Terry Matalas Gifts Kevin Feige One of Worf’s Swords From ‘Star Trek: Picard’

Terry Matalas and Kevin Feige share a unique connection through their mutual love for ‘Star Trek’. The Marvel Studios president is a dedicated Trekkie, and with the recent release of Matalas’s ‘VisionQuest’ on Disney+, their collaboration has gained significant attention.

The relationship traces back to ‘Star Trek: Picard’. Feige told Inverse that after watching Season 3, he was so impressed that he sought out the mastermind behind it, leading to Matalas taking the helm of Marvel’s Vision series.

Recently, Matalas shared an intriguing detail about their friendship: he gifted Feige one of Worf’s swords from ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3. This gift is particularly meaningful, as that season was pivotal in catching Marvel’s attention.

The sword itself has an interesting history. Matalas revealed that the weapon Worf carries is a kur’leth, crafted by Dan Curry, who also designed the iconic Bat’leth. Curry first introduced the Bat’leth in the ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ episode ‘Reunion’.

The concept originated from a discussion with Michael Dorn. Matalas envisioned an older Worf as a samurai wielding a Klingon sword, with Dorn drawing parallels to Pai Mei from ‘Kill Bill’. During a press tour panel, Matalas humorously noted that the sword was oversized and anime-like, even though Worf tends toward pacifism.

A Worf sword is a fitting gift for Feige, who is a well-known Trekkie. He and Matalas appeared together on a two-hour episode of the ‘Star Trek’ podcast ‘Inglorious Treksperts’, as reported by Variety. Feige has also honored the cast of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Astra Awards.

Matalas mentioned that their friendship blossomed from their shared passion for ‘Star Trek’. He also expressed to IndieWire his enthusiasm for Marvel, emphasizing his desire to be part of the franchise.

‘VisionQuest’ premiered its first two episodes on Disney+ on October 14, with the remaining six episodes set to release weekly until November 11. Matalas serves as both showrunner and director, with a cast that includes Paul Bettany, James Spader, Ruaridh Mollica, and Emily Hampshire. Todd Stashwick, who portrayed Captain Shaw on ‘Picard’, is also part of the cast.

The influence of ‘Star Trek’ extends beyond the cast. Matalas has likened Vision’s journey to Spock’s in ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home’, depicting the android’s struggle to reconnect with memories devoid of emotional ties. He shared with IGN at New York Comic Con that Marvel granted his team substantial creative freedom, with Feige’s only stipulation being that Vision reunites with his son.

Initial reviews have been mixed. One critique described the series as a mixed bag, heavily reliant on references to the broader MCU while lacking the character depth found in ‘WandaVision’.

In contrast, Matalas’s work on ‘Picard’ received much warmer acclaim. Season 3 debuted on February 16, 2023, reuniting the former Enterprise crew, including Worf, for a final adventure. Matalas earned a WGA nomination for the series finale, and the show won the Astra Award for Best Writing.

Matalas has also discussed the unproduced ‘Star Trek: Legacy’ spinoff, revealing he wrote about 30 pages on spec, with the first season focusing on Klingons and Captain Worf. He expressed his willingness to take over as ‘Star Trek’ executive producer from Alex Kurtzman if Paramount+ were to extend the offer.

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