10 Times Star Trek Rewarded Audiences For Sticking With It
6. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan
Fans of the Original Series delighted in the knowledge that Star Trek was finally coming back when The Motion Picture was confirmed for theatres in 1979. There was a huge marketing campaign around the movie, including the first-ever McDonald's happy meal tie-in. When the film actually released, there was a schism in the crowds.
It was undoubtedly a beautiful film, with sweeping imagery, and stunning music. However, it was extremely philosophical, which audiences struggled to engage with, in the era of Star Wars. The film made a tidy sum, but the inflated budget slightly offset this. It was, however, enough for a sequel.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was the film that audiences had been waiting for. Not only is it considered one of the best sequels of all time, but it is also one of the best sci fi movies of the eighties. It is also a direct sequel to the episode Space Seed, with Ricardo Montalban returning as Khan Noonian Singh. There is a reason why Khan is often voted the number one villain of the Star Trek universe.
The ship-to-ship face-off between Kirk and Khan is a battle of the ages, working only as these two men know each other so well. The movie was a triumph, effectively guaranteeing a sequel.