By Michael Schneider

 HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - The Enterprise has a new captain: after weeks of negotiations, Scott Bakula
 is officially on board the next ``Star Trek'' series.

 Paramount Network Television starts shooting ``Star Trek: Enterprise,'' the fifth installment in the
 long-running franchise, on Monday. Although the studio's Viacom sibling UPN is still the shoo-in to pick
 up the series, the companies still haven't struck a deal.

 Nonetheless, UPN is expected to announce ``Enterprise'' by the time it unveils its fall schedule to
 advertisers on Thursday.

 Bakula, best known for his five-year stint on the NBC drama ``Quantum Leap,'' will play Captain
 Jonathan Archer in the new series.

 ``Scott personifies the charm and intelligence that the role calls for,'' said ``Enterprise'' co-creator and
 executive producer Rick Berman.

 Bakula also recently shot the CBS comedy pilot ``Late Boomers,'' but is not obligated to appear in the
 series should the project go forward. He also co-starred in ``American Beauty.''

 Other ``Star Trek: Enterprise'' cast members include Jolene Blalock, John Billingsley, Linda Park,
 Anthony Montgomery, Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer.

 Reuters/Variety REUTERS