"It Could Still Happen": 'Star Trek: Picard's Legacy Spin-Off Gets Hopeful Update From 'The Next Generation' Star

Even though fans of the Star Trek franchise haveStar Trek: Starfleet Academyto look forward to, there is one potential continuation of the franchise that fans and cast members alike still yearn for. At one point, there was an idea, from the mind ofTerry Matalas, who served as showrunner onStar Trek: Picard, to create a series set shortly after the events of Picard. It would follow Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine as she captains the newest Enterprise through the final frontier. The concept would also include characters such as Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) and Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers).

Even with the idea seemingly tabled for now, one star ofStar Trek: The Next Generation, who appeared in the third and final season of Picard, offered a hopeful update.Brent Spiner, who played the android Data (among many other characters from Data’s family) appeared as a guest onThe Sackhoff Showhosted byKatee Sackhoff. There, Spiner broke down what had been dubbedStar Trek: Legacyand that the show “could still happen.”

“[Terry Matalas] was trying to get a show off the ground that didn’t necessarily feature us [the Next Generation cast], but I think they wanted to continue the show with Jeri Ryan and some of the younger actors who were in the third season of Picard, who could carry a show, and it would have been great.And we would drop in from time to time, I think, was the idea. It would have been interesting, and I think it could still happen.I don’t know for us, but for Jeri. They called it Legacy, and there’s always hope that that would continue. And I think the fans would like to see it. But there’s a lot of other stuff that the people who run Star Trek have planned.”

What Is Next For the Star Trek Franchise?

The Star Trek franchise will continue with the Season 3 premiere ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldson July 17, with episodes airing weekly until the season finale on September 11. Along with the Captain Pike-era show, there’s the upcomingStar Trek: Starfleet Academy. It’s set even further into the future than contemporary withStar Trek: Picard, with the restarting of Starfleet Academy. Cast members includeHolly Hunter, andPaul Giamatti, as well as stars already familiar with the Star Trek franchise likeTig NotaroandRobert Picardo.

During a recent panel, featuring The Next Generation alums, hosted by Collider’sSteve Weintraub,frequent Trek director and starJonathan Frakesdished some on the upcoming series in addition to the big names in the cast. “There’s also a spaceship on the show, which I think, I hope that’s not a fucking secret. I have been known—I’ve had a bad experience with oversharing, and I hope that wasn’t an overshare, but it’s fabulous. The sets are great. The scripts are— they’re funny, which is always helpful on Star Trek.”