Star Trek 4: 8 Villains We Might See
5. The Ferengi
A well-established race for many years now, the occupations of the Ferengi is ripe for a movie that satirizes trade and the current economic situation. Sort of like The Big Short or The Wolf of Wall Street in space. The Star Trek series hasn't done a blatant comedy since the fourth film, The Voyage Home. The Ferengi present an opportunity for a change of tone, so that the series doesn't just become a series of action movies.
Earning profit is the primary objective of the Ferengi- how does the team we know and love fight against that, when they can't use logic or lasers? They have to be manipulative and single-minded to beat the Ferengi, and that may put them in direct conflict with the Federation they report to.
And their single-mindedness may expose certain hypocrisies of the Enterprise crew and of the Federation. There has never been slavery or genocide in Ferengi history. What horrific sacrifices and compromises have the Federation made in the past to establish themselves?
The Ferengi would inadvertently cause a lot of soul-searching for the Enterprise crew, making them question if they really want to be a part of the federation.