Exclusive: Anthony Rapp Says Captain Pike Sets Lighter Tone For ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 2

TrekMovie had the chance to chat with some of the cast of Star Trek: Discovery at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention, including actor Anthony Rapp. We talked about the tone of the show in the second season and what’s next for Paul Stamets after the dramatic events impacting him in the last episodes of the first season. We have highlights and full video of the interview below.

Discovery and Stamets emerge from the darkness

Rapp acknowledged that the first season of Discovery had a darker tone than typical Star Trek, but he put that into context:

So much of the darkness was informed by the fact that our captain was from the Mirror Universe. Everything was geared toward telling that story. And how do we reach our ideals, sometimes you have to go through darkness to come out and realize what you really hold up to be true. So, yes it was unfamiliar in some ways, but it was still ultimately steeped in the tenets and beliefs in this universe, always. Going to humanity’s higher purpose. But, yes, it was unusually dark.

And he promised a lighter tone for the second season, led by Anson Mount’s introduction as Captain Pike:

So in [season two] we have moved through this and come out the other side. Pike is sort of an exemplary captain. He is exactly the kind of familiar Starfleet captain you would always want. And I think that alone sets such a different tone. And yes, there is certainly more humor, but there is also this settling that happens after all the craziness of season one and all the massive events. Now, in season two, so much of it gets to settle and we get to deal with it. And there is time and space for all of that, which is really satisfying.

Specifically, regarding his character of Paul Stamets, Rapp said that Stamets will have that time and space to deal with the trauma he went through due to the loss of Hugh Culber in season one:

  It’s been really satisfying that it’s not in any way that is cliché or typical. It feels specific and human and true to Stamets, and I’ve been really grateful that the writers have given me that kind of material to work with.

Stamets and Tilly share a moment from the season two first look trailer

Inspired by Patrick Stewart

Rapp, who considers himself a big fan of Star Trek, talked about what it was like for him to witness the big announcement of a new Jean-Luc Picard Star Trek show :

I was in the room when Sir Patrick Stewart announced … that “Jean-Luc Picard is back,” and that was thrilling, and it was also thrilling to see how moved he was and inspired he was. You know, he has been around the block and had tremendous success and to see someone as accomplished as him still have his heart and soul deeply affected was really meaningful and inspiring.

When asked how he felt being part of the Star Trek family and how it is said that once you join you have work for life, Rapp spoke about the richer benefits of being part of the franchise:

[Work for life as Star Trek celebrity is] a great side benefit, for sure, but if it was for doing something that didn’t have meaning or it was … just cashing in … if it wasn’t linked to something that had meaning and heart and soul, it wouldn’t be such a cool thing after all. It is amazing to be part of something that resonates so powerfully.

Ready to snack on Short Treks

Rapp could not confirm if he was going to appear in any of the four Star Trek: Short Treks mini-episodes, which will start running this fall leading up to the season two premiere of Discovery in early 2019. However, he did offer some thoughts on what they are going to be like:

I do know that there is some really cool stuff. I am personally really excited about it, ’cause I think it’s a great new way to explore the world and the characters. I think it’s the perfect little – like, I don’t know, you know when you go to a nice fancy restaurant and they bring you those little treats before the meal? It’s like that. It’s like a really satisfying thing that doesn’t fill you up, but gets you ready for the meal.

The actor also noted that even though Short Treks are indeed short, they still have a lot of effort put into them, saying:

I think it’s really smart, and it also shows a tremendous commitment on the part of CBS and all the creative team. Even though they are short, they are still a lot of work and take a lot of resources. I think it is tremendous that they are giving so much life and energy and creativity, to telling all these stories.

Watch the full interview with Anthony Rapp

Patrick Stewart to reprise role as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard

Actor will play Picard in series chronicling his adventures after Next Generation

Patrick Stewart is to reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard in a new series of Star Trek.

The character, who featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation and a handful of films, will return in the new CBS All Access series, which will reveal the next chapter of Picard’s life.

Announcing the news himself during a surprise appearance at the annual Star Trek convention in Las Vegas , Stewart said: “I will always be very proud to have been a part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course. It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over.

“During these past years, it has been humbling to hear stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership. I feel I’m ready to return to what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times. I look forward to working with our brilliant creative team as we endeavour to bring a fresh, unexpected and pertinent story to life once more.”

