* ActingForTwo: Creator/TomHardy played Shinzon and Picard's younger self.
* BoxOfficeBomb: More in the sense of how high-profile its failure was, but it still made a fairly significant loss; its estimated production and marketing costs were supposedly in the region of $90 million, and it only made about $67 million worldwide. The fact that Paramount pitted the film against a murderer's row of blockbusters did it no favors, leading it to be the only ''Star Trek'' film to not open at number one at the US box office, losing to ''Film/MaidInManhattan'' of all things.
* BTeamSequel:
** Creator/JonathanFrakes would have liked to direct, but he was busy with another Paramount film, ''Film/{{Clockstoppers}}''.
** Creator/LeVarBurton was also considered as director (he had since ''ST:TNG'' directed many episodes of ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', and seemed a shoo-in to be 'called up' like Frakes had been), but Paramount went over Berman's head and installed Stuart Baird as director.
** Creator/NicholasMeyer was originally offered the director's chair, but turned it down because Rick Berman wouldn't allow him to make any serious changes to the script.
* TheCastShowoff: The Argo chase scene was put in because of Creator/PatrickStewart's love of dune buggy racing. He did all the driving except the exit and first sharp turn.
* CreatorBacklash:
** Creator/TomHardy said that this film (and more specifically, the fact that it was a critical and commercial flop) was the worst thing that ever happened to him, and nearly [[CreatorKiller killed his career]] before it got off the ground. The commercial failure of the film, and the response from long-time fans, apparently led to his relationship dissolving, his turning to alcohol, and considering suicide. To this day, he still refuses to talk about ''Nemesis'' in any significant detail. Creator/LeVarBurton, Creator/MarinaSirtis and Creator/GatesMcFadden have also made no secret of the fact that they hate this movie.
** Sirtis' segment in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mltm_-bGcIo this video]] is very telling. Those being interviewed are supposed to be SellingTheShow, but Sirtis can't keep her irritation with director Stuart Baird's approach under wraps. Given her and other cast members' description of Baird's actions, her annoyance is completely understandable.
** Creator/MichaelDorn was upset at how little Worf got to do in the film.
* CreatorKiller:
** Stuart Baird, primarily known for his work as a film editor, looked to be carving out a decent career as an action director after ''Film/ExecutiveDecision'' and ''Film/USMarshals'' -- until the failure of ''Nemesis'' killed his directing career stone cold dead. To this day, Baird maintains a steady editing career.
** The film's failure proved the beginning of the end for longtime ''Star Trek'' producer Rick Berman, who never worked on another film again, and was KickedUpstairs on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' a little while later. Following the end of that series, he hasn't been credited as a writer or producer on anything of any description.
* CreatorsApathy: Stuart Baird never watched a single episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and knew so little of the series that he mistook Geordi for an alien multiple times. He [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/12/23/stuart_baird_star_trek_nemesis_interview.shtml later said]] that his task was to deliver "two hours of entertainment, with as much bang for your buck" and "not to get too precious about it". (This is often suspected of being a significant contributor to the end of his directoral career, as with the increasing trend toward franchise films in the noughts and beyond, producers wanted a director who gave at least a ''little'' bit of a shit about the franchise he was working on.)
* DeletedRole: Steven Culp was supposed to appear as Commander Martin Madden, Picard's new first officer, in the end, but he was cut out. Culp would later play MACO Major Hayes on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''.
* DeletedScene: It's been estimated that 50 minutes of footage was cut from the theatrical version. (Eight scenes were included on the DVD as extras.) Among the deleted material:
** A different version of the Romulan Senate opening scene in which John Berg's Senator has dialogue.
** A private conversation between Picard and Data over a glass of wine.
** An early introduction of Shinzon (right after the wedding reception). This is the scene that includes the dialogue from the theatrical trailers: "But in darkness there is strength..." (Viceroy) and "The time we have dreamed of is at hand... the mighty Federation will fall before us..."
** Beverly's intention to leave the ''Enterprise'' for a post at Starfleet Medical.
** A conversation at the wedding between Picard and Wesley, who explains that he will be serving as an engineer aboard the ''Titan'' under Captain Riker.
** Worf saying being an ambassador (see ''[=DS9=]'') didn't suit him.
** A scene in the mess hall in which Riker, Troi and Worf discuss the differences between Human and Klingon honeymoon traditions, and Data attempts to share a meal with B4.
