Allow me to say right off that I am not wishing for a ST:TNG reboot. But, I figure it’s only a matter of time before the powers-that-be start thinking (if they haven’t already) that it is time to reboot TNG, just like they did TOS. I mean, who knows if the Kelvin-universe’s Kirk & company will ever return to the big screen. So, they may decide to jump forward with a new TNG cast. (I would be equal parts excited and dreading how they might mess it up, though.) So, I figured I’d throw some names out there….
As usual, I tried to satisfy certain physical characteristics — e.g., approximate age, relative height, general appearance — using the original TNG cast/crew as standards. However, as happens on occasion, I had to ease a little here & there. I think it worked out and resulted in a darn good cast/crew.
As the leader of both cast and crew, I decided it was quite important to find a Brit with a commanding presence for Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. Of course, it would help if he was bald — or would look good that way, even if it isn’t his norm — and had a strong, baritone voice. Now, I only found one I liked for most of the other roles, but for Picard I present two candidates to you.
Colin Salmon
Linus Roache
Colin Salmon (6’4″,b.1962) you may know from “Krypton”, “Limitless”, London Has Fallen, “24: Live Another Day”, “Arrow”, “Strike Back”, or maybe even “Keen Eddie”. I made an exception to my usual rule of not changing a character’s ethnicity, just because I like him a lot and — despite being a little older than I’d prefer — I think he’d be great as a starship captain. In fact, he was the first person I thought of for the role a few years ago. However, if he doesn’t suit your fancy, how about Linus Roache (5’10”,b.1964)? He’s another talented Brit, whom you may have seen in “Homeland”, “Vikings”, “Law & Order”, “Kidnapped”, Batman Begins, The Chronicles of Riddick, or Hart’s War. Plus, he’s the same height and general build as Patrick Stewart.
Melanie Papalia
Armie Hammer
For Cmdr. Will Riker, my requirements began with “tall & (boyishly?) handsome”. The character is mostly by-the-book, but with a playful, roguish streak. And, he should be in his mid-30s. Three other actors I considered are in their 40s, but Armie Hammer (6’5″,b.1986) is a much better fit. You may recall him from The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Lone Ranger, J. Edgar, “Reaper”, etc. For Counselor Deanna Troi, I was thinking “pretty, Mediterranean/East-European/Middle-Eastern look & sound”, and she should be in her early- to mid-30s. I first noted Melanie Papalia (5’4″,b.1984) in the show “Endgame” years ago, but she has also been in “Travelers”, “Suits”, Extraterrestrial, “Painkiller Jane”, “Intelligence”. She is Canadian, but I’m pretty sure she is of Mediterranean extraction. I considered a few others, but most of them are too old. I think Miss Papalia would do a great job as Troi, as long as she has good chemistry with Hammer.
Robert Emms
Alex Diehl
Next up is Cmdr. Data, who should be kinda nerdy-looking, on the slender side but not small, and in his 30s. I came up with a few names, but he was one of the more difficult characters to find a good fit for. In the end, I actually settled on the two relatively-unknowns above. Robert Emms (5’10”,b.1986) has appeared in War Horse, Kick-Ass 2, “Atlantis”, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, “Chernobyl”, and “His Dark Materials”. Alex Diehl (6’1″,b.1993) is a bit younger but has appeared in “Antidote 15”, “Blame the Hero”, “Strange Angel”, and most recently as the android ‘F8’ in “Star Trek: Picard”. That last credit should work in his favor, as I thought he did a great job with a small-but-pivotal part.
John Boyega
Kelly Frye
You may recall that I fan-cast Kelly Frye (5’7.5″,b.1984) for something else not long ago, but I thought she could be a good choice for Dr. Beverly Crusher, too. She has roughly the same build as Gates McFadden, though she is a couple years younger than McFadden was when starting TNG. You might have seen Frye in “Criminal Minds”, or from appearances in “NCIS”, “The Flash”, “Body of Proof”, “The Mentalist”, et al. My choice for Lt. Geordi LaForge — black guy of average height/build, maybe slightly shorter; early-30s? — is John Boyega (5’9″,b.1992), known to Star Wars fans worldwide as ‘Finn’. Of course, he has also had roles in “Becoming Human”, Attack the Block, “24: Live Another Day”, Pacific Rim: Uprising, as well as done voice work for “Watership Down” and “Major Lazer”.
Winston Duke
Matt Ryan
I looked at a few for the role of Lt. Worf — beefy black guy, preferably with deep voice; over 6′; mid-30s –, but the one that fit the requirements best is Winston Duke (6’5″,b.1986). MCU fans will recognize him as ‘M’Baku’ in Black Panther and the last two Avengers movies. He has also appeared in “Person of Interest”, “The Messengers”, Nine Days, and Spenser Confidential. He definitely has the desired physical characteristics and is the right age. I think he’d make a *great* Klingon! For Miles O’Brien, I wanted someone — preferably Irish — in his mid-30s with an average-to-slightly- stocky build. Well, I didn’t find as many candidates as I’d hoped. But, by allowing for someone on the slender side and approaching forty, I decided on ‘Constantine’ himself, Matt Ryan (5’11”,b.1981). Ryan was also in “Collision”, “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior”, Armistice, etc.
Greg Bryk
Maxwell Jenkins
Finally, I recommend Maxwell Jenkins (4’11”,b.2005) play the genius young Wesley Crusher. Genre fans can see Jenkins these days in the “Lost in Space” remake. Before that he had a regular role in “Sense8” and appeared in “Chicago Fire” and “NCIS: New Orleans”. I think he would *nail* the Wesley Crusher role. And, to round things out, how about a new ‘Q’? Though they can look like anyone/thing, I’d like to see someone who is physically similar to John deLancie, who originated the role. This means a tallish (white?) male in his late-30s to mid-40s. Sure, it would be great to get someone like Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes (too old), Neil Patrick Harris, or David Anders, for the role. But, the first two are too “big”, and I’m not sure if Harris would do another TV show. Anders could be great, but I opted instead for the versatile Greg Bryk (6’1″,b.1972). I first came across him in “ReGenesis”, but he has been in a number of other genre things — e.g., “The Dresden Files”, “XIII”, “Aaron Stone”, Immortals, a couple Saw films, “The Expanse”, “Bitten”, “Jett”, Ad Astra, and many more. Plus, I think he even looks a little like deLancie!
That about does it for our primary Enterprise crewmembers, plus their first filmed adversary. Reactions?
Heroes and Aliens 