Geek Speak: London Star Trek Extravaganza Set to Stun [BLOG]

Star Trek has enjoyed a rejuvenation in popularity and fortune after a reincarnation with hot new actors and eye-watering budgets pulled the franchise into the mainstream.

All 11 movies have racked up $1.463bn in global ticket sales.

Just think how much money has rolled in with conventions, memorabilia, DVDs, outfits and anything related to the franchise.

With the success of the rebooted brand, Star Trek fans are no longer forced to hide their costumes, VHS and DVD boxsets and convention ticket stubs like a weird fetish that involves balloons.

I mean Trekkies out there - you get me, right? How times have changed from being ostracised for loving Picard, Riker and all things "flux in the timespace continuum" to girls sporting Trekkie-related T- shirts bought from Topshop and various other outlets.

But I digress.

News that such an event will be gracing the streets of London will make old school and Trekkie noobs' heads implode quicker than a giant red star collapsing.

Years have gone by where veritable Trekkies like myself, based in London, have had to, well, trek as far as Las Vegas just to experience Quarks Bar or a 2D Borg-scene simulation. I think one of the highlights of my life was trying to escape a borg invasion on Star Trek Voyager in an escape pod.

But this event isn't just any old Star Trek gathering - it looks to shape up as THE event.

In what I see as an unprecedented collection of all the greats, not just a collection of ensigns that featured in one episode, organisers have gathered all the major actors, including the beloved William Shatner.

The legend himself even made this video to mark the event.

As someone with a signed picture of Jean Luc Picard, or Patrick Stewart to those who have to know his "real name", I certainly will be first in line.

Organisers have managed to rally 22 captain and officer class actors from Star Trek, including Shatner, Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew and various key personnel from Star Fleet Federation. Oh and Scott Bakula (lest we forget the horrendous theme tune for Enterprise).

Not only will you be able to stalk, I mean get, pictures with your favourite Star Trek actors, but there is a costume parade and even more excitingly, two parties to attend - in costume of course.

Let's just hope everyone makes more of an effort than this:

Yours truly will be on away mission at the event in October this year and will report back.

Stay tuned.