The Definitive Star Trek Movie Series Order: A 16-Film Chronology Guide For 2025
Deciding where to begin your journey through the Star Trek cinematic universe can feel as daunting as navigating the Delta Quadrant without a warp drive. With 13 feature films spanning over four decades, two distinct timelines—the Prime Timeline and the Kelvin Timeline—and a new streaming film, *Star Trek: Section 31*, slated for a 2025 release, the complexity is understandable. This definitive guide, updated for late 2025, provides the most logical and complete viewing order, ensuring you experience the epic saga of Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, and the entire Federation in the correct sequence.
The key to understanding the Star Trek movie timeline is recognizing the 2009 reboot film, *Star Trek*, which fractured the original continuity, creating the alternate Kelvin Timeline. Whether you choose the classic release order or the chronological story order, this breakdown will help both new viewers and seasoned Trekkies prepare for the franchise's exciting future, including the much-anticipated next Kelvin film, often referred to as *Star Trek 4*.
The Star Trek Prime Timeline: The Original 10-Film Saga
The Prime Timeline contains all the events from the original television series (*The Original Series*, *The Next Generation*, *Deep Space Nine*, *Voyager*, etc.) and the first ten feature films. This timeline is split into two distinct eras based on the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise featured in the movies: the Original Series (TOS) Crew and The Next Generation (TNG) Crew.
TOS Crew: The Six-Film Arc of Kirk and Spock
These six films primarily follow the crew of the original U.S.S. Enterprise, led by the iconic Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his first officer, Spock (Leonard Nimoy). For the best narrative experience, these should be watched in release order, as they form a tight, continuous story arc, often referred to as the "Genesis Trilogy" within the first three films.
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
The franchise's first big-screen outing, this film reunites the original crew to face a mysterious, powerful cloud entity known as V’Ger. It sets a grand, philosophical tone for the film series.
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Widely considered the best Star Trek film, it features the return of the genetically engineered villain Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán). This film is a direct sequel to the TOS episode "Space Seed" and is essential viewing.
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
A direct continuation of the previous film, this movie sees the Enterprise crew risk everything to retrieve Spock’s body and soul, following his sacrifice.
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Known as "The Whale Movie," this is a lighter, more comedic entry where the crew time-travels to 1986 San Francisco to save Earth from an alien probe by bringing back two humpback whales.
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Captain Kirk and his crew are hijacked by Spock's half-brother, Sybok, on a quest to find God at the center of the galaxy.
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
The final mission for the original cast, this film focuses on a peace treaty between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, forcing Kirk and Spock to confront deep-seated prejudices.
TNG Crew: The Four-Film Era of Picard
These films transition the cinematic focus to the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D and later the Enterprise-E, led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), who first appeared in *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (TNG).
- Star Trek: Generations (1994)
The passing of the torch, this film features a crossover event, bringing Captain Kirk and Captain Picard together in a battle against the villain Tolian Soran and the extra-dimensional phenomenon known as the Nexus.
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Another fan favorite, this film pits the TNG crew against the formidable cybernetic race, the Borg, as they attempt to prevent humanity’s first contact with an alien species by traveling back to the year 2063.
- Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
The Enterprise crew defies Starfleet orders to protect a peaceful race, the Ba’ku, and their planet from the villainous Son'a, led by the surgically altered Ru'afo.
- Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
The final film of the TNG era, this movie sees Picard confront his clone, Shinzon, a Romulan villain who poses a grave threat to the Federation.
The Kelvin Timeline: The Reboot Trilogy and Beyond
The Kelvin Timeline, often called the "Abramsverse" or "Kelvinverse," is an alternate reality created by a major temporal incursion in the year 2233. This divergence occurred when the Romulan villain Nero and the elder Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) traveled back in time, resulting in the destruction of the U.S.S. Kelvin and the death of James T. Kirk's father.
