Actual April announcement

[Jan]

Welcome back, Bonehead! Good to see you back.

Jan

[Compound Fracture]

Yes, this is good news - at least potentially. Something is in the works. Will it get made? Don't know, but at least somebody is trying to do something with JMS. Yay!

[DGTWoodward]

I can fully understand JMS' stance.

Unless he has something definite, he's saying nothing. It's a lesson learned with TMOS, suppose.

[Jan]

Under most circumstances, with TMoS, JMS had plenty - a contracted and paid option and a paid commission to write the script. Sadly, the entities that managed all of the above couldn't manage the actual financing and distribution of the movie they'd optioned without help from WB or another major studio.

Sadly, with the movie-making world, it seems that even when the camera starts rolling, any number of things can stall a project, even those backed by major studios. And before then...even well-publicized and seemingly sure things can fall by the wayside the way that the Silver Surfer and Forbidden Planet movies seem to have.

Jan

[Commander Raiden]

So there is "some movement in the grass" as what was once quoted, though what the movement is, nobody knows, what the chances something would be confirmed by Christmas 2011?

[Jan]

That's why we've got the 'Skywatch' game in the General Forum!

Jan

[KoshN]

That's why we've got the 'Skywatch' game in the General Forum!

Jan

Oh, guessing when something may happen; that way lies insanity.

[Jan]

Oh, guessing when something may happen; that way lies insanity.

Oh, it's not just for guessing when something B5-related might be announced. It's for guessing when anything new from JMS is announced. Those happen pretty frequently.

Jan

[KoshN]

Oh, it's not just for guessing when something B5-related might be announced. It's for guessing when anything new from JMS is announced. Those happen pretty frequently.

Jan

Then, for me, it would come down to guessing when something B5-related from JMS might be announced.

A watched pot never boils. (or at least it seems to take forever.)

[ILUVJOHNSHERIDAN]

I'm not sure how true this is but this was posted on ISNnews.com I just came upon this accidentally and thought I'd share .....

Over at the Babylon 5 newsgroup, Craig has posted a report of the event JMS participated in on Saturday. Here's something for all BABYLON 5 fans. Let's hope that it works out:
One B5 item of interest that Joe did address, is that with 2013 coming up (the 20th anniversary of B5) it would be a good time to do a movie. He has a story in mind, and apparently WB is willing to put the money out to do a feature film right (approx 100 million). But as he did say he would have to have a script ready by 2011, shoot in 2012 for a 2013 release so he is already behind schedule.

[Jan]

I'm not sure how true this is but this was posted on ISNnews.com I just came upon this accidentally and thought I'd share .....

Over at the Babylon 5 newsgroup, Craig has posted a report of the event JMS participated in on Saturday. Here's something for all BABYLON 5 fans. Let's hope that it works out:
One B5 item of interest that Joe did address, is that with 2013 coming up (the 20th anniversary of B5) it would be a good time to do a movie. He has a story in mind, and apparently WB is willing to put the money out to do a feature film right (approx 100 million). But as he did say he would have to have a script ready by 2011, shoot in 2012 for a 2013 release so he is already behind schedule.

This was part of Craig's report from the Orange County Screenwriters talk that JMS gave last May (I was there also). At that point, it seems that the only talk had been how much money JMS would need for a movie (IIRC, $100,000,000.00).

It was at the New York Comic-Con that JMS mentioned that there was 'movement in the tall grass'. What's interesting to note is that originally JMS reported telling WB that they'd have to fund a big-budget feature or nothing. In NY, he phrased it that it had to be a feature or TV series with a sufficient budget giving him complete creative control.

And so we wait.

Jan

[ILUVJOHNSHERIDAN]

OK thanks Jan

[lotjx]

Did he really say a $100 million? Thats Star Wars money. A $100 million for a B5 movie, good lord thats the entire budget for the entire series, spin-offs, TV movies and maybe even the merchandising. I don't think he is going to get that. If WB gives more then $30 million, I will literally be shocked. I am actually now very curious to see what he could do with a $100 million and how long it would be.

[Jan]

My understanding is that it went something like this:

JMS: Big budget movie or nothing.
WB: We'll get back to you.

later:
WB: How much is big-budget?
JMS: $100 million.
WB: We'll get back to you.

still later:
WB: Let us know when you're ready to talk about doing it.

At his May talk, JMS made the point that in Hollywood, sometimes it's easier to get a hundred million than it is to get (I think it was) $30 million, which is what he was/is looking for to do his film "The Flickering Light".

Jan

[KoshN]

My understanding is that it went something like this:
JMS: Big budget movie or nothing.

Silly question: Why not a B5 universe TV series with a good budget, a continuation of Crusade, something to wrap things up?

What instigates pilots? The studio (e.g. Warner Brothers Domestic Television Productions)? Do they go to the networks to pitch them ideas that they think the networks might want? The networks? Do they go to the studios, telling the studios generally what the want?