Star Trek: Picard Series to Air In Canada Day-and-Date With US
CBS Studios International announced today that it has struck a deal with Bell Media to air the [...]
CBS Studios International announced today that it has struck a deal with Bell Media to air the untitled Star Trek-Picard series in Canada. Bell acquired the exclusive linear television and subscription video on demand (SVOD) rights in English and French in Canada. Each episode will be available simultaneously with its release on CBS All Access in the United States.
Each episode of the Picard series will air day-and-date with it's US streaming debut on Space (in English) and Z (in French). Episodes will stream the following day exclusively on the Crave subscription video-on-demand service.
"Bell Media has been a terrific home for Star Trek: Discovery so we're thrilled to expand our partnership with the next original series in the franchise, and one that it based on a beloved Star Trek character," said Armando Nuñez, president and chief executive officer of CBS Global Distribution Group, in a press release. "This new series will deliver CBS' world-class production auspices and the considerable talents of Sir Patrick Stewart, further exciting Canadian fans who have always been passionately 'engaged' in the world of Star Trek."
"Canadians have an insatiable appetite for the Star Trek franchise, which has resulted in premium impact for our platforms," said Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. "The excitement for the return of Sir Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard is out of this world, and we're thrilled to exclusively deliver another highly anticipated installment of the iconic universe to viewers and subscribers."
Bell Media carries Star Trek: Discovery in Canada. Netflix carries Discovery outside of the United States and Canda, but CBS announced yesterday that the Picard series will stream globally outside of the United States and Canda through Amazon's Prime Video streaming service.
"For 50 years, the Star Trek series have been a global sensation, spanning generations and audiences of all ages," Nuñez said of the Amazon deal. "We look forward to working with the team at Amazon Prime Video to bring this next chapter of the incredible Star Trek franchise to its passionate international fan base."
Executive producer Alex Kurtzman recently described the Picard series as a psychological character study of Picard in his later years. "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.
"What happens when circumstances have conspired to not give him the happiest of endings?" Kurtzman continued. "Hopefully, it's a reinforcement of [Star Trek creator Gene] Roddenberry's vision of optimism. He's going to have to go through deep valleys to get back to the light."
What do you think of the new Picard series headed to Amazon for international distribution? Let us know in the comments. The new Picard series is expected to debut in late 2019.
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