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Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

The Star Trek films were the first franchise properties to be released on DVD in Region 1, when Paramount Home Video began releasing basic, "vanilla", releases of the first nine films – usually containing the film and its associated trailers only. The films were released in a mostly reverse chronological order, starting with Star Trek: First Contact. Star Trek: Insurrection saw release during this time (slotting in between Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), and the last prime universe film, Star Trek Nemesis, was released in 2003. The majority of these releases included very limited special features, typically only comprised of theatrical teasers and trailers, though televised franchise promotional production shorts were, one each, added on Insurrection and The Voyage Home, whereas Nemesis even featured a modest selection of especially produced special features.

As it turned out however, more Nemesis special features had been produced for the hereafter mentioned "special edition" film collection (which by the time of the Nemesis "vanilla" release was already up and running), but part of the remainder was only offered on a separate disc through the by the franchise selected preferred chain store retailer Best Buy [1], a market discrimination strategy called the "retailer exclusive format", and one that is particularly loathed by fans and customers – especially by those who had only access to the "vanilla" releases. [2] At the time several scrupulous Best Buy patrons bought the Nemesis release in bulk and subsequently offered the special feature disc up at premium prices on eBay, the market site that was at the time rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with. [3]

With an one to two year lag, these were released in Region 2 as well, starting with Insurrection in 2000. Some of the Region 2 releases in the UK came in Special Numbered Edition packaging, and included bonus discs, containing Star Trek-related computer applications. These two-disc editions were packaged in steelbooks in soft-board slipcases.

Left out of the original film "vanilla" release run, Paramount released Star Trek: The Motion Picture on DVD in 2001. For this release, the studio was persuaded to have the film reappraised as a whole, introducing new CGI visual effects, and re-cutting the film to better reflect Director Robert Wise's original intentions, resulting in that a theatrical cut of the film was not released on DVD until the 2009 Region 2 Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection. This "Star Trek: The Motion Picture (The Director's Edition)" was a two-disc release featuring for the first time extensive special features. These special features were produced by the DVD's co-producers David C. Fein and Michael Matessino, who actually were the pioneers of the phenomenon when their company Sharpline Arts produced these for popular genre films on the preceding LaserDisc format, much to the acclaim of collectors and film buffs. Building upon their experience gained, the ones on The Director's Edition were likewise favorably received by fans. Noteworthy was that it was this release that introduced Star Trek fans to the phenomena of text (written by "Treksperts" Mike and Denise Okuda) and audio commentaries, which went on to become a staple on subsequent DVD releases. The Director's Edition therefore became the first Star Trek DVD title to make the fullest use of the intrinsic qualities of the DVD format. While having received the blessing and support from Paramount Pictures, the studio has had itself no production input; rather the DVD project was an initiative of Robert Wise Productions, Wise's own production company, on the suggestion of Fein and Matessino under whose aegis the project was ultimately realized. (Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 2, Issue 8, p. 25) As such, Wise's company is the officially credited one, not Paramount whose role was limited to the promotion and distribution of the production.

Following the enormous success of The Motion Picture Director's Edition however, Paramount was motivated to re-release the other nine prime universe films on their own accord in a similar fashion in the era 2002-2005 as the two-disc "special editions" collection – into which the originally intended stand-alone Director's Edition was retrofitted as the first one. As with the Director's Edition, these also included many newly produced special features (now primarily produced under the auspices of Patricia Rose Duignan, Donald R. Beck and Stephen R. Wolcott), along with the few ones that were previously featured on the "vanilla" releases, including those for Nemesis (which had been produced for the two year later release in this collection to begin with), redressing the perceived injustice as far as the fanbase was concerned, but still having to "double-dip" if they wanted the superior release. The region 2 editions all came packaged in slip cases and were, unlike the "vanilla" releases, released very quickly after the original Region 1 release. Various film collection box sets for both the "vanilla" and "special edition" versions have followed suit in the wake of the original individual releases.

Star Trek was released simultaneously in vanilla (one-disc) and Special Edition (two-disc) formats in 2009, becoming the last one to see both "vanilla" and "special" edition as of 2019.

Also, starting in 2009, the first ten movies were re-released in "remastered" editions, digitally enhanced versions of the theatrical releases to meet High Definition standards. These single-disc editions featured newly-made "specials", actually produced by Tim King for their Blu-ray Disc counterparts. Ironically, these counterparts also contained the special features originally done for the "special edition" DVDs, which were now lacking on the remastered DVD releases. The remastered editions were actually first released as two boxed sets, Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection and Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection, before being individually released – albeit out of order in some regions – with the run not being completed in Region 1 until 2013.

