'Star Trek: Short Treks': "The Escape Artist" Trailer Released

CBS All Access has released a new trailer for the final installment of Star Trek: Short Treks, titled "The Escape Artist."

"The Escape Artist" focuses on the galactic criminal and con man Harry Mudd. Rainn Wilson stars and directs. The script is from Michael McMahan, the lead writer of Rick and Morty who is developing the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks for CBS All Access.

Here's the episode's synopsis:

"Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson), back to his old tricks of stealing and double-dealing, finds himself in a precarious position aboard a hostile ship – just in time to try out his latest con."

In an earlier interview, Mudd spoke about the new short.

"There's going to be that 10-15 percent of fans that go, 'Oh, no way. I'm not going to watch a short film about Star Trek. This isn't how it works.' But I love that they're breaking molds and breaking new ground, and it's a terrific mini Harry Mudd adventure," Wilson teased. "It goes to a lot of different places, from different aliens, lot of fun situations, some great twists and turns, and I get to direct it and star in it. It's like a dream come true. It's like, 'Write me a dream job.'"

Wilson debuted as Harry Mudd in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. The character originated by Roger C. Carmel in Star Trek: The Original Series. Wilson has previously discussed how Carmel's performance inspired his own.

"Everything that I'd done is really a testament to his performance," Wilson said. "He cracked this character. He has the comedy, charm, loquaciousness, kind of the dark edge. He's willing to sell people out. That mercenary streak that you...Because so much of the Federation, let's face it, it's goodie-goodie two-shoes. Like, 'Oh, the Federation, we can't do this, and we're so law-abiding.' It's refreshing sometimes seeing someone playing with the rules. Carmel nailed all those elements. So, I wanted to make him my own and take it to the next level and modernize what he did."

He also revealed the moment that made him really geek out about working on Star Trek.

"I got to fire a phaser. My inner Trekkie went crazy," Wilson said, though that wasn't all. "I got to fire phasers. I got to be beamed up, beamed down. I got to sit in the captain's chair. I got to be captain for a while. He controlled the ship. When you have the poster of all the Star Trek captains, I want Harry Mudd on that."

Are you excited to see the Short Trek focused on Harry Mudd? Let us know in the comments!

"The Escape Artist" premieres January 3, 2019, on CBS All Access.

The first season of Star Trek: Discovery is available to stream in its entirety on CBS All Access in the U.S., through CraveTV in Canada and through Netflix in other international markets.

Star Trek: Discovery Season Two is now filming in Toronto and will premiere on CBS All Access on January 17, 2019.