Ever sinceBatman Beginshit theaters in 2005, reboots have become a very popular trend in Hollywood. Unlike a remake, a reboot allows a series to shed years of continuity and make new a jumping-on point for audiences. While legacy sequels have seemingly become the new hot-ticket item for relaunching franchises,reboots are still going strong. James Bond, Spider-Man, Michael Myers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, Robin Hood, King Arthur, and many more have been rebooted to mixed results.
Yet when it comes to reboots of long-running popular franchises, one of the best might be J.J. Abrams’sStar Trek. Released on June 10, 2025,Star Trekwas the shot in the arm the franchise needed after over 40 years of continuity, seemingly making it unapproachable to a mainstream audience. The franchise went from having the lowest-grossing opening in the franchise withStar Trek: NemesistoStar Trek, giving the series its best opening weekend.Star Trekreceived critical acclaim, was a box office hit, and relaunched a new era for the series. Fifteen years later,Star Trekstands out as a marvel of what a reboot can be.
Here is why J.J. Abrams’sStar Trek is stillthe best franchise reboot.
5Defied Convention by Not Going Realistic
One element that often gets overlooked is howStar Trekbroke the mold regarding reboots. In the four years followingBatman Begins, reboots became linked to terms like “dark,” “gritty,” and “realistic.“Batman BeginsandCasino Royalepopularized this trend, as both movies took franchises known for having inherent silliness and stripped away those elements to make the material fit into a post-9/11 world. The team behindStar Trekdecided instead to truly stick to the spirit ofStar Trek,one of a bright, optimistic future. Instead of reimagingStar Trek, it looked to visualize it with the budget and scope the original series could only dream of.
Dare to Hope
While other franchises tried to make themselves realistic,Star Trekembraced colorful aliensand bright costumes while not becoming too self-aware and mocking them. It takes itself seriously but knows its drama comes from characters, not surface-level aesthetic choices. EvenStar Trek’s excessive lens flares serve a thematic purpose. They show how hopeful the future ofStar Trekis. The future is so bright it shines through every frame.At a time when blockbusters focused on grim reality,Star Trekprovided both escapism and a look at a better tomorrow.
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4Updated the Franchise While Staying True to What Fans Loved
Star Trekwalks a fine line between updating the franchise for a new generation and maintaining what original fans loved about the series. This is partially done through a creative team of people with varying degrees of familiarity with the franchise so it can be accessible to someone who has never seenStar Trekor identifies as a Trekker.
While it is filled with Easter eggs, these are rewards for hardcoreStar Trekfans organically woven into the narrative as just standard sci-fi world-building for audiences less familiar. While some more hardcoreStar Trekfans criticized the movie’s pacing, saying it favored action adventure over the more philosophical questions the franchise had generally tackled, the movie looked to restore the swashbuckling nature of the franchise that was prevalent inThe Original Series, but later entries moved away from.
It Can Be Enjoyed By Old and New Fans Alike
Every creative decision is rooted in how to makeStar Trekaccessible to an audience that might not be familiar with it.Star Trekkept the parts general audiences expected, like theEnterpriseor the classic yellow, red, and blue shirts, but slightly tweaked them to make them appear more cinematic and modern for what a 2009 audience would think the future looks like.
Before the J.J. Abrams reboot,Star Trekhad gained a reputation as a dense and less new viewer-friendly franchise, as opposed toStar Wars, which was for everyone. As eye-rolling as it might sound, there is no denying thatStar Trekmade the franchise “cool” for new viewers and allowed them to see the potential in the series. Now, a whole new generation of fans exists becauseStar Trekopened their eyes to what the franchise was.
3The Script Has a Genius Hook
One ofStar Trek’s best elements is its strong script and the clever mid-point twist. On the surface,Star Trekappears as a prequel featuring younger versions of the characters seen inStar Trek: The Original Series.It shows traditional moments fans expect from a prequel to popular television shows, like characters meeting for the first time and how they get to their iconic status fans knew from the television series.
However,Star Trekreveals that the movie’s storyline is an alternate reality to the mainStar Trekfilm series, a rebooted timeline that only exists because of actions caused by the original Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy.This puts 2009’sStar Trekin the unique position of being a prequel, a reboot, and a sequel at the same time.
The Future Becomes Limitless
The decision to makeStar Treka prequel/reboot on its own was nothing new, but the idea of integrating it as part of the broaderStar Trekcanon was a stroke of genius and one of the cleverest bits of franchise screenwriting ever. This way,Star Trekfans don’t feel like the movie is throwing out years of continuity, but it still makes for a new, clean entry point.
