Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first film based on the Star Trek television series. When a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V'ger approaches Earth, destroying everything in its path, Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) assumes command of his old starship—the USS Enterprise—to lead it on a mission to save the planet and determine V'ger's origins.

When the original television series was cancelled in 1969, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry lobbied Paramount to continue the franchise through a film. The success of the series in syndication convinced the studio to begin work on a feature film in 1975, but it scrapped the project in 1977 in favor of a new television series, Star Trek: Phase II. The box office success of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Wars convinced Paramount to resume work on the film, with Academy Award–winning director Robert Wise helming a $15 million adaptation of the television series.

The planned pilot episode of Phase II, "In Thy Image," became the basis of the film script. During a delay-filled and increasingly costly production process, the Enterprise was completely redesigned inside and out, costume designer Robert Fletcher provided new uniforms, and production designer Harold Michelson fabricated new sets. Jerry Goldsmith composed the score, beginning an association with Star Trek that would continue until 2002. When the original contractors for the optical effects proved unable to complete their tasks in time, Douglas Trumbull and his effects team completed the work. Nonetheless, Wise always felt that the theatrical version was a rough cut of the film he wanted to make.

Released in North America on December 7, 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom criticized the film for its lack of action and over-reliance on special effects. The final production cost, which ballooned to approximately $46 million, drew considerable media attention. The film earned $139 million worldwide, which fell short of studio expectations and forced Roddenberry to relinquish creative control of the sequel. For the DVD release of the film, Wise created a director's cut with remastered audio, tightened and added scenes, and new computer-generated effects.