Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
$30 million sci-fi epic? Check. Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner, at the helm? Double check. But here’s the shocker: a single spacesuit costs a quarter-million bucks! Shatner, ever the audacious leader, pushed boundaries on and off the screen in thisStar Trekfilm. This wasn’t your typical phaser-firing adventure; it was a gamble on groundbreaking storytelling, where even costumes defied expectations.
Shatner’s extravagant suit became a symbol of the movie’s daring spirit, a reminder that venturing into the unknown sometimes requires a leap of faith and a very expensive spacesuit.
Shatner Spent Big on a Spacesuit for Star Trek V’s $30 Million Budget
William Shatner, a nonagenarian workhorse who keeps defying age with his acting and space travels, is spilling the tea on his biggest career regret:Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. This movie, ambitious to a fault, saw Shatner, not just as Captain Kirk, but also as the director who gave it all for a single, outrageously expensive spacesuit (viaTHR). When he asked the special effects team how much the suit would cost, they said,
$250,000 a suit. That’s $2.5 million. You’ve got a $30 million budget. You sure you want to spend it on that?
Let us take y’all back to the 1980s.Star Trek, a once-canceled show, was riding high on a wave of movie sequels. Shatner, at the helm ofThe Final Frontier,envisioned a daring exploration of faith. But network execs nixed the whole “God” concept, fearing it would alienate viewers. Enter Sybok, a self-proclaimed God-like alien, the film’s villain—a compromise, and perhaps the first sign of trouble.
Shatner, being his own kind of control freak (his words, not ours! ), had a showdown with the studio. His vision? A grand finale with exploding rock creatures. The practical effects team had a different idea—they suggested a single, fire-spewing spacesuit that cost a cool $250,000.
Here’s the twist: that “practical” solution didn’t quite pan out. Shatner, always the optimist, hoped to film the suit from various angles to create the illusion of multiple rock creatures. Spoiler alert: it flopped.
“There’s a history in American films”: Star Trek: The Next Generation Did No Favors to Patrick Stewart’s Co-Star Who Butted Heads Over Making Him Play a Racist Stereotype
The special effects inStar Trek V: The Final Frontier, usually a Trek strong point, really missed the mark this time around. Shatner, taking charge in the director’s chair, admits he “failed horribly” at steering the film. The grand vision for a game-changingTrekmovie turned into a classic tale of budget headaches and dreams left hanging in space—the kinda space where science meets spirituality.
Star Trek V:Boldly Going Where Sci-Fi Meets Spirituality
Strapped to the budget ofStar Trek V: The Final Frontierwas adaring ‘faith’ exploration. While other space flicks were busy dealing with aliens,Star Trekasked much bigger, mind-boggling questions that had us all on the very edge:“Is there a God out there?”and“Maybe it’s, like, inside us all, man?”
Remember those cheesy alien gods of the week? This time, Captain Kirk was facing Sybok, a full-on God-seeker who hijacked the Enterprise for a spiritual joyride. Now, spending a quarter-million on a single costume for Shatner might seem… excessive. But hey, when you’re grappling with the meaning of life, gotta look good, right?
“Why isn’t the suit aerodynamic”: The DC Director William Shatner Had Trouble Working With Before Star Trek Success
This wasn’t just some random space trip for kicks.Star Trek Vmirrored a trend in 80s sci-fi: movies searching for meaning beyond the stars. Per writer Peter Hansengerg, the religious themes have to be“almost fashionable.”In fact, professor Larry Kreitzer even called it the“film most preoccupied with religious ideas.”
WatchStar Trek V: The Final Frontieron Amazon Prime Video!
Heena Singh
Editor | Former Senior Writer
Articles Published :1457
Heena Singh is a Editor at FandomWire, spent the last two years making waves in entertainment journalism. With a knack for digging up blockbuster celebrity scoops and an uncanny nose for the latest buzz, Heena’s articles bring a fresh and fun perspective to life. When she’s not conquering writing challenges, you’ll find her curled up in bed, peacefully sleeping.
More from Heena Singh
“This was a treasured episode”: The Simpsons Removing Michael Jackson’s Episode Still Stings 6 Years Later
Modern Family Star Jesse Tyler Ferguson on Why Gay Community Hated Him: “The gay equivalent of blackface”
James Gunn’s Next Big Project After Superman and Peacemaker S2 Drops Major Update
Recommended
Good Boy Filmmaker Reacts To Keanu Reeves’ Film While His Trailer Triggers Odd Query
Harry Potter TV Series on HBO: Who Are the New Weasleys? Details Inside
Every Peaky Blinders Villain, Ranked by How Close They Came to Actually Beating Tommy Shelby
Tobey Maguire And Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man Era Dies In 2027: Reports
Every Harry Potter Movie Ending, Ranked Worst to Best
“Just like a horse”: Aubrey Plaza, Amy Poehler Agree Rihanna’s Eyes Are on the Side of Her Head
William Shatner
