Star Trek fans will finally get a Section 31 movie—with an Oscar-winning lead

[Karlston]

Yeoh will reprise her role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou for a streaming movie.

 

Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery.

 

Paramount+ has announced a new movie called Star Trek: Section 31 that will star Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, reprising her role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery.

 

It was announced in 2019 that the streaming network was exploring the idea of a series starring her—in fact, it was one of the first post-Discovery announcements—but it's been radio silence since then, and Yeoh's already illustrious career has reached new heights with the enormous critical and popular success of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Star Trek viewers could be forgiven for assuming that Yeoh—now, more than ever, beloved an artist and star as you could possibly name—might have moved on.

 

This announcement makes it clear that's not the case, though her expanded popularity could be the reason for reducing a series concept to just a single movie. (That bit is complete speculation on our part, though.) Yeoh released the following statement alongside the announcement:

 

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)!

 

The concept of Section 31 was introduced quite a long time ago—specifically, in 1998, for the sixth-season Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Inquisition." While some have described it as a CIA equivalent, that's not quite right because, in theory, the CIA is still beholden to US laws and leadership. In a series of Deep Space Nine episodes featuring the organization, it was revealed that Section 31 was specifically a fully independent entity with no oversight, as those who set it up believed that the Federation needed to be able to play dirty toe-to-toe with other civilizations' unchained spy organizations like the Romulans' Tal Shiar or the Cardassians' Obsidian Order to survive, but the Federation's values and laws wouldn't otherwise allow that.

 

Since then, Section 31 has been referenced in many other places, including a few episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, the alternate timeline film Star Trek Into Darkness, a couple of episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and numerous Discovery episodes.

 

Those appearances served to flesh out the organization far beyond what Deep Space Nine did when it was first introduced.

 

It's always been a bit of a side note in Star Trek lore, though, so the fact that it's the subject of the first Star Trek movie since the mostly unrelated J.J. Abrams trilogy is remarkable—though perhaps you could argue that it has a lot more to do with the appeal of both Georgiou as a character and Yeoh as a performer.

 

Georgiou was introduced in the storied captain role when Discovery first premiered, but the series quickly turned expectations on their head by killing her off. However, an alternate reality version of the same character was soon introduced to the show with different motives and a different background. This Georgiou entered the same universe as most of the rest of Star Trek TV canon, and ultimately became involved in Section 31.

 

The description for the new movie says it will track some part of Georgiou's career within Section 31 as she "faces the sins of her past." It doesn't get any more detailed than that, though.

 

Produced by CBS Studios, the movie will be written by Craig Sweeny (The 4400, Medium, Elementary, Star Trek: Discovery) and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Gotham, Colony, Star Trek: Discovery)—both veterans of the CBS television world.

 

 

Star Trek fans will finally get a Section 31 movie—with an Oscar-winning lead