Movies
Ben Stiller surprised William Shatner and showed his Star Trek fandom. He has long been an avid fan of the franchise. The two acclaimed actors celebrated the sci-fi franchise’s 60th anniversary at New York Comic-Con, moderated by Stiller.
Shatner, known for his iconic portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek shows and movies, was left speechless when Ben Stiller presented him with an original Gorn head from his personal Star Trek memorabilia collection.
The space-based saga completed six decades last month on September 8, 2026.
How Star Trek became one of sci-fi’s most enduring franchises
Star Trek began with its classic late-1960s TV show. Led by Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelly, and James Doohan, the series eventually became a fan favorite. It currently holds a solid 75% Tomatometer score and 88% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Original Series’ success resulted in multiple TV shows and live-action movies. The first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, was released in 1979. Helmed by Robert Wise, it reunited the original series cast and grossed $139 million worldwide on a $35 million budget.
Star Trek Beyond was the franchise’s last movie. Released in 2016, it made over $335 million globally. Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, and Karl Urban led the cast. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a spectacular Tomatometer score of 86%.
This year, fans witnessed two TV show releases. The spin-off Star Trek: Starfleet Academy arrived in January on Paramount+ and received mostly positive reactions from critics. It earned a Tomatometer score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Then Strange New Worlds Season 4 brought back an ensemble cast led by Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, and more. Launched in July, it won over critics and currently holds a fantastic Tomatometer score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Star Trek fans will soon witness a new movie from John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein. It has yet to receive an official theatrical release date.
Originally reported on SuperHeroHype.