This timeline features younger, redesigned versions of the TOS crew, led by Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. These three films are completely separate from the Prime Timeline and can be watched as a standalone trilogy.
- Star Trek (2009)
The film that creates the new timeline. It chronicles the first meeting of the young Kirk and Spock at Starfleet Academy and their first mission against the vengeful Romulan, Nero.
- Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
The crew of the Enterprise tracks a rogue Starfleet officer, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), who is revealed to be the classic villain Khan Noonien Singh, in a modern retelling of *The Wrath of Khan*.
- Star Trek Beyond (2016)
The Enterprise is ambushed and destroyed by the alien warlord Krall (Idris Elba), forcing the crew to survive on a hostile planet and uncover Krall's true identity and motives.
Upcoming Star Trek Movie Projects: The 2025 Updates
As of late 2025, the Star Trek cinematic universe is expanding with new projects in both the Prime and Kelvin Timelines, confirming that the franchise is a major priority for Paramount Pictures.
Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)
A major development for the Prime Timeline is the television film *Star Trek: Section 31*, which is scheduled to premiere on the streaming service Paramount+ in 2025. This project is set after the events of *Star Trek: Discovery* and stars Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role as the fan-favorite Philippa Georgiou. The film will explore the shadowy, clandestine intelligence organization known as Section 31, which operates outside the moral guidelines of the Federation.
The Status of Star Trek 4 (The Next Kelvin Film)
The future of the Kelvin Timeline remains a top discussion point among fans. The long-awaited fourth film in the Kelvin series, often simply called *Star Trek 4*, has been in development for several years with various scripts and directors attached. While there have been continuous updates and reports about new writers and producers, the film's production status is complex and constantly evolving. A new feature film is still a priority for the studio, with J.J. Abrams producing, but a firm release date or final cast confirmation is pending as of late 2025. Trekkies are eagerly awaiting the final decision on whether the cast, including Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana, will return for another mission.
How to Watch: Chronological vs. Release Order
The most common question for new viewers is whether to watch in release order or chronological order. The answer depends on your viewing intention.
Option 1: Release Order (Recommended for First-Time Viewers)
Watching in release order (1979's *The Motion Picture* through 2016's *Star Trek Beyond*) is the traditional and most recommended path. This preserves the original viewing experience, allowing you to appreciate the evolution of the special effects, the shift from the TOS crew to the TNG crew, and the dramatic impact of the Kelvin Timeline reboot.
Option 2: Chronological Order (For Lore Experts)
A strictly chronological viewing order places the Kelvin Timeline films much earlier in the timeline, as the main events of the 2009 film take place before the original TOS movies. However, this is only recommended for viewers who are already familiar with the lore, as it can be confusing to watch the "reboot" of a story before seeing the original version.
- The Kelvin Timeline Trilogy: *Star Trek* (2009), *Star Trek Into Darkness* (2013), *Star Trek Beyond* (2016).
- The TOS Film Series: *Star Trek: The Motion Picture* through *Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country*.
- The TNG Film Series: *Star Trek: Generations* through *Star Trek: Nemesis*.
The Best Star Trek Movies to Watch First (For Beginners)
If the full 13-film list is too much, experts often recommend starting with a few standout films that require minimal prior knowledge but showcase the best of the franchise.
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: A classic revenge story with a clear, compelling conflict and the franchise’s greatest villain, Khan.
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home: A fun, stand-alone adventure that is accessible to non-sci-fi fans due to its Earth-based, time-travel plot.
- Star Trek: First Contact: The best introduction to Captain Picard and the TNG crew, featuring the terrifying Borg as the primary antagonists.
- Star Trek (2009): The perfect modern entry point, as it is a complete reboot with a high-octane pace and a clear origin story for the new crew.
By following this guide, you can confidently navigate the vast, compelling world of Star Trek cinema, from the original five-year mission under Captain Kirk to the continuing adventures of the Federation in the 21st century and beyond. Engage!
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