Canada’s Bell Media Acquires Rights To CBS All Access’ Patrick Stewart-Fronted ‘Star Trek’ Spin-Off – LA Screenings

Canadian broadcaster Bell Media has acquired local rights to CBS All Acccess’ untitled Star Trek Jean-Luc Picard. It marks the first deal to come out of the LA Screenings, which kicks off this week on the back of the network upfronts.

It comes after Amazon Prime Video picked up the global rights, excluding North America.

The deal for the Patrick Stewart-fronted show was struck with CBS Studios International and includes the exclusive linear television and SVOD rights in English and French. It will launch day-and-date with the U.S on Bell’s cable networks Space and Z as well as digital platform Crave.

The new untitled Star Trek series, produced by CBS TV Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, will also star Alison Pill (The Newsroom), Harry Treadaway (Penny Dreadful), Isa Briones (American Crime Story: Versace), Santiago Cabrera (Salvation), Michelle Hurd (Blindspot) and newcomer Evan Evagora.

The Picard Star Trek series is executive produced by Stewart, Alex Kurtzman, James Duff, Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, with Aaron Baiers of Secret Hideout serving as co-executive producer.

Hanelle Culpepper will direct the first two episodes of the series, making her the first woman to direct a pilot or debut episode of a Starfleet series in the franchise’s 53-year history.

“Bell Media has been a terrific home for Star Trek: Discovery, so we’re thrilled to expand our partnership with the next original series in the franchise, and one that it based on a beloved ‘Star Trek’ character,” said Armando Nuñez, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Global Distribution Group. “This new series will deliver CBS’ world-class production auspices and the considerable talents of Sir Patrick Stewart, further exciting Canadian fans who have always been passionately ‘engaged’ in the world of ‘Star Trek.’”

“Canadians have an insatiable appetite for the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, which has resulted in premium impact for our platforms,” added Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. “The excitement for the return of Sir Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard is out of this world, and we’re thrilled to exclusively deliver another highly anticipated installment of the iconic universe to viewers and subscribers.”