It is the 23rd Century. The Federation Starship U.S.S. Enterprise is on routine training maneuvers, and Admiral James T. Kirk seems resigned to the fact that this may well be the last space mission of his career. But Khan is back. Aided by his exiled band of genetic supermen, Khan--brilliant renegade of 20th Century Earth--has raided Space Station Regula One, stolen a top secret device called Project Genesis, wrested control of another Federation starship, and now schemes to set a most deadly trap for his old enemy Kirk . . . with the threat of a universal Armageddon!

William Shatner - Admiral Kirk

Leonard Nimoy - Captain Spock

DeForest Kelley - Dr. McCoy

James Doohan - Cmdr. Scott

Walter Koenig - Cmdr. Chekov

George Takei - Cmdr. Sulu

Nichelle Nichols - Cmdr. Uhura

Bibi Besch - Dr. Carol Marcus

Merritt Butrick - Dr. David Marcus

Paul Winfield - Capt. Terrell

Kirstie Alley - Lt. Saavik

Ricardo Montalban - Khan

Ike Eisenmann - Midshipman Peter Preston

John Vargas - Jedda

John Winston - Cmdr. Kyle

Paul Kent - Lt. Cmdr. Beach

Nicholas Guest - Cadet

Russell Takaki - Madison

Kevin Sullivan - March

Joel Marstan - Crew Chief

Teresa E. Victor - Bridge voice

Dianne Harper - Radio voice

David Ruprecht - Radio voice

Marcy Vosburgh - Computer voice

Laura Banks - Khan's navigator

Tim Culbertson - Khan's henchman

James Horner - Enterprise crewman

Judson Earney Scott - Joachim

Director Nicholas Meyer envisioned the film as the ultimate extension of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's idea of "Horatio Hornblower in space". Therefore, prior to filming he had the cast watch Captain Horatio Hornblower for inspiration.

Producer Harve Bennett viewed all the original Star Trek episodes and chose 1967's "Space Seed" as the best candidate for a sequel.

Ricardo Montalban watched his original 1967 performance to recall the character of Khan.

Due to budget limitations, sets and props were re-used wherever possible. Space Station Regula 1 was the space station from Star Trek: The Motion Picture... turned upside-down.

The shot of the three Klingon ships in the Simulator room is from the opening sequence of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Terrell and Chekhov's environmental suits were originally Spock's suit during his spacewalk in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The sets of Reliant were actually the Enterprise with different lighting, camera angles, and different seat covers.

The "Genesis" sequence called for a long and massive explosion. ILM rented the Cow Palace in San Francisco for the effect. They covered the ceiling with a black cloth and placed the camera on the floor looking up at it. The explosion would occur directly above the camera so the fall-out would appear to rush directly towards the point of view. A special high-speed camera was constructed which ran at 2,500 frames per second. One of its components was a spinning prism, which bent the image onto the film as it rushed past, which increased exposure time without having to slow the frame rate.

The software that generated the computer image of the Genesis probe approaching the planet placed mountains on the planet at random, and one of these happened to be right in the probe's path. Each frame took so long to create with the systems then available that when the problem was spotted, it was not considered reasonable to discard the seconds of footage already made. Hence a canyon was introduced: see the goofs entry.

When Spock and Savik speak to each other in Vulcan, the actors actually spoke in English, and then sound people created the Vulcan words to match the movements of the actors' mouths.

Leonard Nimoy was persuaded to participate in this movie when producer Harve Bennett offered him a chance for a great death scene for Spock. Nimoy originally intended for "Wrath of Kahn" to be the last time he would ever play the role of Spock. However, according to Nimoy, he enjoyed the filming experience so much for "Wrath of Kahn" that he asked Harve Bennett if there was a way that he could be "brought back". This request lead to the filming of the "Remember" sequence between Spock and McCoy after principal shooting for the film had wrapped. This way the mind-meld scene that could explain his return later in the series which set up the premise for the next film in the series.

There are several books in the container that shelters Khan's followers on Ceti Alpha VI. Two of the titles are "Moby Dick" and "King Lear", and a lot of Khan's lines are directly taken from those books. In particular, the final monologue of Khan is identical to the last words of Captain Ahab from Melville's book.

