‘Star Trek’ Movie Starring Michelle Yeoh Headed to Paramount+

After years in development, Paramount+ is officially moving forward with a Star Trek project starring Michelle Yeoh. Only instead of the series spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery first announced in 2019, Star Trek: Section 31 will now roll out as what the streamer is calling an “original movie event.”

“I’m beyond thrilled to return to my Star Trek family and to the role I’ve loved for so long,” Michelle Yeoh said via a press release provided to Decider. “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)!”

First introduced as Captain Philippa Georgiou, Yeoh’s character shockingly died early in the first season of Discovery, leading to Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) joining the crew fans have come to know and love. But thanks to a trip to the evil Mirror Universe, and a chance encounter with Emperor Philippa Georgiou, the villainous version of Yeoh’s character, Burnham grabbed her and took her back to the main universe. Over several seasons of Discovery Georgiou had a sort of redemption arc, ultimately joining the Starfleet Black Ops group Section 31. In the movie, which will begin production later this year, “Emperor Philippa Georgiou, joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past.”

“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,” executive producer Alex Kurtzman said, also via press release. “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 is written by Craig Sweeny, who has written on and is a consulting producer on Star Trek: Discovery. Olatunde Osunsanmi, a frequent Discovery helmer, will direct. The movie is executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Craig Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Michelle Yeoh, and is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.

Star Trek: Section 31 joins a roster of shows including Star Trek: Picard, which finishes its run this Thursday with the Season 3 finale, Star Trek: Discovery, which will end with Season 5, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which premieres Season 2 later this year, as well as the animated Star Trek: Prodigy and Star Trek: Lower Decks. In addition, Paramount+ has greenlit a new series titled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.