Star Trek actors Simon Pegg, Chris Pine and Idris Elba will boldly go to Leicester Square today when the sci-fi sequel receives its London premiere.

The crew of the USS Enterprise and their foes are expected to walk the red carpet for the UK launch of Star Trek Beyond.

Chris Pine is among the stars expected on the red carpet in Leicester Square tonight.

Pegg, Pine and Elba will be joined by co-stars Zachary Quinto, Sofia Boutella, Karl Urban and John Cho.

The follow-up to Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness follows the heroes as they encounter a new ruthless enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

The launch of the film has been overshadowed by tragedy as Anton Yelchin, who plays Chekov, was killed in an accident in Los Angeles in June.

He died when his own car rolled down his driveway pinning him against a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence.

The film also hit the headlines when LGBT activist George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek, said it was "unfortunate" that the character was openly gay in the new film.

Sulu, who is played by Cho in the new outing, is seen with a male partner and child in Star Trek Beyond but Takei said this twisted what creator Gene Roddenberry had intended with the character.

He said it would have been preferable to create an entirely new character who had a history of being gay.

The premiere will take place at the Empire Leicester Square.