Star Trek (2009 film)

In 2233, the Federation starship USS Kelvin investigates a "lightning storm" in space. A Romulan ship, Narada, emerges from the storm and attacks the Kelvin, then demands that Kelvin{{'}}s Captain Robau come aboard to negotiate a truce. Robau is questioned about the current stardate and an "Ambassador Spock", whom he does not recognize. Narada{{'}}s commander, Nero, kills him, and resumes attacking the Kelvin. George Kirk, Kelvin{{'}}s first officer, orders the ship's personnel, including his pregnant wife Winona, to abandon ship while he pilots the Kelvin on a collision course with Narada, since the Kelvin's autopilot is disabled. While Kirk sacrifices his life, Winona gives birth to James Tiberius Kirk.

Twenty-two years later on the planet Vulcan, a young Spock is admitted to the Vulcan Science Academy. Realizing that the Academy views his human mother, Amanda, as a "disadvantage", he joins Starfleet instead. On Earth, following a bar fight with Starfleet cadets accompanying Nyota Uhura, an adult Kirk meets Captain Christopher Pike, who encourages him to enlist in Starfleet Academy. There, Kirk meets and befriends doctor Leonard McCoy. Three years later, Commander Spock accuses Kirk of cheating during the Kobayashi Maru simulation. Kirk argues that cheating was acceptable because the simulation was designed to be unbeatable. The disciplinary hearing is interrupted by a distress signal from Vulcan. With the primary fleet out of range, the cadets are mobilized. McCoy and Kirk board Pike's ship, the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701|2}}.

Realizing that the "lightning storm" observed near Vulcan is similar to the one that occurred when he was born, Kirk convinces Pike that the signal is a trap. Arriving, the Enterprise finds the fleet destroyed and Narada drilling into Vulcan's core. Narada attacks Enterprise and Pike surrenders, delegating command of the ship to Spock and promoting Kirk to first officer. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu, and Chief Engineer Olson perform a space jump{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/08/the.scene.star.trek/index.html#cnnSTCText |title=The Scene: 'Trek' actors dive onto Vulcan |last=Cargill |first=J.D. |date=May 8, 2009 |website=CNN |access-date=December 10, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043919/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/08/the.scene.star.trek/index.html#cnnSTCText |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/08/ba-review-star-trek |title=BA Review: Star Trek |last=Plait |first=Phil |date=May 8, 2009 |work=Discover |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |access-date=December 10, 2009 |archive-date=December 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215132830/http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/05/08/ba-review-star-trek/ |url-status=live }} onto the drilling platform. While Olson is killed mid-jump, Kirk and Sulu disable the drill, but are unable to stop Nero launching "red matter" into Vulcan's core, forming an artificial black hole that destroys Vulcan. The Enterprise rescues Spock's father, Sarek, and the high council before Vulcan's destruction, but Amanda falls to her death before the transporter can lock onto her. As Narada approaches Earth, Nero tortures Pike to gain access to Earth's defense codes.

Spock maroons Kirk on Delta Vega after he attempts mutiny. There, Kirk encounters an older Spock from an alternate timeline, who explains that he and Nero are from 2387. In the future, Romulus was threatened by a supernova, which Spock attempted to stop with red matter. His plan failed, resulting in Nero's family perishing along with Romulus, while the Narada and Spock's vessel were caught in the black hole and sent back in time. They were sent back 25 years apart, during which time Nero attacked the Kelvin, changing history and creating a parallel universe. After Spock's arrival, Nero stranded him on Delta Vega to watch Vulcan's destruction. Reaching a Starfleet outpost, Kirk and the elder Spock meet Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, who devises a trans-warp transporter system, allowing him and Kirk to beam onto Enterprise.

Following the elder Spock's advice, Kirk provokes younger Spock into attacking him, forcing Spock to recognize himself as emotionally compromised and relinquish command to Kirk. After talking with Sarek, Spock decides to help Kirk. While Enterprise hides within the gas clouds of Titan, Kirk and Spock beam aboard Narada. Kirk fights Nero and rescues Pike, while Spock uses the elder Spock's ship to destroy the drill. Spock leads Narada away from Earth and sets his ship to collide with Narada. Enterprise beams Kirk, Pike, and Spock aboard. The older Spock's ship and Narada collide, igniting the red matter. Narada is consumed in a black hole that Enterprise escapes.

Kirk is promoted to captain and given command of Enterprise, while Pike is promoted to rear admiral. Spock encounters his older self, who persuades him to continue serving in Starfleet, encouraging him to do what feels right rather than what is logical. Spock becomes first officer under Kirk's command.

