Star Trek: Picard Release Date Set; New Trailer Shows Riker

The return of Patrick Stewart's beloved Starfleet Captain Jean-Luc Picard is drawing near. During New York Comic-Con, a new trailer for Sar Trek: Picard was released--watch it below--and we finally got a release date. Picard premieres on January 23 on CBS All Access.

Stewart offered his appreciation to fans and introduced the new trailer, saying "You are wonderful. As you are going to shortly discover, well maybe sometime next year... Some of you may have heard that in San Diego several months ago that we showed a trailer of some of the work we have been doing. It was a beautiful trailer and it seemed to do its job very successfully. Now, we have another one! It is quite unseen, but publicly, you are the first audience."

The trailer started with Picard walking through what looks to be his vineyard, where he has spent his time since leaving Starfleet.

He approaches Data, who is painting a rather haunting picture of a lady in a white dress. Data offers his brush to Picard and asks him if he'd like to finish the piece, but Picard is reluctant and, as he reaches for the brush, flashbacks of an event quickly cut in and out. The event shows ships firing lasers and, given the tone of the music, could be a reference to a traumatic event that Picard experienced in the past.

In the next shot, Picard wakes up and greets his dog, Number One. He wanders around on his vineyard before being approached by a person in need; a person that digs up Picard's past. This leads to him returning to Starfleet and emploring the Federation to help the mysterious woman that has approached him and investigate what is transpiring around her but is rejected.

It seems Picard takes it upon himself to get it done, however, as he's shown to be putting together a team to go on a new mission. Of course, some members of that team will be familiar to fans, as Picard recruits old friends as well as new on his mission. One such friend is William Riker, another Starfleet Captain. The two then sit on a dock and share a nice moment. Deanna Troi is also shown and Picard embraces her warmly.

The panel for Picard was made up of Hanelle Culpepper (executive producer), Kirsten Beyer (supervising producer), Heather Kadin (executive producer), Akiva Goldsman (executive producer), Michael Chabon (executive producer), Alex Kurtzman (executive producer). Representing the cast was Patrick Stewart (Picard), Isa Briones (Dahj), Santiago Cabrera (Chris Rios), Michelle Hurd (Raffi), Alison Phill (Dr. Jurati), Harry Treadway (Narek), and Evan Evagora (Elnor).

"We’re doing our best not to fail it, which I think we’ve done pretty well," said Goldsman. "You’re surrounded by a lot of people who love Star Trek and love Captain Picard. It went from job to opportunity, and we’re pretty blessed.”

The panelists went on to recount how the series came about. According to Kurtzman, it all started as a Short Trek, one of the mini-stories that explore specific characters. "I called [Stewart's] agent and asked to set up a meeting, knowing he probably didn't want to bring him back ... We pitched him and he said it was lovely, but no. We walked out and said well, we gave it our best shot." According to Goldsman, they decided not to push further but Stewart reached back out having read a document written by Short Trek's Chabon.

"A big concern [was] Patrick didn’t want it to be a TNG reunion show," said Kadin. "We only brought people back if their story really mattered. We give them something significant to do and each of them has something pivotal to tell. The way Tilly is as a new character in Discovery, that’s they way Isa’s character will be in this show.”

Goldsman continued: "We wanted it to be a real-time follow up to where last we saw Picard in Nemesis. We wanted the ensuing time that has passed for us, also pass for Jean-Luc. We know pretty much everything that happened in those 20 years. Patrick is the singular expert on Picard found his way there."

Chabon was approached to do a short film, which would end up being the first round of Short Treks. He loved Discovery and agreed, and over time this project evolved. "I’ve lived in these imaginative worlds since I was 10 years old," he said, "From that moment, I’ve never stopped living in these imaginative worlds. All my books have a hidden Star Trek reference. It comes very naturally to think in terms of Star Trek.”

Isa Briones provided more color for the character Dahj: “When Dahj and Picard first meet, it’s this really special moment of two lost souls in a way colliding in this crazy circumstance born out of tragedy and starts with me asking for help, but we help each other. Complicated is a good word. I can't say much, but I am seeking help because of a horrible tragedy that I have just gone through, and I feel I have to ask Picard for help."

Santiago's character Rios, meanwhile, is ex-Starfleet. "We’re sort of a band of misfits, a motley crew," he explained. "He comes on board and many things ensue. Different relationships come out of it. The pieces all start to come together."

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Raffi, who is played by Michelle Hurd, is another character that has a complicated history with Picard. "We had a falling out. She’s also very complicated in general. She’s sarcastic, she has vices that she leans on. She’s also a genius hacker and systems analyst. She has a history with Picard.” In relation to Rios, Raffi has history there too, but the duo is described as having a "very unique, strong bond."

Dr. Jurati, played by Alison Pill, is a character that relishes the opportunity Picard presents. "Picard’s mission ends up being exactly what she’s spent her entire life dreaming about," Pill revealed, "So they have the same goal in mind."

Narek and Elnor are described as an odd couple by Evan Evagora. "They’re both very different," he said. "We’re both Romulans raised very differently. He’s more secretive, lying. My character was raised to always tell the truth, speak his mind."

Hanelle, who directed the first three episodes, offered some insight on the pressures of working on Picard. "I became a Star Trek fan because of The Next Generation. When I got the job, it was an incredible honor but it was also terrifying. I didn’t want to let you guys down. I want to make sure we honor this character we all love but are authentic to who he is at this time."

Story details for Picard were also revealed by way of a display at the Star Trek Universe booth at NYCC. The placard for the titular character reads, "Since resigning from Starfleet, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard has lived a somewhat reclusive life on his family estate in La Barre, France. All of that changes when he receives an unexpected visitor and is once more drawn back to the galactic stage."

The booth also provided further information on Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine, who returns for the show. "Seven of Nine is the former Borg drone separated from the Collective by Captain Kathryn Janeway and the USS Voyager," reads the description. "Returned from the Delta Quadrant and freed from the collective for over 20 years, Seven continues to see Starfleet in a different light as she crosses paths with Admiral Jean-Luc Picard."

For more on the show, make sure to check out our roundup of everything we know about Picard. The panel also delivered a new trailer for Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, which takes the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery 930 years into the future. Cast and crew of the show offered a whole lot of new information about what's in store for Burnham and the other members of Starfleet.

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