Death threats rocked the set of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan brought a lot of wrath from fans even before it premiered. 

Star Trek fans can get excitable, and we’re dedicated to this franchise so much so that we will staunchly defend it against other franchises which shall not be named. But before filming could even be completed on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, some fans went a little overboard when word leaked that Spock was going to die in the movie.

Producer Robert Sallin, wrote in his wife Sandra Sallin’s blog, A Part From My Art, that an individual close to Star Trek revealed the secret information at a Trek convention in London. According to Sallin, the betrayal became a firestorm with everyone going a bit berserk. And death threats, targeting the producer, were fast and furious.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was a challenge for producer Robert Sallin.

Fans called him at home, telling him if Spock died in the movie, he would die. He also received threats by mail so much so that he had to increase the security around his home to protect his wife and children for many months during production of the movie.

The pressure from upset fans continued until the premiere of the film, and Sallin said he almost reenlisted in the Air Force because of the uproar. All he wanted to do was make an entertaining motion picture. Instead, he was faced with threats on his life and the lives of those he loved. Though Sallin didn’t leave show business after Wrath of Khan, he never produced another movie and never worked on another Star Trek film.

Despite the trauma to himself and his family, the 91-year-old hasn’t shied away from discussing Star Trek. He’s appeared in documentaries and podcasts, the most recent of which was The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek. While The Wrath of Khan was one of the best movies of the franchise, it’s a shame that Robert Sallin and his family had to suffer during its production all because fans were so protective of Spock.