Paramount+ has announced that it will mark First Contact Day this April 5th with the long-awaited release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition, newly restored in 4K, followed by a two-day theatrical release in May and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release in September.
Previously only released on DVD in standard definition, The Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture was produced back in 2001, with director Robert Wise revisiting the 1979 feature to refine his edit and enhance the film’s visual effects. The 4K release has been meticulously assembled and restored by producer David C. Fein and preservationist Mike Matessino, along with a team of special effects experts led by returning visual effects supervisor Daren Dochterman, who utilized the resources in the Paramount Archives to recreate the effects in Ultra HD.
“I couldn’t be prouder and more thrilled to have completed the film in 4K,” said Fein. “Paramount offered unprecedented access to the original elements and exceptional support and the results are stunning. Utilizing the latest discoveries and innovations of modern film production, The Director’s Edition delivers so much more today than was previously possible. It’s an adventure you’ll never forget!”
Check out the trailer here…
The U.S.S. Enterprise boldly debuted on the big screen with the cast of the original Star Trek series, including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan. Meticulously restored and remastered, with enhanced visual effects and state-of-the-art sound, this definitive vision of director Robert Wise has been optimized for a new generation of fans. When an unidentified alien intruder destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Admiral James T. Kirk (Shatner) returns to the helm of a newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command and confront an alien spacecraft of enormous power heading toward Earth.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture – The Director’s Edition will premiere on Paramount+ on April 5th.
Originally published March 27, 2022. Updated May 16, 2022.
