Rumor Control: No TNG Cameos In New Star Trek Movie

It is amazing that this late in the game casting rumors for the new Star Trek movie can still arise, but they can. Today the rumor comes out of Wondercon, where Latino Review has ‘breaking news’ asking the question ‘Is The Next Generation In the New Star Trek Movie?’ The answer is no (with a little yes), but it certainly isn’t breaking news. Details and spoilers below.

 

TNG in ST09? Era yes, cast no
Latino Review’s attended an IDW Comics panel on movie comic books, which included "Star Trek Countdown" Star Trek movie prequel writers Tim Jones and Mike Johnson. Here is the Latino Review analysis:

…another writer (or artist) said that part of the movie will take place with the Next Generation cast and to look out for that. Another guy on the panel gave him a quick "uh oh" look.

After that, someone from the audience asked "So are members of the Next Generation cast in the new Trek movie?" to which the same guy replied, "I really cannot say anything about that."

Oops! I think you already did!

Actually no he didn’t. TrekMovie long ago reported that the new Star Trek movie has ties back to the post Star Trek Nemesis TNG era. This has been most evidenced by the new "Star Trek Countdown" comic series featuring AmbassadorPicard, a resurrected Captain Data and Spock (picking up on his Romulus storyline from the two-part TNG episode "Unification"). TrekMovie has also reported previously that in the new Star Trek movie, Eric Bana’s Nero (and his ship and crew) along with the elder (Nimoy) Spock (and his ship) start off in this post-Nemsis era, before they travel back in time to interact with the TOS era (Chris Pine’s Kirk, Zachary Quinto’s Spock, etc.).

However that is the extent of the connection to TNG. TrekMovie attended the same panel at Wondercon and certainly did not take away that Latino Review analysis. We have previously received no indication that there are any cameos of any Next Generation era actors or characters. Just to be sure, we double checked with reliable sources and can confirm that there are definitely no TNG cameos in the new Star Trek.

So yes there is a bit of Next Gen in the form of the back-story and the kick off point for the time traveling Nero and Spock, but that is it. 

More on Countdown from Wondercon coming up
After the IDW panel, Jones and Johnson, TrekMovie sat down with the writers to talk about the series so far and where it is going next. Look for that and more from the IDW panel early in the week.

 

Nitpicker’s Update: Majel doesn’t count (neither does Nimoy)
It has been noted in the comments that Majel Roddenberry is doing the computer voice in the movie and since she also did the computer voice in the Next Generation era, she is a ‘Next Gen Cameo.’ Well if one wants to nitpcik, then Majel is voicing the computer of the NCC-1701, and she is doing it in the Kirk era portion of the film. She is not voicing the computer of any Next Generation era ships and therefore her voice part is actually more of a ‘TOS cameo’. As for Nimoy, yes he did (as noted above) appear in a TNG episdoe, but Spock is is not a TNG character. The clear implication of ‘breaking news’ is that a true TNG actor (Spiner, Frakes, Stewart, etc) is going to show up in this movie…and that is just not going to happen. But there are always sequels!

 

For some real TNG cameos, read Star Trek Countdown
The four-issue Star Trek Countdown comic series is set entirely in the post-Nemesis TNG era, and definately has TNG cameos. So far in Issues 1 and 2 we have seen both Data and Picard play key roles in the back story of Nero and Spock before the events of the new Star Trek movie. Fore more see the TrekMovie.com reviews of Countdown #1 and Countdown #2.

Issues 1 and 2 are pretty hard to find, but you can still pre-order Issues 3 and 4. Or you can wait until April and pick up the trade paperback, which includes all four issues.

Countdown #1

Countdown #2

Countdown #3

Countdown #4


(sold out)
 

(sold out)

$3.19
(March)

$3.59
(April)

 

Star Trek Countdown
(Trade Paperback – compiling all 4 issues)

$12.23
(Pre-order – April. 29)

 

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Hahah, I just read that story and was like, “Whaaat?”

I love TNG. A familiar face would have been nice. But then they’d overshadow the new cast. Let them shine, then we’ll see what we can do in future movies/series.

Maybe we’ll just see a Starship or two from NG?

