Star Trek: First Contact‘s influence on the entire franchise can’t be overstated. Not only is it considered by many to be the best in the series, but Star Trek: First Contact also introduced several significant elements in the franchise, including the origins of the Federation and the Borg Spheres.
However, the film was close to being something very different, as before the production on it kickstarted, Patrick Stewart was hellbent on incorporating some writing changes. Fortunately, the creative clash between the original writers and Stewart didn’t last long.
Patrick Stewart Brought His Own Writers for Star Trek: First Contact
Despite Star Trek: Generation being a financial success, its writers, Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, weren’t creatively satisfied with the output. So when Paramount gave producer Rick Berman the thumbs up to proceed with the next one, the duo were more than thrilled to improve on their past shortcomings and to say they succeeded would be an understatement.
Although their story would go on to cement itself as one of the best in the franchise’s history, Patrick Stewart clashed with the writing duo following creative differences. Per Moore (via THR), the actor did succeed in bringing his own writer into the mix by pressing producer Berman, which the original duo wasn’t exactly thrilled about.
There was a point where Patrick [Stewart] wanted some rewrites of his scenes, and he pressed [producer] Rick [Berman] to bring on his own writer to do that. Rick did it, and Brannon [Braga] and I were not happy.
Interestingly, the writer, which the X-Men star brought in to incorporate his desired changes, left the production shortly after, leaving them in an awkward state.
Patrick Stewart Made Things Right With Ronald D. Moore
When Ronald D. Moore eventually decided to meet Patrick Stewart in his trailer after the whole creative dispute, the writer recalled there was some sort of tension walking in, as this was “the first time we would have been in the same room together since this had all gone down”.
Fortunately for him, the X-Men star took no time to break the ice, and while he didn’t directly apologize for the entire fiasco, Moore said “he kind of is apologizing”.
I remember Patrick at the outset just said something like: ‘It’s good to see you. I hope that we can all move on from the things that have happened, and now let’s just concentrate on the work.’ And I took that in the spirit it was given
Post this meeting, “It was never spoken of again”, and they succeeded in making history with First Contact, which remains the peak of the franchise almost three decades later.
Star Trek: First Contact is available to stream on Paramount Plus.
