Patrick Stewart is impossible to replace, but this actor would make a great Captain Jean-Luc Picard ifStar Trek: The Next Generationever gets brought into the Kelvin timeline. WithStar Trek(2009), J.J. Abrams rebooted theStar Trekfranchise on the big screen, bringing in new actors to portray the franchise’s most iconic characters. Because they took place in the alternate Kelvin timeline,Star Trek(2009) and its two sequelsbecame part of officialStar Trekcanon. Considering the long wait forStar Trek 4,the franchise may introduce its version of theTNGcharacters sooner rather than later.

While events play out differently in the Kelvin timeline, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and most of his crew still end up on the USS Enterprise. Admittedly, it could continue to diverge fromStar Trek’sprime timeline, butit’s still likely that Captain Jean-Luc Picard and at least some of hisTNGcrew members will end up on the Enterprise-D.It’s difficult to imagine anyone else portraying the captain and crew fromTNG,but it would be cool to see how their adventures play out in the Kelvin timeline.

Captain Picard, Commander Riker, and Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation

Toby Stephens Would Be A Great Captain Picard (Even If Replacing Patrick Stewart Is Impossible)

Stephens Has The Acting Chops To Play A Perfect Picard

While Patrick Stewart will always be the definitive Captain Jean-Luc Picard, English actor Toby Stephens would be the perfect choice to portray the Enterprise-D captain in the Kelvin timeline. Like Patrick Stewart, Toby Stephens has a background in theater and has appeared in numerous Shakespearean productions throughout his career.Stephens may be most well-known for portraying the intense and compelling Captain James FlintinStarz’s excellent pirate dramaBlack Sails.While Flint may be a very different character from Picard, the role proved that Toby Stephens can command a scene, as well as a rowdy pirate crew.

Stephens also played James Bond villain Gustav Graves inDie Another Day,John Robinson in the Netflix adaptation ofLost in Space,and the Greek god Poseidon in the Disney+Percy Jackson and the Olympiansseries.

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As Captain Flint inBlack Sails,Stephens portrayed a strong and intelligent leader, who could deliver a powerful speech and hold his own in a fight. These are all traits that could be easily transferred to Picard, minus the violence of Flint’s life of piracy.Stephens also portrayed a strong leader inLost in Space,although John Robinson is much more of a family man than Picard ever was. From his Shakespearean history to his ability to command a room, Toby Stephens would be a perfect choice to play an updated version of Captain Picard.

A Kelvin Timeline Version Of Star Trek: The Next Generation Is Inevitable At Some Point

How Did The TNG Characters Fair In The Kelvin Timeline?

All three of the Kelvin timelineStar Trekfilms received strong reviews from critics and performed well at the box office. WhileStar Trek 4has been in the worksfor a while,it remains to be seen whether the story of Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk and his crew will ever get a proper conclusion.With the success of the Kelvin timeline films and prequels likeStar Trek: Strange New Worlds,it seems inevitable thatStar Trek: The Next Generationwill get the reboot treatment at some point.

25 Best Star Trek: TNG Episodes Of All Time

Star Trek: The Next Generation produced some of the best and most beloved science fiction television of all time. Here is TNG’s best of the best.

The adventures of Patrick Stewart’s Captain Picard and his crew still make for excellent television, but that doesn’t mean anew story set in the Kelvin timelinewould not also be fun. There’s a lot to like aboutStar Trek(2009),Star Trek Into Darkness,andStar Trek Beyond,and they introduced a ton of new people to theStar Trekfranchise. WhileStar Trekis much more than prequels, sequels, and reboots, it would be fun to see how the events of the Kelvin timeline films altered the lives ofStar Trek: The Next Generation’sbeloved characters.