David Cronenberg is enjoying his time on Star Trek: Discovery.
When famed director David Cronenberg popped up in the third season of Star Trek: Discovery, many people were quite surprised. He’s more known for his directorial work, thoug he has acted before. Yet, it wasn’t that reason alone that fans were left a bit perplexed with his involvement.
It was the fact that his style of filmmaking is rather, let’s say ‘different’. He likes to direct very intense films. Either intense due to the body horror like in The Fly remake or Scanners, or more in the realm of dark psychological thrillers, like Eastern Promises or A History of Violence.
He’s not a one-trick pony by any means, it’s just that’s what he’s most known for. Being a part of Star Trek and doing a bit less edgy content (in comparison) took a lot of fans by surprise. That said, it shouldn’t as Cronenberg is quite a fan of Trek.
In an interview with the new magazine, Star Trek Explorer (via Star Trek.com), Cronenberg told Explorer about his passion for the franchise.
"I like to say – I guess ad nauseum – that I’m cheap and I’m available, and I live in Toronto (laughs). [Executive Producer] Alex Kurtzman apparently got in touch with some casting people who know me well because they cast my films. They asked if they thought I’d be interested in being part of the show. Of course, I said, “Who wouldn’t be?” I was certainly a fan of The Original Series and would never in a million years have dreamed I’d actually be in a show. So, I was happy to do it. And the timing was right, because I wasn’t directing anything at the time.…We’re talking about the ‘60s, and I’d watch every week. I was a fan. Was I a fan in the sense of crazed, insane fan? No. But I was enough of a fan to want to see it every week, and to enjoy it, and to talk about it. I can’t say I’ve been able to keep up with all the many spin-offs."
David Cronenberg would like to do the whole Star Trek experience
It isn’t enough that he was a fan of the original series, or that he’s enjoyed his time on the show, Cronenberg also would like to do a convention at some point down the line. When Explorer asked him if he’d be interested, he replied;
"Well, I’d certainly be tempted, I have to say. I’d be very tempted. Let’s hope I get some invites."
The one thing that Cronenberg doesn’t want to do is direct an episode of Star Trek: Discovery. It makes sense why, he’s a very hands-on, creative director who usually has say with whom he casts and works. That’s not usually the case in television. As a director in television, you’re more working off of someone else’s vision, while in film the director usually has the most say.
It could be interesting, however, to see what Cronenberg could do with a Star Trek film.