Star Trek fans around the globe are one step closer to getting the upcoming untitled Picard series starring Sir Patrick Stewart, as CBS All Access has completed a deal with Amazon Prime for the streaming service to bring the show to the rest of the world outside the United States and Canada.
Amazon is set to release Stewart’s much-anticipated return to the Trek universe in over 200 countries not including North America. The good news for these overseas viewers is that episodes will be made available a mere 24 hours after their US broadcasts. The partnership between CBS and Amazon is also due to last for several years, which reminds us that the Picard series is not planned as a one-off but a new ongoing production alongside Star Trek: Discovery.
The execs behind the move released a few statements, voicing their excitement at the partnership and for what Picard’s return will offer to the worldwide Trek fandom. Brad Beale, vice president of worldwide content licensing for Amazon Prime Video, chimed in first and said the following:
“We’re thrilled to partner with CBS to bring the newest edition of the storied Star Trek franchise to our international Amazon Prime Video customers. With the incredible Sir Patrick Stewart returning as the beloved Jean-Luc Picard, we’re excited we can give Trek fans both old and new the opportunity to see him back in action.”
Armando Nuñez, president-CEO of CBS Global Distribution Group, added:
“For 50 years, the Star Trek series have been a global sensation, spanning generations and audiences of all ages. We look forward to working with the team at Amazon Prime Video to bring this next chapter of the incredible Star Trekfranchise to its passionate international fan base.”
Finally, Trek on TV architect Alex Kurtzman teased that having Stewart back in the captain’s chair as Picard will be “legendary.”
“There’s only one word that can begin to describe Sir Patrick Stewart as Starship Commander Jean-Luc Picard, and that’s ‘legendary.’ We are thrilled beyond measure to have him back in command, bringing the optimistic messages of Star Trek to audiences around the world.”
The Picard series will also star Santiago Carbrera, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Alison Pill, Harry Treadaway and Isa Briones. Following on from the destruction of Romulus (as seen in 2009’s Star Trek), the show will explore the Starfleet officer’s life following a “radically life-altering” event. Kurtzman also recently described it as a psychological character study and less action-packed than Discovery, which should be an interesting direction to take things in.
The Captain Picard Star Trek series is currently filming and, though no release date’s been set, it’s expected to arrive in 2020.
