Nemesis Not Offered To Frakes
Jonathan Frakes, who reprises the role of Cmdr. Will Riker in the upcoming Star Trek: Nemesis film, revealed that he was not asked to direct this time around, though he helmed the last two Trek movies. "I was never offered it," he told reporters while promoting his next film, Clockstoppers. Asked for his reaction, Frakes added, "I was surprised."
Frakes directed Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: First Contact; Stuart Baird (U.S. Marshals) is directing Nemesis. But if Frakes is bitter about being passed over for the current film, he didn't show it. "We just finished shooting it," he said. "It's actually going to be a fabulous movie, Nemesis. It's back to the great big action-adventure galactic stakes, with Picard and the Enterprise coming to save the day. It's old Star Trek. It's big. It's a war movie." As for plot spoilers, he added, "I can tell you that I finally get to marry the beautiful Counselor Troi. That much I'll leak."
Frakes added that he doesn't know if the 10th Trek film will be the last for the Next Generation crew. "I think only if it doesn't do well," he said. "I think, unfortunately or fortunately, the reality in Hollywood is, if your movie makes money, they'll make another one. I think that's true of Star Trek as well."
Frakes also said he admires UPN's Trek TV series, Enterprise--and that he'd like to be a part of it at some point. "I think Scott Bakula [Capt. Jonathan Archer] is a wonderful leader, both on camera and off," he said. "And it seems to have some of the same gestalt as Next Gen. It's got a cast that seems to have jelled. They all seem to genuinely get along. It's a wonderful company of actors. ... I'm hoping to get over next year and do a couple of those ... as a director, I hope. If [executive producer Rick] Berman will have me, of course." Nemesis is slated for a holiday release.
Jonathan Frakes, who reprises the role of Cmdr. Will Riker in the upcoming Star Trek: Nemesis film, revealed that he was not asked to direct this time around, though he helmed the last two Trek movies. "I was never offered it," he told reporters while promoting his next film, Clockstoppers. Asked for his reaction, Frakes added, "I was surprised."
Frakes directed Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: First Contact; Stuart Baird (U.S. Marshals) is directing Nemesis. But if Frakes is bitter about being passed over for the current film, he didn't show it. "We just finished shooting it," he said. "It's actually going to be a fabulous movie, Nemesis. It's back to the great big action-adventure galactic stakes, with Picard and the Enterprise coming to save the day. It's old Star Trek. It's big. It's a war movie." As for plot spoilers, he added, "I can tell you that I finally get to marry the beautiful Counselor Troi. That much I'll leak."
Frakes added that he doesn't know if the 10th Trek film will be the last for the Next Generation crew. "I think only if it doesn't do well," he said. "I think, unfortunately or fortunately, the reality in Hollywood is, if your movie makes money, they'll make another one. I think that's true of Star Trek as well."
Frakes also said he admires UPN's Trek TV series, Enterprise--and that he'd like to be a part of it at some point. "I think Scott Bakula [Capt. Jonathan Archer] is a wonderful leader, both on camera and off," he said. "And it seems to have some of the same gestalt as Next Gen. It's got a cast that seems to have jelled. They all seem to genuinely get along. It's a wonderful company of actors. ... I'm hoping to get over next year and do a couple of those ... as a director, I hope. If [executive producer Rick] Berman will have me, of course." Nemesis is slated for a holiday release.
