If... Babylon 5 remake thoughts

[glindros]

Could Babylon 5 survive a remake? Are the actors so tied to the characters that B5 is completely lost once they are gone?

I once read an essay concerning the same argument about Sherlock Holmes. Should all production of Sherlock Holmes stop once Basil Rathbone is no longer available for the role?

While I enjoy beyond words the actors originating the roles, I weep at the thought that new B5 is less a generation away from being relegated to nonexistence.

I am really hoping that ST can make the leap and be successful with a new cast. It might be the shape of things to come.

[*Starstuff*]

I think another question might even be more important: What kind of stories should be told?

The concept was the five year arc and it has been filled and enriched with the movies. Doing a B5 remake wouldn't serve any purpose because we all know - more or less - what happened between 2258 and 2278 (hope I got the numbers right). That story has been told.

But of course, there'd be room for prequels (like the one suggested here about Valen and his influence) or sequels, which take part after Sheridan's death. For that, the original cast would not be needed. But would that still be Babylon 5? The station, after all, would be gone in the future.

For my part, I think the very personal influence that every actor had on the character makes the character impossible or very difficult to be portrayed by someone else. A certain ring to the voice, certain looks or gestures that make the characters who they are.

And apart from the cast becoming older, JMS is probably the only one who can make sure that a re-make or a movie really is like the show, that it is canon not only concerning the storyline, but also the feeling.
Peter Jurasik said during his panel on Saturday that the main condition for him to play Londo again is that JMS would have to write it. He said he would not play Londo if anyone else did it. The other condition he mentioned was money (but tied to the first, nonetheless)

[OmahaStar]

Gary, I'm sorry, but I think it's way too early to be thinking about a remake. Give it another 20 years, minimum, before we start going there.

[colonyearth]

It's taken 42 years for the original ST cast to be recast and that has been done with extreme reverance for the original actors and the roles, not to mention the fans.

As JMS would say, "that's comparing apples and cream pies" or something like that.

When the ptb behind TMoS attempted to recast, JMS and all of us went nuts to stop it. It's way too soon to even contemplate something like that.

That said, in 30 or so years if Hollywood still functions (or disfunctions) the way it does now, then B5 is most definitely in for a remake or re-envisionment of some kind. It will most likely be long after JMS is cold and in the ground, cause that's the only way it would happen.

As was already stated, there are tons of stories left to tell in the B5 verse, however, that would not require the cast or all of it at least. It's a universe where we can continually tell stories for years and decades to come. So, in that sense, it's the kind of verse that doesn't need a remake to make something new of itself.

CE

[Jan]

Could Babylon 5 survive a remake? Are the actors so tied to the characters that B5 is completely lost once they are gone?

Remake? I'm not the slightest bit interested. Or, at least not for 25 years or so.

New stories, perhaps with new actors portraying the characters at a younger age? Maybe I'd be interested.

New stories with a new cast not portraying the same characters? Sure, why not?

Jan

[luvB5]

Crusade was the future -- if it hadn't of been blown out by WB and TNT. I always thought that series had the potential to equal B5. Especially today when we have the rethink on Battlestar Galactica working so well. Crusade would lend itself well toward the "darkness" of BSG.

As said before the secret to B5 was its preordained 5 year arc (Along with it's pioneering use of CGI and thus much lower costs per episode.) That story, by hook, crook, TV and books was told to the conclusion Joe had envisioned.

The other thing about B5 was Joe's involvement of the fans. If you were there from the start then you probably know more about how to make a TV series than most other folks walking the planet. We were included, soup to nuts. Going to be hard for mere Hollywood mortals to involve as many people on as personal a level as JMS and the cast and crew did over the course of the series.

Personally I think "We will never see its like again." (to quote somebody that knew.)

(Okay, before you start yelling: Yes Joss Weedon should be mentioned in the fan involvment business also. Though the Buffyverse actors never got out in public as extensively close up and personal as JMS's cast and crew.)

[raw_bean]

Could Babylon 5 survive a remake? Are the actors so tied to the characters that B5 is completely lost once they are gone?

I once read an essay concerning the same argument about Sherlock Holmes. Should all production of Sherlock Holmes stop once Basil Rathbone is no longer available for the role?

While I enjoy beyond words the actors originating the roles, I weep at the thought that new B5 is less a generation away from being relegated to nonexistence.

I am really hoping that ST can make the leap and be successful with a new cast. It might be the shape of things to come.

Your Sherlock Holmes example is a very bad one. The major difference is that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wasn't writing Holmes specifically for Rathbone. JMS intentionally let the actors shape and mould the characters on B5 over the course of the seasons, and has told of many examples of specific experiences and viewpoints he lifted wholesale from the actor's lives to enrich the characters and give a ring of truth to the way they're played. In a very real way, the B5 actors ARE the characters they played.

