Star Trek: Section 31 Movie Starring Michelle Yeoh Announced

Star Trek: Picard may be ending this week, but there's more Star Trek on the way in the form of a Star Trek: Section 31 movie. On Tuesday, Paramount+ announced that it has given the green light for the Star Trek: Section 31 movie starring Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh, who will reprise her role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery. In Star Trek: Section 31, according to Paramount+'s press release, "Emperor Philippa Georgiou, joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past." CBS Studios is producing Star Trek: Section 31, with production beginning later in 2023.

"I'm beyond thrilled to return to my Star Trek family and to the role I've loved for so long," Yeoh says in a statement. "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)!"

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman adds, "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!"

Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing officer and head of data at Paramount Streaming says, "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."

David Stapf, president of CBS Studios continues, "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."

Craig Sweeny is writing the screenplay for Star Trek: Section 31, to be directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. Kurtzman, Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Yeoh are executive producers on the film, which is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.

What is Star Trek: Section 31?

When news of the Section 31 project first broke, it was imagined as a series spinning out of Star Trek: Discovery. Yeoh would have led the show as Georgiou, with Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt helming the series as showrunner. Paramount+ scheduled the pilot episode to shoot immediately after Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 wrapped, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented that from happening. Yeoh previously described the show as Mission: Impossible meets Guardians of the Galaxy, but Kim and Lippoldt are not attached to the Star Trek: Section 31 film in any way, making it hard to know how much of the show's concept will carry over into the film. To catch up on Emperor Georgiou's story, watch Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-3 on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Section 31 is the latest announcement for the expanding Star Trek universe. With Star Trek: Picard ending this week and Star Trek: Discovery concluding with its upcoming fifth season in 2024, Paramount+ recently renewed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks for new seasons, and ordered a Starfleet Academy show. There's also a Khan-focused scripted podcast on the way from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan director Nicholas Meyer.