Sir Patrick Stewart has enjoyed a career that many others only end up dreaming of. From theatrics to movies to being part of some of the biggest cinematic franchises of all time, Stewart has been the recipient of several awards and accolades. While he has portrayed several brilliant roles, the actor received widespread acclaim when he joined the Star Trek franchise as Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Starting from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Stewart has appeared in many other movies and series set in the sci-fi universe. Yet, there was one project that convinced him to almost end his Star Trek journey.
The Star Trek Project That Made Patrick Stewart Leave the Franchise
Sir Patrick Stewart has enjoyed a splendid career, full of some astounding projects and roles. Yet, among the many characters he has essayed, his portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard will always continue to be part of his legacy and acclaim. While he did recently reprise his role of Captain Picard in the series, Star Trek: Picard, the actor made his first appearance in the series in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
While The Next Generation was a success, the cast was soon roped in to star in the next three Star Trek movies, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis. Star Trek: First Contact was a success, but the next two ended up going horribly wrong.
In his 2023 memoir, Making It So, the actor revealed he wanted to quit The Next Generation following Nemesis,
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.
Star Trek: Nemesis was the tenth film of the franchise and the fourth and final one for the cast of the hit series, The Next Generation. Made against a budget of $60 million, Nemesis ended up grossing only $67 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo) and is one of the most disappointing movies of the franchise.
Patrick Stewart Believed Star Trek: Nemesis Was a Dud
Despite Star Trek: Nemesis being made with a substantial budget, the movie failed to resonate with the audiences and became a huge disappointing failure at the box office. While there were several factors that resulted in the movie’s failure, it was mostly the movie’s premise and lack of character development that made it become one of the worst movies of the franchise.
Even Patrick Stewart, in his memoir, stated he felt Nemesis was a dud,
‘Nemesis’ was a dud, as far as I was concerned. 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.
While Nemesis ended the run for The Next Generation cast members and Stewart, they later reunited for Star Trek: Picard. The series allowed Stewart to bid a heartfelt farewell to the role that had significantly impacted his career while leaving an enduring legacy in the Star Trek universe.
Star Trek: Nemesis can be rented on Amazon Prime.
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