Amidst the production shutdowns caused worldwide by the coronavirus pandemic, post-production on the third season of Star Trek: Discovery is continuing remotely, according to one of the show's actors. Producing new content for live-action series and movies has proven to be a challenge in the age of social distancing, with casts and crews unwilling or unable to gather. Individual members can still work remotely, though, which is helpful for shows where all necessary filming has been completed.
That's the case in regards to season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery. The CBS All Access show received a swift renewal in February 2019 (reportedly for a fourth season, too), right after the second season of the show premiered on the streaming service. This enabled the crew to get a jumpstart on writing the episodes, and filming was able to commence in July. Shoots for the new season finished by the end of February 2020, right before the true reach of the coronavirus pandemic was felt around the globe.
Nevertheless, there's no release date for season 3 yet, leaving fans to wonder when it would arrive. Actor Wilson Cruz, who plays Hugh Culber on the show, took to Twitter to assure fans that the crew was working on post-production and that a release date would be coming as soon as one was available. Scott Gamzon, who has served as an editor on the show, followed up on Cruz's Twitter post to confirm that post-production was actively being worked on remotely. See the Twitter exchange below:
There's no telling how long the post-production phase will take, especially with people using only the tools they have their disposal in remote locations and with a lack of collaboration. The series released their first season in September 2017, and their second season in January 2019, so the show would have to premiere their third season in May 2020 to follow that pattern - that's not going to happen. There is one less episode in season 3 than there was in season 2, though, so that could expedite the work.
While a release date has not yet been offered, there have been hints of marketing surrounding season 3, suggesting it might not be as far off as it seems. A teaser for season 3 was released at the end of March, ahead of the cast uniting to spread a hopeful message during difficult times. So while there's no indication of when Star Trek: Discovery is returning, there is at least active movement to get the new season off the ground.
Source: Wilson Cruz via Twitter