Star Trek watch order
Star Trek movies in order, release and chronological. Updated October 20, 2026.
Star Trek has no single order that suits everyone. The easiest start is The Next Generation (1987) or Strange New Worlds (2022); purists start with The Original Series (1966). Star Trek (2009) begins the separate Kelvin timeline, a self-contained trilogy you can watch at any point.
How to watch the Star Trek movies in order: the full guide
All 26 films and series in the Star Trek franchise, in release order and in chronological (story) order. The first in release order is Star Trek: The Original Series (1966); the first in chronological order is Star Trek: Enterprise (set in 2151–2161).
Release order
- Star Trek: The Original Series (Series, 1966): Kirk, Spock and McCoy: the 1966 original.
- Star Trek: The Animated Series (Series, 1973): An animated continuation of the original crew; optional.
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Movie, 1979): The original crew's first film.
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Movie, 1982): Khan returns from a Season 1 episode; often called the best Star Trek film.
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (Movie, 1984): Picks up right after The Wrath of Khan.
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Movie, 1986): Completes the Khan trilogy, with whales and 1986 San Francisco.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (Series, 1987): Picard's Enterprise, a century after Kirk; the most popular entry point.
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Movie, 1989): The weakest original-crew film; optional.
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Movie, 1991): The original crew's farewell.
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Series, 1993): Set on a space station, with the franchise's longest war arc.
- Star Trek Generations (Movie, 1994): Kirk and Picard meet; passes the torch to the Next Generation crew.
- Star Trek: Voyager (Series, 1995): A ship stranded across the galaxy; runs alongside Deep Space Nine.
- Star Trek: First Contact (Movie, 1996): The Borg; the best Next Generation film.
- Star Trek: Insurrection (Movie, 1998): A lighter Next Generation film.
- Star Trek: Enterprise (Series, 2001): The earliest era: Earth's first deep-space starship, a century before Kirk.
- Star Trek: Nemesis (Movie, 2002): The Next Generation crew's last film; leads into Picard.
- Star Trek (Movie, 2009): J.J. Abrams' reboot creates the separate Kelvin timeline.
- Star Trek Into Darkness (Movie, 2013): The Kelvin crew meets their Khan.
- Star Trek Beyond (Movie, 2016): The Kelvin trilogy's last film so far.
- Star Trek: Discovery (Series, 2017): Starts ten years before Kirk, then jumps 900 years into the future.
- Star Trek: Picard (Series, 2020): Picard 20 years after Nemesis; best after The Next Generation.
- Star Trek: Lower Decks (Series, 2020): An animated comedy after Nemesis; optional.
- Star Trek: Prodigy (Series, 2021): An animated series for younger viewers; optional.
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Series, 2022): Captain Pike's Enterprise; an easy, episodic place to start.
- Star Trek: Section 31 (Movie, 2025): A streaming spy film; optional.
- Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Series, 2026): Cadets in the 32nd century, after Discovery.
Chronological order
- Star Trek: Enterprise (set in 2151–2161): The earliest era: Earth's first deep-space starship, a century before Kirk.
- Star Trek: Discovery (set in 2256 & 3188): Starts ten years before Kirk, then jumps 900 years into the future.
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (set in 2259 onward): Captain Pike's Enterprise; an easy, episodic place to start.
- Star Trek: The Original Series (set in 2265–2269): Kirk, Spock and McCoy: the 1966 original.
- Star Trek: The Animated Series (set in 2269–2270): An animated continuation of the original crew; optional.
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (set in 2273): The original crew's first film.
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (set in 2285): Khan returns from a Season 1 episode; often called the best Star Trek film.
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (set in 2285): Picks up right after The Wrath of Khan.
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (set in 2286): Completes the Khan trilogy, with whales and 1986 San Francisco.
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (set in 2287): The weakest original-crew film; optional.
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (set in 2293): The original crew's farewell.
- Star Trek: Section 31 (set in 24th century): A streaming spy film; optional.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation (set in 2364–2370): Picard's Enterprise, a century after Kirk; the most popular entry point.
- Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (set in 2369–2375): Set on a space station, with the franchise's longest war arc.
- Star Trek Generations (set in 2293 & 2371): Kirk and Picard meet; passes the torch to the Next Generation crew.
- Star Trek: Voyager (set in 2371–2378): A ship stranded across the galaxy; runs alongside Deep Space Nine.
- Star Trek: First Contact (set in 2373): The Borg; the best Next Generation film.
- Star Trek: Insurrection (set in 2375): A lighter Next Generation film.
- Star Trek: Nemesis (set in 2379): The Next Generation crew's last film; leads into Picard.
- Star Trek: Lower Decks (set in 2380 onward): An animated comedy after Nemesis; optional.
- Star Trek: Prodigy (set in 2383 onward): An animated series for younger viewers; optional.
- Star Trek: Picard (set in 2399–2402): Picard 20 years after Nemesis; best after The Next Generation.
- Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (set in 32nd century): Cadets in the 32nd century, after Discovery.
- Star Trek (set in 2233 & 2258): J.J. Abrams' reboot creates the separate Kelvin timeline.
- Star Trek Into Darkness (set in 2259): The Kelvin crew meets their Khan.
- Star Trek Beyond (set in 2263): The Kelvin trilogy's last film so far.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Star Trek movies in?
Star Trek has no single order that suits everyone. The easiest start is The Next Generation (1987) or Strange New Worlds (2022); purists start with The Original Series (1966). Star Trek (2009) begins the separate Kelvin timeline, a self-contained trilogy you can watch at any point.
How many Star Trek movies and shows are there?
There are 26 titles in the Star Trek franchise: 14 films and 12 series, released from 1966 to 2026.
How long does it take to watch all the Star Trek movies?
About 735 hours for all 26 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (21 titles) take about 685 hours.
What is the first Star Trek title in chronological order?
Star Trek: Enterprise, set in 2151–2161. In release order the first is Star Trek: The Original Series (1966).
Which Star Trek titles can I skip?
Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek: Section 31, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Star Trek: Prodigy. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.