Babylon 5 Movie through Studio JMS

[Delenn_of_Mir]

*I plan to try and get a Babylon 5 feature in the works soon"


I'm not really sure what this means or if I should feel excited or not. He plans to try, sounds very wishy-washy and non-committal. It's nice he'd still like to do it, but it doesn't sound like he has any definite plans or steps to take to make it actually happen.

Of course maybe he's just being purposely vague and his plans are more concrete than him simply thinking it would be a fun thing to do, maybe, one day, somehow, wish upon a star....

I would have liked it better if he'd said, "yes, I've written a really interesting movie script, it's sitting in a drawer of a WB exec, right now, being totally ignored. But by May 2 of 2018, if I still haven't heard from them I'm going to make the movie myself. I already have 14 investors who have double pinky sworn that they'll give me the money, and I'm really really excited about it."

"giggles muchly"

But thanks for sharing that he did mention it again, at least.

[Ubik]

*I plan to try and get a Babylon 5 feature in the works soon"


I'm not really sure what this means or if I should feel excited or not. He plans to try, sounds very wishy-washy and non-committal. It's nice he'd still like to do it, but it doesn't sound like he has any definite plans or steps to take to make it actually happen.

Of course maybe he's just being purposely vague and his plans are more concrete than him simply thinking it would be a fun thing to do, maybe, one day, somehow, wish upon a star....

I would have liked it better if he'd said, "yes, I've written a really interesting movie script, it's sitting in a drawer of a WB exec, right now, being totally ignored. But by May 2 of 2018, if I still haven't heard from them I'm going to make the movie myself. I already have 14 investors who have double pinky sworn that they'll give me the money, and I'm really really excited about it."

"giggles muchly"

But thanks for sharing that he did mention it again, at least.

Yep, sounds way more wishy washy than the original announcement. I guess he's trying not to get people's hopes up too much. I hate to be the pessimist here, but I highly doubt we'll see anything new in the B5 universe for quite some time.

[Jan]

I would have liked it better if he'd said, "yes, I've written a really interesting movie script, it's sitting in a drawer of a WB exec, right now, being totally ignored. But by May 2 of 2018, if I still haven't heard from them I'm going to make the movie myself. I already have 14 investors who have double pinky sworn that they'll give me the money, and I'm really really excited about it."

Yep, sounds way more wishy washy than the original announcement. I guess he's trying not to get people's hopes up too much. I hate to be the pessimist here, but I highly doubt we'll see anything new in the B5 universe for quite some time.

Sigh...Yes, of course JMS is going to be extremely detailed in describing every step of every creative impulse and every business meeting in an interview primarily about Sense8, isn't he? How could he possibly have not been?!?!? </sarcasm>

Y'know what I really want to ask him at SDCC this year? "What's the average time something takes from idea to finished product in the theater?" Oh, he won't be able to answer, of course, but I wish he could. Because so many people get blindered and seem to think that a project should take up ever waking moment when the reality is that the process is slow - years and years in many cases. Look at the history of Sense8 for a perfect example.

Jan

[Looney]

Sigh...Yes, of course JMS is going to be extremely detailed in describing every step of every creative impulse and every business meeting in an interview primarily about Sense8, isn't he? How could he possibly have not been?!?!? </sarcasm>

Y'know what I really want to ask him at SDCC this year? "What's the average time something takes from idea to finished product in the theater?" Oh, he won't be able to answer, of course, but I wish he could. Because so many people get blindered and seem to think that a project should take up ever waking moment when the reality is that the process is slow - years and years in many cases. Look at the history of Sense8 for a perfect example.

Jan

Ummmmm . . . Jan . . . is that really going to be your question? I mean I am hoping you will be stumped because THAT is the venue where he would make any big announcement like "script is finished.", not some random interview or whatever. I am hoping you will be so flustered you won't actually remember what question you were going to ask.