The word SNAVE appears under NCC 1864 RELIANT in the final computer generated tactical display around Regula. Snave is the nickname of the CG star field programmer, Stephen McAllister.

The main viewer display during the opening sequence indicates that the Kobayashi Maru's captain is Kojiro Vance and that the ship is registered out of the planet Amber (Tau Ceti IV).

Although Chekhov was not yet part of the crew in the 1967 Star Trek episode ("Space Seed") where the Enterprise first encounters Khan, Khan recognizes Chekhov in this film when they first meet on Ceti Alpha V.

In the original Star Trek episode "Space Seed", approximately 80 genetically-engineered supermen were left behind on Ceti Alpha V by the Enterprise. By the time of this film, only 15 (including Khan) are left. 20 were killed by Ceti Eels, the rest through other means (presumably as a result of the explosion of Ceti Alpha VI).

Joachim's death scene was originally intended for an alien called Moray, and the scene where Khan appears onscreen was intended for her husband Sojin. Sojin and Moray, in one draft of the script, were monsters who were exiled from another dimension and who were found on Ceti Alpha Five.

The original title was to be "The Vengeance of Khan", but this was changed because the second sequel to Star Wars (then titled "Revenge of the Jedi") was to be released near the same time. In the end both movie tiles were changed.

All of Khan's men were Chippendale dancers at the time.

An early draft of the script had Dr. Janet Wallace from the original series episode "The Deadly Years" as Kirk's long-lost lover in the role that eventually became Dr. Carol Marcus.

Star Trek fans have speculated that Dr. Carol Marcus could have been the "little blonde technician" Gary Mitchell admitted to collaborating with to distract Kirk with a romance in the pilot episode, Star Trek: Where No Man Has Gone Before.

Originally subtitled "The Undiscovered Country", but that subtitle eventually went to Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country).

Judson Earney Scott's lack of screen credit for his very large part as Joachim (Khan's right-hand man) was the fault of his then-agent, who mistakenly opted to waive Scott's credit believing that that would allow them to negotiate better credit placement later.

The Enterprise Torpedo Room and Spacelab transporter sets were originally parts of the Klingon bridge built for the first Star Trek movie. In order to save money, shots of the Enterprise departing from dock, and in space, were taken from the first Star Trek movie. The Spacelab model is that of the orbiting space office turned upside down and with some cosmetic changes from the first Star Trek movie. This movie was produced by the Paramount Television division and released by the feature film division, in order to avoid the $43 million cost of the first feature film.

65% of the film was shot on the same set.

The computer ship diagram when the shields are being raised are actually from the aborted 1978 Star Trek: Phase II TV show.

The "No Smoking Is Permitted On Bridge" sign from the first scene was removed in later bridge scenes when Gene Roddenberry complained that smoking would not exist in the future.

One of Admiral Kirk's antiques is a Commodore PET computer.

The silver container with the pressure tanks was actually a spaceship model from Conquest of Space.

The huge background painting of San Francisco seen through the window of Admiral Kirk's apartment was initially used for The Towering Inferno.

One of the Reliant's crew - Mr. Kyle, played by John Winston - was a recurring member of the Enterprise crew in the original TV series.

The famous "Space, the final frontier" monologue is heard for the first time since the original TV series, however it has been changed slightly. Instead of saying, "to seek out new life," it now says, "to seek out new life forms".

The script originally called for McCoy to say, "He's dead, Jim," at Spock's death. DeForest Kelly feared the line would draw unintentional laughs and insisted it be changed.

The vector-based computer graphics used on the Tactical displays and viewing screens, and also starfield effects in the Control Rooms of both the Reliant and the Enterprise and the Bridge Simulator, were rendered using computers by Evans and Sutherland Computer Corporation.

During the three-day filming of Spock's death sequence, no visitors were allowed on the set.

During the initial simulation, the computer declares the port of origin of the Kobayashi Maru's is Altair-4. This is the name of the planet in Forbidden Planet.

In the beginning when Kirk and Spock are talking in the hallway, the black building directory in background lists key Starfleet Command personnel including Admiral Gene Roddenberry. (Also Joe Jennings , Mike Minor, Lee Cole and other art department members)

Spock's mind meld with McCoy wasn't in Nicholas Meyer's original script, nor did he direct the scene. It was added after test audiences said they wished there was hope that Spock could be revived. When Paramount ordered the change, Meyer threatened to have his name taken off the film.

