Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh stars in Star Trek: Section 31, and here’s everything we know about Star Trek’s first made-for-streaming movie. Section 31 is written by Craig Sweeny and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. A spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery, Yeoh reprises her role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou, the former ruler of the Mirror Universe’s Terran Empire who joined Section 31 in Star Trek: Discovery season 2.
Star Trek: Section 31 was originally planned as an ongoing series spinning off from Star Trek: Discovery, from a suggestion by Michelle Yeoh. In January 2019, development began on a Star Trek: Section 31 series, which was scheduled to film from May to November 2020. Yeoh’s character, Emperor Georgiou, was written out of Star Trek: Discovery season 3, to segue her into Section 31. However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted Section 31’s production. Yeoh’s availability also impacted Section 31, especially when she won the Best Actress Academy Award for Everything Everywhere All At Once. However, Yeoh used her Oscar clout to put Section 31 into production, this time as a feature film to stream on Paramount+.
Section 31 Is Star Trek’s First Streaming Movie
Star Trek movies enter the streaming era
Star Trek: Section 31 is Star Trek’s first movie made-for-streaming on Paramount+. Section 31 is also the first Star Trek movie made since Star Trek Beyond premiered in theaters in 2016. Section 31 is also said to be a very different type of Star Trek story, which is fitting since there’s no indication it will be set on a Starfleet starship or space station, and will delve into the murky history of the United Federation of Planets’ top secret black ops agency,
If Star Trek: Section 31 is a success on Paramount+, it opens the door for a sequel continuing the adventures of Emperor Georgiou. Section 31 becoming a hit also means the two-hour format for Star Trek on Paramount+ becomes a viable option for future projects. New Star Trek concepts or perhaps other Star Trek fans want, like the Star Trek: Picard continuation dubbed Star Trek: Legacy, could become made-for-streaming movies on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Section 31’s Cast & Story
Section 31 includes new faces and Star Trek legacy characters
Fittingly, Star Trek: Section 31’s story is shrouded in mystery. It has been revealed, however, that at least part of Section 31 takes place in Star Trek’s “lost era” of the early 24th century before the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Section 31 also involves time travel since Emperor Georgiou jumps back 800 years from Star Trek: Discovery’s 32nd century. The official synopsis of Star Trek: Section 31 is as follows:
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.
Joining Michelle Yeoh in Star Trek: Section 31’s cast are Sam Richardson, Omari Hardwick, Kacey Rohl, Rob Kazinsky, Sven Ruygrok, Humberly Gonzalez, James Hiroyuki Liao, Joe Pingue, Miku Martineau, and Augusto Bitter. Although no details about the characters they play have been released, one intriguing aspect that has been revealed is that Rohl plays the younger version of Rachell Garrett. Garrett is the doomed future Captain of the USS Enterprise-C, who was played by Tricia O’Neill in the Star Trek: The Next Generation classic, “Yesterday’s Enterprise”.
When Star Trek: Section 31 Will Premiere
Section 31 is awaiting a release date from Paramount+
Star Trek: Section 31 does not yet have a release date from Paramount+. Section 31 will likely premiere in 2025, although there’s a chance it could also drop late in 2024 after the final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks ends. Section 31 wrapped filming in March, with cast members from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds joining Section 31’s actors at their wrap party in Toronto. The status of Star Trek: Section 31’s post-production is not known, but the movie will be locked for its eventual premiere on Paramount+.
A lot is riding on Star Trek: Section 31 as Star Trek’s first streaming movie.
Star Trek: Section 31 not premiering until 2025 makes since Paramount+ lacks Star Trek content next year. The only other wrapped Star Trek project is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, which will likely also premiere on Paramount+ in 2025. Star Trek’s next series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, doesn’t start filming until fall 2024 for a potential 2026 release. This means a lot is riding on Star Trek: Section 31 as Star Trek’s first streaming movie, but fans have already learned never to underestimate Michelle Yeoh’s Emperor Georgiou.