Stewart played Picard in 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran for seven series between 1987 and 1994. The character, widely held alongside William Shatner’s Captain James T Kirk as one of the franchise’s two best, also appeared in four feature films: Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis.

Alex Kurtzman, showrunner on 2017’s well-received Star Trek: Discovery, will be an executive producer on the show. He said: “With overwhelming joy, it’s a privilege to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back to the Star Trek fold. For over 20 years, fans have hoped for the return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and that day is finally here. We can’t wait to forge new ground, surprise people, and honour generations both new and old.”

To boldly stay in the EU: why Captain Jean-Luc Picard would be a remainer 

CBS has yet to release any further information about the new series, including title or release date. Star Trek: Discovery, which stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones and Anthony Rapp will return in January.

Since playing Picard for the final time, Stewart is best known for starring as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise.

'STAR TREK' STAR NICHELLE NICHOLS
DIAGNOSED WITH DEMENTIA

'Star Trek' icon Nichelle Nichols has been diagnosed with dementia and the disease has progressed.
According to docs filed in Nichelle's conservatorship, Dr. Meena Makhijani -- who specializes in osteopathic medicine -- says Nichols has been a patient of hers for the last 2-3 years ... and she has "moderate progressive dementia." 
Makhijani gives details of the severity of the disease by rating various cognitive functions. Most alarming ... she says Nichols has major impairment of her short-term memory and moderate impairment of understanding abstract concepts, sense of time, place and immediate recall.
On the bright side, the doctor says there's no apparent impairment for things like long-term memory, orientation of her body, comprehension, verbal communication, concentration, recognition of familiar people, as well as ability to reason logically and plan actions.
As we reported ... Nichelle's son recently had 4 fiduciaries assigned to her as conservators to prevent her from being taken advantage of by people close to her.

Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth 'Star Trek 4' Future In Doubt as Talks Fall Through 

Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth are no longer boldly going where no person has gone before.

The two actors were in negotiations to star in Star Trek 4, but sources say that talks between the two actors and the companies making the new installment, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Media, have fallen apart, with both sides walking away from the table.

Dealmaking with other returning castmembers — including Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg and John Cho — was expected to follow.

Pine was due to reprise his role as iconic sci-fi hero Captain Kirk, which he has inhabited for three movies, while Hemsworth was to have played his father in a time-traveling adventure. (Hemsworth played the role in the prologue of the 2009 film that rebooted the franchise.) 

The deal points came down to the usual suspect: money. Pine and Hemsworth, among Hollywood’s A-list when starring in DC or Marvel movies, are said to be asking the studios to stick to existing deals. Paramount, according to insiders, contends that Star Trek is not like a Marvel or Star Wars movie and is trying to hold the line on a budget.

The actors, according to sources, insist they have deals in place and that the studios are reneging on them, forcing them to take pay cuts as they try to budget a movie that is following a mediocre performer.

Pine, at least, has had a deal in place for several years. The actor, now a key player in the Wonder Woman franchise, signed up for a fourth movie when he made his deal for 2016's Star Trek Beyond. Hemsworth has been attached to Star Trek 4 since Paramount, then run by the previous regime headed by Brad Grey, announced the fourth installment in 2016, although his exact status remains murky.

The studio, however, is backing its budget tough talk with past performance numbers. The last installment, Star Trek Beyond, grossed only $343 million worldwide on a budget of $190 million. In fact, one insider says the companies lost money on the pic.

The 2009 reboot that kicked off this run of movies, titled simply Star Trek, made $386 million, while 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness is the top earner of all the Star Trek movies with $467 million. Meanwhile, Marvel, DC or Star Wars films regularly gross north of $700 million. Not for lack of trying, the Star Trek pics seem to have a ceiling, especially globally.  

It is unclear what the next step is for Star Trek 4. The project could recast Kirk and his father, or perhaps the two sides could come back to the table.

Either way, Paramount and Skydance insiders say the movie, also produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot, remains a priority development and is not being put on hold. Adding a veneer of enterprise to the project is that for the first time in the franchise history, a female director, S. J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones, Succession), is sitting in the captain’s chair.

Paramount had no comment. CAA, which reps Pine and Hemsworth, also had no comment.