I'm with Jan: I'd be happy for further stories set in the B5 Universe, with new actors playing new characters being fine, but no significant recasting of existing characters.

I'm curious about the new Trek, but given that Leonard Nimoy is in it as an old Spock, it's once again not a totally pertinent example; it being new actors playing younger versions of the characters more-so than it is a remake with new casting.

[jonodan]

The universe of Babylon 5 seems to have alot of possibilities for new stories and new conflicts to be told. Perhaps involving new characters, but I see no need for any "re-make"... Like the original Star Trek series (excluding the current movie in the works), there were plenty of other possibilities for story telling with new and interesting characters without repeating the original.

With the current dearth of American Sci-Fi programming (except Galactica), there seems to be room and opportunity for another quality JMS sci-fi production...

[JoeD80]

This discussion reminds me of something that intrigued me from a post that jms made long ago about his plans for B5 and the original sequel. I wonder what the plan was that would not allow any more followups? Maybe this will be mentioned in the description of Babylon Prime in Volume 15?:

jms 2/27/1994 (emphasis mine):

Correct: when we've told our five year story, the B5 series comes to
an end in terms of original episodes, and then will, like all other TV
series, go into long-term reruns. There's one possible spin-off that
has always been feasible, but it would not be a B5 series, rather following
one thread in a different direction. But that also has a definite end,
after which there *can't* be any more followups, for reasons I can't now
go into.

[RMcD]

I'm definitely up for a new series, remake, reimagining or whatever as long as it was done well. I think things have advanced far enough now from the mid nineties that the show is looking just a tad dated. The new BSG series has convinced me that it can be very worthwhile, provided something new is brought to the table. Of course it would be foolish for a remake to try to retread the same ground or tell the same story. And it's difficult to get into speculating about what a spin-off might be like without posting story ideas, which is against this forum's rules.

But (and I hope this isn't supreme blasphemy) what I really want now is to see care of the B5 universe passed on to someone other than JMS, although ideally someone who had the Great Maker's blessing. I think some new blood would be the best way to reinvigorate the universe and bring in new themes and ideas. As a precedent, I really love what Harve Bennett and Nicholas Meyer were able to bring to the early Trek movies at a time when Gene Roddenberry was sidelined. And as an anti-precedent, would the Star Wars prequels have turned out better if George Lucas had allowed someone else to script and direct them based on his treatment?

[Jan]

But (and I hope this isn't supreme blasphemy) what I really want now is to see care of the B5 universe passed on to someone other than JMS, although ideally someone who had the Great Maker's blessing.

Now, now...blasphemy is over on the *other* thread!

I've always pretty much assumed that one major reason why B5 is as great as it is is because it's one man's vision. I can see having somebody else helm a show in that universe but I think for it to be successful it would need to have that new person establish the characters and story before inviting other writers in to play. Or have it maintain a staff of writers so that the character traits would be right.

The question I would have is whether the 'benign neglect' WB granted B5 is another vital ingredient.

Jan

[JoeD80]

I'm definitely up for a new series, remake, reimagining or whatever as long as it was done well.

Someone already reimagined it. It was called "Deep Space Nine"

And as an anti-precedent, would the Star Wars prequels have turned out better if George Lucas had allowed someone else to script and direct them based on his treatment?

Probably. During Empire Strikes Back Lucas was focused mostly on putting his company together and didn't have time to direct. He only has story-credit on that one, and it turned out well.

[RMcD]

Someone already reimagined it. It was called "Deep Space Nine"

Am midway through rewatching it at the moment. There are some freakish similarities (recurring characters called Leeta, Shakaar and Dukat, for example) which may be accidental or may suggest that JMS' rejected pitch to Paramount for B5 got mixed up with DS9's production notes, but it's still a good show in its own right, especially when compared with the other Trek series.

Probably. During Empire Strikes Back Lucas was focused mostly on putting his company together and didn't have time to direct. He only has story-credit on that one, and it turned out well.

To put it mildly.. Irvin Kershner, who directed it, was Lucas' old film school professor, and the screenplay is credited to Lawrence Kasdan and Leigh Brackett, although how much each of them contributed is a matter of controversy.

[kosh555]

They could make more movies.

[Andrew_Swallow]

That said, in 30 or so years if Hollywood still functions (or disfunctions) the way it does now, then B5 is most definitely in for a remake or re-envisionment of some kind. It will most likely be long after JMS is cold and in the ground, cause that's the only way it would happen.

The remake could use Sinclair staying as commander of Babylon 5.