Star Trek: Section 31 is reportedly the first of a new wave of planned Star Trek movies to stream every two years on Paramount+.
Star Trek: Section 31 is reportedly the first of a new series of Star Trek movies that will be made for streaming on Paramount+. Rumored for many years, Section 31 was announced to star Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh, who will reprise her role of Emperor Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery seasons 1-3. However, Section 31, which mounts production later in 2023, will not be a TV series as expected but is being billed as an original movie event.
A new report in THR states that executive producer Alex Kurtzman and his Secret Hideout shingle plan to make a new Star Trek movie to stream on Paramount+ every two years. THR says Section 31 is the first part of “Phase 2” of Star Trek on Paramount+. Reportedly, Kurtzman pivoted Section 31 from a TV series to a feature film last summer after realizing Michelle Yeoh would win the Oscar for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Combined with fears of oversaturating the Star Trek TV franchise with too many series and a desire by Paramount+ to “enter the film event space,” as well as Yeoh’s busy schedule, Section 31 was restructured into a feature film, and more Star Trek movies will follow.
Which Star Trek Movies Should Paramount+ Make?
The advent of Star Trek movies on Paramount+ is great news for fans. As Star Trek: Picard season 3 finishes up and Star Trek: Discovery ends with season 5 in 2024, Trekkers have speculated as to what will become of the numerous characters both series introduced. Picard season 3 cut most of the new characters from seasons 1 and 2 to make room for the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s now possible the next phase of new Star Trek movies on Paramount+ could tell stories about those lost or missing characters, and possibly explore other facets of the Star Trek universe.
Paramount+ making their own Star Trek movies, presumably set in the Prime Timeline canon of the TV series, is also beneficial in the wake of the development hell Star Trek 4 continues to be mired in. Originally slated for a 2023 release, the next J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek movie remains in limbo, grounding the USS Enterprise led by Chris Pine’s Captain James T. Kirk in the alternate Kelvin Timeline. Star Trek movies on Paramount+ would arguably be better received by the core fanbase who enjoy the way the TV series is continuing the continuity of the 1960 and 1990s Star Trek series. If Star Trek: Section 31 does kick off “Phase 2” and a new wave of Star Trek movies, the franchise is poised to remain strong for years to come.
Source: THR
