Jonathan Frakes knows a thing or two about how to direct Star Trek. As well as playing Riker for 30+ years, he helmed both Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection in the 90s. These days, meanwhile, he’s directed a bunch of episodes of both Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Picard, and it seems he wouldn’t mind being asked to helm the next Trek movie, too.
While speaking in a recent interview, Frakes was asked about his thoughts on where Paramount should take the film franchise going forward. Infamously, the studio is having a hard time getting another movie onto the screen, even though various projects have been in development over the past few years – including an R-rated take from Quentin Tarantino and a reboot from Fargo creator Noah Hawley.
Frakes thinks Paramount should just hire both filmmakers to realize their own unique visions. But if they can’t nab either of them, then, well, they know where to find him.
“I say greenlight the Tarantino and Noah Hawley, if you are lucky enough to get either of them,” Frakes says. “And if they are too busy to direct, I’ll be available.”
The Trek veteran has previously expressed regret that he didn’t get the chance to helm Star Trek: Nemesis, the final film to feature the Next Generation cast, back in 2002. Fans would likely feel the same way, as Nemesis is widely regarded as one of the weaker movies in the series. Of course, it’s unlikely that Paramount would turn back to Frakes now as they’ve been courting bigger names to direct Trek since J.J. Abrams rebooted things in 2009, but who knows?
In any case, it seems the fan favorite is sticking around on the small screen and will continue to be involved with Discovery and Picard. The odds are looking good that he’ll get to play Riker again opposite Patrick Stewart, too. As for the movies, Tarantino’s ultimately passed on his project and Hawley’s been told his version is in “stasis.” So, be prepared to wait a while longer for Star Trek 4.