Summary 40 years after Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and the movie's cast have made an indelible impact not just on the Star Trek franchise, but on wider culture. The third of six movies to continue the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the original starship Enterprise picks up where Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan left off. With Spock physically dead, Kirk and the crew risk their lives and careers to resurrect their old friend.
Beyond the Star Trek universe, William Shatner got a late period renaissance via the iconic Denny Crane role in David E. Kelley's legal comedy Boston Legal. Shatner's music career also got a late period reappraisal thanks to his collaboration with Ben Folds on Has Been, an album of covers and new material. Incredibly, in 2021, William Shatner was part of the crew of Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space shuttle, becoming the oldest living person to travel into space.
Leonard Nimoy's William Bell in Fringe was the former research partner of Dr. Walter Bishop, played by John Noble, who would go on to play the Diviner in Star Trek: Prodigy . Weirdest of all, however, Doohan played the role of Chief O'Brien, the namesake of one of his Star Trek successors, in the Paul Brothers' movie, Double Trouble. James Doohan passed away in 2005, survived by his wife and seven children, including his son Christopher Doohan. Chris made two cameos in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness, for which he received a credit as a transporter room officer.
6 George Takei as Sulu Takei continues to make a positive impact as an activist. Close Following Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, George Takei continued to play Hikaru Sulu in subsequent movies, and appeared as Sulu in Star Trek: Voyager to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary. As well as memorable guest appearances in The Simpsons, Party Down, and The Big Bang Theory, George Takei also had a recurring role as Kaito Nakamura in Heroes.