The Most Popular Star Trek Movie, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the movie you think is the most popular!
Updated on May 5, 2024 06:50
Fans of Star Trek often have spirited debates about which movie stands out as the best. These discussions can range from comparing the depth of storytelling to the effectiveness of special effects. Having a system to rank these movies based on popular opinion can help settle these debates or at least provide a consensus on general preferences.
By participating in voting for your favorite Star Trek movies, you contribute to a broader understanding of how each film is received by the audience. This not only fuels further discussion but also guides new viewers towards which movies might be most enjoyable for them. The rankings also offer an interesting insight into how preferences may shift over time and with different generations of fans.
What Is the Most Popular Star Trek Movie?
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165votesWidely considered to be the best Star Trek movie, it features a classic villain in Khan, played brilliantly by Ricardo Montalban, and an emotional climax that still resonates with fans today.Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) is a popular science fiction movie that serves as the second installment in the Star Trek film series. It was directed by Nicholas Meyer and produced by Robert Sallin. The movie follows the story of Admiral James T. Kirk and his crew as they face off against Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically enhanced superhuman who seeks revenge on Kirk. The film explores themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the consequences of playing with genetic engineering.
- Release Date: June 4, 1982
- Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
- Running Time: 113 minutes
- Budget: $11.2 million
- Box Office: $96.8 million
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248votes
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home · Public domainStar Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Leonard NimoyThis lighthearted adventure sees the crew of the Enterprise time-traveling to 1980s San Francisco to save the Earth from a mysterious space probe. It's a fan favorite for its humor and heart.Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a science fiction film directed by Leonard Nimoy. It is the fourth installment in the Star Trek film series, released in 1986. The movie follows the crew of the USS Enterprise as they travel back in time to 1986 San Francisco to retrieve extinct humpback whales, which they need to communicate with an alien species and save Earth from destruction.- Release Date: November 26, 1986
- Director: Leonard Nimoy
- Writers: Harve Bennett, Leonard Nimoy
- Producers: Harve Bennett
- Production Company: Paramount Pictures
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318votes
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Nicholas MeyerThe final adventure of the original crew, this film deals with themes of prejudice and the end of the Cold War. It's a fitting send-off for the classic characters.Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) is the sixth installment in the Star Trek film series. It is a science fiction film that follows the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as they investigate an assassination plot against the Klingon Chancellor, in an effort to prevent the outbreak of war between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire.- Release Date: December 6, 1991
- Director: Nicholas Meyer
- Screenplay: Nicholas Meyer and Denny Martin Flinn
- Produced by: Ralph Winter and Steven-Charles Jaffe
- Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Christopher Plummer, and Kim Cattrall
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427votes
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Directed by Jonathan FrakesThe first Star Trek movie to feature the cast of The Next Generation, this film sees the Enterprise crew traveling back in time to stop the Borg from altering history. It's a thrilling ride with great action and character moments.Star Trek: First Contact is a science fiction movie released in 1996 as the eighth installment in the Star Trek film series. It is set in the Star Trek universe and follows the crew of the USS Enterprise-E as they travel back in time to prevent the Borg from changing history and assimilating Earth.- Release Date: November 18, 1996
- Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
- Running Time: 111 minutes
- Director: Jonathan Frakes
- Writer: Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore
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515votes
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Directed by Leonard NimoyThe follow-up to The Wrath of Khan, this film sees the crew of the Enterprise trying to resurrect Spock after his death in the previous movie. It's not as well-regarded as its predecessor, but still has its fans.Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a science fiction film released in 1984 as the third installment of the Star Trek film series. It follows the crew of the USS Enterprise as they search for the body of their deceased friend, Spock, who was reborn on the planet Genesis.- Release date: June 1, 1984
- Director: Leonard Nimoy
- Producer: Harve Bennett
- Screenplay: Harve Bennett
- Music: James Horner
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68votes
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Directed by Robert WiseThe first Star Trek movie is often criticized for being slow and ponderous, but it has its fans who appreciate its sense of wonder and its ambitious story.Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a science fiction film released in 1979. It is the first feature film based on the Star Trek franchise and serves as a continuation of the original television series. The movie follows the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as they encounter a powerful alien entity threatening to destroy Earth.- Release Date: December 7, 1979
- Running Time: 132 minutes
- Genre: Science Fiction
- Budget: $35 million
- Box Office: $139 million
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712votesThis movie features both the original crew and the Next Generation crew, as they team up to stop a madman from destroying a star. It's a flawed movie, but has some great moments and is notable for featuring the death of Captain Kirk.Star Trek: Generations (1994) is a science fiction film that serves as the seventh installment in the Star Trek film series. It brings together the characters from the original Star Trek television series and the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series. The film follows the encounters of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Captain James T. Kirk as they face a common enemy who is determined to destroy a star and alter history.
