Star Trek: Picard Season 3 Will Look Different, Be More Cinematic, Says Showrunner
Star Trek: Picard's final season is going to look and sound a little different than the first two. Terry Matalas took over as showrunner after being co-showrunner in Star Trek: Picard Season 2. As fans may have noticed in the trailer released on Star Trek Day, Matalas is trying to bring the magic of Star Trek movies to the Paramount+ streaming series' final outing, bringing on a new director of photography and new composer to make that happen. He's also bringing back the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast, with LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner joining Patrick Stewart on the show.
Matalas spoke to TrekMovie about the shift in style. He also offered a recommendation to anyone watching the series when it debuts in February.
"It is very different," he said. "We really wanted to make this as cinematic an experience as possible. If there wasn't going to be a final Star Trek: The Next Generation movie then this 10-episode series would serve that and feel like that. So when it comes out, my recommendation would be to turn off the lights, pop some popcorn, and you got 10 chapters ahead of you that should feel as cinematic as possible."
But will there be an actual finally Star Trek: The Next Generation movie? Stewart said he thinks there should be during his appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, though producer Alex Kurtzman noted that Star Trek: Picard Season 3 pretty much is what such a movie would be. Still, he didn't rule anything out.
"I think that in some ways season three is that," Kurtzman said. "But of course, I mean, look, if you guys love it, let's see what happens."
"I remember watching the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation almost 34 years ago with my father like it was yesterday. It was the spark that ignited my love for science fiction," Matalas said bringing back the Next Generation cast in a press release. "So, it's most fitting that the story of Jean-Luc Picard ends honoring the beginning, with his dearest and most loyal friends from the U.S.S. Enterprise. It would be an understatement to say that giving these characters a proper send-off is an honor. The entire Star Trek: Picard team and I can't wait for fans to experience this final, high-stakes, starship-bound adventure in season three!"
Star Trek: Picard's first two seasons are streaming now on Paramount+. Star Trek: Picard Season 3 premieres on February 16th.