It’s been a long time coming, but Star Trek: Section 31 is finally, really getting off the ground after being announced in the dawn of 2019. Originally planned as yet another exciting new Star Trek series for those with a Paramount+ subscription, the project was turned into a film for the streamer by early 2023, and we’re finally getting a lot more information about the Michelle Yeoh-starring movie.
The film will, of course, follow Mirror Universe Philippa Georgiou as she adventures through space with Starfleet’s uber-secret, unofficial black ops unit, Section 31, so let’s get into exactly what we know about the movie right now!
What Is The Section 31 Release Date?
Hold your shootin’, stabbin’ and struttin’ sci-fi horses there, partner! As of mid-February 2024, we have no release date or even a release window for Star Trek: Section 31. We just got word that the movie had finally started filming at the end of January 2024, when the official Paramount+ Instagram account announced that production was under way, and gave us our first look:
While news about the project is starting to filter its way out of the super secret spy organization, those involved are likely to keep mum on a release until sometime during the post-production process. And, that could leave us waiting for a date for a while, as this action-packed, and probably special effects heavy film is going to be worked on for quite a bit. However, just because we are without a firm release date, that doesn’t mean we’re in the dark on all things Section 31!
Michelle Yeoh Will Return To Star Trek For Section 31
As confirmed previously and by the social media post above, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh has returned to the role of Philippa Georgiou for the film. Aside from principal photography currently being under way, this is perhaps the best news that we could have gotten about the sure-to-be-thrilling upcoming Star Trek movie. Why? Well, because Yeoh is a well-known and beloved badass who brought all of her badassitude to both the warm and dedicated Prime Universe Georgiou, and the dastardly Terran Emperor Georgiou, who is the one we’ll be following in this new saga.
Other Cast Members In Star Trek: Section 31
At the same time Paramount announced that filming had begun, it also revealed the names of several of the cast members who are joining Yeoh for Georgiou’s covert mission.
Sam Richardson
Sam Richardson is definitely a star who’s been on the rise over the past several years. He might be best known now for his three-episode guest role on Ted Lasso as arrogant businessman Edwin Akufo (for which he won an Emmy in 2023), the actor/comedian has also starred in The Afterparty on Apple TV+ and The Detroiters. Richardson is also known for notable appearances on shows like Veep, New Girl and The Office, and in films such as Promising Young Woman and Good Boys.
Kacey Rohl
Kacey Rohl is known for her work as Marina on The Magicians and Alena on Arrow, but she’s also appeared on shows like Wayward Pines, Hannibal and The Killing, and in the Hallmark movie, The Wedding Veil Inspiration.
Omari Hardwick
If you checked out the Starz series, Power, you definitely know Omari Hardwick, as he starred as James “Ghost” St. Patrick. However you may have also seen him in movies like The Mother, Army of the Dead, Sorry to Bother You and Shot Caller.
Robert Kazinsky
You might recognize Robert Kazinsky from his parts on shows like True Blood, or movies such as Pacific Rim, Warcraft, Captain Marvel and The Gray Man.
James Hiroyuki Liao
James Hiroyuki Liao has been seen recently on Orphan Black: Echoes, Barry, Blue Bloods and The Dropout, along with appearing in shows like Manifest, SEAL Team, Unforgettable, and the film, Snake Eyes.
Humberly González
Fans will probably know Humberly González for her role as Sophie on the Netflix hit, Ginny & Georgia, but the actress has also played important parts in In the Dark, Utopia Falls and Jupiter’s Legacy, and has been in films like Nobody and Hallmark’s Friends & Family Christmas.
Sven Ruygrok
Sven Ruygrok portrayed Cabaji in One Piece, and has also been seen in shows like Pulse, Around the World in 80 Days and Warrior.
We don’t know who any of these actors will be playing right now, but we can likely expect some of that information to come along over the next several months.
Philippa Georgiou Will Be Facing “The Sins Of Her Past”
So, now that we know Star Trek: Section 31 is filming and who will be starring alongside Michelle Yeoh, what, exactly will the story entail? As also revealed by Paramount+ when casting and filming details were released, here are the basics of the plot:
Tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets, [Georgiou] also must face the sins of her past.
Alright, I know that’s not a whole lot to go on, but if there’s one thing we know, it’s that the former emperor has a past positively filled with sins, so any number of devious deeds could be coming back to haunt her and make her new life an even more dangerous living hell.
What We Know About Philippa Georgiou’s Story From Star Trek: Discovery
Fans were first introduced to Terran Emperor Philippa Georgiou from the Mirror Universe in Star Trek: Discovery Season 1, and the character has both caused a lot of trouble and been through a lot to earn herself a semi-redemption arc.
Obviously, as a Terran ruler, she did a lot of murdering, scheming, warring and subjugating to earn the title she had by the time we met her. So far, we’ve seen Georgiou battle Captain Gabriel Lorca for control of her empire, leading to his death and her escape with the crew of the Discovery. She’s then granted asylum by the Federation in the Prime Universe and allowed to impersonate that universe’s Georgiou, who had been killed battling the Klingons.
After coming up with an extremely hostile plan to stop war with the Klingons, having those plans foiled, and leaving Discovery, she was recruited into Section 31. The second season saw her save Klingon leader L’Rell, former Klingon Ash Tyler and their secret child, and bring Tyler into the Section 31 fold. Georgiou also helped Michael Burnham save her brother, Spock, and assisted the Discovery crew in their fight against the evil A.I., Control. She went with the crew as they traveled over 900 years into the future, but her presence in the far future and in a different universe from her own caused her to begin to deteriorate.
When we meet Georgiou in Star Trek: Section 31, it will be after the Guardian of Forever saved her by sending her to a time and universe where she could survive.
What We Know About Section 31
Well, this one’s easy, because the answer is, not much! The secretive organization has only been featured or referred to in 23 episodes across five Star Trek series, and in one film (2013’s Into Darkness). The covert group is said to work without the guidance of official Starfleet Intelligence leadership, though seeing as how a big part of being in Section 31 is denying that you even know what it is, it’s hard to know how many things we’ve heard about how it operates and who knows what about the group is actually true.
What we absolutely do know is that they do whatever dirty work is deemed necessary for everyone else in the Federation to live in a utopian society, unaware of how difficult it truly is to keep them safe. And, we also know that a still-morally dubious character like Mirror Philippa Georgiou is perfect for its ranks.
Star Trek: Discovery’s Shazad Latif Won’t Appear
This last tidbit provides quite the head-scratcher for those of us who watched the first three seasons of Discovery, and know where we left actor Shazad Latif’s character, Ash Tyler. As noted earlier, Georgiou saved him and recruited the one-time Klingon for Section 31. When she went into the far future with Discovery’s crew (after the black ops group’s leader and most of its operatives had been killed) Tyler was given command of Section 31.
Latif said in May 2023 that he hadn’t heard anything about whether or not his character was going to be needed for the upcoming film, but considering where we left him, it was still surprising to hear, in late January 2024, confirmation that Latif wouldn’t appear in the film.
So, either something happened to Tyler while Georgiou was away in the future, or she was sent to a time/universe where he either doesn’t exist or isn’t involved with their covert dealings.
We’ll find out more about Star Trek: Section 31 as the year goes on, but I’m certainly already very excited for what’s to come!