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• Chris Pine as James T. Kirk: Pine described his first audition as awful, because he could not take himself seriously as a leader.{{cite magazine |first=Jeff |last=Jensen |title='Star Trek': New Movie, New Vision |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=October 24, 2008 |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20233502,00.html |access-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081104040237/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20233502,00.html |archive-date=November 4, 2008}} Chris Pratt, Timothy Olyphant and Sebastian Stan were either screen-tested or auditioned for the role.{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/article/2014/07/11/how-chris-pratt-went-zero-hero/ | title=How Chris Pratt Went from Zero to Hero | magazine=Entertainment Weekly }}{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/timothy-olyphant-failed-star-trek-audition-captain-kirk-1235693705/ | title=Timothy Olyphant Lost Captain Kirk Role in 'Star Trek' Trilogy, Says J.J. Abrams Told Him: 'I Found a Guy, Younger, Who's Really Good' | date=August 10, 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/sebastian-stan-lost-star-trek-green-lantern-roles-1236181297/ | title=Sebastian Stan Lost 'Star Trek' and 'Green Lantern' Before Marvel; He Sent J.J. Abrams Photos as William Shatner to Try and Land Captain Kirk Role | date=October 18, 2024 }} Abrams did not see Pine's first audition, and it was only after Pine's agent met Abrams' wife that the director decided to give him another audition opposite Quinto. Quinto was supportive of Pine's casting because they knew each other as they worked out at the same gym.{{cite news |first=John |last=Jurgensen |title=Boldly Revisiting Roles |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=January 2, 2009 |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123084942774447411.html |access-date=January 16, 2009 |archive-date=April 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415205912/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123084942774447411.html |url-status=live }} After getting the part, Pine sent William Shatner a letter and received a reply containing Shatner's approval. Pine watched classic episodes and read encyclopedias about the Star Trek universe, but stopped as he felt weighed down by the feeling he had to copy Shatner. Pine felt he had to show Kirk's "humor, arrogance and decisiveness," but not Shatner's speech pattern, which would have bordered on imitation. Pine said when watching the original series, he was also struck by how Shatner's performance was characterized by humor.{{cite news |title=Wondercon 09: Star Trek Panel Detailed Report & Pictures |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |website=TrekMovie |date=February 28, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/02/28/wondercon-09-star-trek-panel-detailed-report-pictures/ |access-date=March 1, 2009 |archive-date=March 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302045330/http://trekmovie.com/2009/02/28/wondercon-09-star-trek-panel-detailed-report-pictures/ |url-status=live }} Instead, Pine chose to incorporate elements of Tom Cruise from Top Gun and Harrison Ford's portrayals of Indiana Jones and Han Solo.{{cite news |first=Sally |last=Browne |title=Chris Pine fills big shoes in Star Trek's latest enterprise |work=The Courier-Mail |date=April 19, 2009 |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25346545-7642,00.html |access-date=April 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421091728/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25346545-7642,00.html |archive-date=April 21, 2009}}
• Jimmy Bennett as Young Kirk.
• Zachary Quinto as Spock: Quinto expressed interest in the role because of the duality of Spock's half-human, half Vulcan heritage, and how "he is constantly exploring that notion of how to evolve in a responsible way and how to evolve in a respectful way. I think those are all things that we as a society, and certainly the world, could implement."{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Grand Slam XVI: Two Spocks Rock The House |work=TrekMovie |date=April 14, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/04/14/grand-slam-xvi-two-spocks-rock-the-house/ |access-date=April 15, 2008 |archive-date=April 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416033131/http://trekmovie.com/2008/04/14/grand-slam-xvi-two-spocks-rock-the-house/ |url-status=live }} He mentioned he heard about the new film and revealed his interest in the role in a December 2006 interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: the article was widely circulated and he attracted Abrams' interest.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Interview with Zachary Quinto |work=TrekMovie |date=May 5, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/05/exclusive-interview-with-zachary-quinto/ |access-date=May 7, 2009 |archive-date=May 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508122950/http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/05/exclusive-interview-with-zachary-quinto/ |url-status=live }} For the audition, Quinto wore a blue shirt and flattened his hair down to feel more like Spock. He bound his fingers to practice the Vulcan salute, shaved his eyebrows and grew and dyed his hair for the role. He conveyed many of Spock's attributes, such as his stillness and the way Nimoy would hold his hands behind his back. Quinto commented the physical transformation aided in portraying an alien, joking "I just felt like a nerd. I felt like I was 12 again. You look back at those pictures and you see the bowl cut. There's no question I was born to play the Spock role. I was sporting that look for a good four or five years." Adrien Brody had discussed playing the role with the director before Quinto was cast.{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2429201/adrien-brody-confirms-he-was-almost-mr-spock/ |title=Adrien Brody Confirms He Was Almost Mr. Spock |first=Josh |last=Horowitz |date=September 26, 2007 |work=MTV |access-date=October 6, 2007 |archive-date=February 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220203849/http://www.mtv.com/news/2429201/adrien-brody-confirms-he-was-almost-mr-spock/ |url-status=dead }}
• Jacob Kogan as Young Spock.
• Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime: Nimoy reprises the role of the older Spock from the original Star Trek timeline. He was a longtime friend of Abrams' parents,{{cite interview |title=Leonard Nimoy Talks Tees, Trek And More, Part 2 |date=May 10, 2012 |last=Nimoy |first=Leonard |subject-link=Leonard Nimoy |interviewer=StarTrek.com staff |url=http://www.startrek.com/article/leonard-nimoy-talks-tees-trek-and-more-part-2 |access-date=May 18, 2012 |archive-date=May 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518231652/http://www.startrek.com/article/leonard-nimoy-talks-tees-trek-and-more-part-2 |url-status=live }} but became better acquainted with Abrams during filming. Although Quinto watched some episodes of the show during breaks in filming, Nimoy was his main resource in playing Spock. Abrams and the writers met Nimoy at his house; writer Roberto Orci recalled that the actor gave a {{"'}}Who are you guys and what are you up to?' vibe" before being told how important he was to them. He was silent, and Nimoy's wife Susan Bay told the creative team he had remained in his chair after their conversation, emotionally overwhelmed by his decision after turning down many opportunities to revisit the role.{{cite news |first=Geoff |last=Boucher |title='Star Trek' writing pair cling on to their partnership |work=Los Angeles Times |date=March 29, 2009 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-mar-29-ca-startrek29-story.html |access-date=March 29, 2009 |archive-date=September 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904052349/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/29/entertainment/ca-startrek29 |url-status=live }} Had Nimoy disliked the script, production would have been delayed for it to be rewritten.{{cite news |first=Vic |last=Holtreman |title=Hungry For More Star Trek Details? Here You Go! |website=Screen Rant |date=April 13, 2008 |url=http://screenrant.com/hungry-for-more-star-trek-details-here-you-go-vic-1511 |access-date=April 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802120254/http://screenrant.com/hungry-for-more-star-trek-details-here-you-go-vic-1511/ |archive-date=August 2, 2008 }} Nimoy later said, "This is the first and only time I ever had a filmmaker say, 'We cannot make this film without you and we won't make it without you'".{{cite news |url=http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/leonard-nimoy-star-trek-fans-can-be-scary/ |title=Leonard Nimoy: 'Star Trek' fans can be scary |first=Geoff |last=Boucher |date=May 11, 2009 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=March 1, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429234703/http://herocomplex.latimes.com/uncategorized/leonard-nimoy-star-trek-fans-can-be-scary/ |archive-date=April 29, 2015}} He was "genuinely excited" by the script's scope and its detailing of the characters' backstories, saying, "We have dealt with [Spock's being half-human, half-Vulcan], but never with quite the overview that this script has of the entire history of the character, the growth of the character, the beginnings of the character and the arrival of the character into the Enterprise crew."{{cite news |url=http://movies.tvguide.com/movie-news/Exclusive-Conversation-Treks-9524.aspx |title=Exclusive: A Conversation with Trek's Two Spocks |first=Carita |last=Rizzo |date=April 15, 2008 |website=TV Guide |access-date=April 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021105722/http://movies.tvguide.com/movie-news/Exclusive-Conversation-Treks-9524.aspx |archive-date=October 21, 2008 }} Abrams commented, "It was surreal to direct him as Spock, because what the hell am I doing there? This guy has been doing it for forty years. It's like 'I think Spock would...{{' "}}.{{cite news |title=Abrams and Orci On Fan Reaction + Bob Meets Brannon |website=TrekMovie.com |date=January 16, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/01/16/abrams-and-orci-on-fan-reaction |access-date=January 16, 2009 |archive-date=January 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117050808/http://trekmovie.com/2009/01/16/abrams-and-orci-on-fan-reaction/ |url-status=live }} Leonard Nimoy voices the "Space, the final frontier..." lines at the end of the film, lines which were voiced by William Shatner in the original TV series and original cast films.
• Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy. Like Pine, Urban said of taking on the role that "it is a case of not doing some sort of facsimile or carbon copy, but really taking the very essence of what DeForest Kelley has done and honoring that and bringing something new to the table". Urban has been a fan of the show since he was seven years old and actively pursued the role after rediscovering the series on DVD with his son.{{cite news |first=Eric |last=Goldman |title=Karl Urban: From Comanche Moon to Star Trek |work=IGN |date=January 9, 2008 |url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/844/844578p2.html |access-date=January 23, 2008 |archive-date=March 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314152826/http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/844/844578p2.html |url-status=live }} Urban was cast at his first audition, which was two months after his initial meeting with Abrams. He said he was happy to play a comedy-heavy role, something he had not done since The Price of Milk, because he was tired of action-oriented roles. When asked why McCoy is so cantankerous, Urban joked the character might be a "little bipolar actually!"{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10565861&pnum=0 |title=Karl Urban on Star Trek and beyond |first=Shandelle |last=Battersby |date=April 9, 2009 |work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=April 11, 2009 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121043156/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10565861&pnum=0 |url-status=live }} Orci and Kurtzman had collaborated with Urban on Xena: Warrior Princess, in which he played Cupid and Caesar.{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2007/09/28/karl-urban-up-for-star-trek-role-but-not-villain-casting-plot-updates/ |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Karl Urban Up For 'Star Trek' Role (But Not Villain) + Casting & Plot Updates |website=TrekMovie |date=September 28, 2007 |access-date=December 28, 2008 |archive-date=December 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223194616/http://trekmovie.com/2007/09/28/karl-urban-up-for-star-trek-role-but-not-villain-casting-plot-updates/ |url-status=live }}
• Zoe Saldaña as Nyota Uhura: Abrams had liked her work and requested that she play the role. Saldana never saw the original series, though she had played a Trekkie in The Terminal (2004), but agreed to play the role after Abrams had complimented her. "For an actor, that's all you need, that's all you want. To get the acknowledgment and respect from your peers," she said. She met with Nichelle Nichols, who explained to her how she had created Uhura's background, and also named the character.{{cite news |first=Wilson |last=Morales |title=Zoe Saldaña sheds a little light on playing 'Uhura' |work=Blackfilm |date=January 29, 2008 |url=http://www.blackfilm.com/20080125/features/startrekupdate.shtml |access-date=January 30, 2008 |archive-date=February 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080201090407/http://blackfilm.com/20080125/features/startrekupdate.shtml |url-status=live }} Saldana's mother was a Star Trek fan and sent her voice mails during filming, giving advice on the part.{{cite news |first=Larry |last=Carroll |title=New 'Star Trek' Cast Took Cues From The Classic Series |work=MTV |date=April 21, 2009 |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1609732/story.jhtml |access-date=April 23, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422222133/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1609732/story.jhtml |archive-date=April 22, 2009}} Sydney Tamiia Poitier also auditioned for the part.{{cite news |first=Jen |last=Yamato |url=http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/comic_con_2007/news/1657693/exclusive_sydney_tamiia_poitier_on_critics_grindhouse_and_the_final_frontier |title=Sydney Tamiia Poitier on Critics, Grindhouse, and the Final Frontier |website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=August 1, 2007 |access-date=December 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012192739/http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/comic_con_2007/news/1657693/exclusive_sydney_tamiia_poitier_on_critics_grindhouse_and_the_final_frontier |archive-date=October 12, 2008}} The film officially establishes the character's first name, which had never been previously uttered on TV or in film.
• Simon Pegg as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott: Abrams contacted Pegg by e-mail, offering him the part. To perform Scotty's accent, Pegg was assisted by his wife Maureen, who is from Glasgow, although Pegg said Scotty was from Linlithgow and wanted to bring a more East Coast sound to his accent, so his resulting performance is a mix of both accents that leans towards the West sound.{{cite news |first=Siobhan |last=Synnot |title=Simon Pegg interview |work=Scotland on Sunday |date=April 26, 2009 |url=http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/features/Simon-Pegg-interview.5204545.jp |access-date=April 26, 2009 |archive-date=April 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429130148/http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/features/Simon-Pegg-interview.5204545.jp |url-status=live }} He was also aided by Tommy Gormley, the film's Glaswegian first assistant director.{{cite news |first=Craig |last=McLean |title=Simon Pegg can still boldly go ... to East Kilbride |work=The Sunday Times |date=April 26, 2009 |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6168068.ece |access-date=April 26, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518095609/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6168068.ece |archive-date=May 18, 2009}} Pegg described Scotty as a positive Scottish stereotype, noting "Scots are the first people to laugh at the fact that they drink and fight a bit", and that Scotty comes from a long line of Scots with technical expertise, such as John Logie Baird and Alexander Graham Bell. Years before, Pegg's character in Spaced joked that every odd-numbered Star Trek film being "shit" was a fact of life. Pegg noted "Fate put me in the movie to show me I was talking out of my ass."{{cite news |first=Erin |last=Biba |title=Simon Pegg's Geek Roots Show in Spaced |magazine=Wired |date=July 21, 2008 |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/07/simon-peggs-gee/ |access-date=October 2, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044026/https://www.wired.com/2008/07/simon-peggs-gee/ |url-status=live }}
• John Cho as Hikaru Sulu: Abrams was concerned about casting a Korean-American as a Japanese character, but George Takei explained to the director that Sulu was meant to represent all of Asia on the Enterprise, so Abrams went ahead with Cho.{{cite news |url=http://www.newsarama.com/film/010921-Takei-2.html |title=From 'Trek' to 'Wars', Part 2: George Takei on Star Trek |first=Steve |last=Fritz |website=Newsarama |date=January 21, 2009 |access-date=January 22, 2009 |archive-date=January 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124003819/http://newsarama.com/film/010921-Takei-2.html |url-status=live }} Cho acknowledged being an Asian-American, "there are certain acting roles that you are never going to get, and one of them is playing a cowboy. [Playing Sulu] is a realization of that dream — going into space." He cited the masculinity of the character as being important to him, and spent two weeks fight training.{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2007/12/16/john-cho-sulus-a-badass/ |title=John Cho: Sulu Is A Badass |first=John |last=Tenuto |date=December 16, 2007 |work=TrekMovie |access-date=February 16, 2008 |archive-date=February 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220161240/http://trekmovie.com/2007/12/16/john-cho-sulus-a-badass/ |url-status=live }} Cho suffered an injury to his wrist during filming, although a representative assured it was "no big deal".{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Cho Injured On Trek Set |work=TrekMovie |date=March 17, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/03/17/cho-injured-on-trek-set-talks-a-bit-of-trek/ |access-date=March 19, 2008 |archive-date=March 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320034741/http://trekmovie.com/2008/03/17/cho-injured-on-trek-set-talks-a-bit-of-trek/ |url-status=live }} James Kyson Lee was interested in the part, but because Quinto was cast as Spock, the producers of the TV show Heroes did not want to lose another cast member for three months.{{cite news |first=Ileane |last=Rudolph |title=Heroes Preview: Ando's Secret Superpower Desire |work=TV Guide |date=October 29, 2007 |url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/heroes-preview-ando-39658.aspx |access-date=October 31, 2007 |archive-date=April 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428133352/http://www.tvguide.com/news/heroes-preview-ando-39658.aspx |url-status=live }}
• Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov: As with the rest of the cast, Yelchin was allowed to choose what elements to adopt from his predecessor's performances. Yelchin decided to carry on Walter Koenig's speech patterns of replacing "v"s with "w"s, although he and Abrams felt this was a trait more common of Polish accents than Russian ones.{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/features/jj-abrams-talks-star-trek-trailer |title=JJ Abrams on the new Star Trek trailer |work=Empire Online |access-date=November 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025230427/http://www.empireonline.com/features/jj-abrams-talks-star-trek-trailer/ |archive-date=October 25, 2012}} He described Chekov as an odd character, being a Russian who was brought on to the show "in the middle of the Cold War". He recalled a "scene where they're talking to Apollo [who says], 'I am Apollo.' And Chekov is like, 'And I am the czar of all Russias.' [...] They gave him these lines. I mean he really is the weirdest, weirdest character."{{cite news |first=Cindy |last=White |title=Young Chekov Talks Trek |work=IGN |date=January 28, 2008 |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/847/847936p1.html |access-date=January 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101030003534/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/847/847936p1.html |archive-date=October 30, 2010}}
• Eric Bana as Captain Nero: The film's time-traveling Romulan villain. Bana shot his scenes toward the end of filming. He was "a huge Trekkie when [he] was a kid",{{cite news |first=Shawn |last=Adler |title=Eric Bana Boldly Goes On About New 'Star Trek' |work=MTV |date=February 11, 2008 |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/02/11/eric-bana-boldly-goes-on-about-new-star-trek/ |access-date=February 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318102013/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/02/11/eric-bana-boldly-goes-on-about-new-star-trek/ |archive-date=March 18, 2009}} but had not seen the films.{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Jacks |title=Eric Bana Has Never Seen A 'Star Trek' Movie |work=MTV Movies Blog |date=May 5, 2009 |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/05/05/eric-bana-has-never-seen-a-star-trek-movie/ |access-date=May 6, 2009 |archive-date=May 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507074306/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/05/05/eric-bana-has-never-seen-a-star-trek-movie/ |url-status=dead }} Even if he were "crazy about the original series", he would not have accepted the role unless he liked the script, which he deemed "awesome" once he read it.{{cite news |url=http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2008/02/29/Bana_calls_Star_Trek_role_irresistible/UPI-78451204318682/ |title=Bana calls 'Star Trek' role irresistible |date=February 29, 2008 |website=United Press International |access-date=October 13, 2008 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629153315/http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2008/02/29/Bana_calls_Star_Trek_role_irresistible/UPI-78451204318682 |url-status=live }} Bana knew Abrams because they coincidentally shared the same agent.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Bana Spoofs Star Trek Plot Details |website=TrekMovie |date=February 26, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/02/06/bana-talks-abrams-andjokes-plot-details/ |access-date=October 13, 2008 |archive-date=October 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007165256/http://trekmovie.com/2008/02/06/bana-talks-abrams-andjokes-plot-details/ |url-status=live }} Bana improvised the character's speech patterns.{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Mitchell |title=Bana dons face tattoos for new role |website=NineMSN |date=March 6, 2009 |url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/764546/bana-dons-face-tattoos-for-new-role |access-date=March 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614121318/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/entertainment/764546/bana-dons-face-tattoos-for-new-role |archive-date=June 14, 2009}}
• Bruce Greenwood as Christopher Pike: The captain of the Enterprise.
• Ben Cross as Sarek: Spock's father.
• Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson: Spock's mother.
• Clifton Collins Jr. as Ayel: Nero's first officer.
• Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk: Kirk's father, who died aboard the USS Kelvin while battling the Romulans. Before Hemsworth was cast, Abrams met with Matt Damon about playing the role.{{cite web | url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1626820/story.jhtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091227135701/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1626820/story.jhtml | archive-date=December 27, 2009 | title=J.J. Abrams and Chris Pine Have Our Gratitude for Rebooting 'Star Trek' – Movie News Story | MTV Movie News | website=MTV }}
• Jennifer Morrison as Winona Kirk: Kirk's mother.
• Rachel Nichols as Gaila: An Orion Starfleet cadet.
• Faran Tahir as Richard Robau: Captain of the USS Kelvin.
• Deep Roy as Keenser: Scotty's alien assistant on Delta Vega.
• Greg Ellis as Chief Engineer Olson: The redshirt who is killed during the space jump.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Greg Ellis Joins Star Trek Cast |website=TrekMovie |date=May 9, 2007 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/02/19/greg-ellis-joins-star-trek-cast/ |access-date=February 19, 2009 |archive-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407021932/http://trekmovie.com/2008/02/19/greg-ellis-joins-star-trek-cast/ |url-status=live }}
• Tyler Perry as Admiral Richard Barnett: The head of Starfleet Academy.
• Amanda Foreman as Hannity, a Starfleet officer on the Enterprise bridge.
• Spencer Daniels as Johnny, a childhood friend of Kirk. Daniels was set to play his older brother, George Samuel "Sam" Kirk, Jr., but the majority of his scenes were cut and James Kirk's callout was overdubbed.{{cite web |first=Charles |last=Trotter |title=Meet The Young Kirk Boys |website=TrekMovie |date=January 29, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/29/meet-the-young-kirk-boys/ |access-date=January 28, 2008 |archive-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407034228/http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/29/meet-the-young-kirk-boys/ |url-status=live }}
• Victor Garber as Klingon Interrogator, the officer who tortures Nero during his time on Rura Penthe. His scene was cut from the film and was featured on the DVD.{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/10/27/star-trek-movie-deleted-klingon-scene-available-online/ |title=Star Trek Movie Deleted Klingon Scene Available Online + DVD/Blu-ray Debuts In Some Countries |author= |date=October 27, 2009 |website=TrekMovie |access-date=September 9, 2019 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044009/https://trekmovie.com/2009/10/27/star-trek-movie-deleted-klingon-scene-available-online/ |url-status=live }}