2013 also saw the release of Star Trek Into Darkness, though this time only a single-disc DVD was made available. A single disc DVD of Star Trek Beyond was released in 2016. Of these two no "vanilla" variant was released as, the application of "retailer exclusive" format for variant releases notwithstanding, even the standard retailer version contained an adequate selection of special features. That being said however, all three alternate reality DVD film releases contained far less of these specials than their Blu-ray counterparts, as it has become commonplace for the industry to favor Blu-ray over DVD in order to further push reluctant consumers, film buffs and specific fanbases (those of Star trek included) in particular, to make the switch to Blu-ray after all. For a variety of reasons Blu-ray has not succeeded in making the DVD home video format obsolete as intended, and as a result Hollywood studios, forced to acknowledge the consumer reluctance, are as of 2019 still releasing their productions in both home video formats (see main article for further particulars).

Releases[]

Original releases[]

Release Cover Release date
Region 1 Region 2
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Cover of The Wrath of Khan original DVD 11 July 2000 24 December 2001
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Cover of The Search for Spock original DVD 11 April 2000 1 October 2001
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Cover of The Voyage Home original DVD 9 November 1999 6 August 2001
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Cover of The Final Frontier original DVD 20 April 1999 7 May 2001
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Cover of The Undiscovered Country original DVD 26 January 1999 2 April 2001
Star Trek Generations Cover of the Generations original DVD 17 November 1998 2 October 2000
Star Trek: First Contact Cover of the First Contact original DVD 7 October 1998 31 July 2000
Star Trek: Insurrection Cover of the Insurrection original DVD 11 May 1999 5 June 2000
Star Trek Nemesis Cover of the Nemesis original DVD 20 May 2003 11 August 2003
Star Trek Cover of the Star Trek DVD 17 November 2009 16 November 2009
Star Trek Into Darkness Cover of the Star Trek Into Darkness DVD 10 September 2013 2 September 2013
Star Trek Beyond Cover of the Star Trek Into Darkness DVD 1 November 2016 21 November 2016
UK Special Numbered Editions with bonus discs
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek II Special Numbered Edition DVD Cover Full version of Star Trek: New Worlds
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Star Trek III Special Numbered Edition DVD Cover Full version of Star Trek: Starfleet Command (Gold Edition)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Star Trek IV Special Numbered Edition DVD Cover Star Trek e-Man Organizer
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Star Trek V Special Numbered Edition DVD Cover The Sound of Star Trek CD
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VI Special Numbered Edition DVD Cover Demo disc of Star Trek video games, including Star Trek: New Worlds, Star Trek: Klingon Academy, and Star Trek: Starfleet Command II: Empires at War

Special Editions[]

Star Trek III Special Edition DVD Slipcase Star Trek III The Search for Spock (Special Edition) DVD-Region 2 Star Trek I Special Edition DVD Dutch Slipcase
Slipcase for Star Trek III
...and its DVD contents
Dutch slipcase for Star Trek I

Unlike the region 1 editions, the initial region 2 releases came in matching softboard slipcases from The Wrath of Khan onward. The Motion Picture was treated indiscriminately for both regions, with the exception of the Netherlands and Flanders where the first release came within a dark-blue hardboard gold-embossed slipcase.

Release Cover Release date
Region 1 Region 2
Star Trek: The Motion Picture Cover of TMP Director's Edition. 6 November 2001 6 May 2002
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan TWOK Special Edition Region 1 cover.
Region 1 cover
TWOK Special Edition Region 2 cover.
Region 2 cover
6 August 2002 18 November 2002
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Star Trek III The Search for Spock Special Edition DVD cover-Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek III The Search for Spock (Special Edition) DVD-Region 2
Region 2 cover
22 October 2002 13 January 2003
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Star Trek IV The Voyage Home Special Edition DVD cover-Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek IV The Voyage Home Special Edition DVD cover-Region 2
Region 2 cover
4 March 2003 2 June 2003
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Star Trek V The Final Frontier Special Edition DVD cover-Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek V The Final Frontier Special Edition DVD cover-Region 2
Region 2 cover
14 October 2003 22 December 2003
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country (Special Edition) DVD-Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country (Special Edition) DVD-Region 2
Region 2 cover
27 January 2004 1 March 2004
Star Trek Generations Star Trek Generations Special Edition DVD cover (Region 1)
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Generations DVD cover
Region 2 cover
28 September 2004 20 December 2004
Star Trek: First Contact Star Trek First Contact Special Edition DVD cover (Region 1)
Region 1 cover
Star Trek First Contact Special Edition DVD cover (Region 2)
Region 2 cover
15 March 2005 6 June 2005
Star Trek: Insurrection Star Trek Insurrection Special Edition DVD cover (Region 1)
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Insurrection Special Edition DVD cover (Region 2)
Region 2 cover
7 June 2005 1 August 2005
Star Trek Nemesis Star Trek Nemesis Special Edition DVD cover-Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Nemesis Special Edition DVD cover-Region 2
Region 2 cover
4 October 2005 12 December 2005
Star Trek Star Trek Special Edition Region 1 cover
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Special Edition Region 2 cover
Region 2 cover
17 November 2009 16 November 2009

Remastered editions[]

