The first Star Trek film, The Motion Picture, was released in 1979. It reached North American cinemas on December 7, 1979, more than a decade after the original Star Trek television series debuted in 1966.
The film reunited William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, and the rest of the original television cast. Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek's creator, served as producer, while Robert Wise directed. The story follows the Enterprise crew as they investigate a vast, mysterious energy cloud approaching Earth.
The Motion Picture was designed as a major cinematic event, with elaborate visual effects and a serious, exploratory tone. Its production became unusually expensive, costing about $44 million, but its worldwide gross of roughly $139 million encouraged Paramount to continue the film series.
A common mix-up is confusing the film's release year with the original television show's 1966 debut. The next film, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, arrived in 1982 and used a more action-focused style.