Viewers who are going out to see Star Trek Beyond will want to know if there’s an after-credits scene, which is the hidden scene that director J.J. Abrams has been known to tuck at the very end of his movies as a reward for fans willing to wait out all five to seven minutes of credits.
The after-credits scene has become something close to a standard in the science fiction genre with many film series using these short add-on scenes to further a particular plot line or introduce a new character that will be featured in an upcoming film.
The Marvel series has perfected this approach with pretty much every movie in the superhero series now coming with two separate scenes, one during the credits and one after they’ve all finished.
[WARNING: Potential Star Trek Beyond spoilers are ahead]
So will viewers who see Star Trek Beyond be treated to an after-credits scene? Technically, the answer is no, but the good news is that they will see a bit extra without having to wait.
While there is no scene at the very end of the credits, J.J. Abrams does give fans a treat during the start of the credits with a shot that takes viewers through space imagery, Media Stinger noted.
The newest Star Trek gets what’s made the franchise live long and prosper: https://t.co/mImNZYyZFl pic.twitter.com/jhD26TcXIv
— Slate (@Slate) July 21, 2016
After the graphics end, there are two dedications. The first one reads, “In Loving Memory of Leonard Nimoy,” and the second dedication reads, “For Anton.”
Nimoy, famous for his portrayal of Dr. Spock in the original Star Trek , died in February 2015. Actor Anton Yelchin, who plays Chekov in Star Trek Beyond , was killed in June in a freak accident when his car pinned him into a metal gate outside his home.
‘Star Trek Beyond’ cast pays tribute to Anton Yelchin with moment of silence https://t.co/zXsFuQm9X5
— TIME (@TIME) July 21, 2016
Fans of the rebooted version of Star Trek have come to know that they can safely leave the theater before the credits are done rolling. The first movie of the J.J. Abrams series, 2009’s Star Trek , had no extra scene either during or after the credits. The 2013 follow-up, Star Trek Into Darkness , had nothing at the very end of the credits, but it did have a scene that played as they began to roll.
As Media Stinger noted, the extra scene was visually stunning, but it didn’t offer a lot in the way of plot development.
“The first two minutes of the credits of Star Trek Into Darkness move through 3D scenes of the galaxy with typical J.J. Abrams’ lens flare and a palette of different colors. This is followed by a dedication to post-9/11 veterans, and there are no other extras during the rest of the credits.”
There could be a potentially huge audience to see if there’s a Star Trek Beyond end-credits scene. The movie is expected to dominate the opening-weekend box office, showing at 3,800 theaters, including 391 IMAX locations, Entertainment Weekly noted. Both of the first two installations in the Star Trek series grossed more than $70 million domestically for their opening weekends, and the latest movie is expected to get a head start with a $50 million opening weekend.
There is potential for it to go even higher, the Entertainment Weekly report noted. The movie is expected to get a boost from its Wednesday premiere at Comic-Con and some strong reviews.
“The film also hits 46 percent of its planned international footprint this weekend as it opens in 37 countries around the world, including Russia, Australia, Germany, and the U.K.,” the report noted. “The 2009 Star Trek film grossed a lukewarm $127 million from foreign countries, though 2013’s Into Darkness fared better, pulling in $238 million worldwide.”
While there is no after-credits scene in Star Trek Beyond to foreshadow what comes next in the movie series, J.J. Abrams has already talked upcoming movies, essentially assuring to fans that they will see more of it in the future.
[Image via Instagram / Star Trek Beyond ]