UPDATE: The original outlet who first reported this news, Revenge of the Fans, have since pulled their story without any explanation. We’ve reached out to them for comment and will update this post again once we’ve heard back.
After months of rumors, speculation, and a mountain of hype, concrete details for Star Trek: Picard have finally begun to surface. Just last week, CBS released the first official trailer, which showed off a much older, and decidedly more experienced, Jean-Luc, who has seemingly turned in the life of commanding a Starfleet ship for a quiet retirement at his family’s vineyard. Still, if plot details are anything to go by, it looks like his later years won’t be all that restful.
While fans already got a glimpse at a newly-released poster, there’s not a ton to go off of at this point. A few observant devotees have linked the show to the Kelvin timeline first seen in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot film, but there’s a good chance we’ll need to wait a few months before any more concrete information comes down the pipeline. That being said, if you’re not averse to unconfirmed rumors, then read on.
As reported by Matt Vernier of Revenge of the Fans, it looks like Brent Spiner will be making a guest appearance in Star Trek: Picard. Series enthusiasts are, of course, familiar with the man behind Data, the Soong-type android who served as lieutenant commander aboard the USS Enterprise-D.
While it’s easy to assume Spiner will be reprising his role as Jean-Luc’s trusted advisor, we don’t have any specifics on how involved he’ll be just yet. Data could simply be relegated to voice recordings, flashbacks, or dream sequences, or maybe the producers have something meatier in store for the character. Time will tell, but fans have already begun speculating.
Regardless of how he’ll return to the series, we won’t have to wait long to see Brent Spiner and Patrick Stewart back in action. Star Trek: Picard is set to premiere later this year, exclusively on CBS’ All Access streaming service, and as soon as we get official confirmation of Data’s involvement, we’ll be sure to let you know.