Chris Doohan, the son of the original Scotty, James Doohan, makes a cameo appearance in the transporter room. Pegg e-mailed Doohan about the role of Scotty, and the actor has promised him his performance "would be a complete tribute to his father".{{cite news |first=William |last=Keck |title=Boldly go where they went before |work=USA Today |date=March 2, 2008 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/2008/l080303_startrek/flash.htm |access-date=March 10, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044001/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/gallery/2008/l080303_startrek/flash.htm |url-status=live }} Chris Doohan previously cameoed in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Greg Grunberg has a vocal cameo as Kirk's alcoholic stepfather. Grunberg was up for the role of Olson but dropped out due to a scheduling conflict. Grunberg was also interested in playing Harry Mudd,{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/04/27/exclusive-interview-with-greg-grunberg-on-talkaboutitorg-heroes-star-trek/ |title=Interview With Greg Grunberg on TalkAboutIt.org, Heroes & Star Trek |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |date=April 27, 2009 |website=TrekMovie |access-date=April 27, 2009 |archive-date=April 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430044114/http://trekmovie.com/2009/04/27/exclusive-interview-with-greg-grunberg-on-talkaboutitorg-heroes-star-trek/ |url-status=live }} who was in an early draft of the script.{{cite news |first=Jordan |last=Hoffman |title=Roberto Orci – Star Trek Interview |work=UGO Networks |date=April 28, 2009 |url=http://movieblog.ugo.com/movies/roberto-orci-star-trek-interview |access-date=April 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901015427/http://movieblog.ugo.com/movies/roberto-orci-star-trek-interview |archive-date=September 1, 2009 |url-status=dead}} Brad William Henke filmed scenes in the role which were cut out.{{cite news |url=http://collider.com/brad-william-henke-talks-about-his-role-in-star-trek/ |title=Brad William Henke talks about his role in 'Star Trek' |first=Steve |last=Weintraub |date=September 13, 2008 |website=Collider |access-date=September 14, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044019/https://collider.com/brad-william-henke-talks-about-his-role-in-star-trek/ |url-status=live }} Diora Baird appears in a deleted scene as an Orion cadet that Kirk mistakes for Gaila.{{cite news |url=https://film-book.com/star-trek-2009-deleted-scene-diora-baird-orion/ |title=Star Trek (2009) Deleted Scene: Kirk Apologizes to an Orion (Diora Baird) |first=Rollo |last=Tomasi |date=November 3, 2009 |website=FilmBook |access-date=September 12, 2023 }} Star Trek: Enterprise star Dominic Keating also auditioned for the role.{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/08/10/kirk-family-spoilers-from-new-star-trek/ |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Kirk Family Spoilers For New Star Trek |website=TrekMovie |date=August 10, 2008 |access-date=December 28, 2008 |archive-date=November 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120182601/http://trekmovie.com/2008/08/10/kirk-family-spoilers-from-new-star-trek/ |url-status=live }} Paul McGillion auditioned for Scotty, and he impressed producers enough that he was given another role as a 'Barracks Leader'. Abrams offered Ricky Gervais a role in the film, but he turned it down due to being unfamiliar with the series.{{cite web | url=https://trekmovie.com/2008/09/21/ricky-gervais-turned-down-role-in-abrams-star-trek/ | title=Ricky Gervais Turned Down Role in Abrams Star Trek }} James Cawley, producer and star of the webseries Star Trek: New Voyages, appears as a Starfleet officer, while Pavel Lychnikoff and Lucia Rijker play Romulans, Lychnikoff a Commander and Rijker a CO. W. Morgan Sheppard, who played a Klingon in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, appears in this film as the head of the Vulcan Science Council. Wil Wheaton, known for portraying Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, was brought in, through urging by Greg Grunberg, to voice several of the other Romulans in the film.{{Cite web |url=http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/wesley-crusher-reveals-hi.php |title=How J.J. Abrams snuck Wesley Crusher into Star Trek! |date=November 4, 2009 |website=Sci-Fi Wire |access-date=December 18, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220155614/http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/wesley-crusher-reveals-hi.php |archive-date=December 20, 2009}} Star Trek fan and Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch (who died on July 25, 2008) cameoed as a Kelvin crew member, and has a line of dialogue.{{cite news |first=Charles |last=Trotter |title=Fun Stuff In Official Star Trek Movie Credits |website=TrekMovie |date=May 2, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/02/fun-stuff-in-official-star-trek-movie-credits/ |access-date=May 4, 2009 |archive-date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505151722/http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/02/fun-stuff-in-official-star-trek-movie-credits/ |url-status=live }} Majel Barrett, the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, reprised her role as the voice of the Enterprise{{'}}s computer, which she completed two weeks before her death on December 18, 2008.{{cite news |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/12/19/trek-creator-widow-majel-roddenberry-76-die/ |title=Majel Roddenberry, widow of 'Trek' creator, dies |last=Mclellan |first=Dennis |date=December 18, 2008 |work=San Jose Mercury-News |agency=Associated Press |access-date=December 18, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044029/https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/12/19/trek-creator-widow-majel-roddenberry-76-die/ |url-status=live }} The film was dedicated to her, as well as Gene, to whom the film was always going to be commemorated as a sign of respect.

Orci and Kurtzman wrote a scene for William Shatner, where old Spock gives his younger self a recorded message by Kirk from the previous timeline. "It was basically a Happy Birthday wish knowing that Spock was going to go off to Romulus, and Kirk would probably be dead by the time," and it would have transitioned into Shatner reciting "where no man has gone before".{{cite news |first=Meredith |last=Meredith Woerner |title=The Shatner Scene You Never Saw In Abrams' Star Trek |work=io9 |date=May 11, 2009 |url=http://io9.com/5249752/the-shatner-scene-you-never-saw-in-abrams-star-trek |access-date=May 12, 2009 |archive-date=May 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514060119/http://io9.com/5249752/the-shatner-scene-you-never-saw-in-abrams-star-trek |url-status=live }} But Shatner wanted to share Nimoy's major role, and did not want a cameo,{{cite news |first=Clayton |last=Neuman |title=Masters of SciFi – J.J. Abrams on Reviving Frankenstein in Fringe and Adhering to Canon With Star Trek |website=AMC |date=September 8, 2008 |url=http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2008/09/jj-abrams-interview.php |access-date=September 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220175109/http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2008/09/jj-abrams-interview.php |archive-date=December 20, 2008}} despite his character's death in Star Trek Generations. He suggested the film canonize his novels where Kirk is resurrected,{{cite news |first=William |last=Keck |title=Celeb Watch: Shatner's gone there before, but new 'Trek' isn't on frontier |work=USA Today |date=January 21, 2008 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/celebwatch/2008-01-28-shatner_n.htm |access-date=March 26, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043919/https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/celebwatch/2008-01-28-shatner_n.htm |url-status=live }} but Abrams decided if his character was accompanying Nimoy's, it would have become a film about the resurrection of Kirk, and not about introducing the new versions of the characters.{{cite news |first=Christina |last=Radish |title=Interview: J.J. Abrams on Star Trek |work=IESB |date=April 26, 2009 |url=http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6786&Itemid=99 |access-date=April 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430102154/http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6786&Itemid=99 |archive-date=April 30, 2009}} Nimoy disliked the character's death in Generations, but also felt resurrecting Kirk would be detrimental to this film.

Nichelle Nichols suggested playing Uhura's grandmother, but Abrams could not write this in due to the Writers Guild strike.{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Parker |title=Nichelle Nichols Almost Had 'Star Trek' Cameo? |website=TrekMovie |date=June 29, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/06/29/nichelle-nichols-almost-had-star-trek-cameo/ |access-date=June 30, 2008 |archive-date=June 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080630161404/http://trekmovie.com/2008/06/29/nichelle-nichols-almost-had-star-trek-cameo/ |url-status=live }} Abrams was also interested in casting Keri Russell, but they deemed the role he had in mind for her too similar to her other roles.{{cite news |first=Robert |last=Sanchez |url=http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3688&Itemid=99 |title=Keri Russell Talks Star Trek |website=IESB |date=November 10, 2007 |access-date=December 28, 2008 |archive-date=January 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104140508/http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3688&Itemid=99 |url-status=live }}

As early as the 1968 World Science Fiction Convention, Star Trek creator Roddenberry had said he was going to make a film prequel to the television series.{{cite book |first1=Judith |last1=Reeves-Stevens |author-link1=Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens |first2=Garfield |last2=Reeves-Stevens |name-list-style=amp |title=The Art of Star Trek |publisher=Pocket Books |page=155 |year=1995 |isbn=0-671-89804-3}} But the prequel concept did not resurface until the late 1980s, when Ralph Winter and Harve Bennett submitted a proposal for a prequel during development of the fourth film. Roddenberry rejected Bennett's prequel proposal in 1991, after the completion of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.{{cite book |first1=Chris |last1=Kreski |first2=William |last2=Shatner |title=Star Trek Movie Memories |publisher=HarperTorch |location=New York |year=1995 |page=[https://archive.org/details/startrekmoviemem00shat/page/276 276] |isbn=0-06-109329-7 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/startrekmoviemem00shat/page/276 }} Then David Loughery wrote a script entitled The Academy Years, but it was shelved in light of objections from Roddenberry and the fanbase. The film that was commissioned instead ended up being Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. In February 2005, after the financial failure of the tenth film, Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), and the cancellation of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, the franchise's executive producer Rick Berman and screenwriter Erik Jendresen began developing a new film entitled Star Trek: The Beginning. It was to revolve around a new set of characters, led by Kirk's ancestor Tiberius Chase, and be set during the Earth-Romulan War—after the events of Enterprise but before the events of the original series.{{cite book |last1=Hughes |first1=David |title=The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made |edition=Revised |date=July 15, 2008 |publisher=Titan Books |isbn=978-1-84576-755-6 |pages=35, 37, 44–46}}

In 2005, Viacom, which owned Paramount Pictures, separated from CBS Corporation, which retained Paramount's television properties, including ownership of the Star Trek brand. Gail Berman (no relation to executive producer Rick Berman), then president of Paramount, convinced CBS' chief executive, Leslie Moonves, to allow them eighteen months to develop a new Star Trek film, otherwise Paramount would lose the film rights. Berman approached Mission: Impossible III writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman for ideas on the new film, and after the film had completed shooting she asked their director, Abrams, to produce it.{{cite news |first=Dave |last=Itzkoff |title=New team retrofits old ship |work=The New York Times |date=April 23, 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/movies/26itzk.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all |access-date=April 26, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044006/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/movies/26itzk.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all |url-status=live }} Abrams, Orci, and Kurtzman, plus producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk, felt the franchise had explored enough of what took place after the series, Orci and Lindelof consider themselves trekkies,{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Interview – Roberto Orci On Why He Is A Trekkie & Making Trek Big Again |website=TrekMovie.com |date=October 4, 2007 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2007/10/04/interview-roberto-orci-on-why-he-is-a-trekkie |access-date=September 20, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044050/https://trekmovie.com/2007/10/04/interview-roberto-orci-on-why-he-is-a-trekkie/ |url-status=live }} and feel some of the Star Trek novels have canonical value, although Roddenberry never considered the novels to be canon.{{cite news |first=Steve |last=Krutzler |url=http://trekweb.com/articles/2006/06/07/Abrams-Cohorts-Emphasize-Respect-for-Mythology.shtml |title=Abrams Cohorts Emphasize Respect for Mythology in Trek XI, Say Script Will Contain Old and New |website=TrekWeb.com |date=June 7, 2006 |access-date=August 20, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709134818/http://trekweb.com/articles/2006/06/07/Abrams-Cohorts-Emphasize-Respect-for-Mythology.shtml |archive-date=July 9, 2006 }} Kurtzman is a casual fan, while Burk was not. Abrams' company Bad Robot produced the film with Paramount, marking the first time another company had financed a Star Trek film.{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2007/12/05/paramount-updates-star-trek-credits-official-synopsis-adds-production-partner |title=Paramount Updates Star Trek Credits & Official Synopsis + Adds Production Partner |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |website=TrekMovie.com |date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=December 9, 2007 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044041/https://trekmovie.com/2007/12/05/paramount-updates-star-trek-credits-official-synopsis-adds-production-partner/ |url-status=live }} Bill Todman, Jr.'s Level 1 Entertainment also co-produced the film, but, during 2008, Spyglass Entertainment replaced them as financial partner.{{cite news |title=Super High Resolution Images For 'Star Trek' 2009 |website=TrekMovie.com |date=December 30, 2008 |last=Pascale |first=Anthony |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/12/30/super-high-resolution-images-for-star-trek-2009 |access-date=December 31, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043928/https://trekmovie.com/2008/12/30/super-high-resolution-images-for-star-trek-2009/ |url-status=live }}

In an interview, Abrams said that he had never seen Star Trek: Nemesis because he felt the franchise had "disconnected" from the original series.{{cite magazine |title=Can J.J. Abrams save Star Trek? |magazine=Empire |publisher=Bauer Media Group |date=July 2006 |page=56}} For him, he said, Star Trek was about Kirk and Spock, and the other series were like "separate space adventure[s] with the name Star Trek". He also acknowledged that as a child he had actually preferred the Star Wars movies.{{cite news |first=Matthew |last=Leyland |title=Bold New Enterprise |work=Total Film |publisher=Future plc |date=April 2009|page=72}} He noted that his general knowledge of Star Trek made him well suited to introduce the franchise to newcomers,{{cite news |first=Geoff |last=Boucher |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2009/01/star-trek-direc.html |title=J.J. Abrams on tribbles and the 'Galaxy Quest' problem |date=January 29, 2009 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=January 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316073542/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2009/01/star-trek-direc.html |archive-date=March 16, 2009}} and that, being an optimistic person, he would make Star Trek an optimistic film, which would be a refreshing contrast to the likes of The Dark Knight. He added that he loved the focus on exploration in Star Trek and the idea of the Prime Directive, which forbids Starfleet from interfering in the development of primitive worlds; but that, because of the budgetary limitations of the original series, it had "never had the resources to actually show the adventure".{{cite news |first=James |last=Dyer |title=The Prime Director |publisher=Bauer Media Group |work=Empire |date=May 2009 |pages=76–79}} He noted that he initially became involved with the project as producer only because he wanted to help Orci, Kurtzman, and Lindelof.

On February 23, 2007, Abrams accepted Paramount's offer to direct the film, after having initially been attached to it solely as a producer.{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3idc516528ddd1b4263febcf5c67efa0ce |title=Abrams takes helm of 'Star Trek' |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=February 24, 2007 |access-date=April 14, 2008 |first=Tatiana |last=Siegel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516211316/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3idc516528ddd1b4263febcf5c67efa0ce |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |url-status=dead}} He explained that he had decided to direct the film because, after reading the script, he realized that he "would be so agonizingly envious of whoever stepped in and directed the movie".{{cite news |title=Abrams Talks Trek, Cloverfield 2 |website=IGN |date=May 16, 2008 |last=Goldman|first=Eric |url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/874/874629p1.html |access-date=May 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018234327/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/874/874629p1.html |archive-date=October 18, 2008}} Orci and Kurtzman said that their aim had been to impress a casual fan like Abrams with their story.{{cite news |first=Hugh |last=Hart |title=Star Trek Writers Brace for Impact |publisher=Condé Nast Publications |magazine=Wired |date=October 2, 2008 |url=https://www.wired.com/underwire/2008/10/star-trek-write |access-date=October 3, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044051/https://www.wired.com/2008/10/star-trek-write/ |url-status=live }} Abrams noted that, during filming, he had been nervous "with all these tattooed faces and pointy ears, bizarre weaponry and Romulan linguists, with dialogue about 'Neutral Zones' and 'Starfleet' [but] I knew this would work, because the script Alex and Bob wrote was so emotional and so relatable. I didn't love Kirk and Spock when I began this journey – but I love them now."

