History of Star Trek in Timeline
Star Trek is a science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, starting with the original series and expanding into films, television series, games, novels, and comics. It has become a global pop-culture phenomenon and one of the highest-grossing media franchises. The franchise explores themes of space exploration, diplomacy, and the human condition while depicting a hopeful future of interspecies cooperation and technological advancement.
1952: Viacom Established
In 1952, Viacom was established as a division of CBS, responsible for syndicating the network's in-house productions under the name CBS Films.
1956: Inspiration from Forbidden Planet
In 1956, the film 'Forbidden Planet' inspired Gene Roddenberry in creating Star Trek, influencing the science fiction themes and concepts of the series.
September 8, 1966: Star Trek Debuts in the United States
On September 8, 1966, Star Trek: The Original Series debuted in the United States on NBC, introducing American audiences to the voyages of the USS Enterprise crew.
1966: Acquisition of Desilu by Gulf+Western
In 1966, Gulf+Western acquired Desilu Studios and reorganized it as the television production division of Paramount Pictures.
1967: Hugo Award Nominations
In 1967, three of the five nominees for a Hugo Award were individual episodes of Star Trek, one of which won the award.
1968: Hugo Award Nominations
In 1968, all five nominees for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation were individual episodes of Star Trek.
1969: Star Trek Reruns Begin Syndication
In late 1969, reruns of Star Trek: The Original Series began in broadcast syndication, helping to recoup production losses after its cancellation.
1970: Paramount offers share of Star Trek to Roddenberry
Sometime in 1970, Paramount offered its share of Star Trek to Gene Roddenberry for $150,000, but he could not raise the funds.
1972: First Star Trek Convention Held
On January 21-23, 1972, the first Star Trek convention occurred in New York City, attracting thousands of fans and highlighting the series' growing popularity.
May 1975: Development of Star Trek: Phase II Begins
In May 1975, Paramount Pictures and Gene Roddenberry began developing a new series, Star Trek: Phase II, in response to the franchise's growing popularity, indicating plans to revive the series.
1976: Star Trek Described as Most Popular Series in the World
By 1976, the cast of Star Trek described the series as "the most popular series in the world" due to its growing cult following and widespread syndication.
December 7, 1979: Star Trek: The Motion Picture Opens in North America
On December 7, 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture premiered in North America, marking the franchise's return as a feature film after the original series.
1979: First Star Trek Feature Film Released
In 1979, Paramount released the first Star Trek feature film, starring the original cast, marking the beginning of the franchise's presence on the big screen.
1983: Star Trek as a Media Franchise
In 1983, Paramount recognized Star Trek as a multi-media franchise, expanding its reach through books via Simon & Schuster, and video games through Sega.
1986: Rights Return to Paramount and Roddenberry
Sometime before 1986, NBC's remaining broadcast and distribution rights eventually returned to Paramount and Roddenberry, coinciding with the development of what would become The Next Generation.
1986: Sumner Redstone Acquires Viacom Stake
Sometime before 1986, Sumner Redstone acquired a controlling stake of Viacom through his family's theater chain, National Amusements.
1987: Star Trek: The Next Generation Brought to Television
In 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation brought the franchise back to television, set a century after the original series, revitalizing the franchise on the small screen.
1987: Peabody Award for "The Big Goodbye"
In 1987, the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Big Goodbye" received a Peabody Award in recognition of setting a "new standard of quality for first-run syndication". Costume designer William Ware Theiss also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Series for this episode.
1989: Gulf+Western Renamed Paramount Communications
In 1989, Gulf+Western sold its remaining industrial assets and renamed itself Paramount Communications.
October 24, 1991: Gene Roddenberry Dies
On October 24, 1991, Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, passed away, leading to Rick Berman taking over creative control of the franchise.
1991: Six Star Trek Films Produced Featuring Original Cast
By 1991, Paramount had produced six Star Trek feature films, each featuring the Original Series cast, solidifying the franchise's presence in cinema.
1993: Hugo Award Won
In 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation won a Hugo Award.
1994: Viacom and Paramount Communications Merger
In 1994, Viacom and Paramount Communications merged.
1994: First Next Generation-Based Feature Film Released
In 1994, the first of the four Next Generation-based feature films was released, contributing to the peak of Star Trek production in the mid-1990s.
