Patrick Stewart Returning As Jean-Luc Picard To New 'Star Trek' Series
“Star Trek” fans are over the moon: The franchise’s most cerebral and diplomatic captain, Jean-Luc Picard, is coming back to TV. And he’ll be played again by British actor Patrick Stewart.
Stewart confirmed Saturday that he will headline a new “Star Trek” series, slated to air on CBS All Access. The long-rumored project will not be a reboot of “The Next Generation,” where Stewart first appeared as Picard, but an exploration of the “next chapter in Picard’s life,” according to an official Star Trek Twitter account.
Stewart made the announcement in Las Vegas at a Star Trek convention.
It’s an “unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him — seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over,” he told the crowd.
Make it so! @SirPatStew will be returning to his iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard in a new @cbsallaccess #StarTrek series that tells the story of the next chapter in Picard’s life‼️ pic.twitter.com/T5qQJ4gzU0
— Star Trek: Discovery (@startrekcbs) August 4, 2018
Stewart explained that the time was ripe for a return to Picard’s calm, rational leadership.
He said he felt “humbled” to hear stories about how Picard’s influence helped fans get through difficult times. The character, he said, has “inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership.”
“I feel I’m ready to return to him for the same reason,” he added, “to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times.”
"It may not be the Jean Luc you know and love. He may be a man who has been changed by his experiences...it will be, I promise you, something different....but it will come with the same love for the universe and our fans we had before." -@SirPatStew
— Star Trek Online (@trekonlinegame) August 4, 2018
“Star Trek: Discovery” showrunner Alex Kurtzman will serve as executive producer on the new series. No title or release date has been announced.
Read Stewart’s full statement below:
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 within him. Read my full statement in the photo. #StarTrek @cbsallaccess Photo: @shervinfoto pic.twitter.com/8Ynuj3RBNm
— Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) August 4, 2018
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