The different colored turtlenecks worn by Starfleet officers indicate what division they belong to. White - Command; Gold - Engineering; Gray - Science; Light Green - Medical; Red - Cadets and Trainees; and Black - Enlisted.

Kirk and Khan never meet face to face during the movie. All of their interaction is through viewscreens or communicators.

In a scene deleted from the original release, Scotty expains that the young Engineering ensign who dies during Khan's first attack was his nephew.

Cameo: James Horner running down a corridor during the preparation for the final battle, just before the torpedoes are loaded into the launch bay.

Star Trek "technobabble" seen on walls throughout the Regula space station includes: Geoplastics, Gravitronics, Thermowave Multiplexer, JBK Sensors Synthostasis, Thermonics, and Wave Matrix ETM Storage.

It has been widely debated that Ricardo Montalban's chest was actually a prosthetic piece that he wore during the film. In the director's commentary in the special edition DVD, Nicholas Meyer is quoted as saying that it was, in fact, Montalban's actual chest and that he was a very muscular man who worked out.

It was never explained why Khan always wore a glove on his right hand. In the directors commentary on the special edition DVD, Nicholas Meyer says that there was no real reason that he wore it and that he deliberately left it up to the audience to answer on why they think he wore it.

The battle of wits between Kirk and Khan in the Mutara Nebula sequence was inspired by the battle between the destroyer captain (Robert Mitchum) and the U-boat commander (Kurt Jurgens ) in The Enemy Below

This film marks the first appearance of the Miranda class starship, namely the USS Reliant. The model was reused several times in "The Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," as other vessels of the same class.

The model of the USS Reliant is actually upside down. The original design was for a ship that was a similar configuration to the Enterprise (engines above the fuselage). When the producers reviewed the design of the Reliant they did it with the sketches upside down. The special effects team noticed this but decided that they'd just go ahead and produce a model with their expectations instead of sending it back.

This is the only "original series" movie in which any ship actually fires phasers. In every other one in the series, only photon torpedos are used. It is also the only time in the history of the original series, both television and movies, that the Enterprise fires phasers other than the ones in the front.

Khan states that he remembers Chekov from the Enterprise, but the character of Chekov was added to the series after the episode "Space Seed", which was Khan's appearance.

While Leonard Nimoy was persuaded to return as Spock when he was promised a death scene, an early draft of the script called for the death scene to take place at the beginning of the movie. However, this information got out to the fans who became highly upset. So the "Kobayashi Maru" scenario was invented to allow Spock to "die" in the opening as rumored and throw off the audience for the drama of Spock's actual death at the end of the film.

Continuity error: In the computer image of the Genesis probe approaching the planet, it is about to collide with a mountain when a narrow canyon blinks into existence to let it through. See also the trivia entry.

Continuity error: The blood-stain on Kirk's uniform, from Scotty's dying relative (there are claims that this is the result of deleted footage).

Revealing mistake: Khan's dead comrade's eyes close as Khan holds him close.

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Spock and Saavik's Vulcan words were obviously dubbed in later.

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the debris falls on Joachim.

Continuity error: Coat flap on Kirk's jacket during Spock's death scene.

Continuity error: When Spock is dying, McCoy jumps from being in front of Kirk to being behind him between shots.

Continuity error: Scotty's position behind Kirk during Spock's funeral.

Continuity error: After David Marcus says, "We can't just sit here," Admiral Kirk puts on his glasses and checks his watch, saying, "Oh, yes we can." In the very next shot, the glasses are gone.

Continuity error: During the docking with the Enterprise, shuttle control gives them permission to dock at the torpedo launching bay. Instead, the shuttle is clearly shown to dock near main engineering. In addition, Kirk and Co. clearly board the ship through the torpedo bay. The shuttlepod docking sequence, as well as additional visuals of Enterprise in and departing from drydock, are reused footage from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Revealing mistake: During the discussion on the before beaming down to Regula, Saavik is mouthing Kirk's and McCoy's lines in the foreground.