Release Cover Release date
Region 1 Region 2
Star Trek: The Motion Picture Star Trek The Motion Picture 2013 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek The Motion Picture 2010 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 22 March 2010
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan 2009 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan 2009 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
22 September 2009 11 May 2009
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Star Trek III The Search for Spock 2013 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek III The Search for Spock 2009 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 11 May 2009
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Star Trek IV The Voyage Home 2009 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek IV The Voyage Home 2009 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
22 September 2009 11 May 2009
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Star Trek V The Final Frontier 2013 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek V The Final Frontier 2010 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 22 March 2010
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country 2009 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
22 September 2009 11 May 2009
Star Trek Generations Star Trek Generations 2013 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Generations 2010 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 22 March 2010
Star Trek: First Contact Star Trek First Contact 2009 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek First Contact 2010 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
22 September 2009 22 March 2010
Star Trek: Insurrection Star Trek Insurrection 2013 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Insurrection 2010 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 22 March 2010
Star Trek Nemesis Star Trek Nemesis 2013 DVD cover Region 1
Region 1 cover
Star Trek Nemesis 2010 DVD cover Region 2
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 22 March 2010

Collections[]

Release Cover Release date
Region 1 Region 2
Star Trek - The Original Crew Movie Collection Original Crew Collection 2001 6 November 2001 -
Star Trek - The Motion Pictures DVD Collection Motion Pictures DVD Collection 2001 6 November 2001 -
Star Trek - Next Generation Movie Collection Next Generation Movie Collection DVD cover 9 April 2002 12 September 2002
(Germany)
28 March 2003
(Japan)
Star Trek - Die Kino-Filme der Original Crew I bis III Original Crew Movie Collection 1-3 German cover - 28 May 2002
(Germany only)
Star Trek - Die Kino-Filme der Original Crew IV bis VI Original Crew Movie Collection 4-6 German cover - 8 July 2002
(Germany only)
Star Trek - Shuttle Box Shuttle Box DVD - 1 October 2002
(Germany only)
Star Trek - The Original Crew Movie Collection Original Crew Movie Collection 2002 cover 22 October 2002 -
Star Trek - The Motion Pictures DVD Collection Motion Pictures DVD Collection 2002 22 October 2002 -
Star Trek - DVD Movies Collection DVD Movies Collection 2002 cover - 18 November 2002
Star Trek - DVD Movies Collection DVD Movies Collection 2003 cover - 11 August 2003
Star Trek - The Motion Pictures DVD Collection Motion Pictures DVD Collection 2003 25 November 2003 -
Star Trek - Next Generation Movie Box Star Trek - Next Generation Movie Box - 19 December 2003
(Japan only)
Star Trek Nemesis & Trekkies Nemesis & Trekkies DVD cover - 19 December 2003
(Japan only)
Star Trek - The Original Crew Movie Collection Star Trek - The Original Crew Movie Collection (Special Edition) boxset
Region 1 cover
Original Crew Movie Collection Special Edition cover R2
Region 2 cover
27 January 2004 22 December 2005
(Japan only)
Star Trek - The Motion Pictures DVD Collection Motion Pictures DVD Collection 2005 4 October 2005 -
Star Trek - The Movies I-X - Special Collector's Edition The Movies I-X Collectors Edition - 26 December 2005
Star Trek - Celebrating 40 Years - Special Collection Celebrating 40 Years DVD Collection - 5 October 2006
(Germany only)
Star Trek - Next Generation Movie Box, Special Collectors Edition Star Trek - Next Generation Movie Box Special Collectors Edition - 26 October 2007
(Japan only)
Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy Motion Picture Trilogy DVD box 12 May 2009 16 November 2009
Star Trek: Original Motion Picture Collection Original Motion Picture Collection DVD box R1
Region 1 cover
Original Motion Picture Collection DVD box
Region 2 cover
22 September 2009 27 April 2009
Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection Next Generation Motion Picture Collection DVD box 22 September 2009 16 November 2009
Star Trek: Legends of the Final Frontier Collection Legends of The Final Frontier Collection DVD box - 16 November 2009
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan/Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ST II & IV DVD 29 March 2011 -
Star Trek: Stardate Collection Stardate Collection DVD box cover
Region 1 cover
Stardate Collection DVD Region 2 box cover
Region 2 cover
10 September 2013 29 April 2013
Star Trek/Star Trek Into Darkness ST & STID DVD cover September 2016 2 September 2013
Star Trek: The Motion Picture/Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ST I & II DVD cover 10 September 2013 -
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock/Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ST III & IV DVD cover 10 September 2013 -
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier/Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ST V & VI DVD cover 10 September 2013 -
Star Trek Generations/Star Trek: First Contact ST VII & VIII DVD cover 10 September 2013 -
Star Trek: Insurrection/Star Trek Nemesis ST IX & X DVD cover 10 September 2013 -
Star Trek 4-Movie Gift Set Star Trek 4-Movie Gift Set DVD cover 2014 -
Star Trek - 3 Movie Collection Star Trek 3 Movie Collection Region 1 cover
Region 1 cover
Star Trek 3 Movie Collection Region 2 cover
Region 2 cover
1 November 2016 21 November 2016


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