Star Trek’s 60th Anniversary: A New Era Of Exploration And Innovation

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The upcoming 60th anniversary of Star Trek in 2026 is already proving to be bigger than its 50th, largely due to the success of shows like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. While the 60th anniversary technically began on September 8, 2025 – marking 60 years since the debut of Star Trek: The Original Series – the franchise will officially celebrate throughout 2026.

In 2016, the Star Trek franchise was at a turning point. The year’s major event was the release of Star Trek Beyond, which marked the final film produced by J.J. Abrams with Chris Pine as Captain Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock.

While Star Trek Beyond didn’t earn as much money as the previous two Star Trek films, it kicked off a long and difficult development process for Star Trek 4. Eventually, Paramount Skydance decided to cancel the project in 2025.

By 2016, it had been 11 years since a new Star Trek television series had been made. After Star Trek: Enterprise ended in 2005, fans hadn’t seen a new show for over a decade, but that changed when Bryan Fuller announced he was developing a new Star Trek series, bringing hope to viewers.

Despite a change in leadership with Bryan Fuller departing due to creative differences, Star Trek: Discovery launched in 2017 and proved to be a hit. This success sparked a Star Trek revival on Paramount+, resulting in five additional TV shows and the first Star Trek movie created specifically for streaming, Star Trek: Section 31.

Star Trek’s 60th Anniversary In 2026 Is Better Than Its 50th In 2016

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Star Trek is thriving with new content on Paramount+. A new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, will debut on January 15, 2026. The first season of Starfleet Academy will feature 10 episodes and introduce a fresh group of characters who will become the next generation of Starfleet officers, shaping the future of Star Trek in the 32nd century.

The fourth season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set to premiere in 2026 and will be the show’s last, with a total of ten episodes. Continuing the tradition of bold storytelling from season 3 – which even included an episode featuring puppets – Strange New Worlds promises more unique adventures. As Star Trek celebrates its 60th anniversary, continuing the journeys of the Starship Enterprise feels more important than ever.

In 2026, fans can look forward to 20 new episodes of Star Trek and celebrations marking the show’s 60th anniversary across various platforms. The year will kick off with a Star Trek float in the Rose Bowl Parade on January 1st, featuring appearances by actors George Takei, Rebecca Romijn, Tig Notaro, and Karim Diané.

Fans of Star Trek have a lot to look forward to! LEGO released a model of the USS Enterprise-D in November 2025, with more Star Trekthemed LEGO sets planned for 2026. Collectors can also find new Star Trek action figures from The Nacelle Company. Beyond toys, Star Trek* is expanding its reach with a partnership for digital web comics on Webtoons and a collaboration with Do Something to promote environmental initiatives.

This year, Star Trek celebrates its 60th anniversary with both Star Trek: The Cruise and the STLV: Trek to Vegas convention. The convention will also commemorate the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Even though Star Trek: Picard concluded in 2023, and Star Trek: Discovery, Prodigy, and Lower Decks have all ended in 2024, there’s still plenty more Star Trek on the way. We can expect a total of 36 new episodes in 2026 and 2027, including the second season of Starfleet Academy and the fifth and final season of Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek Will Be Very Different In Its 70th Anniversary

The upcoming 60th anniversary of Star Trek has fans especially excited about potential announcements. A new Star Trek movie is currently in development with Paramount Skydance, directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. This film won’t be connected to any previous Star Trek series or movies. We might hear firm details about the 15th Star Trek film—the 14th to hit theaters—in 2026.

Things could look very different for Star Trek on Paramount+ starting in 2026. Alex Kurtzman and his production company, Secret Hideout, have been in charge of all the Star Trek shows on the streaming service since 2016, but their ten-year contract is ending. With Paramount Skydance now emphasizing that Star Trek is a key focus for them, the studio may choose a new path for the franchise going forward.

It’s hard to predict what Star Trek will be like in 2036 when it celebrates its 70th anniversary. Just ten years ago, in 2016, nobody would have expected the franchise to have six new streaming series and a streaming movie, especially with so many original actors and characters returning – even the whole cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Despite being around for 60 years, Star Trek remains incredibly popular, with fans of all ages. The upcoming anniversary will feature new episodes of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and will also give fans a preview of future plans, ensuring the show continues to thrive for years to come.

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2025-12-25 13:59