Star Trek: Picard Showrunner Reveals Real Reason Original Cast Was Cut from Season 3

Star Trek: Picard’s showrunner, Terry Matalas, recently shared the “terrible” reason why the original cast was cut from Season 3. Picard, featuring Patrick Stewart’s iconic return as Jean-Luc Picard, was one of the first Star Trek series on Paramount+. Throughout its seasons, the show had different showrunners, with Matalas taking over for Season 3. Fans loved Season 3 for reintroducing many of Stewart’s co-stars from Star Trek: The Next Generation, but this meant that most of the cast from the first two seasons of Picard didn’t make the cut.

During an interview on Katee Sackhoff’s podcast, The Sackhoff Show, Matalas explained how he landed the Picard opportunity. After Chabon stepped away, Matalas worked with Goldsman as a showrunner for Season 2 and then as the sole showrunner for Season 3. His main goal was to bring back the cast of The Next Generation, but due to budget constraints, he had to make tough choices. Matalas shared, “There were sacrifices. It was terrible. It was a terrible place to be in.” He further elaborated that convincing Patrick Stewart to return was a priority and discussed the process of bringing back other key actors from the original series.

Looking ahead, Jeri Ryan, known for her role as Seven of Nine, advocated for a new spinoff called Star Trek: Legacy, but so far, Paramount+ has not pursued the idea. When asked about it, Ryan expressed optimism, reminding fans never to say never in the world of Star Trek. She reflected on her surprise return as Seven of Nine in Picard, reassuring fans that anything is possible in the Star Trek universe.

Share your thoughts on the final season of Star Trek: Picard in the comments. Would you be interested in a spinoff like Star Trek: Legacy? Let us know your thoughts!