Paramount+ announced earlier this week that Michelle Yeoh reprise her role as Phillipa Georgiou of “Star Trek: Discovery” in a stand-alone cinematic event.

Production on the film, titled “Star Trek: Section 31,” will begin later this year. The film “will follow Georgiou as she joins a secret Starfleet division tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and comes to terms with the sins of her past.”

“Section 31” was originally announced as a series in 2019. But then the pandemic hit and Yeoh’s career trajectory changed thanks to a role in a movie titled “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Last month, Yeoh won the Oscar for Best Actress for portraying an immigrant mother struggling with her interpersonal relationships and her laundry business.

But despite her new status, Yeoh said she was “beyond thrilled” to return to the “Star Trek” franchise.

“Section 31 has been dear to my heart since I started playing Philippa since the launch of this new golden age of ‘Star Trek,'” the actress said in a statement Tuesday. “To see her finally get her moment is a dream come true in a year that has shown me the incredible power of never giving up on your dreams.”

Executive producer Alex Kurtzman said he was grateful for her return but mindful of her commitments.

“We happen to have a star who literally lit up the entire planet and is now in high demand,” Kurtzman told TheWrap during the final screening of “Picard” on Wednesday. “And I wanted to make sure we could build that in a way that was respectful of her time and respectful of all that she has more than earned for herself.”

“I love Michelle,” he continued. “Were very close. And she had a million reasons not to come back. And she did. And I’ll always be grateful to her. And I think she did because she’s so dedicated to the fans, and she’s so dedicated to the character and because we had a great time, so I’m excited for what’s in store, I think we’re going to do something really great.

Akiva Goldsman, who directed Yeoh on “Discovery,” agrees.

“I remember an episode that I did, where we kind of created these slightly darker versions of the characters. And Michelle ate it,” he recalled. “She can do anything and she will do it amazingly.”

Instead of a series, Georgiou’s story will be contained in a feature film, a first for the “Trek” franchise on Paramount+.

“Some stories are best told in two hours, some stories are best told in ten over multiple seasons,” Kurtzman explained.

The character of Philippa Georgiou was first introduced as commanding officer and mentor to Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) aboard the USS Shenzhou. Captain Georgiou was killed in action against the Klingons in the second episode of “Discovery”.

Michelle Yeoh as sadistic Emperor Georgiou (Photo credit: Paramount+)

An alternate universe version of Georgiou – a much more intriguing and sadistic one – was introduced later that season and traveled with the “Discovery” team 900 years into the future. Last we saw her, this Georgiou was teleported back in time by the Eternity Guardian. It is assumed that she will connect to Section 31, Starfleet’s Black Ops division, in this 23rd century timeline.

It’s not yet known if any “Discovery” talent will make it to the movie “Star Trek: Section 31.”

Olatunde Osunsanmi will direct from a screenplay written by Craig Sweeny. Alex Kurtzman, Craig Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth and Michelle Yeoh serve as executive producers. The film is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.