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Star Wars vs Star Trek: Complete Comparison (2026) | Comparison

Star Wars ($70B+ franchise) is the #3 highest-grossing franchise ever, known for epic space opera storytelling and The Force. Star Trek (since 1966) is more cerebral, explores social issues through science fiction, and has a dedicated 'Trekkie' fan base. Star Wars leads in box office; Star Trek leads in TV longevity.

Star Wars

Star Wars

Epic space fantasy saga centered on the mystical Force, galactic empires, and hero's journey narratives across 9 theatrical episodes.

Epic space fantasy and cinematic blockbusters

Score57%
VS
ST

Star Trek

Science fiction franchise exploring humanity's future, ethical dilemmas, and philosophical questions across 11 television series and multiple theatrical films.

Cerebral sci-fi and social commentary fans

Score57%

Quick Answer

AI Summary

Star Wars ($70B+ franchise) is the #3 highest-grossing franchise ever, known for epic space opera storytelling and The Force. Star Trek (since 1966) is more cerebral, explores social issues through science fiction, and has a dedicated 'Trekkie' fan base. Star Wars leads in box office; Star Trek leads in TV longevity.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Star Wars for epic cinematic spectacle and pop culture dominance. Star Trek for thought-provoking sci-fi and TV longevity. Both are pillars of science fiction.

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Star Wars
6.8/10
Star Trek
8.2/10
S
Star Wars

Choose Star Wars if

Epic space fantasy and cinematic blockbusters

S

Choose Star Trek if

Best pick

Cerebral sci-fi and social commentary fans

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Key Differences at a Glance

  • Franchise Value:Star Wars wins($70B+ vs $10B+)
  • TV Shows Produced:Star Trek wins(13+ series vs ~5 live action)
  • Box Office:Star Wars wins($10.3B (films) vs $2.3B (films))
See all 5 differences

Key Facts & Figures

16 numeric metrics compared

MetricStar WarsStar TrekRatio
Franchise Value(USD)$70 Billion+$10 Billion+
Total Films1213
TV Series Produced~5 live action13+
Total Franchise Revenue (All-Time)(USD Billions)$65+ billion$10+ billion
Theatrical Box Office Revenue(USD (billions))$10.3 billion$950 million
Number of Official TV Series(count)3 live-action theatrical + 2 animated13 official series
Franchise Age (Years of Continuous Content)(years)47 years (1977-2024)60 years (1966-2024)
Peak Single Episode Viewership (TV)(millions)15.0 million (The Mandalorian S1, 2019)26.7 million (TNG Finale, 1994)
Number of Theatrical Films Released(count)12 films13 films
Merchandise Revenue Proportion(% of total franchise revenue)46% ($30+ billion)25% (~$2.5 billion)
Live-Action Television Series (2026)(count)5 series (Mandalorian, Andor, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Acolyte)11 series (Original, TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, Strange New Worlds, Section 31)
Theatrical Films Released (Primary Canon)(count)11 theatrical episodes (I-IX, Rogue One, Solo)13 theatrical films (7 original series, 4 TNG films, 2 reboot films through 2009)
Original Trilogy Box Office (Worldwide)(USD Billions)$4.4 billion (Episodes IV-VI, 1977-1983)$1.2 billion (Original series films, 1979-1991)
Average IMDb Rating (Highest-Rated Works)(points (0-10))8.8 (Empire Strikes Back, 1980)9.1 (The Best of Both Worlds, 1990; Yesterday's Enterprise, 1990)
Annual Convention Attendance(attendees (thousands))~450,000 (Star Wars Celebration, Celebration events combined)~500,000 (Fan conventions, 40+ Trek cons annually)
Years Since Original Release(years)49 years (A New Hope, 1977)58 years (The Original Series, 1966)

Sourced from publicly available data ·

Key Differences

5 attributes compared head-to-head

Star Wars
2Star Wars
Star Trek leads
ST
3Star Trek
  • Franchise Value

    Star Wars

    $70B+(winner)

    Star Trek

    $10B+

  • TV Shows Produced

    Star Wars

    ~5 live action

    Star Trek

    13+ series(winner)

  • Box Office

    Star Wars

    $10.3B (films)(winner)

    Star Trek

    $2.3B (films)

  • Started

    Star Wars

    1977 (films)

    Star Trek

    1966 (TV)(winner)

  • Social Commentary

    Star Wars

    Limited

    Star Trek

    Core to the franchise(winner)

Full Comparison

Star Wars
SStar Trek
Franchise Value(USD)
$70 Billion+
$10 Billion+
Total Films
12
13
TV Series Produced
~5 live action
13+
Total Franchise Revenue (All-Time)(USD Billions)
$65+ billion
$10+ billion
Theatrical Box Office Revenue(USD (billions))
$10.3 billion
$950 million
Merchandise Revenue Proportion(% of total franchise revenue)
46% ($30+ billion)
25% (~$2.5 billion)
Number of Official TV Series(count)
3 live-action theatrical + 2 animated
13 official series
Number of Theatrical Films Released(count)
12 films
13 films
Franchise Age (Years of Continuous Content)(years)
47 years (1977-2024)
60 years (1966-2024)
Peak Single Episode Viewership (TV)(millions)
15.0 million (The Mandalorian S1, 2019)
26.7 million (TNG Finale, 1994)
Live-Action Television Series (2026)(count)
5 series (Mandalorian, Andor, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Acolyte)
11 series (Original, TNG, DS9, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, Strange New Worlds, Section 31)
Theatrical Films Released (Primary Canon)(count)
11 theatrical episodes (I-IX, Rogue One, Solo)
13 theatrical films (7 original series, 4 TNG films, 2 reboot films through 2009)
Original Trilogy Box Office (Worldwide)(USD Billions)
$4.4 billion (Episodes IV-VI, 1977-1983)
$1.2 billion (Original series films, 1979-1991)
Average IMDb Rating (Highest-Rated Works)(points (0-10))
8.8 (Empire Strikes Back, 1980)
9.1 (The Best of Both Worlds, 1990; Yesterday's Enterprise, 1990)
Annual Convention Attendance(attendees (thousands))
~450,000 (Star Wars Celebration, Celebration events combined)
~500,000 (Fan conventions, 40+ Trek cons annually)
Years Since Original Release(years)
49 years (A New Hope, 1977)
58 years (The Original Series, 1966)

Pros & Cons

8 pros·6 cons across both

Star Wars
ST
Star Wars

Star Wars

+4-3

Pros

  • $70B+ franchise value
  • Skywalker Saga cultural impact
  • The Force — iconic mythology
  • Disney acquisition = massive expansion

Cons

  • Recent trilogy criticism (sequel trilogy)
  • Franchise fatigue with Disney+
  • Less scientific/cerebral than Trek
ST

Star Trek

+4-3

Pros

  • Since 1966 — 13 TV series and counting
  • Social commentary (civil rights, diversity)
  • Optimistic vision of humanity's future
  • Dedicated Trekkie fandom

Cons

  • Lower box office than Star Wars
  • More niche audience
  • Inconsistent quality across series

Frequently Asked Questions

3 questions

  1. Star Wars is more popular by revenue and mainstream cultural impact ($70B+ vs ~$10B). Star Trek has a more dedicated cult following and much longer TV history.

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