William Shatner’s latest documentary, The Truth Is in the Stars, has him talking to both celebrities and scientists about how Star Trek has impacted and inspired them, and how art and science go hand in hand.



William Shatner examines space exploration, imagination, and immortality in new doc



William Shatner is back with a new Star Trek-themed documentary, The Truth Is in the Stars, premiering on Sunday on TMN in Canada and coming soon to Netflix in the US and globally. Directed and produced by Craig Thompson, who also co-produced Shatner’s The Captains in 2011 and Chaos on the Bridge in 2014, The Truth Is in the Stars moves away from looking at the making of Star Trek to a focus the franchise’s influence. In this film, Shatner narrates and travels the world for a series of interviews with celebrity Trek fans as well as brilliant, groundbreaking scientists.

Mini Review

William Shatner is the perfect host for this doc that explores the intersection of imagination and science. Whether he’s bringing sandwiches to Seth MacFarlane (“This is the greatest deli sandwich you’ve ever had!”), asking Whoopi Goldberg how Star Trek changed her vision of the future, taking a virtual walk around Mars with astronaut Chris Hadfield, or learning how art and science are irrevocably intertwined with Neil deGrasse Tyson, he never fails to entertain, amuse, and inform the audience along the way. His own awe at finally getting to talk with Stephen Hawking is palpable–as is Hawking’s excitement about his appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation–and his wonder at all that he learns from each person is contagious. This joyful documentary explores how the imagination is what fuels even the most fact-based scientific minds, and why Star Trek has had such a colossal impact on all of these individuals, as well as people all over the world. He also addresses mortality, the sacrifices made by explorers, and gets the ultimate thrill when he makes Hawking laugh.

For all of the fun he has had poking fun at his Star Trek image over the years, he spends the time in this doc showing how important it is, too, and how inspiring the show has been for the dreamers and scientists who are out there exploring theoretical physics and space itself.

The Truth is in the Stars debuts Sunday, March 19 at 8:30 p.m. ET on The Movie Network in Canada. There will be multiple re-airings and the documentary will be available on TMN GO and The Movie Network OnDemand. For more info visit themovienetwork.ca.

Trailer

Doc airs Sunday in Canada, coming to Netflix soon



While Canadians get to see the new documentary first (which was also the case with Chaos on the Bridge), it will soon be available to the rest of the world. A spokesperson for the production company behind The Truth Is in the Stars tells TrekMovie that they have secured a deal with Netflix and the doc should be on the streaming service in the US and globally (outside of Canada) later this spring.

Netflix is also the streaming home to Shatner’s previous Trek doc Chaos on the Bridge and Adam Nimoy’s award-winning For the Love of Spock documentary about his father. And of course Netflix streams the entire Star Trek catalog of TV shows and will be streaming Star Trek: Discovery outside North America.

TrekMovie will provide an update when a release date is set for The Truth Is in the Stars, as well as a full review.