{{quote box|width=40%|quote="We're from different worlds, Alex [Kurtzman] was born here, and I was born in Mexico City and lived there until I was nine. Kirk and Spock are opposites from two worlds. That's us in a nutshell. We're drawn to each by what each of us lacks. The story of this film is about two guys who are such opposites that they might end up strangling each other but instead they bond and thrive together. That's us. We can go warp speed together."|source=Roberto Orci on the film's emotional context.}}

Orci said getting Leonard Nimoy in the film was important. "Having him sitting around a campfire sharing his memories was never gonna cut it" though, and time travel was going to be included in the film from the beginning.{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/12/11/bob-orci-explains-how-the-new-star-trek-movie-fits-with-trek-canon-and-real-science |title=Bob Orci Explains How The New Star Trek Movie Fits With Trek Canon (and Real Science) |website=TrekMovie.com |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |date=December 11, 2008 |access-date=December 23, 2008 |format=Some information is taken from subsequent comments by Orci under the username "boborci" |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043920/https://trekmovie.com/2008/12/11/bob-orci-explains-how-the-new-star-trek-movie-fits-with-trek-canon-and-real-science/ |url-status=live }} Kurtzman added, saying the time travel creates jeopardy, unlike other prequels where viewers "know how they all died".{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Lee |title=Orci & Kurtzman: Why they don't call Star Trek a reboot |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=March 26, 2009 |url=http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/orci-kurtzman-why-they-do.php |access-date=March 26, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090819080116/http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/orci-kurtzman-why-they-do.php |archive-date=August 19, 2009}} The writers acknowledged time travel had been overused in the other series, but it served a good purpose in creating a new set of adventures for the original characters before they could completely do away with it in other films. Abrams selected the Romulans as the villains because they had been featured less than the Klingons in the series and thought it would be "fun" to have them meet Kirk before they do in the series.{{cite news |first=Helen |last=O'Hara |title=Klingon Subplot Revealed |work=Empire |date=November 14, 2008 |url=http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23656 |access-date=November 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119044339/http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23656 |archive-date=January 19, 2012}} Orci and Kurtzman noted it would feel backward to demonize the Klingons again after they had become heroes in later Star Trek series, and the Romulan presence continues Spock's story from his last chronological appearance in "Unification", an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation set in 2368.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Star Trek Writers Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci |website=TrekMovie.com |date=April 30, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/04/30/interview-roberto-orci-alex-kurtzman |access-date=May 1, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044019/https://trekmovie.com/2009/04/30/interview-roberto-orci-alex-kurtzman/ |url-status=live }} The episode of the original continuity in which Kirk becomes one of the first humans to ever see a Romulan, "Balance of Terror", served as one of the influences for the film. Orci said it was difficult giving a good explanation for the time travel without being gimmicky, like having Nero specifically seeking to assassinate Kirk.{{cite news |url=http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid17054225001?bclid=18291076001&bctid=18271280001 |title=Star Trek: Behind the scenes |first=Lynne |last=Segall |work=The Hollywood Reporter |format=Video |access-date=April 3, 2009 |archive-date=April 15, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415040603/http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid17054225001?bclid=18291076001&bctid=18271280001 |url-status=live }}

Orci noted while the time travel story allowed them to alter some backstory elements such as Kirk's first encounter with the Romulans, they could not use it as a crutch to change everything and tried to approach the film as a prequel as much as possible. Kirk's service on Farragut, a major backstory point to the original episode "Obsession", was left out because it was deemed irrelevant to the story of Kirk meeting Spock, although Orci felt nothing in his script precluded it from the new film's backstory. There was a scene involving Kirk meeting Carol Marcus (who is revealed as the mother of his son in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) as a child, but it was dropped because the film needed more time to introduce the core characters.{{cite news |first=Meredith |last=Woerner |title=The Shatner Scene You Never Saw In Abrams' Star Trek |website=io9 |date=May 11, 2009 |url=http://io9.com/5249752/the-shatner-scene-you-never-saw-in-abrams-star-trek |access-date=May 12, 2009 |archive-date=May 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514060119/http://io9.com/5249752/the-shatner-scene-you-never-saw-in-abrams-star-trek |url-status=live }}{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Lee |title=Orci & Kurtzman: What familiar Star Trek bits will you see in the new movie? |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=March 24, 2009 |url=http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/orci-kurtzman-what-famili.php |access-date=March 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205172641/http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/orci-kurtzman-what-famili.php |archive-date=February 5, 2010}} Figuring out ways to get the crew together required some contrivances, which Orci and Kurtzman wanted to explain from old Spock as a way of the timeline mending itself, highlighting the theme of destiny. The line was difficult to write and was ultimately cut out.

The filmmakers sought inspiration from novels such as Prime Directive, Spock's World and Best Destiny to fill in gaps unexplained by canon; Best Destiny particularly explores Kirk's childhood and names his parents.{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2008/10/17/inspirations-whole-new-enterprise/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Jeff |last=Jensen |title=Inspirations for a whole new Enterprise |date=October 17, 2008 |access-date=December 15, 2008 |archive-date=January 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105205736/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20234010,00.html |url-status=live }} One idea that was justified through information from the novels was having Enterprise built on Earth, which was inspired by a piece of fan art of Enterprise being built in a shipyard. Orci had sent the fan art to Abrams to show how realistic the film could be. Orci explained parts of the ship would have to be constructed on Earth because of the artificial gravity employed on the ship and its requirement for sustaining warp speed, and therefore the calibration of the ship's machinery would be best done in the exact gravity well which is to be simulated. They felt free to have the ship built in Iowa because canon is ambiguous as to whether it was built in San Francisco, but this is a result of the time travel rather than something intended to overlap with the original timeline. Abrams noted the continuity of the original series itself was inconsistent at times.

Orci and Kurtzman said they wanted the general audience to like the film as much as the fans, by stripping away "Treknobabble," making it action-packed and giving it the simple title of Star Trek to indicate to newcomers they would not need to watch any of the other films.{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1554046/story.jhtml |website=MTV |title='Star Trek' Writers Talk Direction, Technobabble – But Not Matt Damon |date=March 8, 2007 |access-date=August 7, 2007 |first=Josh |last=Horowitz |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907142846/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1554046/story.jhtml |archive-date=September 7, 2007}} Abrams saw humor and sex appeal as two integral and popular elements of the show that needed to be maintained. Orci stated being realistic and being serious were not the same thing.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Exclusive Interview: Roberto Orci On All The Latest With Star Trek (and more) |website=TrekMovie.com |date=December 10, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/12/09/exclusive-interview-roberto-orci-on-all-the-latest-with-star-trek-and-more |access-date=December 9, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043941/https://trekmovie.com/2008/12/09/exclusive-interview-roberto-orci-on-all-the-latest-with-star-trek-and-more/ |url-status=live }} Abrams, Burk, Lindelof, Orci and Kurtzman were fans of The Wrath of Khan, and also cited The Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise" as an influence. Abrams' wife Katie was regularly consulted on the script, as were Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof's wives, to make the female characters as strong as possible. Katie Abrams' approval of the strong female characters was partly why Abrams signed on to direct.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Grand Slam XVI: Highlights From Orci Q&A |website=TrekMovie.com |date=April 13, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/04/13/grand-slam-xvi-highlights-from-orci-qa |access-date=April 13, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044019/https://trekmovie.com/2008/04/13/grand-slam-xvi-highlights-from-orci-qa/ |url-status=live }}

Orci and Kurtzman read graduate school dissertations on the series for inspiration; they noted comparisons of Kirk, Spock and McCoy to Shakespearian archetypes, and Kirk and Spock's friendship echoing that of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They also noted that, in the creation of this film, they were influenced by Star Wars, particularly in pacing. "I want to feel the space, I want to feel speed and I want to feel all the things that can become a little bit lost when Star Trek becomes very stately" said Orci. Star Wars permeated in the way they wrote the action sequences, while Burk noted Kirk and Spock's initially cold relationship mirrors how "Han Solo wasn't friends with anyone when they started on their journey."{{cite news |first=Bryan |last=Cairns |title=To Boldly Go ... 'Star Trek' Executive Producer Bryan Burk |work=Newsarama |date=March 23, 2009 |url=http://www.newsarama.com/film/090323-star-trek-bryan-burk.html |access-date=March 23, 2009 |archive-date=March 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327120533/http://www.newsarama.com/film/090323-star-trek-bryan-burk.html |url-status=live }} Spock and Uhura were put in an actual relationship as a nod to early episodes highlighting her interest in him.{{cite web |url=http://creativescreenwritingmagazine.blogspot.com/2009/05/star-trek-q.html |first=Jeff |last=Goldsmith |date=May 16, 2009 |title=Star Trek Q&A |work=Creative Screenwriting |access-date=May 16, 2009 |archive-date=October 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019061838/http://creativescreenwritingmagazine.blogspot.com/2009/05/star-trek-q.html |url-status=live }} Orci wanted to introduce strong Starfleet captains, concurring with an interviewer that most captains in other films were "patsies" included to make Kirk look greater by comparison.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Interview – Orci Talks Casting, Characters, Canon and Kirks |website=TrekMovie.com |date=October 8, 2007 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2007/10/08/interview-orci-talks-casting-characters-canon-and-more |access-date=September 25, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043930/https://trekmovie.com/2007/10/08/interview-orci-talks-casting-characters-canon-and-more/ |url-status=live }}

USS Kelvin, the ship Kirk's father serves on, is named after J.J. Abrams' grandfather, as well as the physicist and engineer Lord Kelvin (William Thomson). Kelvin{{'}}s captain, Richard Robau (Faran Tahir), is named after Orci's Cuban uncle: Orci theorized the fictional character was born in Cuba and grew up in the Middle East. Another reference to Abrams' previous works is Slusho, which Uhura orders at the bar where she meets Kirk. Abrams created the fictitious drink for Alias and it reappeared in viral marketing for Cloverfield. Its owner, Tagruato, is also from Cloverfield and appears on a building in San Francisco. The red matter in the film is in the shape of a red ball, an Abrams motif dating back to the pilot of Alias.{{cite news |title=Star Trek Magazine No. 17 Preview + Scott Chambliss Interview Extract |website=TrekMovie.com |date=March 20, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/03/20/star-trek-magazine-17-preview-scott-chambliss-interview-extract |access-date=March 20, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043936/https://trekmovie.com/2009/03/20/star-trek-magazine-17-preview-scott-chambliss-interview-extract/ |url-status=live }}

The film's production designer was Scott Chambliss, a longtime collaborator with Abrams. Chambliss worked with a large group of concept illustrators, including James Clyne, Ryan Church, creature designer Neville Page, and Star Trek veteran John Eaves.{{cite book |last=Cotta Vaz |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Cotta Vaz |date=2009 |title=Star Trek: The Art of the Film |location=London |publisher=Titan Books |isbn=978-1-84856-620-0}} Abrams stated the difficulty of depicting the future was that much of modern technology was inspired by the original show, and made it seem outdated. Thus the production design had to be consistent with the television series but also feel more advanced than the real world technology developed after it.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Star Trek Cast & Crew Fan Chat Transcript + Pictures From The Set |website=TrekMovie.com |date=January 25, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/25/jj-abrams-trek-team-fan-chat-transcript-pictures-from-the-set |access-date=January 27, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044031/https://trekmovie.com/2008/01/25/jj-abrams-trek-team-fan-chat-transcript-pictures-from-the-set/ |url-status=live }} "We all have the iPhone that does more than the communicator," said Abrams. "I feel like there's a certain thing that you can't really hold onto, which is kind of the kitschy quality. That must go if it's going to be something that you believe is real."{{cite news |first=Fred |last=Topel |title=J.J. Abrams on TV's Fringe |website=Suicide Girls |date=September 5, 2008 |url=http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/J.J.+Abrams+on+TV%27s+Fringe |access-date=January 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090129212849/http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/J.J.+Abrams+on+TV%27s+Fringe/ |archive-date=January 29, 2009}} Prop master Russell Bobbitt collaborated with Nokia on recreating the original communicator, creating a $50,000 prototype. Another prop recreated for the film was the tricorder. Bobbitt brought the original prop to the set, but the actors found it too large to carry when filming action scenes, so technical advisor Doug Brody redesigned it to be smaller.{{cite news |first=Vic |last=Holtreman |title=Exclusive Interview With The Man Behind Star Trek's Props |website=Screen Rant |date=March 24, 2009 |url=http://screenrant.com/star-trek-exclusive-interview-man-props-vic-6283 |access-date=March 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327050518/http://screenrant.com/star-trek-exclusive-interview-man-props-vic-6283/ |archive-date=March 27, 2009 }} The phaser props were designed as spring-triggered barrels that revolve and glow as the setting switches from "stun" to "kill". An Aptera Typ-1 prototype car was used on location.{{cite news |first=Eric |last=Vespe |title=Why do these shots from the filming of "Corporate Headquarters" look suspiciously like the Starfleet Academy? |website=Ain't It Cool News |date=March 18, 2008 |url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36031 |access-date=September 25, 2008 |archive-date=December 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206043030/http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36031 |url-status=live }}

File:Star Trek (film) bridge panorama .jpg

Production designer Scott Chambliss maintained the layout of the original bridge, but aesthetically altered it with brighter colors to reflect the optimism of Star Trek. The viewscreen was made into a window that could have images projected on it to make the space environment palpable. Abrams compared the redesign to the sleek modernist work of Pierre Cardin and the sets from 2001: A Space Odyssey, which were from the 1960s.{{cite web |title=Production notes |website=StarTrekMovie.com |url=http://www.startrekmovie.com |access-date=May 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512133427/http://www.startrekmovie.com/ |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}} Enter the main site and click "About" on the navigation menu to access. He joked the redesigned bridge made the Apple Store look "uncool". At the director's behest, more railings were added to the bridge to make it look safer, and the set was built on gimbals so its rocking motions when the ship accelerates and is attacked were more realistic. To emphasize the size of the ship, Abrams chose to give the engine room a highly industrial appearance: he explained to Pegg that he was inspired by {{RMS|Titanic}}, a sleek ship in which there was an "incredible gut".{{cite news |title=TrekMovie Hollywood Premiere Video Interviews w/ Trek Celebs (Past & Present) |website=TrekMovie.com |last=Pascale |first=Anthony |date=May 3, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/03/trekmovie-hollywood-premiere-video-interviews-w-trek-celebs-past-present |access-date=May 4, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044037/https://trekmovie.com/2009/05/03/trekmovie-hollywood-premiere-video-interviews-w-trek-celebs-past-present/ |url-status=live }}

