Patrick Stewart became a household name around the world when he was selected to play Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The actor was reportedly known for his stage work before he was selected to portray the extremely diplomatic USS Enterprise leader Picard.
The actor reunited with his cast mates for Star Trek: Picard and reportedly even encouraged Paramount to make a film around the events of the show. However, his choice for a director of the project may betray fans who want Brent Spiner, who plays Data, to helm a Star Trek project.
Patrick Stewart Tried To Make Paramount Develop A Film On Star Trek: Picard
Sir Patrick Stewart could not predict the level of stardom he received as Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The most profitable syndicated show in the franchise, TNG, saw Stewart star along with actors such as Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, and more.
The cast reprised their roles in the four films produced with the TNG cast as well as the spinoff show Star Trek: Picard. Much of the original cast, including Stewart reprised their roles in the three-season show, which was praised by fans. The show also gave a better ending to the series than the final film Star Trek: Nemesis.
Stewart mentioned in his memoir, ‘Making it So’, that he wished to make a film based on the world of Picard and even encouraged Paramount to develop it. He said,
I am gently pushing Paramount to let us do one single ‘Picard’ movie. Not a ‘Next Generation’ movie, as we have already done four of those. This would be an expansion and deepening of the universe as we’ve seen it in ‘Star Trek: Picard.’ I’ve discussed this with Jonathan [Frakes], Brent [Spiner], and LeVar [Burton], and they are all game. Jonathan is my first choice to direct it.
The actor reportedly also mentioned in the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast that a script was in development, though no one else in the franchise has confirmed the film.
Brent Spiner Is One of The Few Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast To Not Direct
With the amount of experience he has, it is natural that Patrick Stewart wanted co-star and director Jonathan Frakes to handle his dream Picard film. TNG’s William Riker has helmed one of the best films with the series cast i.e. First Contact and has helmed a number of episodes across the franchise.
However, one of the few cast members who have not turned to directing has been Data actor Brent Spiner. The star has only been featured as the android and the various iterations of him in the series and has not joined the likes of Frakes, LeVar Burton, and even Stewart to the director’s chair.
While Spiner returned to Star Trek: Picard, he was reportedly apprehensive in the beginning and had rejected the offer multiple times. He said to Trek Movie,
They just threw hundreds of thousands of dollars at me. I kept saying, ‘No, no, no.’ And then it just got absurd and I said, ‘Well, okay, maybe one episode,’ and then it just got even crazier. And I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll do the whole season.’
While Data finally got a happy ending in the show after his noble sacrifice in Nemesis, Spiner has remained distanced from the decision-making aspects of the show.
Star Trek: The Next Generation and Picard is available to stream on Paramount+.
