Less than two-weeks before its debut, the return of Jean-Luc Picard is truly coming back for even more

With the millions in tax credits that Star Trek: Picard received from the state of California last month for a second season, it was pretty clear there was going to be more of Sir Patrick Stewart’s iconic character – and CBS All Access made it official just now at the TCA.

“The energy and excitement around the premiere of Star Trek: Picard has reached a magnitude greater than all of us at CBS All Access could have hoped for,” proclaimed Julie McNamara this afternoon in Pasadena to the assembled press. “We’re thrilled to announce plans for a second season before the series’ debut, and we are confident that Star Trek fans and new viewers alike will be captured by the stellar cast and creative team’s meticulously crafted story when it premieres on January. 23,” the ViacomCBS owned streamer’s EVP, Original Content added.

While the Picard renewal is now official, there is no official word yet when Season 2 will premiere and how many episodes it will be. However, I hear that the Alex Kurtzman created series of the legendary Next Generation Captain is looking at a late 2020 or early 2021 lift-off with 10-episodes, like the about to launch first season.

The much-anticipated Picard sees Stewart reprises his Star Fleet role for the first time since 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis movie. The Stewart, Kurtzman, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth executive produced Picard also stars Next Gen vets Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner plus Jeri Ryan and Jonathan Del Arc. Santiago Cabrera, Michelle Hurd, Isa Briones, Alison Pill, Harry Treadaway and Evan Evagora are also on board for CBS All Access’ latest surge in the Trekverse franchise

Sir Patrick Stewart, Alex Kurtzman, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, Heather Kadin and others from the show are expected on stage for the Picard panel at TCA later this afternoon. It was revealed late last year that Chabon would be stepping away from his showrunner role for a Season 2 of Picard, but still remain as an EP.

BTW – the $20.45 million that Season 2 of Picard was awarded in December by the Golden State is the most any TV project has ever been awarded in the California Film Commission run program since then Governor Jerry Brown officially expanded the credits to $330 million a year overall and tossed aside the much-criticized lottery system in September 2014.