PREVIEW: Mega ‘Star Trek’ convention coming to NYC
The Star Trek convention scene takes a giant leap forward this week with the launch of Star Trek: Mission New York, a three-day fan convention at the Javits Center in New York City that will run from Friday, Sept. 2 to Sunday, Sept. 4. The event, run by the organizers of New York Comic Con and CBS Consumer Products, will see several stars from the many iterations of Star Trek descend on the Big Apple.
Expected to attend and celebrate all things Gene Roddenberry: William Shatner, Walter Koenig, Bruce Greenwood, Gates McFadden, John de Lancie, Jonathan Frakes, Kate Mulgrew, LeVar Burton, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Nana Visitor, Peter Weller, Rene Auberjonois and Terry Farrell, among many others.
Tickets for the convention are $55-$70 for pre-show daily passes ($65-$80 for day-of sales) or $135 for a three-day, pre-show pass ($145 day-of sales). VIP tickets are already sold out.
Star Trek fans have a lot to celebrate in 2016. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series, so having Shatner and Koenig on board is a special treat. Also, CBS is gearing up to a launch another Star Trek TV show next year. Star Trek: Discovery will be represented by executive producer Trevor Roth and writers Kirsten Beyer and Nicholas Meyer. This past summer saw the release of the third movie in the Star Trek film reboot. Star Trek: Beyond did solid, if not stellar, business at the box office.
Among the many panel discussions and main-stage events, there are some exclusive chances to hear from Star Trek cast members over the years and other news from the franchise.
Here are the main-stage events:
FRIDAY, SEPT. 2
- 1:30 p.m. — Star Trek: Deep Space Nine cast reunion with Auberjonois, Dorn, Farrell, Cirroc Lofton, Armin Shimerman and Visitor (Jordan Hoffman moderates)
- 3 p.m. — Screening of COPD: Highly Illogical — A Special Tribute to Leonard Nimoy with Julie Nimoy and David Knight
- 5 p.m. — Star Trek: Enterprise cast reunion with John Billingsley, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery and Connor Trinneer (Hoffman moderates)
- 6:15 p.m. — Special 4K screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan with Meyer and Josh Horowitz
SATURDAY, SEPT. 3
- 11 a.m. — Growing Up Trek panel with Julie Nimoy, Rod Roddenberry and Adam Nimoy (moderated by Mark A. Altman)
- 12:30 p.m. — Star Trek: The Next Generation cast reunion with Burton, Dorn, Frakes, McFadden and Sirtis (Hoffman moderates)
- 2 p.m. — Star Trek movie actors panel with Greenwood and Weller (Hoffman moderates)
- 3:30 p.m. — Star Trek: Discovery panel with Meyer and Beyer (Hoffman moderates)
- 5 p.m. — Staged reading of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
- 7 p.m. — Cosplay contest
SUNDAY, SEPT. 4
- 10:30 a.m. — One Trek Mind live with Hoffman
- 12 p.m. — Star Trek: Voyager cast reunion with Roxann Dawson, Robert Duncan McNeill, Mulgrew, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picardo and Brannon Braga (Hoffman moderates)
- 1:30 p.m. — NASA panel with engineers, scientists and astronauts including Kjell Lindgren, Michelle Taller, Dave Lavery, Jeffrey Sheehy and Adam Nimoy (Picardo moderates)
- 3 p.m. — Star Trek: The Original Series discussion with Koenig (Hoffman moderates)
- 4 p.m. — Star Trek: The Original Series discussion with Shatner (Hoffman moderates)
Autographs and photo opportunities abound at Star Trek: Mission New York. As expected, Shatner commands the highest price at $80 for a scribble or $80 for a photo. Other celebrities are asking in the $30-$50 range for either an autograph or photo opp.
Group photo opps are a relative bargain (considering the number of actors in each photo). The Deep Space Nine grouping includes Shimerman, Lofton, Visitor, Auberjonois, Farrell and Dorn for $170. Not bad considering it would cost $260 for individual photo ops with each star.
The Star Trek: Enterprise actors will group together for $110, Star Trek: The Next Generation for $180 and Star Trek: Voyager for $155. Greenwood and Weller, both from Star Trek: Into Darkness, will offer a duo photo op for $95.
Fans should also expect a special auction of the late Leonard Nimoy’s personal items. The auction will help The UCLA Foundation for research into COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Items include vintage cameras owned by Leonard Nimoy and exclusive autographed merchandise, among other collectibles.
New Star Trek stamps will also premiere at the convention. Koenig and the postmaster general will be on hand to celebrate their release.
Check back with Hollywood Soapbox for coverage throughout the event.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Click here for more information on Star Trek: Mission New York.