Revealing mistake: Wires are visible attached to Chekov's uniform when Khan lifts him up with one hand.

Continuity error: Several monitors on the bridge of the USS Reliant show ship diagrams that don't match the actual shape of the ship as we see it elsewhere in the movie - a result of the bridge set being used for both the Reliant and the Enterprise.

Continuity error: Khan has a torpedo fired at the Enterprise. After the torpedo explodes we see David and Carol Marcus, and McCoy, in the sickbay reacting to the explosion. Only six seconds pass (of movie time as well as "real" time) before the turbolift doors open on the bridge with David as a passenger. In the Director's Edition DVD, restored footage allowed a longer period of time between Khan's "warning shot" and David's appearance on the Bridge a moment later.

Continuity error: When Chekov and Terrell explore Ceti Alpha V, earphones can clearly be seen through the visors of their spacesuit helmets. When they enter the shelter they discovered and take off their helmets, the earphones are gone.

Continuity error: During the Genesis Project summary scene, we see a video recording of Carol Marcus surrounded by a blue control panel. When the video switches to the CAD diagram, the control panel turns purple.

Continuity error: When Reliant makes its first attack on the Enterprise, Kirk and Spock examine the Enterprise's damage report screen, which has flashing red lights indicating damaged sections of the ship. There are mostly flashing lights on the starboard side of the ship, but the port side was the most badly hit during the attack.

Continuity error: During the battle in the nebula, Kirk orders, "Evasive starboard," but the Enterprise moves to port.

Continuity error: During the nebulae battle scene, the Reliant's phasers burn a gash in the side or the Enterprise's torpedo bay and the interior of the bay explodes and burns. Later the same torpedo bay interior is used for Spock's funeral and it is undamaged.

Network TV version features additional footage not included in theatrical release, including some dialog between Spock and Saavik, where Spock talks about the "human ego."

In the TV version, there are also several scenes that represent alternate takes of scenes present in the theatrical/video version. For example, in the scene on Regula I in which the scientists are debating why the Reliant is coming to take the Genesis project, Kirk's son says, "scientists have always been pawns of the military." Comparison of the two versions makes it clear that they are different takes - he places emphasis on different words, and one scene is slightly longer.

In one of the early US TV versions, there is a scene prior to the Enterprise setting out when Kirk is inspecting Engineering. Kirk was teasing Scotty's nephew about being so young. The Ensign ducks out of formation and hands Kirk a "left handed spanner."

There is a short scene missing in the Network TV version when Kirk is in a shuttle, piloted by Sulu, right before docking with the Enterprise. Kirk makes some glib remark about "having (Sulu) at the helm for three weeks...I don't think these kids can steer"; Sulu responds, "Well I'm delighted." But in the theatrical release, Sulu goes on to say, "Well I'm delighted, anytime to be aboard the Enterprise is a treat."

Another missing scene in the TV version takes place during Kirk's inspection of Engineering. Kirk stands near to Scotty's nephew. Seconds tick by until finally the young midshipman can no longer contain his pride about the state of Engineering and says, "I'm sure you'll find everything is in ship shape, Capt'n". "Oh do you?" Kirk reponds incredulously. "Do you have any idea, midshipman Preston, of the ribbing I get in the officer's mess about the Enterprise, and that it's nothing more than a flying garbage heap?" Stammering, the boy responds, "Oh no sir, the Enterprise is the finest ship in the fleet." At this point Kirk and Scotty have already locked glances and are smiling about their inside joke.

Another alternate take in the TV version is a scene featuring Kirk and an off-duty Saavik talking in a lift. The TV version makes use of close-ups not present in the theatrical release. In addition, Kirstie Alley plays the scene more seductively.

The network version has Kirk's question to McCoy, "It's charming... what is it?" and McCoy replies, "They're for your eyes. For most patients..."

After the death of Preston in sickbay, there is a short scene between Kirk and McCoy. Kirk asks McCoy if he's ok, and McCoy says yes and proceeds to thank Kirk for getting them away from Khan, to which Kirk replies that they're only alive because he knows more about starships than Khan does.

Additional dialogue featuring David Marcus and Saavik was shot for the film's epilogue on the bridge, but this was cut.

