Star Trek's Frakes to direct Thunderbirds movie

Star Trek's Jonathan Frakes is to direct the big screen version of Thunderbirds.

Frakes is best known for playing Commander William Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

He has also directed Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: First Contact.

The film is being made by British company Working Title which has also produced Four Weddings And A Funeral and Bridget Jones's Diary.

The big screen version of Thunderbirds will be a family film instead of an adult actioner, reports www.variety.com.

It will be live action rather than puppets and filming is expected to begin in 2003.