Paramount is restoring the Director’s Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and giving the first movie of the popular sci-fi franchise the 4K Ultra HD treatment. In an official announcement on Twitter, the company also let fans know that the restored film will be available exclusively on Paramount+, as the streaming channel becomes the definitive home of the entire Star Trek franchise.
Directed by Robert Wise from a screenplay by Harold Livingston, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was initially released in theaters in 1979. In 2001, Wise oversaw a Director’s Cut version of the film, released on DVD with remastered sound and image. The upcoming Paramount+ release will offer the classic in the best image quality possible, and the fact it’s going to be an exclusive released on the streaming platform might give fans another good reason to subscribe. As stated in the original announcement, “the restoration is being undertaken by David C. Fein, Mike Matessino, and Daren R. Dochterman, all of whom worked previously with director Robert Wise.”
Star Trek is helping Paramount+ to fight the streaming wars with both the classic series and new productions. Besides holding the complete library of Star Trek series and films, Paramount+ is also the exclusive home of future seasons of the popular show Star Trek: Discovery. The new generation of Star Trek productions also counts with Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Star Trek: Prodigy is set to debut in the fall, while, next year, we’ll get the premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. There’s also a Starfleet Academy and a Section 31 series in production. Both Discovery and Picard are among the most-watched original series on Paramount+.
There’s still no release date for the 4K restoration of the director’s cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Check the announcement tweet below.