Star Trek deserved a movie after "Nemesis". May be crossover TNG&DS9. TOS worked better as Motion Pictures, TNG worked better as episodes. What about DS9? Who knows.
While I love DS9, I don't think a movie would have worked. The biggest problem is that unlike the Enterprise, a movie would have to explain DS9 more throughly than was ever the case for either TOS or TNG. Hell Emissary required a crawl to set the stage for the series (as did Voyager). Even the novels required several books to properly relaunch the series. That's more than a 2 hour movie can provide. Note that even JMS' idea for a Babylon 5 movie would not have focused on the station.
Thinking about it, a DS9 movie would be great to do a very different kind of Trek film. Rather than flying off into an adventure or saving planets, it could be more of a thriller with the stationary setting and darker tone of the series. For example, it could start off with a voice over done by Avery Brooks (maybe with a few flashbacks), giving a brief introduction to the station and major events. When it gets to the present, it is from the perspective of a new Security Chief (the audiences POV throughout) just arriving at the station, as it prepares for a major conference. However, an assassination occurs onboard that threatens the stability of the region or AQ/GQ relations (whatever the conference was about). So it falls to newbie, Bashir and Dax to hunt down the killer, as Kira faces hostiles from every direction. Jake, Nog and Quark would also have their own parts to play, not sure what just yet though. However things go, it could end with the hint of The Sisko's return (and possible sequel ).
Studies have shown that movies that begin with voice overs bomb at the box office. Like Iron Man 3, Avatar or The Fellowship of the Ring.
A decent scriptwriter would not have to rely on a "previously on" text crawl or voiceover for new audiences. There are ways to do that during the narrative.
There are so many standalone movies that do exactly that. Are they all penned by non-decent scriptwriters?
I waited for the next Star Trek movie 12 years ago. I expected something like ST:Generations with TNG&DS9 characters. It was logical to pass the baton to well known crew and continue the Star Trek story. It wasn't a matter of "deserving a movie", it was simply a matter of logic, IMO.
Yeah, the best case scenario would have been an entertaining action movie kind of romp analogous to FC, which wouldn't exactly do the strengths of the series justice. Although we probably would've been more likely to get a glorified, overlong TV episode along the lines of INS.
DS9 is my favorite Trek series, so obviously the idea of a movie appeals to me. But I really don't think it would've worked. DS9 wrapped up it's story beautifully, so it's hard to imagine what a movie even would have been about. Plus, DS9's greatest strength was it's long-form storytelling and characterizations. The only way they could have done it justice would have been to plot out a trilogy of interconnected films ahead of time, and that was never going to happen. The thing I would have loved would have been at least one movie that combined characters from TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY and maybe even ENT. That would've been awesome.
I don't know about a movie, but an 8th season would've been great. We made peace with the Klingons, but never showed it. We made peace with the Germans, the Russians, etc. Could you imagine a season of making peace with the Dominion? When all the fans are riled up and don't trust the Vorta, the Jem'Hadar, or the Changelings? That fear that grips you and the faith that is needed to cross that bridge and trust your former enemy. That's Star Trek. It would've tied the series up nicely to do so. Some of the things I would do is have the Bajorans explore the Gamma Quadrant after joining the Federation. Establish the first colony on the other side of the wormhole since "New Bajor." Have vigorous debate in episodes about warnings from those wounded by the war that this is a bad idea. And I would have everyone comfortably trusting the Dominion...and then have it tested. The Jem'Hadar do something terrible to the Federation and risks plunging the two Quadrants back into war. But, in reality, the Jem'Hadar have become separate from the Dominion and now put the Federation in a predicament: who do you support? The oppressed Jem'Hadar, or the new peace with the Dominion? Everyone says it ended nicely. I think the story was just getting started. And there's something very Roddenberry-esque about making peace with the Dominion while it tests the rhetoric at the beginning of the show about the Bajorans and the Cardassians having to learn to work together. Would we live up to our ideals? Would we be angels after going through hell?
I'm quite firmly in the camp of, DS9 movie would have been nice, 10-12 years ago when it still would have possibly worked, but even then I'm not sure it would. There are too many ways they could have compromised or screwed it up I think, especially given that was around the time when Trek was basically dying a slow and increasingly painful death. 8th season? Interesting idea. Its a little too late for both of those things now, though.
I love DS9 and would have gone to see a film in a second...but I never expected one to actually happen if only because of the way the series left Sisko being off with the prophets. Obviously Sisko would be in a DS9 movie, so the film would have to explain his return. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it the mindset of Paramount at the time to make the films more accessible to mainstream audiences who didn't watch the shows ("First Contact" being an exception, but I guess TNG could get away with it cause that was a more popular series)? Isn't that one of the reasons why "Insurrection" barely mentioned the Dominion War? I always figured that the only way we'd ever see any DS9 characters on the big screen would be if they did as others in this thread have mentioned - a big crossover Trek film that incorporated characters from all the series', and maybe Kira or Quark or O'Brien or whoever shows up in some capacity. But beyond that, I never expected Paramount in a million years to green-light a standalone DS9 movie, as great as one could have been.
I don't think a film could just explain it away, put Sisko back into uniform and back into his office at DS9. On the contrary, it would need to be a major part of the movie: dealing with a man whose mentality and consciousness has been changed and has become foreign to the people around him. There could be a lot of potential for interpersonal conflict if Sisko were more spiritual than even his Bajoran crew.
I suppose it depends on the type of movie... A straight to dvd movie might be feasible plot-wise, but the low profit levels mean tptb won't be interested. I just cannot imagine a DS9 blockbuster movie simply because most of the successful Trek movies involve being Earth at risk. Given how far Bajor is at the edge of Federation space and far from Earth, it is going to be hard coming up with stakes that matter to the viewing audience. That and I am not sure Avery Brookes is willing or able to be an action star that all Hollywood blockbusters demand their leading actor to be.
I'd love to see a TV movie that takes characters from TNG, DS9 and Voyager many years later and creates some new threat for them to face. In that format it could wrap up the aftermath of the DS9 series but also focus more on the kind of smart action, not trigger-happy action, that makes Star Trek what it is. Though not sure even that would make any money.