While the future of Star Trek may be in limbo, we can at least still celebrate the franchise's rich past. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, arriving right alongside the franchise's own 60th anniversary.
To celebrate the milestone, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is returning to UK and Irish cinemas later this year. Announced this past weekend, the beloved film will see William Shatner (Kirk) and Leonard Nimoy (Spock) return to the big screen starting September 4, 2026, with tickets already on sale.
Marking the occasion, UK-based illustrator and graphic artist Matt Ferguson has released new artwork to commemorate the re-release. Ferguson is best known for his official movie posters and alternative poster art for major franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek.
Released in 1986, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is the fourth film featuring the original cast and is widely regarded as one of the franchise's most beloved entries. Directed by Leonard Nimoy, the film blends science fiction, comedy, environmentalism, and time travel in a way few sequels have managed since.
Picking up right after Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Kirk and his crew are heading home to face court-martial for stealing the Enterprise when a mysterious alien probe arrives and begins devastating the planet. It soon becomes clear the probe is trying to communicate with humpback whales, a species long extinct by the 23rd century. With none left in their own time, Kirk and his crew travel back to 1986 San Francisco to find some. That decision sets up the memorable detour that earned the film its lasting nickname, "the one with the whales."
It's the 23rd century, and a mysterious alien power is threatening Earth by evaporating the oceans and destroying the atmosphere. In a frantic attempt to save mankind, Kirk and his crew must time travel back to 1986 San Francisco where they find a world of punk, pizza and exact-change buses that are as alien as anything they've ever encountered in the far reaches of the galaxy. A thrilling, action-packed Star Trek adventure!
The Voyage Home was a commercial success, earning $133 million at the worldwide box office, which was the highest-grossing Star Trek film up to that point. To this day, it's considered among the best Star Trek movies featuring the original cast.
As of right now, it appears that Star Trek IV's re-release is limited to UK cinemas with no word on if it will be returning to theaters in North America. That said, we are in the midst of the franchise's 60th anniversary with additional celebrations planned throughout the year, culminating in Star Trek Day on September 8.