William Shatner is forever connected to the success of Star Trek. He became famous as Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series, helping turn it into a cultural touchstone for a generation. He continued playing Kirk in seven movies, even directed one (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier), and wrote several books about Trek, including his memoirs. He’s also been a longtime, vocal supporter of the franchise. Throughout the years, Star Trek has been canceled and revived many times, but there was a point when Shatner himself thought the show was finished for good.
After ten years of dedicated fans pushing for more, including conventions and a cancelled attempt at a new TV series, the iconic starship Enterprise made its long-awaited return in 1979 with Star Trek: The Motion Picture, directed by Robert Wise. Despite the excitement, William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, actually believed the movie was so poor it would end the entire franchise.
Why William Shatner Thought The Motion Picture Would Be the End of Star Trek
In his 1994 memoir, Star Trek Movie Memories, William Shatner wrote about watching the finished film at its Washington, D.C. premiere and immediately disliking it. He felt the movie was slow-paced, the special effects were overdone, and the fun, energetic spirit of the original series – including the quick dialogue and adventurous space battles – had been lost in lengthy, drawn-out shots of the updated Enterprise. Shatner says his first thought was that they had tried their best, but it hadn’t worked, and a sequel was unlikely.
It seems William Shatner didn’t like the movie even before it came out. During filming, he also complained about the costumes. The new Starfleet uniforms, designed by Robert Fletcher, were a big change from the bright colors of the original series. Instead, they were drab beige jumpsuits. Shatner famously described them as unattractive, tight-fitting, and pale, joking that the uniforms made it difficult – and risky – for the male actors to sit down.
He correctly predicted the uniforms would be changed for Wrath of Khan, but he misjudged the film’s success. Although it wasn’t a massive hit – earning $139 million worldwide on a $44 million budget – it was still important for Paramount and paved the way for the long and successful Star Trek franchise. As Shater later joked, “I clearly didn’t know what I was talking about!”
Although many found The Motion Picture slow-paced, William Shatner’s worry likely stemmed from the enormous expectations surrounding the film, rather than its actual quality. Everyone involved needed to prove that Star Trek could successfully transition from a weekly television show to a major movie franchise. Despite mixed reviews, the film attracted audiences, and just three years later, The Wrath of Khan demonstrated that the series still had a lot of potential.
Okay, so I’ve been seeing a lot of talk about the uniforms in The Mandalorian prequels, and honestly? I’m not a fan of the designs. What do you think? Let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum – come share your opinions!
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2026-03-01 23:12