According to “Insurrection” producer and co-writer Rick Berman, the problems began with the production studio. Concerned that the “TNG” crew was getting older while also focusing on producing the latest Trek series “Star Trek: Enterprise,” Berman said the studio was pushing to bring in new blood. But Berman stood staunchly against the move, in part because he felt that two new Trek crews at once would be too much for the fandom, and in part because he believed fans were dying to see the original “TNG” crew together again. To help pen the story, the studio brought in Michael Piller, who wanted to bring the franchise back to its “Star Trek” roots. “Michael Piller’s idea was, let’s go with a more thoughtful, more Gene Roddenberry–like story,” Berman recalled.
Unfortunately, it ended up feeling lacking to a number of fans — Brent Spiner among them. “I didn’t care for ‘Insurrection,'” Spiner confessed. “I just didn’t think it was a very interesting story and it didn’t show us at our best.” Left underwhelmed by the experience, neither Spiner or Stewart was keen on rushing into another film. It was only after a few years of breathing room that Spiner moved into a development role, presenting the genesis of the Tom Hardy-starring “Star Trek: Nemesis,” penned by lifelong Trekkie John Logan. And as it turns out, Logan’s passion for “Star Trek” was enough to bring the “TNG” crew back to the table after their “Insurrection” experience. As Spiner put it, “We were just very lucky that an A-list writer also happened to be a Star Trek fan and really wanted to write a Star Trek movie.”
