William Shatner Is Bringing The Wrath of Khan to New Brunswick - Then Taking the Stage

There are movie screenings, there are celebrity appearances, and then there are nights where the two become inseparable. State Theatre New Jersey has one of those nights coming to New Brunswick: William Shatner will appear live on stage immediately after a screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Friday, Jan. 29, 2027. That is the entire hook, and it is more than enough. The audience will not watch a recorded introduction or sit through a distant convention panel built around a dozen competing attractions. They will watch one of the defining Star Trek films in a theater, then see the man who played James T. Kirk walk onto the same stage and talk about the movie, his career and whatever questions the room is ready to hand him. The State Theatre listing says the evening begins at 7:30 p.m. and will include Shatner sharing behind-the-scenes stories and answering audience questions. The official tour lists the full program at roughly three hours and 20 minutes: about one hour and 55 minutes for the film, a 15-minute intermission and approximately one hour and 15 minutes of moderated discussion. Audience questions may be submitted in the lobby before the show. And the choice of film matters. Released in 1982, The Wrath of Khan did more than give Star Trek one of its most recognizable villains. The movie put an older Kirk face-to-face with consequence, regret, friendship, command and mortality, while still delivering the space battles and theatrical scale expected of the franchise. Four decades later, it remains one of the films against which later Star Trek movies are measured. Seeing it with Shatner in the building changes the texture of the screening before he ever reaches the stage. That is what makes this feel bigger than a nostalgia booking. The film is not being used simply as a warm-up act for a famous guest, and Shatner is not appearing detached from the work that made the room possible. The evening puts the artifact and the person together: Kirk on the screen, Shatner on the stage, and an audience that has had decades to decide what both mean to them. THIS ONE WILL MOVE EARLY The practical part comes well before January. General ticket sales are scheduled to open Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. State Theatre benefactor donors at the $500 level and above receive a presale beginning Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. The venue is also offering two VIP add-ons in addition to the required performance ticket: a standard option with a professionally shot post-show photo with Shatner, and a premium option that adds an exclusive signed poster. State Theatre recommends the event for ages 12 and older, and anyone under 18 must be seated directly next to a parent or guardian. The theater is at 15 Livingston Avenue in downtown New Brunswick. The tour also notes that photography, video and audio recording are not permitted during the performance, while tour-exclusive merchandise is expected to be available in the lobby. For an advance, there is no need to spend January's story now. The questions, the crowd, the applause when the lights come up, the way Shatner handles a room that already knows every beat of the film, all of that belongs to the event itself. For now, the important thing is simpler: on Jan. 29, one of Star Trek's most enduring movies will play in New Brunswick, and when it ends, William Shatner will be there to continue the conversation in person. That is a very different kind of movie night and we plan to be in the room for it. Event Details

What | William Shatner Live on Stage with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
When | Friday, Jan. 29, 2027, at 7:30 p.m.; program runs roughly 3 hours 20 minutes
Where | State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
On sale | General tickets Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m.; benefactor-donor ($500+) presale Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m.
VIP | Standard post-show photo add-on; premium add-on includes signed poster (performance ticket required)
Age guidance | Recommended for ages 12+; guests under 18 must sit directly beside a parent or guardian

SOURCE NOTES • State Theatre New Jersey — William Shatner Live on Stage with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• Official William Shatner Live On Stage tour — show format, Q&A and VIP details
• StarTrek.com — Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan