James McAvoy: I can play young Picard in new Star Trek show

The Scottish actor played young Dr X multiple times, so he already knows how to emulate Patrick Stewart.

Gael Cooper

CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.

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Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.

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Gael Cooper

Sept. 26, 2018 1:48 p.m. PT

2 min read

stewmcavoybetter — James McAvoy has played a younger version of Patrick Stewart's Dr. X character, so why couldn't he do it in the upcoming Picard show?
20th Century Fox

James McAvoy has played a younger version of a Patrick Stewart character before, so why not do it again?

On Monday, Stewart shared the first photo of his work on the new CBS All Access series about the later years of Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation. (Disclosure: CBS is the parent company of CNET.)

Many fans commented excitedly on the photo on both Twitter and Instagram , but one Instagram comment stands out: Actor James McAvoy wrote, "Need a flashback guy????" He went on to add, "Just sayin @sirpatstew ... I've got previous experience and will work for autographs."

He does have experience. McAvoy played a young version of Stewart's X-Men leader, Dr. Charles Xavier, in numerous movies, including X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Fans seemed enthused about the idea. "Dearest Sir Patrick ... I think you should take James McAvoy up on his offer and give him a permanent place on your starship," one Instagram user wrote. "Your Number 2? He'd make a great Second Officer on your bridge."

It's likely a little early to be thinking that far ahead.

"The only casting we've confirmed for that series is Sir Patrick Stewart himself," a CBS spokesperson said when asked about McAvoy's interest. "Beyond that, we don't comment on storylines or casting rumors at this point in preproduction."

But should a young Picard be needed, it's good to know that the network has a good volunteer who could engage in making it so.

There's no official title or date yet, but the new Picard show (please, can they just title it Picard and make things easy?) seems likely to premiere in 2019.

First published Sept. 26, 12:30 p.m. PT.
Update, 1:48 p.m. PT: Adds comment from CBS.