Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard is all set to make his big return to TV screens, but what about his former crew?
We know that the legendary actor will soon appear in a new Star Trek show from CBS and franchise architect Alex Kurtzman, with the idea for it to be a standalone series that’ll aim to explore Picard’s next steps now that The Next Generation has come and gone. However, there’s been no word yet on if any of his old crew will join him on the bridge.
Of course, fans are hoping that they’ll get to see Stewart back alongside some of his Trek family, which included LeVar Burton (Geordi LaForge), Gates McFadden (Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Data) and Michael Dorn (Worf), and while we still don’t know if any of them will be involved, folks can at least take comfort in the knowledge that this new series will do its best to protect what The Next Generation means to them.
Speaking to StarTrek.com, Kurtzman opened up a bit about the show and what it was like for them to get Stewart to agree to return, saying the following:
“Oh my god! It’s so amazing. Obviously, Patrick’s gone on record as saying he could never play that part again. Getting him to say yes was its own amazing thing because Patrick is incredibly brilliant and motivated from a place of real heart and love. And what Patrick understood, so deeply, over so many years is how much Picard influenced people’s lives, and how of all the captains in the world of Trek, in many ways he was the one who was the biggest beacon for people. In some ways, even more than Kirk.
It was a very emotional thing for all of us to engage with each other because, as he should have felt, Patrick needed to make sure we were coming from the right place, and that we wanted to protect what Next Gen means to so many people, and what his character, specifically, means to so many people. And that was really about several conversations of back and forth and exploring his instincts, our instincts. I think, ultimately, our job was to make him feel comfortable and safe and to protect the show and shield it from anything that would break it in the wrong way.”
Continuing on, Kurtzman explained how involved the legendary actor is with the project, revealing that he’s been working with the writers to craft a compelling story.
“Patrick tweeted his picture in the room. It’s no joke. He was there for two weeks at the beginning of the experience, sitting with the writers, and everybody was talking together about what they wanted this show to be. And that’s very special. Patrick will send us beautifully written emails about what he feels about Picard, and where he feels Picard has been, and that’s no inspirational. So, getting to walk out on stage… I mean, to be honest with you, I still don’t know how I became this guy who’s doing this with everybody. But to be able to walk out on stage with him and introduce him as a friend who is actually stepping back into the role he said he would never do again, to the delight of so many people… I was standing there. I saw people crying in the theater. It was incredible.
Finally, the producer reflected on the moment when Stewart announced his return, calling it a once in a lifetime event.
“It was such an amazing moment, and I think it was a, truly, once in a lifetime moment because you only get to announce his return after 20 plus years one time. And he spoke so from the heart…He was crying. It was an unrehearsed speech. I think he had lots of feelings but didn’t quite know how it was going to be expressed until he stepped onto the stage, and he spoke so beautifully. And to be able to stand behind him in that moment was a gift for me.”
Given that it’s still early, early days for the Captain Picard show, details on the plot haven’t really surfaced yet, but back at Star Trek Las Vegas, Stewart teased that when we see his character again, we may not even recognize him.
“He may not be a captain anymore,” the actor said. “He may not be the Jean-Luc that you recognize and know so well. It may be a very different individual.”
That’s certainly intriguing to hear, but with CBS keeping any and all details under lock and key – no title, no release window… nothing – it might be a while yet before we learn more about Patrick Stewart’s Star Trek return.