James McAvoy wants to occupy the Captain’s chair of the USS Stargazer (NCC-2893) for another Patrick Stewart-adjacent project! After playing a younger version of Stewart’s Professor Xavier for Marvel’s X-Men film franchise, McAvoy told the Happy Sad Confused podcast he’d like to follow in the legendary actor’s footsteps again, but for a “young Picard” Star Trek series titled Mutiny on the Stargazer. According to McAvoy, he pitched the idea and nearly “made” the limited series a reality, but it never left the port.
Make It So: McAvoy’s Untold Picard Story
“That was a whole idea I had I pitched to the Star Trek people as well, and we nearly did it,” said McAvoy on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “I’ve got a whole story about an early Picard. All I really want to do in my career is play young versions of Patrick [Stewart].”
McAvoy continued, “I had this whole story of a young Picard that I love. I pitched, it was like a one-off standalone season … when he took over as Captain of the Stargazer and what actually happened, and the secret he’s been holding his entire career. I just pitched it to them, talking to them, and they were into it, but we had logistical issues that meant we couldn’t do it. But I love that story that I just got to bed and think about it at night.”
A Match Made in Starfleet
Could you imagine if Star Trek announced this project as part of its 60th anniversary celebration? Fans would have gone ballistic! Especially since the Star Trek franchise is in a shaky spot overall. Paramount recently canceled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy after its first-season finale despite a solid 87% critical rating. Other entries in the modern Star Trek era that were recently phased out include Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy, and Star Trek: Picard. The rash of cancellations doesn’t instill confidence in the franchise’s future, leaving fans wondering what’s next for the space exploration saga.
A Shaky Horizon for the Star Trek Universe
Would you have watched McAvoy take the helm of the Stargazer, or is it time for Star Trek to focus purely on brand-new characters? Let us know in the comments below!
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