There were ten before it – but the eleventh Star Trek movie hopes to go boldly where no Star Trek movie has gone before, to box office success.
Helping reboot the Star Trek legend is New Zealand actor Karl Urban – in his biggest Hollywood role to date.
He and his co-stars spoke to entertainment reporter Kate Rodger.
The Star Trek theme tune is recognised by millions and can stir hearts the world over,
This multi-billion dollar franchise first hit black and white TV screens in 1966 and has sinced spawned its owned species of Trekkie – you are either a Trekkie or you are not – and its iconic vernacular has infiltrated every day conversation.
Its original stars are still worshipped by fans – William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy rulers of all they survey.
Star Trek's previous 10 movies have had varying levels of success.
Now JJ Abrams, director of Lost and Mission Impossible 3, has another such mission to make Star Trek cool again.
He got off to a pretty good start – he cast a Kiwi in it.
Karl Urban plays the Real McCoy “Bones” and is in Auckland with John Cho who plays Mr Sulu.
Also in Auckland are Chris Pine, Captain Kirk, and Heroes star Zachary Quinto who plays Mr Spock.
Both the new Spock and Kirk know the pressure they are under.
“The greatness of the series, its got fans, entered the cultural zeitgeist – God that is a good word, I love that word,” says Pine.
And the original Captain was clearly a big inspiration.
“I don’t know, for whatever reason there were little things. I would sound like a mom, but things struck me, how he stood, walked around the deck of the ship – that resonated with me.”
Heroes star Quinto got to star alongside Leonard Nimoy and embraced his new Vulcan look.
“I certainly sported the Spock haircut when I was young. I had the full bowl on the head. I was, like, 14 – that’s awful,” he says.
So ho did hometown boy Urban get mixed up with this crowd.
Hard to say, but the bonhomie on this Starship Enterprise was obvious.
Pine claims Urban’s eyebrow raise is the best in the business and Cho agrees.
They often get him to recreate it on demand.
This new Star Trek looks every inch a $270 million movie. ILM, the magicians behind the Star Wars franchise were on hand to turn the Star Trek universe into reality.
And Abrams inspired his cast.
“He reminded me of Peter Jackson,” says Urban.
“Few directors can reduce grand scale down to human beat, human emotion.”
Fans hungry for more won’t have too long to wait after sinking their teeth into this one.
Paramount is so confident with the re-boot, they have already given the green light to the sequel.
Star Trek opens here May 7.