
The world of Star Trek includes 14 movies, released both in theaters and through streaming services, and figuring out the best way to watch them can be tricky. The franchise officially began with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. Starting in 1987 with Star Trek: The Next Generation, fans could follow the adventures of Star Trek on both TV and in film.
Since the 1970s, a new Star Trek movie has come out every ten years. The 1980s and 1990s were particularly successful for the film series. Throughout the history of Star Trek – from the original vision of Gene Roddenberry, through Rick Berman’s leadership in the 90s, to today’s streaming releases under Alex Kurtzman – movies have always been a part of the franchise.
Prior to the release of Star Trek: Section 31 in 2025, Star Trek existed solely as a series of theatrical films. Every Star Trek movie made before Section 31 featured the Starship Enterprise, led by either Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner), Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), or a younger version of Captain Kirk from the alternate Kelvin timeline (Chris Pine).
Some of the most iconic and memorable scenes in Star Trek history actually took place in the films, and here’s how you can watch them.
How To Watch Star Trek Movies Chronologically In Theatrical & Streaming Release Order
The easiest way to watch all 14 Star Trek movies is in the order they were originally released in theaters and on streaming services. They naturally divide into four groups: the six films featuring the original series crew, the four films with the Next Generation cast, the three movies directed by J.J. Abrams that take place in a different timeline, and finally, Star Trek: Section 31.
Here are the Star Trek movies in theatrical and streaming release order by year:
| Star Trek: The Original Series Movies | Release Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Motion Picture | 1979 | Robert Wise |
| Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | 1982 | Nicholas Meyer |
| Star Trek III: The Search For Spock | 1984 | Leonard Nimoy |
| Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | 1986 | Leonard Nimoy |
| Star Trek V: The Final Frontier | 1989 | William Shatner |
| Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country | 1991 | Nicholas Meyer |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation Movies | Release Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek Generations | 1994 | David Carson |
| Star Trek: First Contact | 1996 | Jonathan Frakes |
| Star Trek: Insurrection | 1998 | Jonathan Frakes |
| Star Trek: Nemesis | 2002 | Stuart Baird |
| J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Kelvin Timeline Movies | Release Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek | 2009 | J.J. Abrams |
| Star Trek Into Darkness | 2013 | J.J. Abrams |
| Star Trek Beyond | 2016 | Justin Lin |
| Star Trek Streaming Movie | Release Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek: Section 31 | 2025 | Olatunde Osunsanmi |
How To Watch Star Trek Movies By In-Universe Timeline Order
Watching the Star Trek movies in the order the events happen within the story—rather than by release date—can be a more engaging and thought-provoking experience.
The Star Trek movies generally take place in either the 23rd century (like The Original Series) or the 24th century (like The Next Generation). However, some films use time travel or show events from the past. The movies directed by J.J. Abrams are unique because they’re set before the beginning of Star Trek: The Original Series.
I remember being totally blown away by the beginning of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek! The way they showed the USS Kelvin getting destroyed and Kirk’s dad, George Kirk, sacrificing himself to save his son… it was heartbreaking, but it created this whole new timeline. Basically, that single event, caused by Romulans traveling through time, kicked everything into high gear and changed the course of history as we knew it. It’s amazing how one moment could create such a different universe!
The new series, Star Trek: Section 31, begins by placing Emperor Philippa Georgiou (played by Michelle Yeoh) in the 24th century, decades before the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The story also shows how Georgiou originally rose to power as Emperor in the Mirror Universe through flashbacks set a century before the main storyline.
If you want to watch the Star Trek movies in the order the events happen within the story (even considering time travel and different universes), here’s how to do it:
| Star Trek Movie | In-Universe Timeline Order | Star Trek Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | Main story set in 1986 San Francisco | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek: First Contact | Main story set in 2063 Bozeman, Montana, and the USS Enterprise-E | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek (2009) | Prologues set in 2233/2240s/2255 | Kelvin Timeline |
| Star Trek (2009) | Present-day set in 2258 | Kelvin Timeline |
| Star Trek Into Darkness | Present-day set in 2259 | Kelvin Timeline |
| Star Trek Beyond | Present-day set in 2263 | Kelvin Timeline |
| Star Trek: The Motion Picture | Present-day set in the 2270s | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | Present-day set in 2285 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek III: The Search for Spock | Present-day set in 2285 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | Present-day prologue and epilogue set in 2286 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek V: The Final Frontier | Present-day set in 2287 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country | Present-day set in 2293 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek Generations | Prologue set in 2293 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek: Section 31 | Prologue set in 2200s Mirror Universe, Present-day set in 2324 | Mirror Universe, Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek Generations | Present-day set in 2371 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek: First Contact | Prologue/Present-day set in 2373 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek: Insurrection | Present-day set in 2375 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek: Nemesis | Present-day set in 2379 | Prime Timeline |
| Star Trek (2009) | Romulan Supernova, Spock and Nero Time Travel happens in 2387 | Prime Timeline |
Paramount Skydance Is Making New Star Trek Movies Only For Theaters
I’m really excited about what the future holds for Star Trek now that Skydance is joining forces with Paramount! From what I understand, they’re making new Star Trek movies a real priority. The new leadership, especially David Ellison – who was involved in the last two Star Trek films – clearly sees how much fans love the franchise, and they’re aiming to release a lot of movies – around 30 a year! It’s great to see Star Trek getting this kind of attention.
Paramount Skydance revealed plans for a new Star Trek movie at CinemaCon 2026. Details are still scarce, but it’s likely the project from the directors of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. This film will reportedly be a fresh start for the franchise, unconnected to any existing Star Trek stories.
There’s talk of multiple new Star Trek movies being developed. Paramount Skydance reportedly wants to reimagine Star Trek to appeal to a broader audience, without relying heavily on the established 60-year history of the series.
Paramount Skydance seems to be considering new Star Trek films and TV shows that aren’t tied to previous storylines. This could mean reboots set in different time periods or locations, or simply starting fresh with new narratives, effectively disconnecting from the existing Star Trek universe.
Paramount Skydance has confirmed that future Star Trek films will be released exclusively in cinemas. The negative response to Star Trek: Section 31 effectively ended plans for more Star Trek movies on the Paramount+ streaming service.
Paramount Skydance Canceled Star Trek 4 & Other Star Trek Movies
Paramount Skydance has canceled Star Trek 4, a move that, while disappointing, wasn’t entirely surprising. This film was intended to be the fourth installment in the series produced by J.J. Abrams, featuring the returning cast including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Karl Urban.
Following a disappointing box office performance for Star Trek Beyond in 2016 compared to the previous two films, J.J. Abrams’ fourth Star Trek movie faced a long and troubled development process lasting nine years. Several directors, including S.J. Clarkson, Matt Shakman, and Quentin Tarantino, were considered for Star Trek 4, but ultimately left the project due to disagreements about the film’s creative direction.
Even though the cast of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies – including Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, and Sofia Boutella – had expressed interest in making another film, along with Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Karl Urban, Paramount and Skydance officially announced in 2025 that it won’t be happening.
Noah Hawley, known for his work on shows like Fargo and Alien: Earth, had been developing a Star Trek movie that Paramount cancelled after a management change. Another planned Star Trek film, Star Trek Origins, directed by Toby Haynes and written by Seth Grahame-Smith, has also been scrapped.
With 14 films already made, the world of Star Trek is sure to continue with even more exciting adventures in space. It’s currently unknown whether future movies will introduce us to new characters or bring back the crew of the Starship Enterprise for another journey.
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2026-05-17 22:27