Abrams selected Michael Kaplan to design the costumes because he had not seen any of the films, meaning he would approach the costumes with a new angle. For the Starfleet uniforms, Kaplan followed the show's original color-coding, with dark gray (almost black) undershirts and pants and colored overshirts showing each crew member's position. Command officers wear gold shirts, science and medical officers wear blue, and operations (technicians, engineers, and security personnel) wear red. Kaplan wanted the shirts to be more sophisticated than the originals and selected to have the Starfleet symbol patterned on them. Kirk wears only the undershirt because he is a cadet. Kaplan modelled the uniforms on Kelvin on science fiction films of the 1940s and 1950s, to contrast with Enterprise-era uniforms based on the ones created in the 1960s. For Abrams, "The costumes were a microcosm of the entire project, which was how to take something that's kind of silly and make it feel real. But how do you make legitimate those near-primary color costumes?"{{cite news |first=Helen |last=O'Hara |title=Empire Star Trek Cover |work=Empire |publisher=Bauer Media Group |date=October 28, 2008 |url=http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23519 |access-date=October 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107163029/http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23519 |archive-date=November 7, 2008}}

Lindelof compared the film's Romulan faction to pirates with their bald, tattooed heads and disorganized costuming. Their ship, Narada, is purely practical with visible mechanics as it is a "working ship", unlike the Enterprise crew who give a respectable presentation on behalf of the Federation.{{cite news |title=EXCL: Star Trek pic! |website=JoBlo.com |date=October 15, 2008 |last=Sampson |first=Mike |url=http://joblo.com/excl-star-trek-pic |access-date=October 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220164615/http://joblo.com/excl-star-trek-pic |archive-date=December 20, 2008}} Chambliss was heavily influenced by the architecture of Antoni Gaudí for Narada, who created buildings that appeared to be inside out: by making the ship's exposed wires appear like bones or ligaments, it would create a foreboding atmosphere. The ship's interior was made of six pieces that could be rearranged to create a different room. The Romulan actors had three prosthetics applied to their ears and foreheads, while Bana had a fourth prosthetic for the bitemark on his ear that extends to the back of his character's head.{{cite web |first=Joe |last=Nazzaro |title=FX artists create new aesthetic for 'Star Trek' franchise |work=Makeup Mag |date=April 6, 2009 |url=http://makeupmag.com/news/newsID/426 |access-date=April 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412173309/http://makeupmag.com/news/newsID/426/ |archive-date=April 12, 2009 }} The film's Romulans lack the V-shaped ridges on the foreheads, which had been present in all of their depictions outside the original series. Neville Page wanted to honor that by having Nero's crew ritually scar themselves too, forming keloids reminiscent of the 'V'-ridges. It was abandoned as they did not pursue the idea enough.{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Desowitz |title=Creature Designer Neville Page Talks Star Trek |work=Animation World Network |date=May 15, 2009 |url=http://www.awn.com/articles/people/creature-designer-neville-page-talks-istar-treki |access-date=May 17, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044023/https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/creature-designer-neville-page-talks-star-trek |url-status=live }} Kaplan wanted aged, worn, and rugged clothes for the Romulans because of their mining backgrounds and found some greasy looking fabrics at a flea market. Kaplan tracked down the makers of those clothes, who were discovered to be based in Bali, and commissioned them to create his designs.

Barney Burman supervised the makeup for the other aliens: his team had to rush the creation of many of the aliens, because originally the majority of them were to feature in one scene towards the end of filming. Abrams deemed the scene too similar to the cantina sequence in Star Wars and decided to dot the designs around the film. A tribble was placed in the background of Scotty's introduction.{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Lee |title=Don't blink! We unearth a few Star Trek easter eggs |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=April 29, 2009 |url=http://scifiwire.com/2009/04/dont-blink-we-unearth-a-f.php |access-date=April 29, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502150409/http://scifiwire.com/2009/04/dont-blink-we-unearth-a-f.php |archive-date=May 2, 2009}} Both digital and physical makeup was used for aliens.{{cite news |first=Patrick |last=Lee |title=Star Trek "doctor" reveals details of Kirk's birth in Abrams' film |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=March 20, 2009 |url=http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/star-trek-doctor-reveals.php |access-date=March 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830022938/http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/star-trek-doctor-reveals.php |archive-date=August 30, 2009}}

Principal photography for the film began on November 7, 2007, and culminated on March 27, 2008;{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Star Trek Wraps |website=TrekMovie.com |date=March 27, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/03/27/star-trek-wraps-principal-photography |access-date=March 28, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043946/https://trekmovie.com/2008/03/27/star-trek-wraps-principal-photography/ |url-status=live }} however second unit filming occurred in Bakersfield, California, in April 2008, which stood in for Kirk's childhood home in Iowa.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Producer Talks 'Iowa' Shoot + VIDEO Of Scene Being Shot |website=TrekMovie.com |date=April 9, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/04/09/produer-talks-iowa-shoot-video-of-scene-being-shot |access-date=April 10, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043948/https://trekmovie.com/2008/04/09/produer-talks-iowa-shoot-video-of-scene-being-shot/ |url-status=live }} Filming was also done at the City Hall of Long Beach, California;{{cite news |title=Council Returns after 'Trek' |first=Paul |last=Eakins |date=December 19, 2007 |work=Long Beach Press-Telegram}} the San Rafael Swell in Utah;{{cite journal |url=http://www.edcutah.org/news/EDCU_011309.htm |title=2009 Legislative Priorities for Economic Development: Motion Picture Incentive Fund |date=January 13, 2009 |journal=EDCUTAH Economic Review |publisher=Economic Development Corporation of Utah |access-date=February 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901001952/http://www.edcutah.org/news/EDCU_011309.htm |archive-date=September 1, 2009}} and the California State University, Northridge in Los Angeles (which was used for establishing shots of students at Starfleet Academy).{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=CSUN Transformed Into Academy |website=TrekMovie.com |date=March 18, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/03/18/csun-transformed-into-academy |access-date=March 19, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044052/https://trekmovie.com/2008/03/18/csun-transformed-into-academy/ |url-status=live }} A parking lot outside Dodger Stadium was used for the ice planet of Delta Vega and the Romulan drilling rig on Vulcan. The filmmakers expressed an interest in Iceland for scenes on Delta Vega, but decided against it: Chambliss enjoyed the challenge of filming scenes with snow in southern California. Other Vulcan exteriors were shot at Vasquez Rocks, a location that was used in various episodes of the original series. A Budweiser plant in Van Nuys was used for Enterprise{{'}}s engine room, while a Long Beach power plant was used for Kelvin{{'}}s engine room.

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Following the initiation of the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike on November 5, 2007, Abrams, himself a WGA member, told Variety that while he would not render writing services for the film and intended to walk the picket line, he did not expect the strike to impact his directing of the production.{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/wga-strike-hits-the-streets-1117975401/ |first1=Cynthia |last1=Littleton |first2=Michael |last2=Schneider |title=WGA strike hits the streets |work=Variety |date=November 5, 2007 |access-date=November 6, 2007 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043946/https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/wga-strike-hits-the-streets-1117975401/ |url-status=live }} In the final few weeks before the strike and start of production, Abrams and Lindelof polished the script for a final time.{{cite magazine |first=Benjamin |last=Svetkey |url=https://ew.com/article/2007/11/09/writers-strike-imagining-worst-case-scenario/ |title=Writers' strike: Imagining the worst-case scenario |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |publisher=Time, Inc. |date=November 8, 2007 |access-date=November 12, 2007 |archive-date=November 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112210743/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20159253_5,00.html |url-status=live }} Abrams was frustrated that he was unable to alter lines during the strike, whereas normally they would have been able to improvise new ideas during rehearsal, although Lindelof acknowledged they could dub some lines in post-production. Orci and Kurtzman were able to stay on set without strikebreaking because they were also executive producers on the film; they could "make funny eyes and faces at the actors whenever they had a problem with the line and sort of nod when they had something better".{{cite news |first=Alex |last=Billington |title=Kicking Off 2009 with Writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci – Part Two: Transformers 2 |website=First Showing |date=January 14, 2009 |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2009/kicking-off-2009-with-writers-alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-part-two-transformers-2/ |access-date=January 14, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043938/https://www.firstshowing.net/2009/kicking-off-2009-with-writers-alex-kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-part-two-transformers-2/ |url-status=live }} Abrams was able to alter a scene where Spock combats six Romulans from a fistfight to a gunfight, having decided there were too many physical brawls in the film.

The production team maintained heavily enforced security around the film. Karl Urban revealed, "[There is a] level of security and secrecy that we have all been forced to adopt. I mean, it's really kind of paranoid crazy, but sort of justified. We're not allowed to walk around in public in our costumes and we have to be herded around everywhere in these golf carts that are completely concealed and covered in black canvas. The security of it is immense. You feel your freedom is a big challenge."{{cite news |url=http://www.thedeadbolt.com/1003021598-karl-urban-talks-comanche-moon-mini-series-and-star-trek.html |title=Karl Urban Talks Comanche Moon Mini-series and Star Trek |first=Troy |last=Rogers |website=The Dead Bolt |date=December 20, 2007 |access-date=January 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110195818/http://www.thedeadbolt.com/1003021598-karl-urban-talks-comanche-moon-mini-series-and-star-trek.html |archive-date=November 10, 2013}} Actors like Jennifer Morrison were only given the scripts of their scenes.{{cite news |title=Morrison and Nichols Talk a little Trek |website=TrekMovie.com |date=April 23, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/04/23/morrison-and-nichols-talk-a-little-trek |access-date=April 25, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044034/https://trekmovie.com/2008/04/23/morrison-and-nichols-talk-a-little-trek/ |url-status=live }} The film's shooting script was fiercely protected even with the main cast. Simon Pegg said, "I read [the script] with a security guard near me – it's that secretive."{{cite news |url=http://skyliving.sky.com/celebrity/Simon-Spills-On-Star-Trek |title=Simon Spills On Star Trek |website=Sky Living |date=December 6, 2007 |access-date=January 11, 2012 |archive-date=May 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513163753/http://skyliving.sky.com/celebrity/Simon-Spills-On-Star-Trek |url-status=live }} The film used the fake working title of Corporate Headquarters.{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2007/11/06/star-trek-holding-open-casting-call-for-extras |website=TrekMovie.com |title='Star Trek' Extras Open Casting Call – Looking for Unique Faces |date=November 6, 2007 |access-date=January 20, 2008 |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044051/https://trekmovie.com/2007/11/06/star-trek-holding-open-casting-call-for-extras/ |url-status=live }} Some of the few outside of the production allowed to visit the set included Rod Roddenberry,{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Madsen |title=Mania Exclusive Interview: Eugene Roddenberry, Jr. |website=Mania |date=March 24, 2009 |url=http://www.mania.com/mania-exclusive-interview-eugene-roddenberry-jr_article_113882.html |access-date=March 24, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325182347/http://www.mania.com/mania-exclusive-interview-eugene-roddenberry-jr_article_113882.html |archive-date=March 25, 2009 }} Ronald D. Moore,{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/06/24/exclusive-interview-ron-moore-talks-movies-past-and-future |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Ron Moore Talks Movies (Past and Future) |website=TrekMovie.com |date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=November 23, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043946/https://trekmovie.com/2008/06/24/exclusive-interview-ron-moore-talks-movies-past-and-future/ |url-status=live }} Jonathan Frakes, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Ben Stiller, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg (who had partially convinced Abrams to direct because he liked the script, and he even advised the action scenes during his visit).

When the shoot ended, Abrams gave the cast small boxes containing little telescopes, which allowed them to read the name of each constellation it was pointed at. "I think he just wanted each of us to look at the stars a little differently," said John Cho. After the shoot, Abrams cut out some scenes of Kirk and Spock as children, including seeing the latter as a baby, as well as a subplot involving Nero being imprisoned by and escaping from the Klingons. This explanation for his absence during Kirk's life confused many to whom Abrams screened the film. Other scenes cut out explained that the teenage Kirk stole his stepfather's antique car because he had forced him to clean it before an auction; and that the Orion he seduced at the Academy worked in the operations division. Afterward, she agrees to open the e-mail containing his patch that allows him to pass the Kobayashi Maru test.

Abrams chose to shoot the film in the anamorphic format on 35mm film after discussions about whether the film should be shot in high-definition digital video. Cinematographer Dan Mindel and Abrams agreed the choice gave the film a big-screen feel and the realistic, organic look they wanted for the film setting.{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Goldman |date=April 20, 2009 |url=http://digitalcontentproducer.com/cameras/revfeat/star_trek_abrams_0420/index.html |title=Back on Trek; How J.J. Abrams led the Star Trek revival |website=Millimeter |page=2 |access-date=April 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502005531/http://digitalcontentproducer.com/cameras/revfeat/star_trek_abrams_0420/index.html |archive-date=May 2, 2009}} Abrams and Mindel used lens flares throughout filming to create an optimistic atmosphere and a feeling that activity was taking place off-camera, making the Star Trek universe feel more real. "There's something about those flares, especially in a movie that potentially could be incredibly sterile and CG and overly controlled. There's just something incredibly unpredictable and gorgeous about them." Mindel would create more flares by shining a flashlight or pointing a mirror at the camera lens, or using two cameras simultaneously and therefore two lighting set-ups. Editor Mary Jo Markey later said in an interview that he had not told her (or fellow editor Maryann Brandon) this, and initially contacted the film developers asking why the film seemed overexposed.{{cite web |last1=Tapley |first1=Christopher |title=Tech Support Interview: The crafts of 'Star Trek' |url=http://www.incontention.com/2010/02/18/tech-support-interview-the-crafts-of-star-trek/ |website=In Contention |access-date=December 24, 2015 |archive-date=September 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160927222858/http://www.incontention.com/2010/02/18/tech-support-interview-the-crafts-of-star-trek/ |url-status=live }}

Industrial Light & Magic and Digital Domain were among several companies that created over 1,000 special effect shots. The visual effects supervisors were Roger Guyett, who collaborated with Abrams on Mission: Impossible III and also served as second unit director, and Russell Earl. Abrams avoided shooting only against bluescreen and greenscreen, because it "makes me insane", using them instead to extend the scale of sets and locations. The Delta Vega sequence required the mixing of digital snow with real snow.

