New ‘Star Trek’ Series In The Works Starring Michelle Yeoh
Fans of the Star Trek: Discovery character Captain Philippa Georgiou, played by actress Michelle Yeoh, are in luck — a CBS All Access spinoff series based on her adventures in Starfleet’s Section 31 division is currently in the works.
The new sci-fi show, which does not yet have a title, will expand on the captain’s role in the Federation’s shadow organization.
“We’re all thrilled to explore the next wild chapter in the life of Captain Philippa Georgiou,” said Alex Kurtzman, one of the series’ executive producers, according to a CBS press release published on the Futon Critic website.
“Michelle has shattered ceilings, broken boundaries, and astonished us with her grace and gravitas for decades. As a human, I adore her. As an actor, I revere her.”
“I’m so excited to continue telling these rich Star Trek stories,” said Yeoh.
“Being a part of this universe and this character specifically has been such a joy for me to play. I can’t wait to see where it all goes — certainly I believe it will go ‘where no WOMAN has ever gone before!'”
Yeoh’s acting career has been rejuvenated over the past year thanks to her part in the blockbuster film Crazy Rich Asians. In the movie, the 56-year-old played Eleanor Sung-Young, Nick’s controlling mother. Previously, Yeoh was most known for playing a Bond Girl, Wai Lin, in 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies and for starring in the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
The Captain Philippa Georgiou spinoff will be the 11th television series in the very profitable Star Trek franchise. The original Star Trek — starring William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock — debuted in 1966. Then, there was the short-lived The Animated Series in the early 1970s.
In 1987, The Next Generation made its debut. The popularity of that hit program led to three more successful series over the next few years: Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise, which ended in 2005.
The new Star Trek renaissance began in 2017 with the launch of CBS All Access’ Discovery. Shortly after its premiere, the streaming network began expanding the universe with additional shows.
The miniseries Short Treks debuted in the fall of 2018 with 10 to 15-minute shows that explore Discovery‘s characters a bit more in-depth. The as-yet-untitled series featuring Patrick Stewart’s Next Generation character, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, is the next new series to come out of the franchise. That show will be followed by Lower Decks, a half-hour adult animated comedy about the supporting crew on one of the Starfleet’s least important ships, and then Yeoh’s series.
The Season 2 premiere of Discovery is set for Thursday, January 17, on CBS All Access. No word yet as to when the spinoff series, including Yeoh’s, will make their debuts.
