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Star Trek: Picard Series Sets Michael Chabon As Showrunner
The upcoming Star Trek: Picard TV show from CBS All Access announces that Michael Chabon will take the helm as series showrunner. The Picard series started filming in April, and is potentially eying a late-2019 premiere. Chabon was previously announced as a part of the writers room on Star Trek: Picard when the series began scripting and is currently credited with writing the pilot episode alongside series executive producer Alex Kurtzman.
Star Trek: Picard is the latest effort by CBS to bring a wider Trek Universe of series to its streaming service. Sir Patrick Stewart will be reprising his role of Jean-Luc Picard, who he played during the 1987-1994 original run of Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as the later spinoff films from Star Trek: Generations until Star Trek: Nemesis. Details about the upcoming series remain under wraps, with CBS only commenting that it will follow "the next chapter" in the character's life. However, the TV show has taken a major step forward by naming its showrunner.
As reported by Variety, Chabon will serve as the showrunner of Star Trek: Picard. Chabon was introduced back in September as part of the writer's room staff. He was included in a photo taken when they began crafting the series that was tweeted by Stewart alongside the comment, "The journey has begun." In addition to Chabon and Kurtzman, the series writing room includes Star Trek: Discovery alums Kirsten Beyer and Akiva Goldsman. On his relationship with Star Trek, Chabon said:
Star Trek has been an important part of my way of thinking about the world, the future, human nature, storytelling and myself since I was ten years old. I come to work every day in a state of joy and awe at having been entrusted with the character and the world of Jean-Luc Picard, with this vibrant strand of the rich, intricate and complex tapestry that is Trek.
According to the Deadline report of Chabon being named showrunner, Kurtzman said, "Despite a laundry list of accomplishments most writers only dream of, Michael shines with the heart and soul of a Trekkie who’s finally found his dream job. We’re so fortunate to have him at the helm as we explore this next chapter in the great captain’s life." Chabon is a newcomer to the showrunner role, though he has written a pair of Star Trek: Discovery's Star Trek: Short Treks as well as the screenplay for 2012's John Carter. He is also an accomplished Pulitzer-prize winning author.
So in Chabon it seems that Picard has found a showrunner that has both well-established writing chops, as well as someone who has a love and respect for the source material and bringing it to a contemporary audience. With Stewart also having a hand in the crafting of the show, as well as it being co-executive produced by Roddenberry Entertainment's Rod Roddenberry, there's an established background familiarity with the earlier series material. Now it remains to be seen how everything comes together and if the flavor leans more towards Picard's own Next Generation-Trek, or more towards Star Trek: Discovery's modernized retelling. Fans will get to see for themselves when Star Trek: Picard premieres on CBS All Access in the future.
