Star Trek III: The Search for Spock returns for 40th anniversary… in U.K. only

A dying planet. A fight for life. The search for Spock. It all returns to theaters this year. To commemorate the 40th anniversary, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock will beam back onto screens. Unfortunately for most of us, the release is only headed to the United Kingdom, leaving everybody else wondering if we’ll get it as well.

When it was released, The Search for Spock opened at #1 with $16.7 million, a best for the franchise up to that point. It also beat out Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in its second week. But it would fall short of its predecessors on the worldwide box office, taking in $87 million compared to Star Trek: The Motion Picture’s $139 million and The Wrath of Khan’s $95.8 million. It would also be surpassed by the fourth installment, The Voyage Home.

Today, The Search for Spock stands as perhaps the most underrated Star Trek movie, with a fanbase that has been tirelessly supportive in the decades following its release. With that, there is definitely a call for it to hit the States and other countries, which would be a fitting tribute to the movie that has grown in reputation over time. Four decades on, The Search for Spock holds a 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the fourth highest-rated of the original series of movies.

As Empire notes, this is “the first film in the series to have been directed by Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy – and, following the tragic conclusion of Wrath Of Khan, sees Captain Kirk heading off on… well, a search for Spock. Get ready for Genesis planets, resurrections, and Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon. Great Scott!” They also debuted the British quad poster by Matt Ferguson, which you can check out below:

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock will hit U.K. cinemas on June 14th, almost 40 years to the day after it made its worldwide debut. For those of us outside of the territory, you can at least watch the movie on Max.

Would you see The Search for Spock if it were released in theaters near you? Where does it rank in your list of the best Star Trek movies? Let us know in the comments below!