2024 said goodbye to not one but two Star Trek shows as Discovery aired its finale, and Lower Decks went out with a bang with a big multiverse affair. That was chased by the release of Star Trek: Section 31 in early 2025, and the movie (available with a Paramount+ subscription) was torn apart by critics and fans alike. If you're a fan, it's easy to be down and negative on the franchise, but a promising stat has me psyched that brighter days are ahead.
There are upcoming Trek shows on the horizon, and I'm here to bang the drum and tell fans that there is ample reason to be optimistic and not doom and gloom about the space franchise. Here's what has me hopeful and ready to "boldly" look ahead to what's next on the calendar.
Star Trek Generated Billions In Revenue For Streamers Since 2020
The Wrap recently published a fascinating look at the financials of Star Trek and how much money it has made for streaming services since 2020. In case readers aren't aware, Paramount+ isn't the exclusive home for the franchise worldwide like it is in the United States, so other streamers like Netflix have benefitted from housing it in other countries. In total, the franchise has netted $2.6 billion in streaming revenue between 2020 and 2024, the breakdown of which can be found below:
- Netflix - $1 billion
- Paramount+ - $940 million
- Amazon Prime Video - $466 million
- Other Streaming Services - $225 million
Netflix still holds a bulk of the international streaming rights for Star Trek, but Paramount+ has been slowly getting it back as the deals expire in various countries. That's clear enough by its second-place standing in revenue breakdown, which is quite a chunk of change. The main takeaway here for me is that many people are watching Trek worldwide, and the wealth is being spread across many streaming services.
Star Trek Making Money For Streaming Further Guarantees Its Future
I'm deep in the Star Trek fandom on social media, and here lately there's so much worry about the franchise going down the drain. People are worried its failing, the shows are going away, and we are on a slow march back to those post-Enterprise cancellation years where we had no Trek shows.
If Star Trek is making that much money for streamers, I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon. Beyond the fact that the franchise is preparing for its big screen return with a fresh origin story, we also have the Starfleet Academy on the way with a stellar cast. Let's also not forget about Strange New Worlds Season 3, and Season 4 is already in the works. This may be a down period, but I would wager the good times are only just getting started.
If you're in the United States, Paramount+ is the home for Star Trek. I'm currently in the midst of watching Deep Space Nine, and it's certainly a great series to watch or re-watch, depending on if you caught it the first time around.
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