** Picard being outraged there was a clone of him running around. He's talked down by Crusher.
** A second mind-rape scene of Counselor Troi in a turbolift.
** Picard walking with Troi down a corridor and Troi explaining to him that he and Shinzon are two different people. This scene includes the line from the trailer, "it was like a part of me had been stolen..." (Picard).
** Sickbay getting ready for battle, a short dialogue between Picard and Crusher is shown.
** Worf warning Picard about the Romulans just before they leave for Romulus. This scene includes the dialogue from the trailer, "I recommend extreme caution..." (Worf).
** Geordi and Worf clearing out Data's personal effects from his quarters, in which several props from the series (including Data's violin and the pipe he smoked as Literature/SherlockHolmes) appear. Spot also appears jumping into Worf's arms; when Worf states that he is "not a cat person," Geordi responds "Looks like you are now!"
** The original extended ending – a new first officer is introduced on board the Enterprise and two funny moments are shown afterward. Instead of ending while the ''Enterprise'' is docked above Earth, this alternative ending shows the ''Enterprise'' warping away.
** A closing scene where the ''Enterprise'' has been fully repaired and ready to embark on a new exploration mission.
* DescendedCreator: In addition to directing ''Nemesis'', Stuart Baird voices the ''Scimitar'''s computer.
* DuelingMovies: With ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'', ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets'', and ''Film/DieAnotherDay''. CurbStompBattle doesn't even ''begin'' to describe how this film fared in that little competition.
* ExecutiveMeddling: After the film began development, Paramount recruited Stuart Baird over a number of highly qualified number of candidates including Creator/LeVarBurton. Some writers have suggested the directorial assignment was a reward for a last-minute re-editing job on ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaider'', where Baird was officially credited as an executive producer.
* FranchiseKiller: The film's resounding failure at the box office took the ''Star Trek'' film series down for the count, and it would ultimately stay off the silver screen for the better part of a decade. While ''Star Trek'' eventually returned to the cinematic format, as ''Film/StarTrek2009'', it was in the form of a SoftReboot set in a AlternateUniverse, and with the timeline reset all the way back to ''The Original Series''. At the very least ''Nemesis'' killed off the ''TNG'' movie series -- most notably, tentative plans for a GrandFinale film with the ''TNG'' crew were scrapped entirely -- along with almost everything ''TNG'' related (the prequel comic to the ''Star Trek'' reboot involves some of the ''TNG'' crew), and put the entire [=24th=] century branch of the franchise (including ''Deep Space Nine'' and ''Voyager'') on ice for ''seventeen years'' until 2019, when two new series were finally greenlit -- the comedic ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' and ''Series/StarTrekPicard''.
** While this did kill the ''Trek'' film series for a good long while (and killed the ''TNG'' film series entirely; the aforementioned ''Picard'' and ''Lower Decks'' are series, not movies), on television, the franchise was still going strong, with ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' just getting started. It would continue airing new episodes until it's cancellation in 2005, at which point the next installment was only 4 years out. Still a bit of a SequelGap; not nearly as long.
* KilledByRequest: Creator/BrentSpiner insisted on Data's death because he didn't think he could convincingly play an un-aging android anymore as he got older. The final film still includes a SequelHook hinting at Data's possible resurrection [[spoiler:in B-4's body]], which is fulfilled in ''Series/StarTrekPicard''. (Out of canon, the ''Literature/StarTrekNovelverse'' and ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'' also both took advantage of it.).
* RecycledScript:
** [[spoiler:The death of Data]] tries and fails to mirror a similar moment in ''[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan The Wrath of Khan]]''. Hell, even the main villain feels like a poor man's Khan.
** Picard beaming over alone to the enemy ship to confront the cheesy villain and blow up the AppliedPhlebotinum of Doom [[Film/StarTrekInsurrection sure sounds familiar...]]
** In all of the ''TNG'' movies, it's often Picard who goes alone to confront the villain (aside from ''Generations'', where he gets royally schooled before recruiting Kirk to help him).
** The finale featuring the Enterprise facing off against an experimental ship that can fire while cloaked is taken from ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry.''
