30 Years Ago, Star Trek’s Greatest Crossover Launched TNG’s Movie Franchise

30 years ago, Star Trek's greatest crossover, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) meeting Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in Star Trek Generations, launched the Star Trek: The Next Generation movie franchise. With the Star Trek: The Original Series films waning at the box office, and Star Trek: The Next Generation proving to be an increasingly popular hit in syndication, Paramount earmarked Captain Picard's USS Enterprise-D crew to inherit the Star Trek movie franchise. The plan was to end TNG in season 7 and immediately transition to a feature film.

Paramount Studios' can't-miss gimmick to sell the film that became Star Trek Generations was Captain Picard meeting Captain Kirk. Initially, Paramount intended the entire Star Trek: The Original Series cast to cameo, with Kirk and Picard teaming up in the finale. However, Leonard Nimoy, who turned down an offer to direct, and DeForest Kelley, opted to skip Star Trek Generations, feeling they already said a proper farewell in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Only Walter Koenig and James Doohan agreed to appear. Still, Paramount had an ace-in-the-hole climax to Star Trek Generations: the death of Captain Kirk.

Captain Kirk Meeting Captain Picard Is Still Star Trek’s Greatest Crossover

Nothing Can Top The Two Captains Of The Enterprise Meeting

Star Trek Generations hinges on Captain Kirk and Captain Picard working together to stop the villainous Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) from destroying a solar system, and the united Captains of the Enterprise are, indeed, the pièce de résistance of the film. Captain Kirk was a bona fide legend, while Captain Picard was approaching the zenith of his popularity in 1994. Picard and Kirk embodied their two generations of Star Trek, and the two Captains meeting was an irresistible selling point. While Star Trek Generations only gave them a precious few scenes together, Patrick Stewart and William Shatner are a joy to watch.

William Shatner, in particular, was at the top of his game, and he arguably steals Star Trek Generations from Patrick Stewart. Captain Picard is undeniably the movie's main hero, but Jean-Luc is also stern and rigid in the film. Comparatively, Shatner has a playful twinkle in his eye and Kirk emits palpable charm and charisma, even though Star Trek Generations culminates in the original Enterprise Captain's demise.

No event in Star Trek, past or present, is as historical and notable for pop culture as Captain Kirk meeting Captain Picard. And, to quote, Picard in Star Trek Generations, it's a moment "that will never come again."

Star Trek Never Resurrected Captain Kirk

William Shatner Did Not Play Captain Kirk Again After Star Trek Generations

Captain Kirk's death in Star Trek Generations was a Paramount Studios-mandated gimmick to complete the passing of the torch from Star Trek: The Original Series to Star Trek: The Next Generation. Incredibly, William Shatner's Captain Kirk was never resurrected in canon. Star Trek Generations marked the last time William Shatner played Captain Kirk. Unlike Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Admiral Picard, and Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), all of whom were killed and resurrected in Star Trek, Captain Kirk has remarkably stayed dead for 30 years.

Instead of bringing Captain Kirk back to life, Star Trek introduced two younger versions of Kirk. J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) rebooted the Star Trek movies in an alternate timeline centering on Chris Pine's stellar performance as a young Captain James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast Paul Wesley, who becomes a boyish version of William Shatner as Lt. James T. Kirk, the younger version of Shatner's Captain in Star Trek's Prime timeline. Meanwhile, William Shatner's original Captain Kirk will likely stay dead as it is doubtful the 93-year-old Shatner will play Jim again.

Star Trek: Picard Fixed Star Trek Generations’ OTHER Big Death

The USS Enterprise-D Was Resurrected

Captain Kirk's demise was one of two major deaths in Star Trek Generations. The other was the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D, which saw its stardrive section demolished while its saucer crashed on the planet Veridian III. The Galaxy Class USS Enterprise-D was the hero ship of Star Trek: The Next Generation for all seven seasons, and the D is arguably the most beloved version of the Starship Enterprise. The loss of the Enterprise-D led to the debut of the Sovereign Class USS Enterprise-E in Star Trek: First Contact, but it just wasn't the same.

Star Trek: Picard season 3 reunited the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation for the first time in 20 years, and Picard season 3's finale, "Vox" and "The Last Generation," completed the comeback by restoring the USS Enterprise-D to its full glory. Rebuilt in secret by Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Admiral Picard led the Enterprise-D into one final battle against their greatest enemy, the Borg. The USS Enterprise-D then took its rightful place at the Fleet Museum on Athan Prime. All feels right in Star Trek after Picard reversed Star Trek Generations and brought back the USS Enterprise-D.

Star Trek: TNG’s Movies Set Highs & Lows For The Franchise

TNG Movies Found Great Success And Epic Failure

Star Trek Generations is best remembered for Captain Kirk meeting Captain Picard, and Kirk's death, but it also teed up Star Trek: The Next Generation's greatest movie success. Directed by Jonathan Frakes, Star Trek: First Contact brought the Borg to the big screen and served as the origin of Star Trek itself. A rousing action adventure with Captain Picard driven to near madness as he faces the Borg Queen (Alice Krige), Star Trek: First Contact is undoubtedly the most popular of the TNG movies. Indeed, Star Trek: First Contact is the undisputed high point of the TNG film franchise, and its critical and box office success would prove impossible to match.

Unlike Star Trek Generations, which had Captain Kirk meeting Captain Picard, and Star Trek: First Contact, which had the Borg, Star Trek: Insurrection didn't have an easy hook and suffered for it. Essentially a glorified Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, Star Trek: Insurrection stumbled with audiences and critics. It took four years for another TNG movie to hit theaters, but the disastrous Star Trek: Nemesis was a failure that killed the Star Trek: The Next Generation movie franchise. Like Captain Kirk, Star Trek: The Next Generation movies would not be resurrected, bringing a sad end to the promise that began with Star Trek's greatest crossover.