of how The Next Generation crew would evolve from JJ Abrams' alternate universe vision we see in the new movies and even leaving the Enterprise behind all together and have a new ship called The Reliant. No, it won’t have three wheels.
Executive producer Alex Kurtzman said some promising words on the state of Star Trek and in particular bringing Bryan Fuller on board. “Bringing ‘Star Trek’ back to television means returning it to its roots, and for years those roots flourished under Bryan’s devoted care. His encyclopaedic knowledge of ‘Trek’ canon is surpassed only by his love for Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic future, a vision that continues to guide us as we explore strange new worlds…Bryan is not only an extremely gifted writer, but a genuine fan of ‘Star Trek.”
Whatever his vision ultimately turns out to be, right now I feel a little more optimistic for the future of Star Trek. I hope Fuller, along with the studios, remember what Star Trek fans actually want and maybe they can take a leaf out of Chris Carter’s book. The X-Files recently returned for a tenth season and Chris Carter, the creator realised that fans were the driving force for the return, so gave them exactly what they wanted, more of the same. He along with the cast and crew visited comic-cons around the world and listened to the fans and what they wanted to see from the return of Mulder and Scully. So far the season has done exactly that. It’s not dumbed down. It has the original cast and wonderful scripts. It’s like we’re watching the classic seasons of The X-Files all over again.
Let us hope the new Star Trek doesn’t get dumbed down and producers don’t feel the need to make all the cast 20 years old or younger which seems to be happening more frequently in TV and movies. Keep the technobabble, that’s Star Trek and keep the science too. Less action and more story. Less love triangles and more interesting characters. Don’t just make the main cast three dimensional. Make ALL the characters interesting like Deep Space Nine did. Am I asking for too much? No. All they need to do is go back and actually watch some Star Trek to get the idea of what we want. Listen to the fans, embrace them and their creativity. That way Star Trek will live long and most definitely prosper and that’s good for the fans, studios and producers. I think Bryan Fuller is well on the way to achieving that. Make it so Bryan.
With JJ Abrams filming in a galaxy far, far away... Paramount isn't prepared to put the franchise in dry dock for the foreseeable future.
Step forward Roberto Orci. The Star Trek and Transformers scribe is directing the third movie with Abrams producing, according to Variety.
This is Orci's first time at the helm and marks a change in direction since splitting with longtime writing partner Alex Kurtzman. The trio of Abrams, Kurtzman and Orci brought us televisual masterpiece Fringe.
Thoughts? Feelings? Fears? Let me know in the comments below.
