Box Office: 'Star Trek Beyond' racks up solid $59.6 million, 'Lights Out' scores

Star Trek Beyond debuted to a solid $59.6 million this weekend, signaling that after six television series, 13 movies and 50 years in the pop culture conversation, there’s still life left in one of Hollywood’s most durable franchises.

And there are more intergalactic missions to come. As boon to Trekkies, Paramount took the unusual step of announcing yet another sequel was in the works even before this latest USS Enterprise adventure sailed into theaters. The studio has lined up Chris Hemsworth to reprise his role as Capt. Kirk’s father despite the fact that he was incinerated in a spaceship disaster in a previous film. In science-fiction, it seems, death is merely a temporary predicament.

“You can count on one hand the brands that have this kind of longevity and viability over time,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at comScore. “These characters are so clearly defined and people just respond to their sense of camaraderie.”

The latest chapter in the Star Trek saga performed respectably, but its opening is down from the two previous films in the series. Star Trek Beyond couldn’t match the $70.2 million launch of 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness nor could it top the $75.2 million bow of 2009’s Star Trek. Moreover, with a price tag of $185 million, plus tens of millions in promotional spending, the film needs to perform well overseas if it’s going to make a profit.