Trekkies and Trekkers alike have waited a long time to see this documentary, which made its world debut during this year’s Raindance Film Festival in London. And now that the movie has been acquired by Tribeca Films, the Star Trek project titled Beam Me Up, Sulu will warp its way onto digital platforms beginning Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Beam Me Up, Sulu will also make its premiere in the United States on Feb. 12 via a Tribeca Membership screening. Trek legacy actor and the original Mr. Sulu himself, George Takei, had this to say about the film via The Hollywood Reporter:
“This documentary is about so much more than a student film I appeared in. It’s about the importance of diversity and inclusion — something that Star Trek pioneered on television and has excelled at for nearly 60 years. Given the current political climate, we need to see more of that reflected in our popular culture.”
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine alum Alexander Siddig, Strange New Worlds’ Christina Chong, Voyager’s Garrett Wang, and Discovery’s Ian Alexander also appear in Beam Me Up, Sulu along with Takei. The legendary Gene Roddenberry’s son, Eugene, also appears and serves as an executive producer. So, what is the lost 1985 student film Takei is referring to all about and how does it connect to the new documentary? Directors Timour Gregory and Sasha Schneider had this to say via a statement from the same THR story:
“We were interested in figuring out what it is about Star Trek that makes people care so much — what made these student filmmakers spend 35 years making a fan film, what made George participate in it, what makes all of the fans so passionate. We found that it really comes back to this idea of ‘infinite diversity in infinite combinations’ that’s been baked into the show from the beginning and resonates now more than ever.”
According to the well-renowned trade publication, Beam Me Up, Sulu “unearths a lost 1985 student film made with Takei, revealing fan history and sharing a larger story of representation, resilience and the battle for inclusion in media and society.” Tribeca Enterprises is one of the labels behind the distribution of Beam Me Up, Sulu, and the co-founder, Jane Rosenthal, added:
“Beam Me Up, Sulu is a powerful reminder of the impact of fandom, storytelling and representation. What began as a student film has become a moving reflection on identity, resilience and Star Trek’s lasting cultural influence. As Tribeca Films builds on a standout year of championing bold, independent voices, we’re proud to bring this story to audiences and to continue supporting filmmakers who expand the way we see the world.”
While Beam Me Up, Sulu, certainly sounds intriguing — I’ll definitely be one of the many Trekkies watching it — I am much more excited about the likely return of the behind-the-scenes Star Trek documentary series The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek. And I’m just going out on a limb here and saying fans are likely in for a show titled The Center Seat: 60 Years of Star Trek, given next year marks the 60th anniversary of the beloved science fiction universe. Yeah, I think that title is a safe bet.
So, are you excited about seeing the upcoming Beam Me Up, Sulu documentary? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!