After teasing the project for years, Paramount+ has finally announced they will be producing Star Trek: Section 31, a TV movie starring Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role as (Mirror) Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery.
Star Trek: Section 31
Paramount+ is describing Star Trek: Section 31 as a “special original movie event.” Production is set to start later this year. Here is a brief synopsis
In Star Trek: Section 31, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past.
Michelle Yeoh said in a statement:
I’m beyond thrilled to return to my ‘Star Trek’ family and to the role I’ve loved for so long. Section 31 has been near and dear to my heart since I began the journey of playing Philippa all the way back when this new golden age of ‘Star Trek’ launched. To see her finally get her moment is a dream come true in a year that’s shown me the incredible power of never giving up on your dreams. We can’t wait to share what’s in store for you, and until then: live long and prosper (unless Emperor Georgiou decrees otherwise)!
Star Trek: Section 31 is written by Craig Sweeny who was a writer and consulting producer for the first season of Discovery and more recently was the creator of the CBS drama The Code and executive producer of the CW’s 4400 reboot series. The film will be directed by Discovery producer/director Olatunde Osunsanmi. It is executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Craig Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth and Michelle Yeoh.
CBS first announced plans for a Michelle Yeoh-lead Section 31 project back in 2019, originally envisioned as a series. In a statement, executive producer Alex Kurtzman said:
All the way back in 2017, before the first season of Star Trek: Discovery had even aired, Michelle had the idea to do a spin-off for her character, Philippa Georgiou. She broke new ground as one of the first two women on screen in the pilot to usher in a new age of ‘Trek,’ and now, six years later, Star Trek: Section 31 finally arrives on the heels of her latest groundbreaking win. Everyone on Team ‘Trek’ couldn’t be more thrilled to have our legendary friend return home to us as we expand our storytelling into new and uncharted corners of the Trekverse. Long live Emperor Georgiou; long live Michelle Yeoh!
Star Trek: Section 31 will be the streaming service’s first original Star Trek movie. In the statement, Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing officer and head of data at Paramount Streaming, said:
We’re thrilled that Star Trek: Section 31 will be the next title in our ‘Star Trek’ universe. Michelle Yeoh is an incomparable talent – she brought Emperor Georgiou to life in such an incredibly fun and nuanced way that the character immediately became a fan favorite. We’re so thrilled to welcome Michelle back to the ‘Star Trek’ and Paramount+ family and can’t wait for fans to see what this special movie event has in store.
Star Trek: Section 31 is being produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. CBS Studios president David Stapf said in a statement:
For years, we’ve been looking forward to Michelle Yeoh one day returning to ‘Star Trek.’ Her powerful performance as Captain and Emperor Georgiou was a pivotal moment for the return of the franchise, and her portrayal resonated with fans around the world in a multitude of ways. We couldn’t be prouder to join forces with Michelle once again as we continue to explore the ‘Star Trek’ universe, celebrate its legacy and chart a course for the future of the franchise.
There is currently no release date for Star Trek: Section 31, nor are there any details on who beyond Michelle Yeoh will be appearing in the film. Production is set to start later this year.
Paramount+ has also recently announced Star Trek: Discovery will wrap up with a fifth and final season, debuting in early 2024. They have also recently renewed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and the animated series Lower Decks for additional seasons. And most recently, they announced the new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, set to go into production in early 2024.
The long road to Section 31
Michelle Yeoh first appeared in the series premiere of Star Trek: Discovery as Captain Philippa Georgiou of the USS Shenzhou, a mentor to the series focal character, Michael Burnham. Captain Georgiou died in episode 2; however, Yeoh returned later in the season to play her Mirror Universe counterpart, Terran Emperor Georgiou. Mirror Georgiou returned to the prime universe with the crew of the USS Discovery and became a recurring character through season 2 as an operative of Starfleet’s black ops Section 31 intelligence division. Georgiou also joined the crew as they jumped into the 32nd century in season 3, and eventually exited the show through The Guardian of Forever with an arc that was designed to set up a Section 31 show for her.
Development on a Section 31 series starring Yeoh was first announced back in 2019, ahead of the release of the second season of Discovery. Since then, Alex Kurtzman and executives from Paramount have routinely talked about work being done for the series, often teasing that an official announcement was right around the corner. Yeoh herself has often mentioned a desire to return to the character even as her profile has risen over the years, reaching a new peak last month when she won a Best Actress Oscar for Everything Everywhere All at Once. It’s possible her new higher profile and busier schedule led to the project transitioning from a series into a TV movie.
