Why the STAR TREK Movies Should Reboot TNG & Who Could Play the Enterprise Crew

Star Trek has thrived in the modern streaming era, with new series after new series. But there hasn’t been a Star Trek feature film in nearly a decade. Paramount has announced development on one movie after another for years, with none of them going anywhere. Recent reports circulated that Paramount wanted at least one more film with the Kelvin timeline crew (or Star Trek 4). Meaning, one last adventure with Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. But with those characters now having been played by other actors for years on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, does another version of the same crew even make sense anymore? The new head of Paramount recently said a Star Trek feature film was a high priority. And we think the most logical solution, as Spock might say, is for the Kelvin timeline from the J.J. Abrams trilogy to jump forward into the era of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Paramount Television

Yes, that means recast versions of Captain Picard, Data, Worf, and the rest of the Enterprise-D crew. From a business standpoint, Paramount might do this because only The Next Generation of all the Star Trek shows has characters as known to general audiences as Kirk and Spock.

As much as we’d like a whole new crew in a whole new era for a 14th Star Trek movie, we doubt they’d take that kind of risk with a tentpole movie anymore. That’s far more likely to happen as a streaming show. And recasting iconic roles like Captain Picard would sure get a lot of media attention, which could equal ticket sales. And if they wanted to connect it all to the previous films, they could craft a role for Zachary Quinto’s Spock, since the Vulcans are long-lived, and he’s alive and well in the TNG era. Of course, Patrick Stewart’s boots would be notoriously hard to fill. However, we have some ideas on just who might be saying “Make it so” in the not-too-distant future, should a big-screen Star Trek: The Next Generation arrive in theaters.

Cast Tom Hardy as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in a Star Trek: The Next Generation RebootWarner Bros./Paramount Television

Two decades ago, Tom Hardy played the younger clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Shinzon, in Star Trek: Nemesis. The movie bombed both commercially and critically, but most fans agree that Hardy is terrific in it. Now that he’s gone on to major stardom, maybe he should get a bit of Trek-demption? Why not cast Hardy as the alternate timeline’s version of Picard? Interestingly, Hardy is now around the same age Sir Patrick Stewart was when Gene Roddenberry cast him as the Enterprise’s new Captain. So it may just be something that is meant to be.

Cast Richard Madden as Commander William Riker as a Leader with FuzzHBO/Paramount Television

Game of Thrones‘ Richard Madden carries the same energy as young Jonathan Frakes did as Commander William Riker in the early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Just from his portrayal of Robb Stark alone, we know that Madden can totally display all the right leadership qualities. Just don’t do like TNG did, and start Riker out without his beard. We like Richard Madden with the fuzz on his face, thank you.

Cast Tilda Swinton as Lt. Commander Data, The Perfect Otherwordly Actor for a Star Trek: The Next Generation RebootMarvel Studios/Paramount Television

Since this is an alternate timeline, who says that Dr. Noonian Soong’s sentient android creation Data has to present as a man? For this Kevlin-timeline version of Lt. Commander Data, we’d cast the one and only Tilda Swinton. We think she would be a perfect choice to play the golden android, who is learning its place in the universe as Picard’s third in command. Swinton has that otherworldly quality, one that made her perfect casting in movies like Only Lovers Left Alive and Constantine. She could totally do justice to Brent Spiner’s iconic character, and still forge her own positronic path.

Cast Caleb McLaughlin as Lt. Geordi La Forge, a Cool and Nerdy CharacterNetflix/Paramount Television

To play the Enterprise’s Geordi La Forge, you need someone who can play both awkward and handsome at the same time, and can also easily portray being a brilliant scientific prodigy. Oh, they also have to somehow make a banana clip on their face not look totally stupid. For the role originated by LeVar Burton, we suggest Stranger Things‘ Lucas, Caleb McLaughlin. Now age 23, the young actor has been playing a high school student way too long, and it’s time for him to play a capable young officer in a Star Trek: The Next Generation Reboot, one who can go on to be the Enterprise’s Chief Engineer.

