Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Section 31Star Trek: Section 31 will have no impact on the next two Star Trek series scheduled for Paramount+. The first Star Trek made-for-streaming movie and the first new Star Trek movie since 2016, Star Trek: Section 31 premiered January 24 on Paramount+. Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi and written by Craig Sweeny, Star Trek: Section 31 brings back Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh as Emperor Philippa Georgiou, who emerges in the unexplored 24th century “lost era” of Star Trek.
Unfortunately, critical and audience reception for Star Trek: Section 31 has not been kind. While Section 31 has its supporters who enjoyed its attempt to bring a Mission: Impossible meets Guardians of the Galaxy vibe to Star Trek, critics and longtime Star Trek fans bemoan Section 31′s departure from Star Trek‘s traditional tropes. Star Trek: Section 31 now finds itself in an uncertain situation where a sequel or continuation of Emperor Georgiou’s adventures is in doubt.
However, Star Trek on Paramount+’s next two years are planned out. There are two Star Trek series on the way, one already established and popular, and another blazing new trails. Both Star Trek series have two seasons of 10 episodes each ordered, ᴀssuring there will be 40 new hours of Star Trek on Paramount+ in 2025 and 2026. Neither of Star Trek on Paramount+’s next offerings are connected to Star Trek: Section 31.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Won’t Reference Section 31
Strange New Worlds Does Its Own Thing In The 23rd Century
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 completed filming in 2024, and the next 10 episodes depicting the voyages of the USS Enterprise await an official 2025 premiere date on Paramount+. Strange New Worlds also starts filming season 4 in the spring of 2025. Strange New Worlds is a prequel set in the mid-23rd century a few years before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series. This means Strange New Worlds takes place over 60 years before Star Trek: Section 31, as Michelle Yeoh’s movie is set in 2324 and Strange New Worlds season 3 happens around 2260.
Strange New Worlds has not mentioned Section 31.
Section 31 does exist during Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ 23rd century, but it’s not the same team or organization Emperor Georgiou meets in Star Trek: Section 31. In Strange New Worlds’ era, Commander Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif) was named head of Section 31 at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 2. However, Strange New Worlds’ episodic voyages focus on expanding and experimenting with Star Trek’s genres, and Strange New Worlds has not mentioned Section 31.
While a spy adventure involving Section 31 is possible in Strange New Worlds season 3 or 4, such an episode would have no direct connection to Star Trek: Section 31 barring some type of crossover requiring time travel. However, there has been no indication this will happen. Meanwhile, most of Star Trek: Section 31‘s characters have not been born in Strange New Worlds‘ 23rd century, while Emperor Georgiou herself is in the 32nd century as seen in Star Trek: Discovery season 3.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Is Centuries After Section 31
Starfleet Academy Continues Star Trek: Discovery’s 32nd Century
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy seasons 1 and 2 are filming back-to-back in Toronto, and Star Trek‘s newest series also doesn’t connect to Star Trek: Section 31. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is set in the late 32nd century, after the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. In Star Trek‘s far future, the Prime timeline has long since diverged away from the Mirror Universe to prevent crossovers. Emperor Georgiou was sent back to the 24th century because she was dying from time travel and crossing realities.
Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Tawny Newsome is also developing a live-action Star Trek comedy, but its potential 25th century setting is also far removed from Star Trek: Section 31.
Starfleet Academy has no connection to Star Trek: Section 31, other than both originating as spinoffs of Star Trek: Discovery. Still, Emperor Georgiou and Star Trek: Section 31‘s characters could be referenced, or even appear as holograms in Starfleet Academy. Star Trek on Paramount+ corporate synergy aside, however, it’s more likely Starfleet Academy will concentrate on the new possibilities offered by the 32nd century.
Section 31 Doesn’t Affect Star Trek’s Future
Section 31 Is In A Limbo Era Of Star Trek
Star Trek: Section 31 establishes its present-day as Stardate 1292.4, which translates to the year 2024. Section 31 is the first major adventure set in Star Trek‘s 24th century “lost era” before the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. While this gave Section 31 plenty of leeway to depict a new era of Star Trek, it also meant Section 31 is decades removed from both TNG and Star Trek: The Original Series‘ 23rd century timeframe.
Thus, Section 31 has no direct impact on any other Star Trek series beyond Emperor Georgiou saving the United Federation of Planets from a heretofore unknown invasion by the Mirror Universe’s Terran Empire in 2324. However, Section 31 also leaves Emperor Georgiou stuck in a limbo where she may not be able to appear again outside of a Star Trek: Section 31 sequel because her streaming movie is so far removed from other Star Trek series.
Will Star Trek: Section 31 Get A Sequel?
Emperor Georgiou’s Future Adventures Are In Doubt
Star Trek: Section 31 premiered with hype in accordance to being the first Star Trek movie led by Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh. However, reviews and online reaction from Star Trek fans about Star Trek: Section 31 has not been warm. While Section 31 does have fans, the first Star Trek streaming movie received a shellacking. On Rotten Tomatoes, Star Trek: Section 31 only mustered a 20% Rotten rating and a dismal 17% Popcornmeter from the audience. Section 31 now ranks as the lowest-rated Star Trek movie on Rotten Tomatoes.
A silver lining is that Star Trek: Section 31 held as the #2 most watched movie on Paramount+ in its first few days, behind Gladiator II. This indicates Paramount+ subscribers are watching Section 31, and perhaps strong streaming numbers could get a Section 31 sequel greenlit in spite of negative online chatter. Whatever the future holds for Star Trek: Section 31, Star Trek on Paramount+ will keep warping ahead with Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. It would be a genuine surprise if either Star Trek series references Star Trek: Section 31.
