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What do you think the status of Trek will be in 2066 ?

Regarding the state of the Franchise, I think the interest in the franchise will decline in the coming decades as the old fandom, to say it morbidly "will die off" and the number of new fans will not be as big as during the 60s and the 80s/90s.

Star Trek perhaps will either remain something of a subculture thing of perhaps become more mainstream but become more and more like Star Wars, the shows and the movies actually trying to be like that in order to compete for its audience and consumers.
The franchise might actually try to get away from its on scientific/diplomatic/exploration angle though I am sure the sort of social/human interest stories will continue, only being more overdone.

Another trend I have also been seeing in the latest incarnations is that Star Trek will continue to further "consume itself", references to old shows or reuse of characters, species, plot devices etc, rather than trying than trying to come up with new ideas.
This would probably be on insistence of the owners of the IP as these are "recognizable" as Star Trek material.

Eventually it will fall aside to many other newer shows that will appeal much more to the audience in the 20/30 demographics and future shows will probably try to copy ideas and concepts from these.

I do not think the Star Trek IP will reach its 100th Anniversary.
 
Personally I think the trek franchise if it's run well has at best a few decades of life left in it.

Once the main cast members-Shatner, Stewart and the like pass away-and the memory of both the TOS and Berman eras(TNG through Enteprise) fades trek will fade into history and while I think there may remain some small fanbase even perhaps as late as the 2060s it won't be a big thing at all.
 
I suspect its reputation will be pretty similar to what it is now-quite successful for science fiction, at least public acknowledgment that at least some of the shows are considered some of the best of sci-fi among fans of such, but also regarded as too overexploited (by studio greed and fans having a little too much appetite for it) and just too massive/cumbersome for most casual viewers to get into.

I suspect (and frankly do hope) netflix and its equivalents/successors will make it more and more socially-acceptable to get into and enjoy older shows so being from long ago won't necessarily be a big mark against the franchise and its earlier series. We probably eventually will see outright remakes/pure reboots, like with Lost in Space, which may be a bit more accessible but will probably also get love it or hate it reactions.
 
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You’d be able to create your own CGI Star Trek with characters looking and sounding the same as they did on TV.

I think Trek is already on track towards being an escapist fantasy of a future that is turning out to be a dystopia rather than a utopia. By mid-century with climate change, etc... taking hold, only a small number of people will seriously believe anything remotely Star Trek-like could be ahead of us. So Ready Player One, basically.

https://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/25/254796/2769132-5507940157-13817.jpg
 
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Trek already is widely regarded as at least a little too overly-idealistic and not-really-as-diverse/progressive-as-it-claims and that could increase. Trek may have no choice but to become/admit it's more Space Fantasy than Science Fiction, which could actually make it more popular (Fantasy has tended to be more popular than Sci Fi, at least post-2000) but would still be pretty controversial.
 
It's already long past its expiration date. I really hope it doesn't keep staggering along doing... whatever the hell the reboots and STD are supposed to be doing, for another 50 years.
 
As Patrick Stewart never ages i expect him to be alive and making films still
sir patrick has a painting upstairs.
By mid-century with climate change
depends on whether we fix the problem, or continue to waste time trying to fix the blame.
Trek already is widely regarded as at least a little too overly-idealistic and not-really-as diverse /progressive-as-it-claim
not all fans accept this concept (invented by a sub-sections of fans) as what trek is. and the general viewing public likely has never heard of it.

other than racial equality, trek struggles with diversity. and hopefully trek never embraces the dead end known as "progressive."
but would still be pretty controversial.
maybe "controversial" is exactly what trek needs?
 
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Trek I think was quite popular becuase it didn't explicitly identify itself with one particular line on the spectrum of politics-American liberals and leftists like it(as complicated as those terms are in the American context) and American conservatives love trek as well. It isn't limited to anyone political grouping.

This has always been to the benefit of the franchise.

In terms of its optimism-trek's optimism stands in contrast to a lot of science fiction which is dystopian and cynical-which separates it and I think in a cynical era makes it more appealing at least to some people.
 
In places sure. But Trek also features repeated interstellar wars, and corruption and power hunger in the Federation/Starfleet among people in high positions. The Federation during TOS wanted to establish a "treaty port" on a unwilling planet.

There are definately nice things about the fictional Federation, but deeply disturbing things as well.
 
True, things aren't perfect but Star Trek does show a world where things are better than they are today, humanity has resolved most if not all its internal problems and that cooperation and understanding with other being's throughout the universe is possible.

Trek shows a universe where humanity doesn't go extinct or succumb to its various problems faced now, and a universe where peace and growth with aliens is possible. As opposed to some sci fi franchises where the only way to deal with aliens is to kill them, and where humanity never overcomes the problems it faces.

That's the heart of trek at least in my humble opinion.
 
I don't know. I'm more worried right now that our planet gets to 2066 without everyone nuking it into oblivion.
 
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