Patrick Stewart is pitching a Picard movie for character's finale
Stewart reveals that he had plans for how things wrap up for Picard.
While finales can often be a hard thing to nail down correctly, it seems as though the finale of Star Trek: Picard wasn't what was initially planned, according to Patrick Stewart.
While the final episode of Picard saw Stewart's Jean-Luc raise a toast with his crew members, the acclaimed actor has revealed that he pitched an extensive idea for how he wanted the series to wrap up.
Writing in his new memoir, Making It So, Stewart also revealed that despite his plans for the finale not going ahead, he does hope they can tackle his ideas in a future standalone movie.
He wrote (via Time): “What I’d like to see at the end of the show is a content Jean-Luc. I want to see Picard perfectly at ease with his situation. Not anxious, not in a frenzy, not depressed. And I think this means that there is a wife in the picture.
“The writers came up with a lovely scene. It is dusk at Jean-Luc’s vineyard. His back is to us as he takes in the view, his dog at his side. Then, off-screen, a woman’s loving voice is heard: ‘Jean-Luc? Supper’s ready!’ Is it Beverly Crusher’s voice? Laris’s? Someone we don’t know? It isn’t made clear.
"But [my real-life wife] Sunny was set to record the lines. Heeding his wife’s call, Jean-Luc turns around, says to his dog, ‘C’mon, boy,’ and heads inside. Dusk fades to night, and Picard fades into history.”
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But despite the scene being scripted, the timing didn't allow for the scene to be shot. Stewart revealed: “I was assured that we would take care of the final scene upon my return from New York. But I never got a call. When I made a few inquiries, I kept getting put off.
"Finally, someone told me, 'The studio doesn’t want to do it. It’s too expensive and they think it’s unnecessary.’ Unnecessary? I thought it was crucial to the completion of Picard’s arc. But so be it: the TV series ended with the toast, which is a warm, emotional send-off to my favourite Starfleet crew. Either way, you now know of my original intent.”
But that doesn't mean that all hope is to be lost in regards to getting that anticipated peaceful-sounding finale. Stewart also revealed in his book that he's been pushing for a standalone Picard film, so could that be coming to the big screen soon?
He writes: “This would be an expansion and deepening of the universe as we’ve seen it in Star Trek: Picard. I’ve discussed this with Jonathan [Frakes], Brent [Spiner], and LeVar [Burton], and they are all game. Jonathan is my first choice to direct it.”
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As for whether we can see more of the franchise on our screens for a fourth season, it's unlikely, as the series was created with just three instalments in mind.
The third season wrapped up earlier this year with fans being left to wonder if season 4 could be on the horizon. Star Trek: Picard co-creator Akiva Goldsman told TrekMovie, though, that while "the door is always open for a season 4", the series "was always planned to be three seasons."
Star Trek: Picard season 3 is available on Paramount Plus in the US, and on Amazon Prime Video in the UK – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days.
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
