Patrick Stewart Hated Two Star Trek Movies More Than Fans Likely Think
When you've had a career as long and esteemed as Patrick Stewart has — his six-decade screen career began in 1964 — naturally, there are going to be projects that are remembered in a favorable light and others in disdain. Assigned to the latter category are 1998's "Star Trek: Insurrection" and 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis," the last two of four films based on Stewart's "Star Trek: The Next Generation" TV series, which ran in syndication for seven seasons from 1987 to 1994. Stewart, of course, was at the helm of the Enterprise in the series as the starship's majestic captain, Jean-Luc Picard.
The first movie to feature the "Next Generation" cast was 1994's "Star Trek: Generations," which also starred several members of the classic "Star Trek" TV and movie franchise cast. After William Shatner and company passed the torch to Stewart and his colleagues in "Generations," the actor felt the "Next Generation" cast had found its groove on the big screen. However, Stewart admitted in his 2023 memoir, "Making It So," that his aspirations started to crumble after the success of the "Next Generation" cast's first solo film.
"When 'Star Trek: First Contact' came out, I was convinced that we were on the threshold of establishing a potent movie franchise," Stewart wrote in the memoir. "Unfortunately, the two films that followed it, 'Star Trek: Insurrection' and 'Star Trek: Nemesis,' were both a letdown. And 'Nemesis,' which came out in 2002, was particularly weak. I didn't have a single exciting scene to play."
Stewart thought Star Trek was over for him after Nemesis
While Patrick Stewart admitted that he was underwhelmed by "Star Trek: Insurrection," he was so dejected by the outcome of "Star Trek: Nemesis" that he thought his missions to the final frontier were completely in the rear-view mirror. "'Nemesis' was a dud, as far as I was concerned," Stewart wrote in "Making it So." "By the time it had come and gone, I wanted no further part of sci-fi, uniforms, or anything to do with outer space. I was convinced that my time as Jean-Luc Picard was consigned forever to the past."
Stewart wasn't the only cast member who was underwhelmed by the film. William Riker actor Jonathan Frakes admitted that "Star Trek: Nemesis" didn't work because the film focuses more on the villain, Praetor Shinzon (Tom Hardy), and doesn't concentrate enough on Picard, Riker, and the "family" — aka crew members Data (Brent Spiner), Geordi La Forge (Levar Burton), Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Worf (Michael Dorn), and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden).
If there was any emotion felt by Stewart during the making of "Star Trek: Nemesis," it stemmed from the love he had for his longtime family of castmates since the actor knew their time together was coming to an end. As such, there was a scene that made Stewart break down in tears at the film's conclusion, when Picard bids farewell to Riker and effectively, his dear friends. Happily, Stewart reunited with all of the core cast members of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," as each of them appeared in the Paramount+ spin-off series "Star Trek: Picard," which ran for three seasons from 2020 to 2023.