Michael Chabon to Run 'Star Trek: Picard' for CBS All Access

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon is taking the captain's chair on CBS All Access' Star Trek: Picard.

Chabon, who's been part of the show's creative team since Picard was announced, has been named showrunner of the upcoming series. He'll continue working with fellow executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Alex Kurtzman, the stewards of the Trek TV franchise, on day-to-day production.

"Star Trek has been an important part of my way of thinking about the world, the future, human nature, storytelling and myself since I was 10 years old," said Chabon. "I come to work every day in a state of joy and awe at having been entrusted with the character and the world of Jean-Luc Picard, with this vibrant strand of the rich, intricate and complex tapestry that is Trek."

Picard will follow Patrick Stewart's character, who is living a "radically altered" life, as Kurtzman put it, since his last appearance in the Star Trek universe, the 2002 film Nemesis. A teaser for the series shows shots of a vineyard and bottles of Chateau Picard wine, with a woman's voice asking, "Why did you leave Starfleet, Admiral?"

"'Daring,' 'whimsical,' 'humane,' 'lyrical,' 'celebrated': words that describe both Jean-Luc Picard and the literary genius of Michael Chabon," said Kurtzman. "Despite a laundry list of accomplishments most writers only dream of, Michael shines with the heart and soul of a Trekkie who's finally found his dream job. We're so fortunate to have him at the helm as we explore this next chapter in the great captain's life."

Chabon won the Pulitzer for his novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and has written Wonder Boys, The Yiddish Policeman's Union, Moonglow and other novels. His screenplays include John Carter, Netflix's upcoming series Unbelievable and the "Calypso" installment of Star Trek: Short Treks. He has a story credit on Spider-Man 2.

Star Trek: Picard also stars Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera and Harry Treadaway.

Along with Chabon, Kurtzman, and Goldsman, the executive producers are Stewart, James Duff, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth.

Star Trek: Discovery veteran Hanelle Culpepper is directing the first two episodes.

Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com