Star Trek was the first film ILM worked on using entirely digital ships.{{cite news |first=Ken |last=McGorry |title=Star Trek Returns |work=Post Magazine |date=May 1, 2009 |url=http://www.postmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=63930E9D02644EC9A127AF67602DA756&nm=E-Newsletters&type=Publishing&mod=Publications::Article&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=C0928902C93D4F8682FB2117F7DD841F |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508155759/http://www.postmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=63930E9D02644EC9A127AF67602DA756&nm=E-Newsletters&type=Publishing&mod=Publications::Article&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=C0928902C93D4F8682FB2117F7DD841F |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 8, 2009 |access-date=May 4, 2009 }} Enterprise was intended by Abrams to be a merging of its design in the series and the refitted version from the original film. Abrams had fond memories of the revelation of Enterprise{{'}}s refit in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, because it was the first time the ship felt tangible and real to him.{{cite magazine |url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/11/star-trek-first.html |first=Jeff |last=Jensen |title='Star Trek': An exclusive first look at the Enterprise |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=November 11, 2008 |access-date=March 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202213239/http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/11/star-trek-first.html |archive-date=February 2, 2009}} The iridescent pattern on the ship from The Motion Picture was maintained to give the ship depth, while model maker Roger Goodson also applied the "Aztec" pattern from The Next Generation. Goodson recalled Abrams also wanted to bring a "hot rod" aesthetic to the ship. Effects supervisor Roger Guyett wanted the ship to have more moving parts, which stemmed from his childhood dissatisfaction with the ship's design: The new Enterprise{{'}}s dish can expand and move, while the fins on its engines split slightly when they begin warping.{{cite news |url=http://scifiwire.com/2009/04/how-ilm-came-up-with-the.php |title=How ILM came up with the new Enterprise for J.J. Abrams' Trek |date=April 17, 2009 |work=Sci Fi Wire |access-date=April 17, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502025726/http://scifiwire.com/2009/04/how-ilm-came-up-with-the.php |archive-date=May 2, 2009}} Enterprise was originally redesigned by Ryan Church using features of the original, at {{convert|1200|ft}} long,{{cite journal |title=Star Trek: A New Enterprise |last=Fordham |first=Joe |date=July 1, 2009 |journal=Cinefex |number=118 |page=48}} but was doubled in size to {{convert|2357|ft}} long to make it seem "grander", while the Romulan Narada is five miles long and several miles wide. The filmmakers had to simulate lens flares on the ships in keeping with the film's cinematography.

Carolyn Porco of NASA was consulted on the planetary science and imagery.{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/02/11/interview-with-star-treks-new-science-advisor/ |title=Exclusive Interview With Carolyn Porco – Star Trek's New Science Advisor |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |date=February 11, 2008 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |website=TrekMovie.com |archive-date=April 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422094442/https://trekmovie.com/2008/02/11/interview-with-star-treks-new-science-advisor/ |url-status=live }} The animators realistically recreated what an explosion would look like in space: short blasts, which suck inward and leave debris from a ship floating. For shots of an imploding planet, the same explosion program was used to simulate it breaking up, while the animators could manually composite multiple layers of rocks and wind sucking into the planet. Unlike other Star Trek films and series, the transporter beam effects swirl rather than speckle. Abrams conceived the redesign to emphasize the notion of transporters as beams that can pick up and move people, rather than a signal composed of scrambled atoms.{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Desowitz |title=Where No Star Trek Has Gone Before |website=Animation World Network |date=May 12, 2009 |url=http://www.awn.com/articles/profiles/where-no-istar-treki-has-gone |access-date=May 15, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044027/https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/where-no-star-trek-has-gone |url-status=live }}

Lola Visual Effects worked on 48 shots, including some animation to Bana and Nimoy. Bana required extensive damage to his teeth, which was significant enough to completely replace his mouth in some shots. Nimoy's mouth was reanimated in his first scene with Kirk following a rerecording session. The filmmakers had filmed Nimoy when he rerecorded his lines so they could rotoscope his mouth into the film, even recreating the lighting conditions, but they realized they had to digitally recreate his lips because of the bouncing light created by the camp fire.

The sound effects were designed by Star Wars veteran Ben Burtt. Whereas the phaser blast noises from the television series were derived from The War of the Worlds (1953), Burtt made his phaser sounds more like his blasters from Star Wars, because Abrams' depiction of phasers were closer to the blasters' bullet-like fire, rather than the steady beams of energy in previous Star Trek films. Burtt reproduced the classic photon torpedo and warp drive sounds: he tapped a long spring against a contact microphone, and combined that with cannon fire. Burtt used a 1960s oscillator to create a musical and emotional hum to the warping and transporting sounds.{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Kunkes |title=More Sound Trekking With Ben Burtt |website=Motion Picture Editors Guild |date=April 29, 2009 |url=http://www.editorsguild.com/FromTheGuild.cfm?FromTheGuildid=68 |access-date=May 7, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090702235724/http://www.editorsguild.com/FromTheGuild.cfm?FromTheGuildid=68 |archive-date=July 2, 2009}}

{{Main|Star Trek (soundtrack){{!}}Star Trek (soundtrack)}}

Michael Giacchino, Abrams' most frequent collaborator, composed the music for Star Trek. He kept the original theme by Alexander Courage for the end credits, which Abrams said symbolized the momentum of the crew coming together. Giacchino admitted personal pressure in scoring the film, as "I grew up listening to all of that great [Trek] music, and that's part of what inspired me to do what I'm doing [...] You just go in scared. You just hope you do your best. It's one of those things where the film will tell me what to do."{{cite news |first=Cindy |last=White |title=Trek Score Will Keep Theme |work=Sci Fi Wire |date=November 1, 2007 |url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=45151&type=0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080202064320/http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=45151&type=0 |archive-date=February 2, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2007}} Scoring took place at the Sony Scoring Stage with a 107-piece orchestra and 40-person choir. An erhu, performed by Karen Han, was used for the Vulcan themes. A distorted recording was used for the Romulans.{{cite news |first=Dan |last=Goldwasser |url=http://www.scoringsessions.com/news/179 |title=Michael Giacchino hits warp speed with his score to Star Trek |work=ScoringSessions.com |date=April 21, 2009 |access-date=April 21, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043951/http://scoringsessions.com/2009/04/21/michael-giacchino-hits-warp-speed-with-his-score-to-star-trek/ |url-status=live }} Varèse Sarabande, the record label responsible for releasing albums of Giacchino's previous scores for Alias, Lost, Mission: Impossible III, and Speed Racer, released the soundtrack for the film on May 5.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/03/23/giacchinos-star-trek-soundtrack-announced-available-for-pre-order |title=Giacchino's Star Trek Soundtrack Announced – Available For Pre-order |website=TrekMovie.com |date=March 23, 2008 |access-date=March 25, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043953/https://trekmovie.com/2009/03/23/giacchinos-star-trek-soundtrack-announced-available-for-pre-order/ |url-status=live }} The music for the theatrical trailers were composed by Two Steps from Hell.{{cite web |url=http://www.twostepsfromhell.com/star_trek_3.php |title=Two Steps From Hell: Music for Motion Picture Advertising |work=TwoStepsFromHell.com |access-date=March 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101023194727/http://www.twostepsfromhell.com/star_trek_3.php |archive-date=October 23, 2010}}

{{See also|Star Trek: Countdown{{!}}Star Trek: Countdown|Star Trek DAC{{!}}Star Trek DAC}}

File:Star Trek cast 3.jpg, Karl Urban, Zachary Quinto, and Chris Pine signing autographs for military personnel at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait in April 2009]]

File:ZoeSaldanaatCampArifjan.jpg signing an autograph at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait in April 2009]]

The first teaser trailer debuted in theaters with Cloverfield on January 18, 2008, which showed Enterprise under construction. Abrams himself directed the first part of the trailer, where a welder removes his goggles. Professional welders were hired for the teaser.{{cite news |first=Charles |last=Trotter |title=Trek Welder Talks Teaser Shoot |website=StarTrek.com |date=January 21, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/21/teaser-welder-talks-trek |access-date=October 2, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043954/https://trekmovie.com/2008/01/21/teaser-welder-talks-trek/ |url-status=live }} The voices of the 1960s played over the trailer were intended to link the film to the present day; John F. Kennedy in particular was chosen because of similarities with the character of James T. Kirk and because he is seen to have "kicked off" the Space Race. Orci explained that: "If we do indeed have a Federation, I think Kennedy's words will be inscribed in there someplace."{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Interview – Orci Answers Questions About New Star Trek Trailer |website=TrekMovie.com |date=January 19, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/19/interview-orci-answers-questions-about-new-trek-trailer |access-date=January 21, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043956/https://trekmovie.com/2008/01/19/interview-orci-answers-questions-about-new-trek-trailer/ |url-status=live }} Star Trek{{'}}s later trailers would win four awards, including Best in Show, in the tenth annual Golden Trailer Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.indiewire.com/article/man_on_wire_the_wrestler_among_2009_golden_trailer_winners |title="Man on Wire," "The Wrestler" Among 2009 Golden Trailer Winners |first=Andy |last=Lauer |work=indieWIRE |date=June 5, 2009 |access-date=January 12, 2012 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043956/https://www.indiewire.com/2009/06/man-on-wire-the-wrestler-among-2009-golden-trailer-winners-246767/ |url-status=live }}

Paramount faced two obstacles in promoting the film: the unfamiliarity of the "MySpace generation" with the franchise and the relatively weak international performance of the previous films. Six months before the film's release, Abrams toured Europe and North America with 25 minutes of footage. Abrams noted the large-scale campaign started unusually early, but this was because the release delay allowed him to show more completed scenes than normal. The director preferred promoting his projects quietly, but concurred Paramount needed to remove Star Trek{{'}}s stigma.{{cite news |first1=Jay A. |last1=Fernandez |first2=Borys |last2=Kit |title="Star Trek" promo blasting off six months early |work=Reuters |date=November 21, 2008 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE4AK0LG20081121 |access-date=November 22, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044029/https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE4AK0LG20081121 |url-status=live }} Abrams would exaggerate his preference for other shows to Star Trek as a child to the press, with statements like "I'm not a Star Trek fan" and "this movie is not made for Star Trek fans necessarily". Orci compared Abrams' approach to The Next Generation episode "A Matter of Honor", where William Riker is stationed aboard a Klingon vessel. "On that ship when someone talks back to you, you would have to beat them down or you lose the respect of your crew, which is protocol, whereas on a Federation ship that would be a crime. So we have to give [J. J. Abrams] a little bit of leeway, when he is traveling the 'galaxy' over there where they don't know Trek, to say the things that need to be said in order to get people onto our side."

Promotional partners on the film include Nokia, Verizon Wireless, Esurance, Kellogg's, Burger King and Intel Corporation, as well as various companies specializing in home decorating, apparel, jewelry, gift items and "Tiberius", "Pon Farr" and "Red Shirt" fragrances.{{cite news |last=Stanley |first=T.L. |title=Paramount forges 'Star Trek' tie-ins |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=April 16, 2009 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paramount-forges-star-trek-tie-82508 |access-date=April 17, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043957/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paramount-forges-star-trek-tie-82508 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/01/28/cbs-announces-new-star-trek-licenses-including-monopoly-uno-apparel-fragrences-more |title=CBS Announces New Star Trek Licenses – Including Monopoly, Uno, Apparel, Fragrances + more [UPDATED] |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |date=January 28, 2009 |website=StarTrek.com |access-date=January 28, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043957/https://trekmovie.com/2009/01/28/cbs-announces-new-star-trek-licenses-including-monopoly-uno-apparel-fragrences-more/ |url-status=live }} Playmates Toys, who owned the Star Trek toy license until 2000, also held the merchandise rights for the new film.{{cite news |first=John |last=Tenuto |title=Star Trek Headed Back To Playmates |website=TrekMovie.com |date=January 27, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/27/star-trek-headed-back-to-playmates-toys |access-date=January 28, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043957/https://trekmovie.com/2008/01/27/star-trek-headed-back-to-playmates-toys/ |url-status=live }} The first wave was released in March and April 2009. Playmates hope to continue their toy line into 2010.{{cite news |first=John |last=Tenuto |title=Details On First Two Waves Of Playmates Star Trek Movie Toys + Nero's Ship Name Revealed [UPDATED] |website=StarTrek.com |date=November 19, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/11/19/details-on-first-two-waves-of-playmates-star-trek-movie-toys-neros-ship-name-revealed |access-date=November 24, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043959/https://trekmovie.com/2008/11/19/details-on-first-two-waves-of-playmates-star-trek-movie-toys-neros-ship-name-revealed/ |url-status=live }}{{update after|2010|12|31}} The first wave consists of 3.75", 6" and 12" action figures, an Enterprise replica, prop toys and play sets. to recreate the whole bridge, one would have to buy more 3.75" figures, which come with chairs and consoles to add to the main set consisting of Kirk's chair, the floor, the main console and the viewscreen.{{cite news |first=John |last=Tenuto |title=Exclusive Details On Playmates Full Line Of Star Trek Movie Toys + Hi Res Images |website=StarTrek.com |date=January 23, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/01/23/details-and-images-on-playmates-full-line-of-star-trek-movie-toys |access-date=January 24, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044105/https://trekmovie.com/2009/01/23/details-and-images-on-playmates-full-line-of-star-trek-movie-toys/ |url-status=live }} Master Replicas,{{cite news |first=John |last=Tenuto |title=Corgi Announces Star Trek Movie License |website=TrekMovie.com |date=January 26, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/01/26/corgi-announces-star-trek-movie-license |access-date=January 28, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044003/https://trekmovie.com/2008/01/26/corgi-announces-star-trek-movie-license/ |url-status=live }} Mattel, Hasbro and Fundex Games will promote the film{{update after|2010|12|31}} via playing cards, Monopoly, UNO, Scrabble, Magic 8 Ball, Hot Wheels, Tyco R/C, 20Q, Scene It? and Barbie lines. Some of these are based on previous Star Trek iterations rather than the film.{{cite news |first=John |last=Tenuto |title=Star Trek Hot Wheels Coming in May |website=StarTrek.com |date=January 19, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/01/19/star-trek-hot-wheels-coming-in-may |access-date=January 19, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044053/https://trekmovie.com/2009/01/19/star-trek-hot-wheels-coming-in-may/ |url-status=live }} CBS also created a merchandising line based around Star Trek caricatures named "Quogs".{{cite news |first=John |last=Tenuto |title=CBS Introduces Star Trek QUOGS – New Cartoon-style TOS Character Designs For Multiple Products |website=StarTrek.com |date=February 12, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/02/12/cbs-introduces-star-trek-quogs-new-cartoon-style-tos-character-designs-for-multiple-products |access-date=February 12, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044111/https://trekmovie.com/2009/02/12/cbs-introduces-star-trek-quogs-new-cartoon-style-tos-character-designs-for-multiple-products/ |url-status=live }}

File:StarTrekSydneyOperaHousePremiereApr09.jpg, Chris Pine, Bryan Burk, Zachary Quinto, J. J. Abrams, Eric Bana, and John Cho attending the film's premiere at the Sydney Opera House on April 7, 2009.]]