Cast Marie Avgeropoulos as Counselor Deanna Troi and Retain Troi’s Greek Roots in a Star Trek: The Next Generation RebootThe CW/Paramount Television

The Enterprise needs her counselor, and Picard needs an empath by his side to tell him the obviously angry aliens about to attack are hostile. We kid, we kid. Deanna Troi is actually essential to Star Trek: The Next Generation, especially as one of the few characters who can actually tell Picard he’s in the wrong without getting a demotion or some serious stink-eye. In the original series, Deanna was played by British actress Marina Sirtis, who is of Greek descent. We think the character should retain her Greek roots, so we suggest The 100’s Marie Avgeropoulos. Time to switch out from a dystopian world to a Utopian one.

Cast Jessica Chastain as Dr. Beverly Crusher—Every Fan’s DreamWarner Bros./Paramount Television

Once upon a time, Jessica Chastain was everyone’s choice to play the older Beverly Marsh in It: Chapter Two. Fans got their wish, and Chastain actually landed the role. Now, we’re hoping we can wish this fancasting into existence, too. Chastain should play another iconic Beverly—the Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beverly Crusher. Chastain has all the presence and then some to play Starfleet’s compassionate but no-nonsense top medical expert in a Star Trek: The Next Generation reboot. And we wouldn’t mind seeing some romantic sparks fly between her and Tom Hardy’s version of Picard. We think Gates McFadden would be honored to have the Oscar-nominated actress pick up her medical tricorder.

Cast John Boyega as Lt. Worf So Boyega Can go From Star Wars to Star Trek in a The Next Generation RebootLucasfilm/Paramount Television

John Boyega is beloved by fans for his role of Finn in the Star Wars sequels. But he’s gone on record as not being too thrilled about how his character developed in the trilogy. Well, maybe it’s time to switch “Star” franchises then. The sullen Klingon officer Worf is easily one of the greatest characters in the entire Star Trek canon. And he got a metric ton of character development over the course of two separate series. We think Boyega could kill it as the Son of Mogh, originally played by Michael Dorn. And when we say “kill it,” we mean with a Bat’leth of course. And for anyone who thinks Boyega as too much of a “nice guy” type to play a Klingon badass? Then we suggest watching Attack the Block.

Cast Julia Garner as Lt. Tasha Yar, A Lieutenant with a Hard Edge and a Big HeartUniversal Pictures/Paramount Television

The Enterprise-D’s original security chief, before Worf, was Lt. Tasha Yar. The character died in the line of duty when actress Denise Crosby decided to leave the show at the end of season one. Regardless, she made several appearances over the course of the rest of the series through various time travel shenanigans, and a big-screen reboot could give the character a better trajectory than her TV version. We think Julia Garner, hot off star turns in Weapons and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, could be the right actress to bring a mix of hard edge and big heart that Tasha was known for.

Cast Lupita Nyong’o as Star Trek‘s Guinan to Make Even That The Next Generation Hat Look GoodMarvel Studios/Paramount Television

Another Star Wars sequel cast member who should jump ship from the Millennium Falcon to the Enterprise should be Lupita Nyong’o. She’d be perfect for the role of Ten Forward’s centuries-old bartender, Guinan. This is a bit of typecasting, of course. Nyong’o already played a thousand-year-old, extremely wise bartender in Star Wars as Maz Kanata. But maybe she’d like to play a similar role without having to do motion capture or voice an animatronic. And if anyone can make those ridiculous hats worn by Whoopi Goldberg on Star Trek: The Next Generation look stylish, it’s Lupita Nyong’o.

Cast Jacob Tremblay as Ensign Wesley Crusher so We Can All Hear ‘Shut Up Wesley’NEON/Paramount Television

You didn’t think we’d forget the Enterprise’s teenage wunderkind, did you? The child-genius was often everyone’s least favorite crew member in the show’s first season for being too much of a know-it-all. Who can forget Picard yelling “Shut up Wesley!” on the bridge?

But Wes developed into a crucial member of the crew, and a very capable officer. Although actor Jacob Tremblay (Doctor Sleep) is already 18, he reads as younger, and has that Wesley vibe. He’d be an ideal choice to play The Enterprise’s acting ensign in a Star Trek: The Next Generation reboot.

Originally published on November 16, 2020.

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