Cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation were on hand at the New York Comic-Con on Tuesday to mingle with fans, sign autographs, and answer questions. William Shatner moderated the panel event, which included TNG alumni Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Denise Crosby, and John de Lancie.
The topic of the upcoming Star Trek film came up. William Shatner has already played fast and loose with questions about whether or not he will be in the film, and in what capacity he would do so. The prevailing theory is that he will be in the film briefly, as Kirk, but not as Kirk Prime (the original timeline, his usual role). Some say he will actually play an older version of Chris Pine’s Kirk character.
But this time Shatner dodged the question and passed it along to the TNG panel. How would any of them feel about the possibility of being in one of the Trek reboot films?
The overwhelming response was that none of them thought it was a good idea or took it seriously.
Levar Burton: “No! … That would be a no, Bill.”
Brent Spiner: “I certainly would be honored to be in the third Star Trek film that they’re making now, playing all of the characters. And all of their families.”
Gates McFadden: “I’m going to have to pass on that.”
Patrick Stewart: “I think it would smack of kind of cute casting to have any of us play another role in a Star Trek movie. … I just think it would be a little awkward. I mean, I know that we’ve got half our panel still to speak. But for me, LeVar kind of said it all in one word: No.”
Michael Dorn: “No. … It’s just because, I agree with Patrick at a certain point it just gets to be a little too much.”
Marina Sirtis: “Yes! And I would be… Nurse Chapel.”
John De Lancie: “It would put a lie to the notion that I’m immortal, I’m afraid. … No, I don’t even think about those things. It’s somebody else’s dinner party, and if they’re going to invite me, I’ll think about it then. But I don’t even think about it.”
Denise Crosby: “I’d probably want to play Karl Urban’s lover… I mean, I’m sorry, mother. Mother!”
One thing to consider is that the only TNG character who could legitimately fit in the reboot series is John De Lancie’s “Q”, since he is immortal and exists outside of time.