Steven Spielberg has delivered some of the most memorable blockbusters of the ‘80s and the ‘90s and redefined the concept of a summer hit. The Oscar-winning filmmaker is known for his critically acclaimed and audience-friendly films like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones, and more.
However, he had one of his worst-rated works with the Robin Williams starrer Hook. While the film has received a cult following in recent years, it was not appreciated by audiences at the time. It also stopped Robin Williams from playing a role in Star Trek: The Next Generation, of which he was reportedly a fan.
Robin Williams Was Set To Play A Time Travelling Historian In Star Trek: The Next Generation
Robin Williams was one of the most celebrated actors in Hollywood. Gaining a breakthrough for his role as Mork in the sitcom Mork & Mindy, the actor gained new heights for films such as Dead Poets’ Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, and more. Williams was known for his impeccable comic timing, while also gaining recognition for his dramatic acting.
The actor was also reportedly a massive Trekkie and was actually supposed to feature in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. According to Slash Film, Williams was set to star as the character Berlinghoff Rasmussen, an eccentric character who claims to be a historian from the distant future, who hopes to see the TNG crew in action.
However, the actor reportedly could not make it to the set eventually, due to his commitments on Steven Spielberg’s Peter Pan film Hook. The character of Rasmussen was eventually played by actor Matt Frewer in the episode ‘A Matter of Time’. The show was at the height of its popularity when Williams was asked to be a part of the show.
According to Star Trek.com, Robin Williams had several other connections to Star Trek, especially through his show Mork & Mindy. Apart from some costume inspirations and parodies, the show also saw a guest appearance from William Shatner, and a reference to Spock in an episode.
Steven Spielberg Regretted Making Robin Williams’ Hook
While Steven Spielberg’s Hook stopped Robin Williams from living his dream of being in Star Trek, the film reportedly had its own share of troubles. After quitting the movie once, Spielberg returned to the sets with the cast already chosen. He reportedly also decided to film the movie on real sets instead of CGI.
Despite gaining a cult following in later years, the film remains one of the maverick filmmaker’s lesser-rated works. Spielberg himself mentioned how he felt while making the film and that he would like to watch it again to figure out the mistakes. He said to Empire (via Den of Geek),
I felt like a fish out of water making Hook. I didn’t have confidence in the script. I had confidence in the first act and I had confidence in the epilogue. I didn’t have confidence in the body of it.
The filmmaker reportedly also had issues with actress Julia Roberts, which became fodder for tabloid news at the time.
Hook is available to stream on AMC+.
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