- Release Date: November 18, 1994
- Runtime: 118 minutes
- Budget: $35 million
- Box Office: $120 million (worldwide)
- Genre: Science fiction, Action, Adventure
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85votes
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Stuart BairdThe final movie to feature the Next Generation crew, this film sees them facing off against a clone of Captain Picard. It's not a great movie, but has some good action scenes and is notable for featuring a young Tom Hardy as the villain.Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) is the tenth and final installment in the Star Trek film series produced by Paramount Pictures. It is a science fiction action film directed by Stuart Baird. In this movie, the USS Enterprise-E crew, led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard, battles a new enemy, Shinzon, who is a clone of Picard, as they try to prevent him from using a powerful weapon to destroy all life on Earth. The movie explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of one's choices.- Release Date: December 13, 2002
- Running Time: 116 minutes
- Genre: Science Fiction, Action
- Budget: $60 million
- Box Office: $67.3 million
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911votes
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Justin LinThe most recent Star Trek movie, this film sees the crew of the Enterprise stranded on a hostile alien planet. It's a fun adventure with great action and character moments, and is notable for featuring the late Anton Yelchin as Chekov.Star Trek Beyond is the 13th Star Trek movie and the third installment in the rebooted film series. Released in 2016, it was directed by Justin Lin and written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. The movie follows the crew of the USS Enterprise as they face a new enemy named Krall while exploring uncharted regions of space.- Release date: July 22, 2016
- Director: Justin Lin
- Writers: Simon Pegg, Doug Jung
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
- Running time: 122 minutes
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103votes
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Directed by William ShatnerWidely considered to be the worst Star Trek movie, this film sees the crew of the Enterprise searching for God. It's a mess of a movie with a nonsensical plot and cheesy special effects.Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) is the fifth installment in the Star Trek film series. It was directed by William Shatner, who also portrayed Captain James T. Kirk in the film. The story follows the crew of the starship USS Enterprise as they embark on a mission to rescue hostages from a renegade Vulcan named Sybok, who believes he has discovered the location of the mythical planet of Sha Ka Ree, which houses the secret to ultimate knowledge and enlightenment.- Release Year: 1989
- Director: William Shatner
- Producer: Harve Bennett, Gene Roddenberry
- Screenplay: David Loughery
- Music: Jerry Goldsmith
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Ranking factors for popular movie
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Box Office PerformanceThe box office numbers can give us an idea of how well the movie was received by the audience.
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Critical ReceptionReviews from film critics can indicate the quality of the movie.
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Viewer ReceptionUser reviews and ratings from online sources such as IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic can provide insight into how the audiences felt about the movie.
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Fan PerceptionThe opinions of die-hard Star Trek enthusiasts can also be taken into account.
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Legacy and InfluenceThe movie's impact on popular culture, its lasting influence on the Star Trek franchise and its ability to create a lasting impression on viewers can also be factors to consider.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular Star Trek movie. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Film is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1352 views
- 211 votes
- 10 ranked items
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Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Film once every 24 hours. The rank of each Film is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular star trek movie
Star Trek is one of the most beloved science fiction franchises in history, and with a whopping thirteen films released, it can be tough to determine which one reigns supreme. From the original 1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture, to the recent 2016 film Star Trek Beyond, each movie has its own unique feel, storyline, and cast. But which one is the most popular? We've compiled data from thousands of polls and rankings to help determine the answer. So sit back, relax, and get ready to boldly go where no one has gone before – into the world of Star Trek movies.
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