Michelle Yeoh is returning to the “Star Trek” universe.
Fresh off her history-making Oscar win for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the beloved screen actor will reprise her “Star Trek: Discovery” role, Emperor Philippa Georgiou, in a new feature film at Paramount+: “Star Trek: Section 31.”
“I’m beyond thrilled to return to my ‘Star Trek’ family and to the role I’ve loved for so long,” Yeoh said in a statement Tuesday. “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)!”
Executive producer Alex Kurtzman said that the idea of a spin-off with Yeoh’s beloved “Discover” character first came in 2017, before Season 1 even aired on the then-titled CBS All Access. He credited her with planting the seed.
“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,” Kurtzman said of Yeoh. “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!”
The character of Philippa Georgiou was first introduced as Michael Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) commanding officer and mentor aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou. Captain Georgiou was killed in battle with the Klingons in the second episode of “Discovery.”
Yeoh reprised the role — albeit a cruel, sadistic version of Georgiou — later in Season 1. This Georgiou was Emperor of the Terran Empire from a Mirror Universe. She took over the identity of the deceased Georgiou and joined Section 31, Starfleet’s Black Ops division.
The upcoming movie — the first original “Trek” movie for Paramount+ — will follow Georgiou as she joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past. Production will begin later this year with CBS Studios producing.
No release date has been announced, although the fifth and final season of “Star Trek: Discovery” will air in 2024.