Like a Matrix fan trying to convince you that Revolutions is good, Rick Berman just can’t shut up about making more Star Trek. This time he talked to Sci Fi Wire about who he’ll be getting to direct his bandwagon prequel. Right now he’s dangling “Next Generation” alum and Thunderbirds director Jonathon Frakes.

”I spoke to Jonathan about a half an hour ago,” says Berman. “He's in Japan, and he's coming here [because] his film [Thunderbirds] is premiering Saturday here in Los Angeles. There are very, very early conversations going on about a film project. But they're so early that it's really kind of silly to talk about it now.”

He went on to reiterate that the movie will not feature any of the characters or things that Star Trek fans care about, and will instead focus on creating cool and easily marketable action figures. He states, “The movie that we're having very early discussions about would have nothing to do with any of the characters that have ever existed on any of the Star Trek series… It would be an entirely new setting and an entirely new set of characters, and it would take place prior to any of the series, including [UPN's Star Trek:] Enterprise.”

I’m still amazed that in the wake of fan disinterest, box office flopping, and a fast fading, nearly cancelled television series that there’s anyone willing to give this guy Berman enough money to make a comic book, let alone another abortive feature film. Still, he may be getting Frakes and Frakes did direct the only good “Next Generation” movie. Unfortunantely he also directed the worst Trek movie in Insurrection, Clockstoppers, and the Spy Kids cloned Bill Paxton waster Thunderbirds. I guess you could do worse. Uwe Boll is probably available. I'm really not sure if dangling Frakes like a carrot (or in the case of Star Trek fans like a semi-naked T'Pol) is supposed to get us excited or depressed. What the heck is Berman going for? Someone tell me how to feel!

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