For the first time since 2016, the Star Trek franchise is finally (boldly) going back to the movies. But while a prequel film headed to theaters has just entered development, the brand’s first streaming-exclusive feature film is on its way to Paramount Plus. Following the upcoming conclusion of Discovery, Oscar-winner and all-round universal empress Michelle Yeoh returns to the Trek-verse in Star Trek: Section 31.
Yeoh’s turn as Philippa Georgiou was one of the most popular parts of Discovery‘s early seasons, thanks to the character’s complex nature — she used to be the Empress of the Mirror Universe’s Terran Empire before becoming an unlikely ally to Michael Burnham and the Discovery crew. Now she’s set to get her own vehicle. But what do we know about the Section 31 spinoff? Here’s your full captain’s debrief…
What is Star Trek: Section 31 about?
While not much is revealed about the film’s plot specifics as yet, the title makes clear that it’ll follow Georgiou on a mission for the eponymous Section 31, a top-secret intelligence organization working within Starfleet, as well as answering the big mystery of what happened to her after her last appearance in DIS season three. Georgiou was written out the series when she was taken to an unknown time period by the Guardian of Forever. We’re expecting her to return to the 23rd century, the setting of DIS‘s early seasons, but that has yet to be 100% confirmed.
According to the brief synopsis we have so far, Section 31 sees Georgiou “tasked with protecting the united Federation of Planets” itself while she “must also face the sins of her past.” As for the vibe the movie is going for, it’s being described as “Mission: Impossible meets Guardians of the Galaxy” — a combination that’s bound to make any self-respecting nerd drool at the mouth.
Who could join Michelle Yeoh in Section 31?
With production underway in Toronto, as of Jan. 30, 2024, Section 31‘s full cast has been unveiled. Joining Yeoh in the project are the following familiar faces from the big and small screens: Omari Hardwick (Power), Kacey Rohl (Hannibal), Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso), Sven Ruygrok (One Piece), Robert Kazinsky (Pacific Rim), Humerly Gonzalez (Ginny & Georgia), and James Hiroyuki Liao (Barry).
Specific details on the roles this talented supporting cast are playing are currently as under wraps as you would expect from a movie about an interplanetary spy network, and we don’t even know their character names at the time of writing. Whether any familiar faces from the wider Trek lore will also cameo, or if Section 31 will focus exclusively on its cadre of never-before-seen Starfleet personnel, remains to be seen.
As for the crew, Section 31 comes from two Discovery veterans, who should know the character of Georgiou inside out. Olatunde Osunsanmi is on directing duties while Craig Sweeny serves as writer and executive producer. Meanwhile, Yeoh, the multi-hyphenate icon that she is, is likewise on hand as an EP. Just as she was on Everything Everywhere All At Once, which rather bodes well for Section 31‘s quality.
When could Section 31 release on Paramount Plus?
With shooting beginning in the very first month of 2024, and with Paramount keen for this to launch a new era for Star Trek on streaming (I’ll get to that more in a minute), there’s a good chance that Section 31 could hit Paramount Plus by the end of 2024. As a streaming film it won’t have as protracted a production period as a big-screen blockbuster, so it is feasible that it could be ready to go in time for perhaps the year’s fourth quarter. This would make it the perfect coda to Discovery‘s fifth and final season, which premieres in April.
What does Section 31 mean for the future of Star Trek?
According to exciting details shared by THR, Section 31 marks the beginning of “Phase 2,” the next stage of Paramount’s ambitious plans to expand the Star Trek universe. We’ve already seen a boom in the number of Trek TV series released over the past few years and now we can expect to see a similar proliferation of films too. As spearheaded by Discovery EP Alex Kurtzman, the aim is to make a new made-for-streaming feature every two years. That’s in addition to continuing the various shows, like Strange New Worlds, heading into its third season, and Starfleet Academy, due for a 2025 release.
Leave it to a legend like Michelle Yeoh to lead the Star Trek franchise into a thrilling new era.
