Summary
Star Trekmovies are finally coming back, butthere are no release dates yet announced forStar Trek’s upcoming theatrical or streaming releases. Originating on network television withStar Trek: The Original Series,Star Trekbecame a successful movie franchise starting with 1979’sStar Trek: The Motion Picture. There have been13Star Trekmoviesin total, and every decade since the 1970s has enjoyed aStar Trekmovie release.
However,Star Trekmovies stalled following the theatrical release ofStar Trek Beyondin 2016. A year later,Star Trekreturned to television after a 12-year absence withStar Trek: Discovery, and its success spawned a new golden era ofStar TrekTV showson Paramount+ with 6 existing and upcoming live-action and animated series. Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures’Star Trekmovie franchise has been mired in development hell, with several attempts to developStar Trek 4with big name directors going nowhere. However, there arenew signs of life forStar Trekmovies, which will soon arrive in theaters and streaming on Paramount+.
Every Star Trek Movie In Chronological Order
With 13 entries in the Star Trek movie series from 1979-2006, there are a couple of ways to watch the films chronologically.
Star Trek: Section 31 Is The Next Star Trek Movie
Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh headlines Star Trek’s first streaming movie
The nextStar Trekmovie isStar Trek: Section 31, which is also thefirstStar Trekmovie made for streaming on Paramount+. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi and written by Craig Sweeny,Section 31stars Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh, who reprises her antiheroine, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, fromStar Trek: Discovery. Section 31also stars Sam Richardson, Omari Hardwick, Humberly Gonzalez, James Hiroyuki Liao, Robert Kanzinsky, and Kacey Rohl, who plays the younger version ofRachel Garrett fromStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Emperor Georgiou is billed as confronting the past sins and origins of Section 31, and time travel puts her in the “lost era” ofStar Trek’s 24th century beforeStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Star Trek: Section 31was originally developed as a Paramount+ series, with Michelle Yeoh’s Georgiou written out ofStar Trek: Discoveryseason 3 to topline the new show. However, the COVID-19 pandemic stalledSection 31moving forward, andMichelle Yeoh winning the Best Actress OscarforEverything Everywhere All At Oncechanged her availability. Still, Yeoh remained dedicated toStar Trekand her commitment allowedSection 31to move forward as a made-for-streaming movie.Star Trek: Section 31completed filming in March 2024 in Toronto, and it is waiting for a release date from Paramount+, which could be late in 2024 or in 2025.
Untitled Star Trek Origin Is The Next Star Trek Movie In Theaters
Toby Haynes is directing with J.J. Abrams producing
Paramount Pictures officially announcedthe nextStar Trekmovie made for theatrical release will be anUntitled Star Trek Originmovie directed by Toby Haynes and written by Seth Grahame-Smith.Haynes is renowned for directingStar Wars: Andorand he also directed theStar Trekparody episode"USS Callister" for Netflix’sBlack Mirror.TheUntitled Star Trek Originmovie is reportedly set"decades before"the events of J.J. Abrams’Star Trek(2009) movie and depict the origin of Starfleet. Although,Star Trekfans are concerned whether Haynes' movie will attempt to reboot the establishedStar Trekcanon.
J.J. Abrams will be a producer of Toby Haynes’Untitled Star Trek Originmovie, butX-Menproducer Simon Kinberg is reportedly in talks to come aboard as the producer who not only oversees Haynes’Star Trekprequel, but the entireStar Trektheatrical movie franchise going forward. Kinberg’s proposed role would be similar to how Alex Kurtzman and his Secret Hideout single oversees all Star Trek on Paramount+ streaming TV series and movies.TheUntitled Star Trek Originmovie is scheduled to start production in the fall of 2024 for a possible 2025 or 2026 premiere in theaters.
Star Trek 4 Is Still In Development
Expected to be the final chapter of Chris Pine’s USS Enterprise crew
A fourthStar Trekmovie produced by J.J. Abrams starring Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk leading the crew of the USS Enterprise has been in development since 2018, butStar Trek 4is reportedly still in the works.Steve Yockey (The Flight Attendant) was recently brought aboard to develop a new screenplay forStar Trek 4,although there is no further news on the long-delayed film. However, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, and Sofia Boutella have all publicly stated their desire to return for anotherStar Trekif the movie actually happens.
It would be a shame if the Starship Enterprise doesn’t return to theaters to markStar Trek’s 60th anniversary in 2024.
Star Trek 4has had several failed attempts with notable filmmakers attached. Quentin Tarantino wanted to do anR-rated version ofStar Trek 4based on theStar Trek: The Original Seriesepisode, “A Piece of the Action”. S.J. Clarkson’s story concept to reunite Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk with his late father, Lt. George Kirk played by Chris Hensworth, didn’t come to fruition due to creative differences. This was the same reason Matt Shakman gave for leavingStar Trek 4to direct Marvel Studios’The Fantastic Four. It would be a shame if the Starship Enterprise doesn’t return to theaters to markStar Trek’s 60th anniversary in 2024, butStar Trek 4remains an unfulfilled wish.
