 The Search for Spock opened June 1 , 1984 . In its first week of release , the film grossed over $ 16 million from almost 2 @,@ 000 theaters across North America . It went on to gross $ 76 million at the domestic box office , toward a total of $ 87 million worldwide . Critical reaction to The Search for Spock was positive , but notably less so than the previous film . Reviewers generally praised the cast and characters , while criticism tended to focus on the plot ; the special effects were conflictingly received . Roger Ebert called the film a compromise between the tones of the first and second Star Trek films . The Search for Spock was released on multiple home video formats , including VHS , DVD , and Blu @-@ ray high definition discs . Nimoy went on to direct The Search for Spock 's sequel , Star Trek IV : The Voyage Home . 
