Summary
Tom Hanks would undoubtedly be a great addition to theStar Trekuniverse, but I’m glad he wasn’t cast as Zefram Cochrane inStar Trek: First Contact. The Academy-award winning star is a hugeStar Trekfan, and has talked about his love for the show in chat show appearances and interviews. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart himself, even testified to the level of Tom Hanks’Star Trekfandom in his memoirMaking it So, revealing that the Oscar-winning actor “knows all the TNG episodes by name, so obsessively has he watched them.”
In 1996, Tom Hanks was on a list of names being considered to play warp speed inventor, Zefram Cochrane inStar Trek: First Contact. In the end, Cochrane became one ofJames Cromwell’s manyStar Trekroles, to the apparent disappointment of Tom Hanks. In 2023, Tom Hanks appeared onJosh Horowitz’sHappy Sad Confusedpodcast to promotePinocchio, and reflected on his missedStar Trekopportunity, and how he might have responded to being cast as Zefram Cochrane:
“The guy who invented warp drive? Oh come on, I would’ve jumped on that! I would have come in, I would have brought gift Tribbles to everybody on the first meeting. ‘Guys here’s some Tribbles for you.'”
However, Tom Hanks' unimpeachable nice guy persona, and his handing out imaginary Tribbles to a hypotheticalStar Trekmovie set is why I’m not convinced he would have made a good Zefram Cochrane.
Star Trek’s Prequel Movie Can Answer First Contact’s 30 Year Old Questions
Star Trek is prepping a theatrical prequel movie, and this origin story can address some questions left behind by Star Trek: First Contact.
Why Tom Hanks Wouldn’t Work In Star Trek: First Contact
Having played heroic astronaut Jim Lovell in Ron Howard’sApollo 13a year earlier, it’s easy to see why Tom Hanks' name was on the list to play Zefram Cochrane. The character of Zefram Cochrane inStar Trek: First Contactis a complex figure; a scientific genius, and an insecure drunk grappling with a destiny he’s yet to fulfill. One of the best jokes in the movie is when Commander William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) chides Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) for telling Cochrane about the statue.
Jim Lovell inApollo 13was a heroic astronaut while Zefram Cochrane pulled off the world’s first warp speed flight with a hangover…
Tom Hanks' careerwas soaring in 1996, and so the idea of him playing the shabby, down-at-heel Zefram Cochrane doesn’t fit with the types of characters he was playing at that stage in his career. If anything, Hanks would have been a better fit for the idealized version of Cochrane that the Enterprise crew had in their heads. Jim Lovell inApollo 13was a heroic astronaut while Zefram Cochrane pulled off the world’s first warp speed flight with a hangover - admittedly heroic for completely different reasons.
The motto for Apollo 13’s ill-fated mission, “Ex Luna, Scientia” (“From the Moon, knowledge”), was the inspiration for the Starfleet Academy motto – “Ex Astris, Scientia” (“From the stars, knowledge”).
Interestingly, it appears that Tom Hanks was never seriously considered for Zefram Cochrane. To celebrate the 25th anniversary ofStar Trek: First Contactin 2021, Ronald D. Moore spoke toThe Hollywood Reporterabout the making of the movie. Over the course of the interview, Tom Hanks' name comes up, and Moore revealed that he wasn’t a contender, saying:
“At that point in the process, there are lots of names on a wishlist for many, many reasons. I’m sure his name was floated in some capacity, but it was never really on the table.”
Presumably, Tom Hanks' Hollywood profile and fee put him out ofFirst Contact’s price range. However, while Hanks wasn’t the right fit for Zefram Cochrane, I’m still keen to see him appear inStar Trek.
What Role Could Tom Hanks Play In Star Trek?
If you’re going to cast Tom Hanks in aStar Trekmovie, then it needs to be in a role that’s worthy of a Hollywood legend. With theStar Trekorigin movieset to enter production soon, Hanks could finally fulfill his dream of playing a character of vital importance to the history of the franchise. While the inventor of warp speed is already taken, Tom Hanks could easily play the first President of the Federation, or a charismatic Starfleet admiral who helped to found the organization following the formation of United Earth.
…the casting of Paul Giamatti inStar Trek: Starfleet Academygives hope that huge Hollywood actors like Tom Hanks would take a pay cut to satisfy their fannish desire to play in theStar Treksandbox.
Obviously, the casting of Tom Hanks in aStar Trekmovie would be a big deal that would run the risk of inflating the production budget and overshadowing the other characters. However, the casting of Paul Giamatti inStar Trek: Starfleet Academygives hope that huge Hollywood actors like Tom Hanks would take a pay cut to satisfy their fannish desire to play in theStar Treksandbox. For the right role, I’m sure Tom Hanks would jump at the chance to finally fulfill the dream thatStar Trek: First Contactdenied him.
