Michelle Yeoh is returning to Star Trek for a Section 31 movie, but beyond that bit of knowledge and that we'll be watching this return with a Paramount+ subscription, we don't know much else. Fans might have a little more insight on what to expect, however, thanks to a recent conversation with actor Shazad Latif, who was once connected to the Section 31 spinoff. Latif recently gave an update on his involvement in the project and provided some insight on whether or not Ash Tyler/Voq will make an appearance.
Shazad Latif was a guest on the Nerds of Color podcast, and among other things, he gave an update on his status for the upcoming Section 31 movie. Here's what Latif had to say in regard to being involved in the project (via TrekMovie):
I haven’t heard anything yet. It’s down to timelines and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, I mean, I’d love to work with Michelle again. She’s a legend in the game. So I love her. I’ll always love her. Yeah, we used to go out for lots of great dinners. So hopefully I’ll go out to dinner with her again.
Shazad Latif noted that while he'd love to work with Michelle Yeoh again, he isn't sure if he's going to be involved in the Section 31 movie or not. He also added the key bit of information that it would all come down to "timelines," which could be suggesting that there's no guarantee that Georgiou was sent back to the same time period when Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1 and 2 took place. He could have also meant it was about his personal availability as an actor, so there are a lot of possibilities here.
At the end of Season 2 of Discovery, Ash Tyler joined up with Section 31, feeling like he had no place on a normal starship or amongst the Klingons with his permanent human form. When Discovery sent Michelle Yeoh's Georgiou back to another time in which the Mirror Universe and Prime Universe were closely connected, it was assumed she'd return to around the same time as where Season 2 left off.
Production on Star Trek: Section 31 is supposed to happen later this year. Discovery executive producer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi will helm the upcoming movie, so it isn't hard to imagine t will have some further ties to stories first told in Discovery. We also haven't heard much in the way of casting for any actors beyond Michelle Yeoh, so the fact that Shazad Latif allegedly hasn't spoken to someone isn't a clear indication of whether or not he'll be in it at this point.
A minor question here is if Star Trek: Section 31 isn't set in the early Discovery timeline, then where else would it take place? The hype surrounding Season 3 of Picard and calls for Star Trek: Legacy could encourage writers to set the movie during that era. Then again, I'd think that the original plan would be another attractive option, especially now that characters from Strange New Worlds could also appear in the movie.
Michelle Yeoh's upcoming Star Trek movie on Paramount+ feels like a massive moment for the franchise, which has seen a lot of success since its 2017 television revival. This success of this movie could lead to a lot of Trek films on Paramount+, as well as other positive things for other actors tied to the franchise. Of course, perhaps we should wait until the end of the WGA writers strike to see if and when this movie makes it into production and then go from there.
Star Trek shows are on a brief break before the premiere of Strange New Worlds Season 2 Thursday, June 15th, on Paramount+. With that said, there are still plenty of Trek shows to watch on the streaming platform, especially if you're behind on some of the newer offerings that have come out.
