Watch the Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies in release order: Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016). The 2009 film starts an alternate timeline with a younger Kirk and Spock, so no earlier Star Trek is needed.
- Titles
- 3
- Films
- 3
- Watch time
- 6 hours
- Box office
- $1.20 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 7.5
Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies in release order
Here is every Star Trek Kelvin Timeline title in the order it came out, 2009 to 2016: 3 films.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star Trek | 2009 | Film | 2h 7m | 7.9 |
| 2 | Star Trek Into Darkness | 2013 | Film | 2h 12m | 7.7 |
| 3 | Star Trek Beyond | 2016 | Film | 2h 2m | 7 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For Star Trek Kelvin Timeline, release order and story order are the same thing: every film picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Star Trek and go in release order.
The whole thing is 6 hours. At two hours a night that is about 4 evenings.
The three highest rated: Star Trek (7.9), Star Trek Into Darkness (7.7), and Star Trek Beyond (7).
Every Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2009 · Film · 2h 7m
Star Trek
The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk, is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock, a Vulcan, was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before. The human adventure has begun again.
Why it matters: J.J. Abrams' reboot creates the separate Kelvin timeline.
- Starring
- Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Leonard Nimoy
- Director
- J.J. Abrams
- Box office
- $387 million on a $150 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
No. 02 · 2013 · Film · 2h 12m
Star Trek Into Darkness
When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.
Why it matters: The Kelvin crew meets their Khan.
- Starring
- Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldaña
- Director
- J.J. Abrams
- Box office
- $467 million on a $190 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
No. 03 · 2016 · Film · 2h 2m
Star Trek Beyond
The USS Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.
Why it matters: The Kelvin trilogy's last film so far.
- Starring
- Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Karl Urban
- Director
- Justin Lin
- Box office
- $343 million on a $185 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 86%
Star Trek Kelvin Timeline box office and budgets
The 3 Star Trek Kelvin Timeline films with reported numbers have grossed $1.20 billion worldwide on about $525 million in combined budgets, roughly 2.3 times what they cost. The biggest is Star Trek Into Darkness at $467 million, 39% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Star Trek ($387 million) and Star Trek Beyond ($343 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Star Trek, which made 2.6 times its $150 million budget. The weakest was Star Trek Beyond at 1.9 times its $185 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies
Across 3 rated titles, Star Trek Kelvin Timeline averages 7.5 on IMDb. The top of the list is Star Trek at 7.9, then Star Trek Into Darkness (7.7) and Star Trek Beyond (7). At the bottom: Star Trek Beyond (7) and Star Trek Into Darkness (7.7).
- Star Trek7.9 · RT 94%
- Star Trek Into Darkness7.7 · RT 84%
- Star Trek Beyond7 · RT 86%
Who appears in the most Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies
Chris Pine leads with 3 appearances as Cadet James T. Kirk and Captain James T. Kirk, ahead of Zachary Quinto (3) and Karl Urban (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Pine | Cadet James T. Kirk / Captain James T. Kirk | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| Zachary Quinto | Commander Spock | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| Karl Urban | Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| Zoe Saldaña | Lieutenant Nyota Uhura | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| Simon Pegg | Lieutenant Commander Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| John Cho | Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| Anton Yelchin | Ensign Pavel Chekov | 3 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Beyond (2016) |
| Leonard Nimoy | Ambassador Spock | 2 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) |
| Bruce Greenwood | Captain Christopher Pike / Admiral Christopher Pike | 2 | Star Trek (2009) to Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) |
Star Trek Kelvin Timeline directors and creators
2 filmmakers have directed or created Star Trek Kelvin Timeline; J.J. Abrams has the most, with 2.
- J.J. AbramsStar Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
- Justin LinStar Trek Beyond (2016)
How long it takes to watch every Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movie
All 3 titles add up to 6 hours. That is about 4 two-hour evenings, or 1 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is Star Trek Into Darkness at 2h 12m.
The 3 best rated films: Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond.
Everything takes about 7 days.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies in?
Watch the Kelvin timeline Star Trek movies in release order: Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016). The 2009 film starts an alternate timeline with a younger Kirk and Spock, so no earlier Star Trek is needed.
How many Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies and shows are there?
There are 3 titles in the Star Trek Kelvin Timeline franchise: 3 films and 0 series, released from 2009 to 2016.
How long does it take to watch all the Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies?
About 6 hours for all 3 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Star Trek Kelvin Timeline title in chronological order?
Star Trek, set in 2233 & 2258. In release order the first is Star Trek (2009).
What is the best Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movie?
By IMDb score, Star Trek (2009) at 7.9, followed by Star Trek Into Darkness at 7.7.
What is the highest-grossing Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movie?
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), with $467 million worldwide. Star Trek Kelvin Timeline films have made $1.20 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies?
Chris Pine, in 3 of them as Cadet James T. Kirk.
What is the longest Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movie?
Star Trek Into Darkness, at 2h 12m.
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