Our friends at Factory Entertainment are boldly setting a new course… one where you’ll need deep pockets to follow.
The company today announced a new line of planned studio-scale and studio-quality Star Trek starship models — the first of Factory Entertainment’s planned FE MasterWorks line — which aims to bring Hollywood-level recreations of the franchise’s greatest vessels out to those willing to meet the hefty price tag.
We’ve got exclusive first-look video showcasing the detail in these large-size constructions here at TrekCore, so be sure to check them out below!
Launching officially at San Diego Comic Con later this month, the first FE MasterWorks starships will be the refit Constitution-class USS Enterprise from Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, the USS Excelsior as seen in Star Trek III, and the Galaxy-class USS Enterprise-D as it appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
(A fourth starship replica will be announced later this summer.)
Here’s what the company’s press release has to say about the new venture:
Each fully-licensed FE MasterWorks™ product is hand-built in the U.S. by veteran modelmakers with extensive experience building models for major motion pictures as well as leading theme park companies. Each is constructed using authentic film production techniques and materials to render a final product that is suitable for actual film use.
“With modern CGI greatly diminishing the use of filming models in new motion pictures, fans of classic science fiction have come to appreciate even more the artisanship of the craftsmen who built the detailed miniatures used in classic iterations of Star Trek and other iconic science fiction films and TV series,” said Jordan Schwartz, President & CEO of Factory Entertainment.
“The FE MasterWorks™ program is dedicated to preserving the art of building filming models, and gives the talented artisans who honed their skills on some of the classic models a chance to again practice their craft, this time for the benefit of the most serious collectors who want to own not just a movie prop replica, but a true work of art.”
As for pricing? A representative from Factory Entertainment revealed through social media that the cost of each approximately-three-foot-long model is expected to start at a $15,000 USD price point — the models will be produced mainly of resin, but will also feature other mixed material in their construction.
This isn’t the first round of large-scale, large-priced Star Trek starship models which have been released for public order over the years. Back in 2011, QMx debuted Motion Picture and Star Trek (2009) Enterprise studio-scale models for $5,000 USD each, followed by an Enterprise-D model priced at $10,000 USD.
In 2018, the now-out-of-business Anovos showcased similarly-sized models of the USS Discovery, USS Shenzhou, and Discovery-era USS Enterprise for pricing up to $9,000 USD each.
Factory Entertainment will be showing off their FE MasterWorks starship prototypes at San Diego Comic Con; their booth (#2743) will open starting July 19 where visitors can begin to make reservations for these model offerings.
We’ll have more details to share about this heavy-duty Star Trek project following the company’s SDCC appearance.
Check back to TrekCore often for the latest in Star Trek product news!