Scribe Piller set for 'Trek'
The ninth, as-yet-untitled "Star Trek" feature, will be produced by Rick Berman, who will develop the story with Piller.
No cast or director has been attached, but the story will once again revolve around the crew of the "Next Generation" series.
The picture will likely lift off during the 1998 holiday season.
Piller began his association with Starfleet Command in 1989, joining creators Gene Roddenberry and Berman for the third season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," on which he spent five seasons as exec producer and head writer.
He went on to co-create with Berman "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," which he exec produced for three years before turning the show over to Ira Steven Behr. After that he co-created "Star Trek: Voyager" with Berman and Jeri Taylor, with whom he exec produced the series for two years.
While Piller wouldn't offer any specifics of the new film's storyline, he promised the picture would feature "a strong character arc for (the Starship Enterprise captain Jean-Luc) Picard."
Released over a period of 17 years, the eight "Star Trek" features have collectively amassed about a $642 million domestic cume.
In addition, as part of his three-year overall TV deal at Paramount, Piller is developing with writer Bill Dial the telefilm "The Romanov Gambit," about a disgraced CIA agent who goes to work for the Russian Secret Service.