In February 2008, Paramount announced they would move Star Trek from its December 25, 2008, release date to May 8, 2009, as the studio felt more people would see the film during summer than winter. The film was practically finished by the end of 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/02/15/star_trek_boldly_goes_to_summer_2009_in_ |title='Star Trek' boldly goes to summer 2009 in schedule shift |first=David |last=Germain |date=February 15, 2008 |work=Starpulse Entertainment News |access-date=January 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331065948/http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/02/15/star_trek_boldly_goes_to_summer_2009_in_ |archive-date=March 31, 2012 }} Paramount's decision came about after visiting the set and watching dailies, as they realized the film could appeal to a much broader audience. Even though the filmmakers liked the Christmas release date, Damon Lindelof acknowledged it would allow more time to perfect the visual effects.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Exclusive Interview: Damon Lindelof On New Release Date and Trek Appealing To Wider Audience |website=TrekMovie.com |date=March 1, 2008 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/03/01/exclusive-interview-damon-lindelof-on-new-release-date-and-trek-appealing-to-wider-audience |access-date=March 3, 2008 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044052/https://trekmovie.com/2008/03/01/exclusive-interview-damon-lindelof-on-new-release-date-and-trek-appealing-to-wider-audience/ |url-status=live }} The months-long gap between the completion of the production and release meant Alan Dean Foster was allowed to watch the whole film before writing the novelization, although the novel would contain scenes absent from the final edit.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=Alan Dean Foster Writing Star Trek Movie Adaptation |website=StarTrek.com |date=February 12, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/02/12/alan-dean-foster-writing-star-trek-movie-adaptation |access-date=February 12, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044105/https://trekmovie.com/2009/02/12/alan-dean-foster-writing-star-trek-movie-adaptation/ |url-status=live }} Quinto narrated the audiobook.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=ST09 Tidbits (Spocks Edition): Nimoy Supports Vulcans [UPDATED] + Quinto Reads Audiobook & Appears in GQ |website=StarTrek.com |date=March 19, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/03/19/st09-tidbits-spocks-edition-nimoy-supports-vulcans-quinto-reads-audiobook-appears-in-gq |access-date=April 4, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043953/https://trekmovie.com/2009/03/19/st09-tidbits-spocks-edition-nimoy-supports-vulcans-quinto-reads-audiobook-appears-in-gq/ |url-status=live }}

A surprise public screening was held on April 6, 2009, at the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Austin, Texas, hosted by writers Robert Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and producer Damon Lindelof. The showing was publicized as a screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, followed by a ten-minute preview of the new Star Trek film. A few minutes into Khan, the film appeared to melt and Nimoy appeared on stage with Orci, Kurtzman and Lindelof, asking the audience, "wouldn't you rather see the new movie?"{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/04/06/austin-tx-fans-given-surprise-showing-of-entire-star-trek-movie |title=Austin, TX Fans Given Surprise Showing of ENTIRE Star Trek Movie |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |date=April 6, 2009 |work=StarTrek.com |access-date=April 7, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118043952/https://trekmovie.com/2009/04/06/austin-tx-fans-given-surprise-showing-of-entire-star-trek-movie/ |url-status=live }} Following the surprise screening in Texas, the first of many premieres across the world was held at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney on April 7, 2009.{{cite news |title=Star Trek to get Sydney premiere |work=BBC News |date=March 20, 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7954337.stm |access-date=March 19, 2009 |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013044436/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7954337.stm |url-status=live }} For almost two years, the town of Vulcan, Alberta had campaigned to have the film premiere there, but because it had no theater, Paramount arranged instead a lottery where 300 winning residents would be taken to a prerelease screening in Calgary.{{cite news |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |title=ST09 Tidbits (T-48 days): Vulcan Gets A 'Yes' + New Esurance Contest + New Kellogg's Promos + more |work=StarTrek.com |date=March 20, 2009 |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/03/20/st09-tidbits-t-48-days-vulcan-gets-a-yes-new-esurance-contest-new-kelloggs-promos-more |access-date=March 20, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044101/https://trekmovie.com/2009/03/20/st09-tidbits-t-48-days-vulcan-gets-a-yes-new-esurance-contest-new-kelloggs-promos-more/ |url-status=live }}

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 17, 2009, in North America,{{cite news |url=http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2009/07/star_trek_to_beam_up_on_dvd_no.html |title="Star Trek" DVDs will beam up on Nov. 17th |first=Michael |last=Kleinschrodt |date=July 29, 2009 |work=The Times-Picayune |publisher=Ashton Phelps Jr. |access-date=July 23, 2009 |archive-date=July 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722104925/http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2009/07/star_trek_to_beam_up_on_dvd_no.html |url-status=live }} November 16 in the United Kingdom{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001DDPF2G |title=Star Trek XI 2-disc edition |access-date=July 23, 2009 |website=Amazon.com |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044003/https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001DDPF2G |url-status=live }} and October 26 in Australia and New Zealand. In Sweden and Germany, it was released on November 4.{{cite web |url=http://www.webhallen.com/prod.php?id=101122 |title=Star Trek (2009) |language=sv |website=WebHallen |access-date=January 12, 2012 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044005/https://www.webhallen.com/se/product/101122 |url-status=live }} First week sales stood at 5.7 million DVDs along with 1.1 million Blu-ray Discs,{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-trek-tops-video-charts-91735 |title='Star Trek' tops video charts |first=Thomas |last=Arnold |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=November 25, 2009 |access-date=January 12, 2012 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044001/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-trek-tops-video-charts-91735 |url-status=live }} giving Paramount Pictures their third chart topping release in five weeks following Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.{{cite web |url=http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2009.php |title=Top-Selling DVDs in the United States 2009 |website=The Numbers |access-date=January 12, 2012 |archive-date=May 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515001903/http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2009.php |url-status=live }}

Official screenings in the United States started at 7 pm on May 7, 2009,{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Sciretta |title=Star Trek on May 7th |website=/Film |date=April 13, 2009 |url=http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/04/13/star-trek-on-may-7th |access-date=April 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115015328/http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/04/13/star-trek-on-may-7th/ |archive-date=January 15, 2010}} grossing $4 million on its opening day. By the end of the weekend, Star Trek had opened with $79,204,300, as well as $35,500,000 from other countries. Adjusted and unadjusted for inflation, it beat Star Trek: First Contact for the largest American opening for a Star Trek film. The film made US$8.5 million from its IMAX screenings, breaking The Dark Knight{{'}}s $6.3 million IMAX opening record.{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/05/11/final-numbers-in-star-trek-breaks-franchise-imax-records-outpeforming-batman-begins |title=Final Numbers In – Star Trek Breaks Franchise & IMAX Records + Outpeforming Batman Begins |website=TrekMovie.com |date=May 11, 2009 |first=Rosario T. |last=Calabria |access-date=May 12, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044033/https://trekmovie.com/2009/05/11/final-numbers-in-star-trek-breaks-franchise-imax-records-outpeforming-batman-begins/ |url-status=live }} The film is the highest-grossing in the United States and Canada from the entire Star Trek film franchise, eclipsing The Voyage Home and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Its opening weekend numbers alone outgross the entire individual runs of The Undiscovered Country, The Final Frontier, Insurrection and Nemesis.{{cite web |title=Star Trek Movies |website=Box Office Mojo |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=startrek.htm |access-date=June 17, 2009 |archive-date=June 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617235303/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=startrek.htm |url-status=live }} Star Trek ended its United States theatrical run on October 1, 2009, with a box office total of $257,730,019, which places it as the seventh highest-grossing film for 2009 behind The Hangover. The film grossed $127,764,536 in international markets,{{cite web |url=http://www.uip-boxoffice.com/boxweb.nsf |title=UIP International Box Office Gross |date=October 1, 2009 |work=United International Pictures |access-date=October 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091005152943/http://www.uip-boxoffice.com/boxweb.nsf |archive-date=October 5, 2009 }} for a total worldwide gross of $385,494,555.{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2009&p=.htm |title=2009 Worldwide Grosses |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=October 29, 2009 |archive-date=July 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703213639/http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?view2=worldwide&yr=2009&p=.htm |url-status=live }} While foreign grosses represent only 31% of the total box office receipts, executives of Paramount were happy with the international sales, as Star Trek historically was a movie franchise that never has been a big draw overseas.{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/07/01/st09-tidbits-last-day-in-top-10-more-khan-debate-more-trekwars-more |title=ST09 Tidbits: Last Day in Top 10? + More Khan Debate + More Trek/Wars + more |website=TrekMovie.com |date=July 1, 2009 |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |access-date=August 2, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044103/https://trekmovie.com/2009/07/01/st09-tidbits-last-day-in-top-10-more-khan-debate-more-trekwars-more/ |url-status=live }}

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|94|8.1|355|Star Trek reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans alike.}}{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_11 |title=Star Trek (2009) |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=November 14, 2018 |archive-date=November 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120044317/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/star_trek_11/ |url-status=live }} {{Metacritic film prose |score=82|count=46}}{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/star-trek |title=Star Trek Reviews |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=November 14, 2018 |archive-date=October 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023150041/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/star-trek |url-status=live }} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.{{Cite web|title=Home – Cinemascore|url=https://www.cinemascore.com/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102130540/https://www.cinemascore.com/|archive-date=January 2, 2018|access-date=July 12, 2020|website=CinemaScore}}

Ty Burr of the Boston Globe gave the film a perfect four star rating, describing it as "ridiculously satisfying", and the "best prequel ever".{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2009/05/05/a_fresh_frontier |title=A Fresh Frontier |work=Boston Globe |publisher=The New York Times Company |access-date=May 6, 2009 |date=May 5, 2009 |first=Ty |last=Burr |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044004/http://archive.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2009/05/05/a_fresh_frontier/ |url-status=live }} Burr praised the character development in the film, opining that "emotionally, Star Trek hits every one of its marks, functioning as a family reunion that extends across decades, entertainment mediums, even blurring the line between audience and show." He continued: "Trading on affections sustained over 40 years of popular culture, Star Trek does what a franchise reboot rarely does. It reminds us why we loved these characters in the first place." Owen Gleiberman from Entertainment Weekly gave the film an 'A−' grade, commenting that director Abrams "crafts an origin story that avoids any hint of the origin doldrums".{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20276708,00.html |title=Star Trek |first=Owen |last=Gleiberman |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |publisher=Time, Inc. |date=May 8, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-date=January 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113024445/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20276708,00.html |url-status=dead }} Similar sentiments were expressed by Rolling Stone journalist Peter Travers, who gave the film a 3.5 out of 4 stars. He felt that the acting from the cast was the highlight of the filming, asserting that the performance of Pine radiated star quality. Likewise, Travers called Quinto's performance "sharp" and "intuitive", and felt that Quinto "gave the film a soul".{{cite magazine |date=May 6, 2009 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/star-trek-20090506 |first=Peter |last=Travers |title=Star Trek |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044105/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/star-trek-106111/ |url-status=live }} Manohla Dargis of the New York Times wrote, "Star Trek [...] isn't just a pleasurable rethink of your geek uncle's favorite science-fiction series. It's also a testament to television's power as mythmaker, as a source for some of the fundamental stories we tell about ourselves, who we are and where we came from.{{cite news |last=Dargis |first=Manohla |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/movies/08trek.html |title=A Franchise Goes Boldly Backward |work=The New York Times |date=May 7, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2009 |archive-date=February 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222154018/http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/movies/08trek.html |url-status=live }} Slate{{'s}} Dana Stevens felt that the film was "a gift to those of us who loved the original series, that brainy, wonky, idealistic body of work that aired to almost no commercial success between 1966–69 and has since become a science fiction archetype and object of cult adoration".{{cite journal |last=Stevens |first=Dana |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2217854 |title=Go See 'Star Trek' |journal=Slate |publisher=The Washington Post Company |date=May 6, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2009 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044056/http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2009/05/go_see_star_trek.html |url-status=live }} Time Out London{{'s}} Tom Huddleston praised the aesthetic qualities of the film, such as the design of Enterprise, and praised the performances of the cast. He wrote, "The cast are equally strong: Quinto brings wry charm to an otherwise calculating character, while Pine powers through his performance in bullish, if not quite Shatner-esque, fashion."{{cite web |url=http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/85105/star-trek.html |title=Star Trek (2009) |last=Huddleston |first=Tom |work=Time Out London |date=May 7, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044005/https://www.timeout.com/movies/star-trek-1 |url-status=live }}