** Also, the ''Enterprise'' battling in a nebula that disrupts some major systems is from ''Star Trek II''.
* RefittedForSequel:
** The ''Valdore''-type Warbirds resemble [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/7/77/D%27deridex_design_sketches.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120929040126&path-prefix=en the early concept drawings]] for the D'deridex warbirds seen on TNG. ''VideoGame/StarTrekArmada'', made 2 years earlier, had the ''Raptor'' class ships [[https://www.fleetops.net/images/Gallery/misc/zeichRaptor/raptorwip25.jpeg which resembled]] the ''Valdore''.
** Creator/BrentSpiner [[spoiler:wanted Data to die in the last movie, but was overruled by Creator/PatrickStewart]].
* RoleReprise:
** Creator/WhoopiGoldberg returns as Guinan eight years after ''Film/StarTrekGenerations''.
** Creator/WilWheaton returns as Wesley Crusher eight years after his last appearance in the final season of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork: In two different ways. Firstly, when they installed Stuart Baird as director over any number of more qualified candidates. And secondly when they decided to release it days before ''The Two Towers'', and with ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' and ''Die Another Day'' still in the midst of strong box-office runs, turning what would likely have still been an underwhelming box-office performance into one of the most notorious flops in the history of any major franchise.
* SimilarlyNamedWorks: The film shares its title with [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS4E4Nemesis an episode]] of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' and the final issue of the comic book series ''ComicBook/StarTrekEarlyVoyages''.
* StarDerailingRole:
** ''Nemesis'' was supposed to be Creator/TomHardy's StarMakingRole as Shinzon, but ''Nemesis'' nearly killed his career, [[CareerResurrection until he greatly rebounded]] with both ''Film/{{Bronson}}'' and ''Film/{{Inception}}'' nearly a decade later.
** This was also one of two films from 2002, with Creator/AdamSandler/Dana Carvey's ''Film/TheMasterOfDisguise'' being the other, that delivered a nasty punch to the career of Brent Spiner.
* TroubledProduction:
** While writing and filming went smoothly, Oscar-nominated writer John Logan was given ProtectionFromEditors in his contract, and director Stuart Baird was only there [[MoneyDearBoy for the paycheck]], and so wasn't inclined to ask Logan for rewrites (Logan's contract meant Rick Berman couldn't fire him or have the screenplay rewritten without his permission, but there was nothing stopping Berman, Baird or the studio just asking him to change the script).
** Baird's unfamiliarity with the series led to some conflicts with the cast, to the point where he mistakenly thought Geordi was an alien instead of a human with artificial eye implants, and repeatedly mispronounced Creator/LeVarBurton's name as "Laverne" during filming, even after Burton had repeatedly tried correcting him. While Marina Sirtis considered ''Nemesis'' a slight improvement on ''Insurrection'' (as did Burton), she didn't have too many kind words to say about Baird afterwards. Even Stewart and Frakes, while liking him personally, later admitted him to be a poor fit for the series.
** What few character scenes were in the film were deleted by Baird during editing, in order to emphasize the action sequences, resulting in Shinzon's original introductory scene and most of the ''Enterprise'' crew's character moments being deleted, to the point where Dr. Crusher doesn't even get a single line after the final battle commences.
** It was after production had finished where things started to go wrong; the film's screenplay was leaked, and heavily mocked by fans, and then the trailers hit, confirming said screenplay had been used without any major revisions. After its release, it got the worst reviews of any film in the series outside of ''The Final Frontier'', being hit with a healthy amount of ItsTheSameNowItSucks from critics, and also picking up some backlash from the tepid second season of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''.
** However, it was the choice of release date that sent things really, ''spectacularly'' downhill. When ''Nemesis'' was released in early December 2002, it faced competition with ''Film/MaidInManhattan'' on its opening weekend and ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'' on its second weekend. It, along with the continued poor ratings of ''Enterprise'' (despite the show GrowingTheBeard the following year) ultimately killed off the Next Generation incarnation of ''Star Trek'', at least until ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' premiered in 2020.
* UncreditedRole: Creator/WhoopiGoldberg went uncredited. Creator/BryanSinger makes an unbilled cameo as a crewman.
* WagTheDirector: Originally, Riker was involved in the CarChase, but Creator/PatrickStewart requested that Picard do it, as he loves off-road driving.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/StarTrek See the page]].
* WrittenByCastMember: Creator/BrentSpiner has "Story by" credit with John Logan and Rick Berman.
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