New 'Trek' gets heavy

By KATHLEEN O'STEEN

Malcolm McDowell will star as the villain Soren in Paramount's upcoming feature "Star Trek: Generations" doing battle with both Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, played by Patrick Stewart, and Capt. James T. Kirk, played by William Shatner.

The feature, due to begin principal photography today, will bring together two generations of "Star Trek" casts through a "unique astronomical phenomenon," Paramount has confirmed.

Among cast members from the original "Star Trek" TV series who will reprise their roles will be James Doohan as Scotty and Walter Koenig as Chekhov, in addition to Shatner. There will be no Mr. Spock in this 24th century adventure.

The "Next Generation" TV cast members who will make the hyperspace leap to feature film will be Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, GatesMcFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner and Whoopi Goldberg, who will reprise her recurring TV role as Guinan.

The film will be directed by David Carson, whose many TV and legit credits include directing the two-hour pilot episode of "Deep Space Nine," a"Trek" spinoff. Rick Berman produces. Brannon Braga and Ron Moore have pulled scripting duties.