Original UK Video was cut and released as PG. Only later was the video reissued uncut as a 15 Cert. One of the scenes cut from the first release was the 'bug' coming out of Chekov's ear.

Original film prints did not include the "II" in the title.

All versions shown on the Sci-Fi Channel,TBS and TNT, and syndicated television versions are re-edited versions of the theatrical version, and not of the ABC-TV version.

An additional scene found only in the ABC-TV version: After returning to the Enterprise from Regula, Kirk and Spock are climbing a ladder in an access tunnel. Kirk proudly proclaims, "That young man with us? [referring to David Marcus] He's my son!" To which Spock quite wearily offers his token response, "Fascinating."

The Kobayashi Maru simulator computer has more dialogue in the ABC version.

A "Director's Edition" was released on DVD in August 2002, which will feature three minutes of footage not in the theatrical release: (NOTE: The Director's Edition does NOT use the ABC-tv version of Kirk and Saavik's conversation in the turbolift, which was more "steamy" and used close-ups (instead of one long "master" shot). Also, unlike, the ABC-tv version, all "Ceti eel" scenes are NOT edited for content.) Expanded conversation between Kirk and McCoy in Kirk's apartment about his birthday gift, the glasses. Also, McCoy now says "For most patients your age, I'd usually administer Retinax Five". This is an alternate take, since in the theatrical version, he says "recommend" instead of "administer" (Seen in ABC-tv version). Conversation between Kirk and Midshipman Preston in the Enterprise engine room, with Scotty revealing that Preston is his nephew. Also, the "take" at the scene's end with Kirk addressing Scott and McCoy asking "Admiral, what about the rest of the inspection?" is different from the one seen in the theatrical version. Kirk's dialogue is also slightly different. (Seen in ABC-tv version). The scene where Chekov informs Dr. Marcus and her team about their new "orders" via com-pic has been expanded. Carol Marcus now asks "Who gave the order", and the mind-controlled Chekov dances around the answer a bit before David says, "Pin him down, mother" (Seen in ABC-tv version). The scene where the scientists at Regula One argue about Starfleet's "order" is a different take, and has been expanded at the end to show Carol Marcus telling eveyone to pack their things up so they can depart before the Reliant arrives. (Seen in ABC-tv version). McCoy and Spock's argument about Genesis in Kirk's cabin has been slightly expanded. They discuss what might happen if Genesis fell into the wrong hands, and whose hands are the "right" ones. Kirk attempts to break the two up, but Spock cuts him off with a comeback to McCoy (Seen in ABC-tv version). Preston's death in Sickbay has been expanded. Preston now says "Aye" and dies in close-up (instead of in the medium shot with Preston's back to the camera and the others visible around the table seen in the theatrical version) Scotty asks why Khan wants revenge. McCoy's line, "I'm sorry Scotty" now comes in the middle of the scene, instead of at the end. After Spock informs Kirk via intercom that impulse power is restored, McCoy and Kirk talk a bit longer, and Kirk says they only survived because he knew something Khan didn't about starships (Seen in ABC-tv version). An added shot of Kirk, Spock and Saavik climbing a ladder between decks has been added, in which Kirk says, "That young man is my son", and Spock replies, "Fascinating". Also, the music in the scene has been "looped" to account for this added shot, but it "loops" at an earlier point than in the ABC-tv version. This makes the music flow better, instead of repeating the same bit of music twice in succession. An extension occurs as the Enterprise approaches the Mutara Nebula. Saavik wonders if Reliant will follow them in, and Spock states that he must remember to teach her about the human ego. The music is "looped" at a different point than in the ABC-tv version to accommidate this extension, and it is thus much less distracting.

In the network TV version, during the sickbay scene where the young Ensign dies, we find out that the Ensign is actually Scotty's nephew, thus explaining Scotty's emotional state. In a version that aired on AMC, the relationship between Scotty and the Ensign is established in a scene where Kirk is inspecting the Engineering section. He and the Ensign have a spirited discussion, afterwards Scotty mentions in a light-hearted asside to Kirk that the Ensign is his Sister's son. In the theatrical version the same scene is shorter, leaving out any mention of who the Ensign is and why Scotty is so upset.