The 1980s saw Paramount release three linked Star Trek movies to huge box-office success. The first, The Wrath of Khan, saw Ricardo Montalban as Khan, a villain from the original series, return. It was followed by The Search for Spock, directed by Leonard Nimoy. He returned to the director's chair for The Voyage Home, the biggest Star Trek success yet.

After Gene Roddenberry's death, Trek ventured into yet another incarnation. Deep Space Nine was different from its predecessor. Its 1993 debut featured an African American Captain and heavily serialized story arcs—both firsts. This was new Trek.