James McAvoy says he once pitched Star Trek franchise overseers on a series built around a young Jean-Luc Picard, revealing on the podcast Happy, Sad, Confused that the concept got close to happening before logistics got in the way. The actor described the McAvoy young Picard Star Trek pitch as a project he still thinks about, even though nothing has moved forward publicly.
McAvoy told the podcast the idea came together under the working title ‘Mutiny on the Stargazer,’ envisioned as a limited one-season series following Picard’s early command of the USS Stargazer, a ship referenced in Patrick Stewart’s original run as the character.
What McAvoy Pitched To Star Trek
According to McAvoy, the series would have centered on the moment Picard took over as captain of the Stargazer and dug into “what actually happened and the secret he’s been holding his entire career,” as he put it on the podcast, according to IGN.
McAvoy said the response from Star Trek representatives was positive and the project came close to advancing. “Nearly did it,” he said, though he did not detail exactly what stopped the show from being produced beyond citing logistical hurdles.
McAvoy’s Connection To Patrick Stewart
McAvoy’s interest in a young Picard traces back to his working relationship with Patrick Stewart, whom he has long admired. McAvoy already played a younger version of Stewart’s other signature role, Charles Xavier, across multiple X-Men films after Stewart originated the part in the 2000s trilogy.
That history fueled a joke McAvoy made on the podcast about his career ambitions. “All I really want to do in my career is play young versions of Patrick,” he said, tying his Professor X work directly to his pitch for a young Picard series.
Even without a greenlight, McAvoy made clear the story has stuck with him. “I love that story. I just go to bed and think about it at night,” he said, signaling genuine attachment to a concept that never made it to screen.
No Series Currently In The Works
Despite McAvoy’s enthusiasm, no Star Trek series centered on a young Picard has been announced or put into production. His comments amount to a look back at a pitch meeting rather than a preview of upcoming programming.
McAvoy has spoken publicly before about how his past franchise work continues to follow him, including his residual earnings from Split. His X-Men history as young Xavier remains part of a franchise still evolving, with Christopher Abbott set to take on Professor X in a planned reboot that reportedly has no script yet, and new additions like Asa Germann joining as Angel.
For now, ‘Mutiny on the Stargazer’ remains an unmade concept that McAvoy discussed only in the context of a podcast interview. No studio or streamer has confirmed any plans tied to the idea.
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