What?! Tom Cruise ISN’T in the movie?? ;)

3. Anthony Pascale –

Tom Criuse is in the new movie?!?!!!

…just kiddin’…

I’m glad there will be no cameos from the Next Gen cast. Nothing against them or TNG, but this movie needs to stand on its own.

I’ve already stated my opinion that I wish it was purely a TOS movie with the new cast, without even Spock “Prime” there to use as a crutch.

That said, I love Nimoy and I’m sure it’ll be awesome.

A tiny buzzkill, for sure…

Good flight, Anthony, and thanks for the airtight coverage!

I think the cameos of Picard & Data in the comic countdown are good enough. This movie definitely has to stand on it’s own and to let THIS crew shine.

That’s Ambassador Picard in the comic. He’s the Federation ambassador to Vulcan.

*coughcough–ACTUALLY, anthony, saying there is no cameo by any Next Generation-era actor is INCORRECT—lest we not forget the late Majel Barrett-Roddenberry’s cameo in the film as the computer voice? Get ur facts straight please LOL

p.s.–Majel’s cameo could be what The Latino Review was referring to

10. NaradaAlpha

wouldn’t really call Majel a Next Gen actor reprising her role.. she is only reprising her computer voice from ALL the Trek series/movies in the new movie.

Nimoy is also a TNG cameo ;-)

Just think if they had never killed off Kirk in Generations he could have become President of the Federation and why has there never been a ship named after him?

I heard Stan Lee plays the barber on the Enterprise…

I think that Majel’s contribution doesn’t really mean a TNG cameo since she was an original TOS cast member.

@ 9– Actually her voice was only on TNG, DS9, and VOY. Oh yeah almost forgot, the TNG movies too.

But I agree this movie has to stand on its own and let this crew shine.

Rest in peace computer….. I mean Mrs. Barrett-Roddenberry…. :)

*J

#10: Majel did the computer voice for ST III:TSFS, years before TNG…

Personally, I think it would be cool to have a sequence right before the introduction of the Kelvin in which Ambassador Picard (played by Patrick Stewart of course) is notified of Nero’s escape and then yells, “D’oh!”

End of scene. :)

I would say Majel is a TOS cameo first and foremost (why do people always forget she did the computer voice back then two, just because she was pinching her nose).

#17–Forgot to add TOS…..meant to say all but ENT……

#18– LMAO

*J

Darn it she was in ENT……..

I take back what I said….

*J

My mistake, the computer voice in The Search for Spock was provided by Teresa E. Victor.

It would have been nice if they could have somehow worked Patrick Stewart into the film as Picard.

@ Anthony–
I say Leonard Nimoy, I know it’s the obvious choice but what the heck…

*J

Well, maybe the STARRING cast members from the TNG era won’t have any cameos, but what about one of the regular guest characters?

Just a hopeless thought, but all of sudden I have this fantasy of J.G. Hertzler with a cameo as Chancellor Martok near the beginning. After all, we DO see Nero escaping from Rura Penthe in the begging of the movie, and I can just see the movie cutting immediately to a shot of 2 Klingon soldiers rushing to inform Martok that Nero has escaped, with Martok cursing some unintelligible Klingon word and killing the messengers. End cameo ;)

To # 16 & 17:

As “Montreal Paul” already indicated in # 11, Majel also performed the Enterprise computer voice on TOS. This can be verified at IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000854/filmoseries#tt0060028

Anthony,

Thank you for ongoing excellent coverage and verification of your information. You do a wonderful job of sticking to the facts and it is appreciated! That’s good journalism…bravo!

I thought Wesley and the Traveller were in attendance at Kirk’s graduation

… and clearly Archer does not drop dead upon the 1701’s launch anymore.

20:

Anthony:

W. Morgan Sheppard. “Ira Graves” in TNG, and the over-zealous Rura Pente guard in TUC.

No?

Yeah, not surprised. I read that Latino Review article and the first I thought was: yeah…..um…..no. There is no way they could have made it in the movie without anyone finding out this close to release. And although it sparked some excitement within me, the more I thought about it, the more I figured it would be best for them not to be in the movie. It’s a new movie with a new cast. It’s best for it to just try and be that and not something that it isn’t. TNG is over.

