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Brent Spiner as Lieutenant Commander Data (and B4) in STAR TREK: NEMESIS
© 2002 Paramount Pictures

Brent Spiner to old for STAR TREK XI

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Source: ComingSoon

According to ComingSoon.net, Brent 'Data' Spiner has ruled out any possible return to the franchise.

"I don't think I should play Data anymore," said Spiner. "I think I'm too old to play him anymore to be honest. I think it would look stupid putting that make-up on me at this point. There certain characters that I think work in a youthful way and I think I really skated along the edge in the last couple movies as it was.

Spiner continued to say, "Having said that, you'll see the movie now and there I'll be in all the make-up... then you'll know I got a very sweet deal."

J.J. Abrams STAR TREK XI is aiming for a 2008 release.

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Comments/Responses

majorbludd • Sep 12, 2006, 02:28am •

well at least he is honest.........

• Sep 12, 2006, 04:19am •

This is nothing new. Spiner said at the time of Insurrection that he only had one more movie "in his face", and that after the 10th movie he'd look too old to play an un-aging android. That was why he had Data killed off in Nemesis.

I agree totally with Spiner. He had already visibly aged from "Farpoint" to "Nemesis". The time has come for him to leave the franchise behind.

• Sep 12, 2006, 04:48am •

I disagree. Didn't they digitally alter Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan's faces in X-Men 3 to make them look younger? Now, it seems to me that painting Spiner's face the usual gold colour and then smoothing it over in post-production would be even simpler. Then again, I'm no expert.

theloneranger • Sep 12, 2006, 06:04am •

He's right that he's too old to play Data, but I hope there is a future for Spiner in the franchise.

evilron • Sep 12, 2006, 06:26am •

With todays CGI ther really is no reason for Spiner to give up playing Data if they decide to put him in a new movie. Considering what happened to his character in the last movie they could also come up with a number of reasons why he would look different if they resurrected the character.

• Sep 12, 2006, 06:53am •

If Spiner doesn't want to play Data anymore, that's fine, but he should flat out say that. Saying he's too old is crap. I don't care if he looks older than he did 20 years ago. Make something up about Data altering his appearence to simulate aging, just like his touch of gray in "All Good Things..." Or just ignore it. James Marsters has said the same thing about playing Spike, and I just don't think fans would care that much.

madmanic999 • Sep 12, 2006, 06:57am •

Here's an idea.... save Spiner the decision, don't make the movie.

• Sep 12, 2006, 07:06am •

Digitally altering someone's face is a time consuming process that doesn't always work well in film. I know, I'm an animator, I've done it before. You have to go frame by frame and it ends up costing a lot of money and taking up too much time. I understand why everyone wants Data back cause he is THE best character in Star Trek, but it's over and I think time to move on. We need a Trek that doesn't contain all the techno babble, that is about REAL human drama in space. Kinda like Firefly. Oh wait, Firefly got cancelled. DAMN!!

jacobjoseph • Sep 12, 2006, 07:07am •

Data can age, it was also mentioned in TNG episode Inheritance. His hair can grow, etc, there's no reason for Spiner to say he looks old.
By the way, it's 'too' old, not 'to.'

dax0761 • Sep 12, 2006, 07:36am •

SO does anyone have a clue to what this movie is going to be about? not having Brent seems like more of a confirmation the movie will be a stupid prequel

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