 Star Trek III : The Search for Spock is a 1984 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures . The film is the third feature film of the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three @-@ film story arc that begins with Star Trek II : The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV : The Voyage Home . After the death of Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) , the crew of the USS Enterprise returns to Earth . When James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) learns that Spock 's spirit , or katra , is held in the mind of Dr. Leonard " Bones " McCoy ( DeForest Kelley ) , Kirk and company steal the Enterprise to return Spock 's body to his home planet . The crew must also contend with hostile Klingons , led by Kruge ( Christopher Lloyd ) , bent on stealing the secrets of a powerful terraforming device . 
