Brent Spiner says Paramount rejected his Star Trek crossover pitch
The actor and screenwriter John Logan proposed a film uniting every Trek series, with each actor playing two roles, Spiner told slashfilm.com.
Brent Spiner has said that he and screenwriter John Logan pitched a Star Trek crossover film to Paramount, and that the studio turned the project down. The actor, who played Data, discussed the idea in an interview reported by slashfilm.com.
According to Spiner, the concept brought together characters from every Star Trek series that existed at the time, and the story called for every actor to play two roles.
Spiner said the script he and Logan wrote was rejected, and that Paramount executives declined the pitch in meetings. He described the project as a pipe dream because of its cost.
The pitch followed Star Trek: Nemesis, the 2002 film in which Spiner last appeared as Data on the big screen. That film is generally ranked among the weakest in the franchise and is its worst box office performer.
Paramount later took the franchise in another direction, rebooting it with director J.J. Abrams on 2009's Star Trek and its sequels. Spiner had sworn off playing Data again, but the third season of Star Trek: Picard, a Next Generation reunion, changed his mind.
Quick answers
What was Brent Spiner's Star Trek crossover idea?
Spiner said he and screenwriter John Logan pitched a film featuring characters from every Star Trek series that existed at the time, with every actor playing two roles.
Did Paramount make the crossover film?
No. Spiner said the script was rejected and that Paramount executives declined the pitch in meetings, calling the project a pipe dream because of its cost.