The TNG crew got enough of a cameo in the final ENT episode, but I’ll admit that I would have loved to have seen Picard and Data in uniform again. All the same, even if the movie *starts* in the Post-Nemesis universe, doesn’t the movie carry the potentiality to radically change it in the end? If this whole project is intended to reboot the series, we might not even have a Picard anymore!

I would say Chris Doohan, but he was in TMP…..

@31–Wow, that’s some good observation on yoiur part.

…Kids, let’s keep in mind that Latino Review has about as much credibility as one can expect from a website that claimed Jango Fett was a racist stereotype offensive to Hispanics. Ever since then, when someone says that LR reported something, I ask for a different source.

Kind of expected, but it would have been awesome if there was a cameo. It would have been the largest trek-gasm ever.

It’s Ensign Ricky. That guy’s everywhere. ;)

Re: Majel. If only there were a throwaway line inserted by JJ delivered by Pike about the computer voice having been based on that of his original first officer!

#31 W. Morgan Sheppard, yep.

#33 Maybe we have the Picard of Yesterday’s Enterprise instead. That wouldn’t be so bad….

Also, Majel did do a computer voice in ENT. Sureee… it was in the mirror universe, and in the TOS era for the Defiant, but it was still ENT. :D

Anthony, thank you again for being the one, lone voice of truth and logic in these heady internet times. Wasn’t Latino Review the same site that said J.J. Abrams was definitely NOT directing this movie? I wonder if they’re still holding to their sources on that little journalistic gem…

the countdown mini series is red hot

get to your comic shops!

Man if this news is true, I’m going to see this film a hundred times in theaters. I want a TNG movie so bad!!! Can you imagine Data and Picards return… SWEET!!!!!!!!! I welcome JJ to direct the next TNG movie!!!!! NOW!!!!!!

Did you have to put a void line through the TNG cast? This makes me sad : (

Anthony:

Robot Chicken just did a first-run ep with Star Trek: The Experience. Their “tourist” Enterprise ended up encountering the Borg as an “alternative universe Enterprise” and helping Picard vs. the Borg Queen. Or something like that.

Serves you right for being on a plane!

#37 That’s an interesting idea about Pike saying the Computer voice was modeled after Number One. Think of it, they could have turned it into a tribute to Majel. Have him say something about Number One which reflects on Majel, the same way they wrote that line for the Doctor in VOY “Living Witness” when commented on his fondness for B’Lanna mirroring the fact that Roxanne Dawson wasn’t in that episode because she was giving birth.

Having Pike saying something like “She truly was a unique soul, my First Office but also a First Lady to all the galaxy”.

Or something less sappy, Bob Ocri, you comment here a fair bit, maybe you could write a brief line of what he could’ve said and give us all nerdgasms. ;)

*Orci

The Jui$tain

Shaeppard was announced on this site months ago!

TNG cast in addition to all of the other big named actors in the movie? It’d be nice, and it’d probably make the movie’s story plot even jucier, but can you imagine the kind of money Paramount would have to pay all of these actors? I mean the budget was big, but it just seems that kind of budget would have to be beyond the realm of possiblity. Like I said, it’d be nice, but I can’t see it. This rumor seems to be absent of common practicality.

Sheppard

TREKMOVIE IS JUST AN APPENDAGE OF THE CORPORATE FACISTS AT PARAMOUNTS!!! TNG CHARACTERS ARE IN THE FILM THEY JUST AREN”T WANT TO TELL US AAALLSS!!! RIKER AND TROI PLUS TUVOK ARE SENT ON THE TITAN TO STOP SPOCK FROM HAVING A BABY WITH HAN SOLO AND AN EWOK! I LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWHICHES AND COUNT CHOCOLATE PANCAKES THAT MY MOM BUYS FROM MR> SULU!!

Sorry I just wanted to be “that guy” that always haunts message boards. lol
PS Spelling mistakes were purposeful. How sad is that I write a little crazy satirical note and still feel I have to explain my spelling errors? lol

49: I needed a smile, and that did it. Thanks!