The chemistry between Pine and Quinto was well received by critics. Gleiberman felt that as the film progressed to the conclusion, Pine and Quinto emulated the same connection as Kirk and Spock. Tim Robey of The Telegraph echoed similar attitudes; "The movie charts their relationship [...] in a nicely oblique way." Robey resumed: "It's the main event, dramatically speaking, but there's always something more thumpingly urgent to command their attention, whether it's a Vulcan distress signal or the continuing rampages of those pesky Romulans."{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/star-trek/5290539/Star-Trek-review.html |title=Star Trek review |first=Tim |last=Robey |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |date=May 7, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044012/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/star-trek/5290539/Star-Trek-review.html |url-status=live }} Burr opined that Abrams had an accurate understanding of the relationship between Kirk and Spock, and wrote, "Pine makes a fine, brash boy Kirk, but Quinto's Spock is something special – an eerily calm figure freighted with a heavier sadness than Roddenberry's original. The two ground each other and point toward all the stories yet to come." Similarly, The Guardian writer Peter Bradshaw expressed: "The story of Kirk and Spock is brought thrillingly back to life by a new first generation: Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, who give inspired, utterly unselfconscious and lovable performances, with power, passion and some cracking comic timing."{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/may/08/star-trek |title=Star Trek |first=Peter |last=Bradshaw |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |access-date=May 7, 2009 |date=December 21, 2011 |location=London |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044012/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/may/08/star-trek |url-status=live }}

Some film critics were polarized on Star Trek. Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club gave the film a 'B+' grade, and asserted that it was "a reconsideration of what constitutes Star Trek, one that deemphasizes heady concepts and plainly stated humanist virtues in favor of breathless action punctuated by bursts of emotion. It might not even be immediately recognizable to veteran fans."{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/star-trek-1798206197 |title=Star Trek |first=Keith |last=Phipps |work=The A.V. Club |publisher=The Onion |date=May 7, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-date=January 3, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103083050/http://www.avclub.com/articles/star-trek,27714/ |url-status=live }} In concurrence, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times stated that "the Gene Roddenberry years, when stories might play with questions of science, ideals or philosophy, have been replaced by stories reduced to loud and colorful action." Ebert ultimately gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars.{{cite news |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=May 6, 2009 |title=Star Trek |work=Chicago Sun-Times |publisher=Sun-Times Media Group |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-trek-2009 |url-status=live |access-date=May 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509142939/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20090506%2FREVIEWS%2F905069997 |archive-date=May 9, 2009}} Similarly, Marc Bain of Newsweek opined: "The latest film version of Star Trek [...] is more brawn than brain, and it largely jettisons complicated ethical conundrums in favor of action sequences and special effects."{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/196005/page/1 |title=Enterprise Ethics |first=Marc |last=Bain |work=Newsweek |publisher=Ray Chelstowski |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310153019/http://www.newsweek.com/id/196005/page/1 |archive-date=March 10, 2010}} Slate journalist Juliet Lapidos argued that the new film, with its "standard Hollywood torture scene", failed to live up to the intellectual standard set by the 1992 Next Generation episode "Chain of Command", whose treatment of the issue she found both more sophisticated and pertinent to the ongoing debate over the United States' use of enhanced interrogation techniques.{{cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/id/2217905 |title=There Are Four Lights! |first=Juliet |last=Lapidos |work=Slate |publisher=The Washington Post Company |date=May 7, 2009 |access-date=December 21, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044007/https://slate.com/culture/2009/05/star-trek-the-next-generation-s-eerily-prescient-torture-episode.html |url-status=live }}

A 2018 article by Io9/Gizmodo ranked all 11 versions of the USS Enterprise seen in the Star Trek franchise up to that point. The version seen in the film placed in the second lowest position.{{Cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/all-11-versions-of-the-u-s-s-enterprise-ranked-1823170805|title=All 11 Versions of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Ranked|last=Whitbrook|first=James|website=io9|date=February 21, 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-09|archive-date=July 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709231459/https://io9.gizmodo.com/all-11-versions-of-the-u-s-s-enterprise-ranked-1823170805|url-status=live}}

{{main|List of accolades received by Star Trek (film){{!}}List of accolades received by Star Trek (film)}}

The film garnered numerous accolades after its release. In 2010, it was nominated for four Academy Awards at the 82nd Academy Awards, for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, and Best Makeup. Star Trek won in the category for Best Makeup, making it the first Star Trek film to receive an Academy Award.{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/82nd-winners.html |title=The 82nd Academy Awards (2010) Nominees and Winners |access-date=November 22, 2011 |website=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006110009/http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/82nd-winners.html |archive-date=October 6, 2014}} The film was nominated for three Empire Awards, to which it won for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy.{{cite web |url=http://www.empireonline.com/awards2010/winners/best-sci-fi-fantasy |title=Empire Awards 2010: Winner – Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy |year=2010 |work=Empire |publisher=Bauer Consumer Media |access-date=April 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021081109/http://www.empireonline.com/awards2010/winners/best-sci-fi-fantasy/ |archive-date=October 21, 2012}} In October 2009, Star Trek won the Hollywood Award for Best Movie,{{cite web |url=http://trekmovie.com/2009/10/27/star-trek-wins-hollywood-movie-award/ |title=Star Trek Wins Hollywood Movie Award |website=TrekMovie.com |date=October 27, 2009 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044006/https://trekmovie.com/2009/10/27/star-trek-wins-hollywood-movie-award/ |url-status=live }} and attained six Scream Awards at the 2009 Scream Awards Ceremony.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0002006/2009/1/|title=SCREAM Awards (2009)|website=IMDb|access-date=August 15, 2021}} The film attained a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture at the 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.sagawards.com/awards/nominees-and-recipients/16th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards |title=The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards |website=Screen Actors Guild |access-date=December 23, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044017/http://www.sagawards.org/awards/nominees-and-recipients/16th-annual-screen-actors-guild-awards |url-status=live }}

Star Trek received several nominations. The film was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, but was beaten out by Up, also composed by Michael Giacchino.{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees?year=2009&genre=All |title=Nominees and Winners 2009 |website=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |access-date=December 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213101725/http://www.grammy.com/nominees?year=2009 |archive-date=December 13, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees?category=171 |title=Nominees |website=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044040/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards?category=171 |url-status=live }} At the 36th People's Choice Awards, the film received four nominations: the film was a contender for Favorite Movie, Zoe Saldana was nominated for Favorite Breakout Movie Actress, and both Pine and Quinto were nominated for Favorite Breakout Movie Actor.{{cite web |url=http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=2010 |title=38 Years. Hundreds of Memories |website=People's Choice Awards |access-date=January 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309165540/http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/index.jsp?year=2010 |archive-date=March 9, 2012}} On June 15, 2009, the film was nominated for five Teen Choice Awards.{{cite web |url=http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Nominations-Posted-For-2009-Teen-Choice-Awards-18151.html |title=Nominations Posted For 2009 Teen Choice Awards |first=Kelly |last=West |work=Cinema Blend |date=June 15, 2009 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |archive-date=March 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329111713/http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Nominations-Posted-For-2009-Teen-Choice-Awards-18151.html |url-status=live }} In addition, Star Trek was nominated for five Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards and was named one of the top-ten films of 2009 by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.{{cite web|url=https://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/15th-annual-critics-choice-movie-awards-2010-best-picture-the-hurt-locker/|title=15th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (2010)|website=Critics Choice Association|access-date=August 15, 2021|archive-date=April 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408185203/http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/15th-annual-critics-choice-movie-awards-2010-best-picture-the-hurt-locker/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.nbrmp.org/awards/2009NBRAwardsAnnounced.cfm |title=Up In the Air named 2009's Best Film by the National Board Review |website=National Board of Review of Motion Pictures |date=December 3, 2009 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218162323/http://www.nbrmp.org/awards/2009NBRAwardsAnnounced.cfm |archive-date=December 18, 2011 }}

{{main|Star Trek Into Darkness{{!}}Star Trek Into Darkness|Star Trek Beyond{{!}}Star Trek Beyond}}

The film's major cast members signed on for two sequels as part of their original deals. Abrams and Bryan Burk signed to produce and Abrams signed to direct the first sequel.{{cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1668054/j-j-abrams-star-trek-2/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217131259/http://www.mtv.com/news/1668054/j-j-abrams-star-trek-2/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 17, 2014|title='Star Trek 2' Close To Locking in J.J. Abrams|first=Terri |last=Schwartz|website=MTV (Viacom)|date=July 27, 2011|access-date=August 15, 2021}}{{cite web |first=Claude |last=Brodesser-Akner |date=September 13, 2011 |url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/09/star_trek_2_jj_abrams.html |title=J.J. Abrams Officially Commits to Directing Star Trek 2 |work=New York |access-date=August 15, 2021}} The sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness,{{cite magazine |last=Vary |first=Adam |title='Star Trek' sequel gets a title |url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/09/10/star-trek-into-the-darkness-sequel-title/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=September 13, 2012 |date=September 10, 2012 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044010/https://ew.com/article/2012/09/10/star-trek-into-the-darkness-sequel-title/ |url-status=live }} starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan Noonien Singh, was released on May 15, 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/paramount-moves-star-trek-sequel-back-11-months-2013-33059 |title=Paramount Moves 'Star Trek' 3D Sequel Back 11 Months to 2013 |first=Joshua L. |last=Weinstein |date=November 23, 2011 |website=TheWrap |access-date=June 5, 2012 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044105/https://www.thewrap.com/paramount-moves-star-trek-sequel-back-11-months-2013-33059/ |url-status=live }}

A third film, Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin and starring Idris Elba as the main antagonist,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/17/star-trek-beyond-idris-elbas-krall-new-look-tv-spot |title=Star Trek Beyond: Idris Elba's Krall villain gets new look in TV spot |first=Nick |last=Romano |date=July 17, 2016 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=September 9, 2019 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044037/https://ew.com/article/2016/07/17/star-trek-beyond-idris-elbas-krall-new-look-tv-spot/ |url-status=live }} was released on July 22, 2016, to positive reviews. In July 2016, Abrams confirmed plans for a fourth film, and stated that Chris Hemsworth would return as Kirk's father. Most of the cast and producers of Beyond have also agreed to return; however, Abrams stated Anton Yelchin's role would not be recast following his death.{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/4414409/star-trek-will-not-recast-yelchin-character-chekov/ |title=J.J. Abrams Won't Recast Chekov Role in 'Star Trek' Series |first=Amanda |last=Calvo |date=July 20, 2016 |magazine=TIME |access-date=September 9, 2019 |archive-date=November 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118044011/https://time.com/4414409/star-trek-will-not-recast-yelchin-character-chekov/ |url-status=live }}

A Star Trek prequel film to the 2009 film has been announced on more than one occasion, then dropped. At one point, Lindsay Anderson Beer was attached to write a script, before the project faded away. In November 2023, actor Chris Pine told an interviewer that he was unaware of any further updates. In January 2024, Paramount released a new announcement regarding a possible prequel, saying that director Toby Haynes and scriptwriter Seth Grahame-Smith had been attached to the project.{{cite web |title=Star Trek Universe Is Expanding With New "Origin" Movie; Andor's Toby Haynes Set to Direct|work=MovieWeb |first=Anthony |last=Lund |date=January 10, 2024 |url=https://movieweb.com/star-trek-origin-movie-andor-director-seth-grahame-smith-writing/ |access-date=January 11, 2024}}

• Star Trek film series

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1611063/20090511/story.jhtml |title='Star Trek' Sequel Will Deal With 'Unpredictable Future' |last=Carroll |first=Larry |date=May 11, 2009 |website=MTV |access-date=March 13, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091227080806/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1611063/20090511/story.jhtml |archive-date=December 27, 2009}}

{{cite news |url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1611523/story.jhtml |title='Star Trek' Director Open To Sequel With William Shatner Or Khan |first=Larry |last=Carroll |date=May 15, 2009 |website=MTV |access-date=May 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207191237/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1611523/story.jhtml |archive-date=December 7, 2009}}

{{cite news |url=http://trekmovie.com/2008/06/04/paramount-already-thinking-about-sequel-to-abrams-star-trek |title=Paramount Already Thinking About Sequel To Abrams Star Trek |first=Anthony |last=Pascale |date=June 4, 2008 |website=TrekMovie |access-date=June 5, 2008 |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905124625/http://trekmovie.com/2008/06/04/paramount-already-thinking-about-sequel-to-abrams-star-trek/ |url-status=live }}

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Category:2000s American films

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s films about time travel

Category:2000s science fiction adventure films

Category:American science fiction action films

Category:American science fiction adventure films

Category:American films about revenge

Category:Bad Robot Productions films

Category:English-language science fiction action films

Category:English-language science fiction adventure films

Category:Fiction about black holes

Category:Fiction about supernovae

Category:Films about interracial romance

Category:Films about parallel universes

Category:Films directed by J. J. Abrams

Category:Films produced by Damon Lindelof

Category:Films produced by J. J. Abrams

Category:Films scored by Michael Giacchino

Category:Films set in Iowa

Category:Films set in San Francisco

Category:Films set in the 23rd century

Category:Films set in the 24th century

Category:Films shot in California

Category:Films shot in Los Angeles

Category:Films shot in Utah

Category:Films that won the Academy Award for Best Makeup

Category:Films with screenplays by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci

Category:IMAX films

Category:Paramount Pictures films

Category:Reboot films

Category:Satellite Award–winning films

Category:Saturn Award–winning films

Category:Spyglass Entertainment films

Category:Star Trek (film franchise)

Category:Titan (moon) in film