The Star Trek movies changed the franchise forever, not just catapulting the series onto the big screen and giving a second life to its original heroes, but helping shape its future on the small screen as we gave way to The Next Generation. To celebrate these beloved movies getting a lavish new remastering, let’s take you back behind-the-scenes on the movie that started it all.
To celebrate the launch of the new 4K UHD Star Trek six-movie collection, Gizmodo has a glimpse behind the making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture in three rare shots from the making of the first Trek movie. The images see star William Shatner, alongside much of his bridge crew, and also a brief glimpse of director Robert Wise discussing a scene with Shatner.
Wise passed away in 2005, just four years after he revisited his work on The Motion Picture to create The Director’s Edition — which had so far only been released in Standard Definition until earlier this year, when Paramount+ streamed a brand new meticulous remaster of the cut to celebrate First Contact Day. Now, for the first time, The Director’s Edition will be available in a physical release, both standalone as part of the new six-movie collection (each of which are also seeing standalone 4K/Blu-ray combo releases).
The collection includes standard Blu-ray and 4K discs of the first six Star Trek movies starring the cast of the original TV show, including both the theatrical cuts and director’s cuts of The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, and The Undiscovered Country. It’s the first time the last two films in the original collection, alongside the releases of the director’s cuts included, have received new 4K remasters, after 4K remasters of the theatrical editions of The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home were released in a collection last year.
Star Trek: The Original Motion Picture 6-Movie Collection is available now.
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