Paula Hammond - Features EditorWith Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy both harking back to Star Trek’s golden age, and looking forward to more brave, new adventures, it seems a great time to revisit the show that started it all: Star Trek, The Original Series
Running from 1966-1969, TOS, as it’s affectionately known wasn’t a huge success when it originally aired. The show struggled to find its audience, and once it was moved to the ‘Friday Night Death Slot’ its days seemed numbered. Yet, two unexpected things happened. The show no-one knew what to do with suddenly became a huge hit in syndication. And, once Star Wars was released, Paramount executives realized that science fiction was no longer a niche market, but a massive cash cow.
Rather than invest in a new series, with unknown actors, the decision was made to finance a movie. Ten years after it was cancelled, Star Trek: The Motion Picture proved what the fans already knew. Star Trek was top tier sci-fi.
By the time that Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home hit the big screens, the chemistry between the original cast members was working like a well-oiled machine. Star Trek IV was, in fact, everything the fans loved: combining warmth, humour, and social messaging. No wonder, then, it was such a huge hit.
Titan’s latest volume, pays homage to that seminal film with one of those lush coffee table books that Titan do so well.
Featuring new and exclusive interviews, rarely seen production art, and behind-the-scenes images, Star Trek IV The Voyage Home: The Making of the Classic Film is an absolute smorgasbord of Trek facts, figures and fun.
This definitive companion takes fans deep into the heart of the 1986 production that brought humpback whales to the final frontier.
Packed with exclusive interviews, rare photographs, and untold stories from cast and crew, this book reveals how director, Leonard Nimoy, and the creative team crafted a legendary time-travel adventure.
From the challenges of shooting on location in San Francisco, to groundbreaking special effects needed to create the animatronic whales, to the environmental message that still resonates today, this insider account celebrates the risks and rewards of boldly going in a new direction.
Whether you’re a lifelong Trek fan or a film history enthusiast, discover the artistry and camaraderie behind a film that helped redefine what a Star Trek movie could be. Put this on your Christmas list now!
Star Trek IV The Voyage Home: The Making of the Classic Film (ISBN: 9781835412909) by John Tenuto and Maria Jose Tenuto is published by Titan Books, and available in hardback from 1st September, 2026 RRP £39.99.