Even the idea of setting the newStar Trekfilms in an alternate timeline, later dubbed the Kelvin Timeline, is another case of bringingStar Trekback to its roots, as the franchise has explored multiple realities before inThe Original Series(TOS). The difference is thatTOSwould always go back to the main crew, whileStar Trekpicks up andfollows the events of the new alternate timeline while the original continuity remains intact. It is the best of both worlds.
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2A Perfect Cast
Star Trekhad one of the most rigorous casting processes, which even sawfuture superstars Sebastian Stanand James McAvoyin the running for lead roles. There was a lot of pressure as the original crew of the Starship Enterprise had been beloved for so long and played by the same core group of actors for nearly 40 years. Yet the final cast ofStar Trek,which makes up the seven most iconic main crew members, not only perfectly rises to the task but also walks a fine line between honoring what came before them and putting their own spin on the material.
Chris Pine’s Kirk captures the swagger fans love about the character but gives him a harder edge, whileZachary Quinto’s Spock is younger and less experiencedbut perfectly captures the familiar mannerisms. Zoe Saldana’s Uhura helps redefine the character, while Karl Urban perfectly captures the finer points of DeForsest Kelly’s Leonard “Bones” McCoy and steals nearly every scene he is in. Anton Yelchin, John Cho, and Simon Pegg round out the cast, and each gives Chevok, Sulu, and Scotty, respectively, their big moments to shine that later expand in the sequels.
This isn’t even getting into the incredible supporting cast that includes Eric Bana as Nero, Bruce Greenwood’s commanding yet fatherly Captain Pike, or even minor roles sprinkled throughout for stars like Jennifer Morrison, Winona Ryder, and even a pre-MCU Chris Hemsworth.
Star Trek’s decision to recast iconic characters played by beloved franchise favorites now appears novel in an age of continued legacy sequels. Unlike theatre, roles that originate in film often tend to get locked into an actor.Star Wars,Star Trek’s biggest competitor, appears afraid to recast roles like Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia. Instead of moving on and introducing new characters, they are using CGI deepfakes to bring them back to the image fans had years ago.
EvenStar Trekis not immune from this, asthe recent “Unification” short digitally de-aged William Shatnerand used a CGI animated face double of Leonard Nimoy to allow Kirk and Spock to have one final moment together.
This all feels incredibly cynical. If nobody will ever be able to do it as well, why bother trying? Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew of the U.S.S.Enterpriseare some of the most iconic characters in fiction, and the fact that they were able to recast them so well allowed these talented actors to put their spin on them. If the producers ofStar Trekhad the wrong mindset in 2009, fans wouldn’t have Chris Pine’s Kirk or Zachary Quinto’s Spock.Star Trekis the best argument that there is always potential in recasting a role, no matter how iconic.
1Everyone Brings Their A-Game
Star Trek’s cast and script have already been highlighted, but it truly is remarkable how much of the movie comes together. Everyone is delivering their A-game, as they clearly understand the legacy ofStar Trekand what a big deal it’s been for previous generations.Star Trekis easily J.J. Abrams’s best-directed film, as it has an incredible propulsive energy that feels like the best kind of summer blockbuster, one that balances spectacle with great characters.
Abrams' long-time cinematographer, Dan Mindel, gives the film a kinetic camera that pans and moves like the franchise had never seen before. Editors Mary Jo Markey and Maryann Brandon giveStar Trekthe same rhythm and energy that editors Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas, and Richard Chew gaveStar Warsback in 1977. Michael Giacchino’s score is one of his best, with his track “Star Trek” creating a soft new leitmotif for the franchise while “Enterprising Young Man” captures the scope and majesty of not just the Enterprise butStar Trekas a franchise. To use an old catchphrase to signify champions, everyone who worked on Star Trek"ate their Wheaties.”
Star Trek’s Creative Decisions Paid Off
With all the ingredients in place, it is no wonderStar Trekwas a hit with critics and audiences. It is the highest-rated film in the franchise on Rotten Tomatoes with 94% and an 82 on Metacritic.It became the highest-grossing film in the franchise, unadjusted for inflation, bringing in $257 million domestically and $385 million worldwide.
Due toStar Trekbeing a holdover from 2008, the film was a highlight in a summer movie season filled with tentpoles that were rushed into production during the writer’s strike, likeX-Men Origins: Wolverine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,andG.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.Star Trek, like Iron Man the summer before it, was popcorn blockbuster filmmaking at its finest with an emphasis on character and story while also dazzling audiences with the larger-than-life spectacle that reminded audiences of the best summer movies from years past, filled with joy and excitement. Even after all these years,Star Trekstands tall as one of the best franchise entries ever.
