Star Trek: Picard Executive Producer and head honcho of CBS All Access’ current iteration of Star Trek Alex Kurtzman recently confirmed that the Romulans will be retconned in the upcoming series.
While attending the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Kurtzman discussed the changes made to the Romulans.
As reported by TV Line, the revelation that the Romulans would be retconned came while Kurtzman was asked what Michael Dorn’s Worf would look like, given the radical changes made to the Klingons in Star Trek: Discovery.
Related: Report: Michael Dorn Will Not Reprise His Role as Worf in Star Trek: Picard
First, Kurtzman made clear that any possible return of the famous Klingon would have to align with the needs of the story of Star Trek: Picard.
“It’s totally possible,” Kurtzman said on the possibility of Worf returning.
He continued, “I think Worf is such an amazing character… We didn’t want to just throw people in because they were in Next Gen… We actually weren’t even thinking about bringing Marina [Sirtis] and Jonathan [Frakes] back until halfway through the season when as, we were breaking story, something came up hat made it very clear they need to be in the story. So a deliberate reason is the bar, and if there’s a great reason to bring Worf in, anything is possible.”
Then the obvious question had to be asked, what kind of Klingon will Worf look like if Michael Dorn were to reprise his role.
Related: New Star Trek: Picard Details Revealed At Destination Star Trek Birmingham
Kurtzman indicated that Worf would not look like the Klingons from Discovery.
He stated, “No, he’s got to look the same. We’re not changing that.” That’s wonderful news for those who hold out hope to see Michael Dorn return.
And then Kurtzman revealed the Romulans would be retconned, “It’s funny, because you’ll see by the time you get to [Picard‘s] third episode, there are different kinds of Romulans that look different, depending on their territories.”
He continued pointing out the Romulans will look different physically, “You’ll see some Romulans that are just about the ears, you’ll see some with the ears and deeper ridges in their foreheads… so I have to believe that there are different iterations of Klingons, depending on where they are from.”
Related: CBS Exec Confirms Star Trek: Picard Will Be “Hybrid” of Discovery and The Next Generation
It appears that Kurtzman’s vision of Star Trek will continue to take established species and create ethnic sub-groups within them.
Star Trek: Picard has already been renewed for Season 2, despite not airing a single episode.
The story is just getting started. #StarTrekPicard has been renewed for Season 2 on @CBSAllAccess. pic.twitter.com/1sXtEz6gvD
— Star Trek on CBS All Access (@startrekcbs) January 12, 2020
Related: Patrick Stewart on Star Trek: Picard: “People Will Be Surprised and Perhaps Even Shocked”
The first season of Star Trek: Picard will premiere January 23rd, 2020 on CBS All Access in the United States and Amazon Prime worldwide.