It is First Contact Day. For Star Trek fans, that means that today is a day for celebration! It is also a day when Paramount often makes announcements regarding Star Trek. This year is no different, as an announcement has come out about season three of Star Trek: Picard. According to a report from the official Star Trek website, the entire cast from Star Trek: The Next Generation will appear in season three of Star Trek: Picard.

In addition to the announcement, Paramount also released a teaser for season three of Star Trek: Picard that showcases the additions of LeVar Burton, Johnathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, and Brent Spiner to the cast of Star Trek: Picard for the final season.

This marks the first time the complete Star Trek: The Next Generation cast has been together on screen since Star Trek: Nemesis. Since this is to be the last season of Star Trek: Picard, having the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation as part of that final season will make for an excellent sound off for the show and the character of Jean-Luc Picard.

Season 3 showrunner and executive producer Terry Matalas said of the announcement:

“I remember watching the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation almost 34 years ago with my father like it was yesterday. It was the spark that ignited my love for science fiction. So, it’s most fitting that the story of Jean-Luc Picard ends honoring the beginning, with his dearest and most loyal friends from the U.S.S. Enterprise. It would be an understatement to say that giving these characters a proper send-off is an honor. The entire Star Trek: Picard team and I can’t wait for fans to experience this final, high-stakes, starship-bound adventure in season three!”

Previously, members of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast had expressed disappointment that they had not been asked to be involved in Star Trek: Picard. Fans also felt that Picard’s story needed to have members of the Enterprise D crew to be completely told. Now we know that for Picard’s final adventure, he will have his most trusted crew by his side wherever this adventure takes him.

Why Does Paramount Like to Make Star Trek Announcements on April 5?

Paramount likes to make announcements about Star Trek on April 5th because April 5th is known to Star Trek fans as First Contact Day. First Contact Day is celebrated annually by Star Trek fans as the date that the Earth first officially encountered an alien species when the Vulcans visited after observing Zephram Cochrane’s warp drive explorer. The visit happened on April 5th, 2063. These events were explored in the movie Star Trek: First Contact.

Since that movie came out, every year on April 5th, fans celebrate First Contact Day in honor of the events of that movie. Paramount, knowing that Star Trek fans celebrate First Contact Day, tends to make many announcements about Star Trek on that day.

Star Trek: Picard is currently airing season 2, streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Amazon Prime internationally.