Phase II is really wish fulfillment largely for James Cawley. He always wanted to sit in the center seat as a little boy and play James Tiberious Kirk.

So he funds the thing out of his own pocket so he can play Captain Kirk.

I find it truly bizarre actually as bizarre as those who dress up in star wars or star trek gear and go to conventions.

It would be the equivalent of a star wars fan putting up the money to do small little films and cast their own self as Luke Skywalker. And somehow get lesser actors not the starring role actors from the original movies to appear. Get some of the original effects artists and screenwriters as well,lol.

Cawley asked Shatner to do new Voyages/phase II, Shatner coyly refused saying something like " I'll leave that up to Walter and George."

He does not do non union work and would never conceive of taking an unpaid role or cameo.

Plus he wants to keep the door slammed shut on star trek that he closed himself when killing kirk in generations. Now when he sees there is fame and money and the promise of a starring role in JJ's sequel which won't happen hes dreaming, he wants to play Kirk again. Only because he does not want to be upstaged by his friend Leonard Nimoy.

Does he want to play Kirk Prime to Nimoy's Spock Prime? Kirk died on Veridian 3 after leaving the nexus and was able to save the next generation, but not himself or the enterprise D.

IF picard was killed instead then Kirk would be the captain of the enterprise E at least according to tos fanboys who hate the next generation.