January 1995: Star Trek: Voyager Released
In January 1995, Paramount released the fourth television series, 'Star Trek: Voyager', a few months after the end of 'The Next Generation', adding to the Star Trek television presence.
1995: Hugo Award Won
In 1995, Star Trek: The Next Generation won a Hugo Award.
1996: Second Next Generation-Based Feature Films Released
In 1996, the second of the four Next Generation-based feature films was released, contributing to the peak of Star Trek production in the mid-1990s.
1998: Third Next Generation-Based Feature Film Released
In 1998, the third of the four Next Generation-based feature films was released, contributing to the peak of Star Trek production in the mid-1990s.
1999: Viacom and CBS Corporation Merger
In 1999, Viacom merged with its former parent company, CBS Corporation.
2002: Nemesis' Poor Box Office Performance
In 2002, the poor box office performance of the film 'Nemesis' cast uncertainty on the future of the Star Trek franchise, leading to changes in its creative direction.
May 13, 2005: Enterprise Final Episode Aired
On May 13, 2005, 'Enterprise' aired its final episode, marking the end of an eighteen-year continuous run of Star Trek programming on television.
2005: Redstone Increased Stake
Between 1999 and 2005, National Amusements and the Redstone family increased their stake in the combined Viacom/CBS company.
2005: Viacom Retains Film Library
In 2005, Viacom retained the feature film library and exclusive rights to produce new Star Trek feature films for a limited time. Viacom also retained home video distribution rights for TV series produced before 2005.
2005: Viacom Reorganization and Split of Star Trek Rights
In 2005, the Redstone family reorganized Viacom, spinning off assets into two independent groups: the new Viacom and CBS Corporation. Star Trek's rights were split between the two, with CBS holding copyrights, trademarks, production assets, and the right to license Star Trek to merchandisers and publishers.
2007: Paramount Hires New Creative Team
In 2007, Paramount hired a new creative team to reinvigorate the Star Trek franchise on the big screen, signaling a shift in the franchise's direction.
2008: Hugo Award Nomination
In 2008, an episode of the fan-made series Star Trek: Phase II received a Hugo Award nomination.
May 2009: Star Trek Film Released
In May 2009, the eleventh Star Trek film, 'Star Trek', was released, featuring a new cast and an alternate timeline, revitalizing the film series.
2009: Star Trek Film Reboot
In 2009, the Star Trek film franchise underwent a reboot, establishing an alternate continuity known as the Kelvin timeline, revitalizing the film series.
2013: Star Trek Into Darkness Premiered
In the spring of 2013, 'Star Trek Into Darkness' premiered as a sequel, becoming the most successful film in the franchise internationally in terms of box office receipts.
July 22, 2016: Star Trek Beyond Released
On July 22, 2016, 'Star Trek Beyond' was released, facing pre-production challenges and script rewrites, and ultimately disappointing at the box office despite positive reviews.
2016: Guinness World Record
In 2016, the Star Trek franchise was listed in the Guinness World Records as the most successful science fiction television franchise in the world.
2017: Star Trek Returns to Television on Digital Platforms
In 2017, Star Trek made a return to television through digital platforms, with series like 'Discovery' premiering and expanding the Star Trek universe.
August 13, 2019: CBS and Viacom Merger Agreement
On August 13, 2019, the boards of directors of CBS and Viacom reached an agreement to reunite the conglomerates as a single entity called ViacomCBS.
October 28, 2019: National Amusements Approves Merger
On October 28, 2019, National Amusements' board of directors approved the merger between CBS and Viacom.
February 16, 2022: ViacomCBS Renamed Paramount Global
On February 16, 2022, ViacomCBS was renamed Paramount Global.
July 7, 2024: Paramount Global Approves Merger with Skydance Media
On July 7, 2024, Paramount Global's board approved a deal to merge with Skydance Media, with the resulting company initially referred to as "New Paramount".
2024: Inflation Equivalent
In 2024, the $150,000 offered to Roddenberry in 1970 is equivalent to $1,214,524.
2024: Peabody Institutional Award
In 2024, the entire Star Trek franchise was awarded the Peabody Institutional Award for its enduring body of work and lasting impact on media and society at large.
August 7, 2025: Merger with Skydance Completed
After delays, the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media was completed on August 7, 2025. The merged company was named "Paramount, A Skydance Corporation", but commonly referred to as "Paramount Skydance".
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