Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon joined the writers room of CBS All Access' Star Trek: Picard series last year, but now Deadline has reported that he's officially been named showrunner of the upcoming series.
Star Trek: Picard will take place after the destruction of the Romulan Empire, with Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) finding that his life has been radically altered by that event. Production on the series has already been underway for two months, but it's not clear if this is a new promotion for Chabon or if it's simply now been made official. "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," said Chabon. "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." Deadline added that Chabon has been working closely on the day-to-day production of Star Trek: Picard with fellow executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Alex Kurtzman, the latter of whom was full of praise for Michael Chabon in a statement.
Daring, lyrical, humane, whimsical, celebrated: words that describe both Jean-Luc Picard and the literary genius of Michael Chabon. 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.
In addition to Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: Picard also stars Alison Pill (The Newsroom), Harry Treadaway (Penny Dreadful), Isa Briones (American Crime Story: Versace), Santiago Cabrera (Big Little Lies), Michelle Hurd (Daredevil), and Evan Evagora (FANTASY ISLAND). Franchise producer Alex Kurtzman also teased that the series will be a more psychological show:
The mandate was to make it a more psychological show, a character study about this man in his emeritus years. There are so few shows that allow a significantly older protagonist to be the driver… It’ll be very different than ‘Discovery.’ It’ll be slower, more meditative. It speaks to the rainbow of colors we’re playing with in all these different shows. What happens when circumstances have conspired to not give him the happiest of endings? Hopefully, it’s a reinforcement of [‘Trek’ creator Gene] Roddenberry’s vision of optimism. He’s going to have to go through deep valleys to get back to the light.
Star Trek: Picard will debut on CBS All Access late 2019.