Babylon 5- The Lost Tales *SPOILERS*

[Joseph DeMartino]

An update from JMS:

To the other questions that have arisen: we're looking at 3 half-hour episodes/stories for the first DVD, with additional features and the like in the other half hour. Each story will be worked around a given established character, the specifics of which are still TBD contingent upon availabilities and other issues.

We have a budget, we're greenlit, we're going.

As for what prompted the interest now at WB...it's only recently that they've finally run through all 5 seasons, which for many years now has been a constant source of revenue, and I think they would love to have something to continue to with. The recent news re: Changeling probably didn't hurt, but the deal was actually being negotiated long before there *was* a feature film deal with Imagine. As I recall, we finalized the deal right around the time that the Imagine news was announced.

It was a rather extraordinary 24 hours.

I held off saying anything until I was cleared by WB to announce it as a go project. Ultimately, whether we shoot in Vancouver or elsewhere will be a function of the deal that gets made locally.

[Sigma]

Isn't 30min a little short for stories?

[David Panzer]

Half-hour stories have been done before with the original Twilight Zone (except for one season which had 1 hour episodes), HBO's Tales from the Crypt, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

[Jan]

Isn't 30min a little short for stories?

Depends on the story. The three stories in Deconstruction of Falling Stars were each shorter than 30 minutes. Remember, these will each mainly be about one character.

Jan

[Sigma]

Yeah, 30min will be alright.

I expected them to be 45min like TV show is, but they might even work better if they are 30min per episode.

[Jan]

<sob> I just realized...my complete script collection won't be anymore. Oh, well, it's a lovely problem to have!

Jan

[frulad]

Am I sensing an upcoming Vol. 16 from Cafe Press?

[Jan]

Oh, I'm sure there will be many more script books after the B5 ones. JMS confirmed that he plans to issue the Crusade scripts, for instance, at his spotlight. But I'm sure that the Lost Tales scripts will be way down the line. And I need original, set used scripts for symetry. <g>

Jan

[Night Marshal]

While i don't think it would be in the first run JMS once long ago talking about a G'Quan short short and how he lead the narns against the Shadows.
http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-4975&query=G'Quan
I would enjoy it.


Granted the final fight between Lyta and Bester would be cool too.

[rallytbk]

Great news!!!

Even with the loss of some characters, with JMS running the production and has total control of the project... I can safely say I wont be disappointed.

Actually, quite a few Babylon 5 alumni have passed away in recent years:

[OmahaStar]

Great news!!!

Even with the loss of some characters, with JMS running the production and has total control of the project... I can safely say I wont be disappointed.

Actually, quite a few Babylon 5 alumni have passed away in recent years:

Yep.

More than you thought

[AmyG]

Actually, quite a few Babylon 5 alumni have passed away in recent years:

Sure, but the only ones likely to affect production of a new original-cast series are Andreas Katsulas and Richard Biggs. The loss of Tim Choate means no more Zathras stories, but Zathras isn't a core character. Nor is General Franklin, Walker Smith, or any of the others people always mention when this discussion comes up. It's like saying you could never have another original cast Star Trek series because Celia Lovsky is dead.

It's always sad when anyone passes, especially if they haven't lived a long life, but realistically, the only losses that matter in the context of new, original-cast B5 are Andreas and Rick.

[vacantlook]

...G'Quan short short and how he lead the narns against the Shadows....

Granted the final fight between Lyta and Bester would be cool too.

Damn, NM. Go and get me all excited, why don't you!

[Bloodshot]

And if all goes well, maybe we could get some kind of closure on Crusade. I'd love to know what that Apocalypse Box was all about!

[frulad]

Well, Aint It Cool News has the story up. The bad news is that the usual trolls have come out to crap all over the place, though some fans are shooting down their rather stupid arguements. (Leto, are you posting over there as Leto III? I'm the one who posts as RenoNevada2000)

The good news is that the editor who put it up, Merrick, is a fan and has promised to keep on posting news when he gets it. The problem is that AICN's previous staff B5 fan was Glen, the coaxial editor who left years back. Merrick said that the "info pipeline" Glen had isn't there any more, but that he would welcome a new source of info if it were to present itself. (*hint, hint*)