And if he doesn't have an announcement like that to make then I don't expect you to say anything about it. Just make sure he sees you in all of your splendor - looking very forlorn. That will be message enough. LOL

[Jan]

Ummmmm . . . Jan . . . is that really going to be your question? I mean I am hoping you will be stumped because THAT is the venue where he would make any big announcement like "script is finished.", not some random interview or whatever. I am hoping you will be so flustered you won't actually remember what question you were going to ask.

I never know what my question will be until I ask it! Sometimes I'm certain right up until he says something and then I ask something completely different. I very seldom get a second question in - though why he doesn't just turn the mike over to me is a true mystery!

And if he doesn't have an announcement like that to make then I don't expect you to say anything about it. Just make sure he sees you in all of your splendor - looking very forlorn. That will be message enough. LOL

I doubt if he's ever noticed one way or another but I try to sit in the same general place depending on the room. Usually about 3-5 rows back as close to the microphone as I can. That way my recorder picks up everything.

ETA: 'Fraid I wouldn't be looking forlorn at all. While I'd love to see more B5, I'm happy with the story we have. I'd love to see the station again with modern CGI, though. JMS showed the opening sequence of the Lost Tales on a big screen in New York and it was fabulous!

Jan

[Ubik]

Sigh...Yes, of course JMS is going to be extremely detailed in describing every step of every creative impulse and every business meeting in an interview primarily about Sense8, isn't he? How could he possibly have not been?!?!? </sarcasm>

Y'know what I really want to ask him at SDCC this year? "What's the average time something takes from idea to finished product in the theater?" Oh, he won't be able to answer, of course, but I wish he could. Because so many people get blindered and seem to think that a project should take up ever waking moment when the reality is that the process is slow - years and years in many cases. Look at the history of Sense8 for a perfect example.

Jan

Jan, I take your point, I really do... but I sure wish JMS wouldn't make bold anoucements like this, and then drag his feet.

I wish he'd wait till he had something concrete before teasing the fans like that. It just looks kinda bad on all levels, both for the fans and for drumming up support and hype for the project. The announcement generate quite a lot of media interest from SF centric sites, but with no real follow up to keep it going.

I'm not the sort who goes in for fan entitlement, and I maintain that JMS owes the fans nothing... but, this was 2014 and as far as we know there's still no completed script. So, hence my pessimism. It's just a shame, I'd love some new B5!

I will continue to wait patiently, but may occasionally have to let off some steam. You shouldn't begrudge us that, it's totally fair!

[Jan]

WARNING: Rant below. Skip it if you don't want to read more blunt posting than I usually indulge in. Note that this is a general rant even though I quote Ubik.

Jan, I take your point, I really do... but I sure wish JMS wouldn't make bold anoucements like this, and then drag his feet.

I wish he'd wait till he had something concrete before teasing the fans like that. It just looks kinda bad on all levels, both for the fans and for drumming up support and hype for the project. The announcement generate quite a lot of media interest from SF centric sites, but with no real follow up to keep it going.

Nobody who's likely to finance the project is reading these forums. They're simply not. As for other sites, yeah, drumming up interest is part of the idea. Just as the Free Babylon 5 movement was as much about keeping B5 alive in people's minds. Anybody who's ever followed a show that's looking to return *knows* that generating 'buzz' is part of the process. BSG - Trek - Captain Power and on and on. Heck, wasn't it Looney who follows all the buzz and keep us up to date on 'Lantern City'? Why isn't anybody complaining that they started something and it hasn't happened yet?

I'm not the sort who goes in for fan entitlement, and I maintain that JMS owes the fans nothing... but, this was 2014 and as far as we know there's still no completed script. So, hence my pessimism. It's just a shame, I'd love some new B5!

We're still well within the timeline in that video I shot, aren't we? And the one time a year when JMS gives us updates on everything including the kitchen sink is coming up in less than six weeks.

I will continue to wait patiently, but may occasionally have to let off some steam. You shouldn't begrudge us that, it's totally fair!

Occasionally? Occasionally????!!! How about every. single. solitary. time he says anything at all. Yep. Every time. There's always a chorus of 'I wish he wouldn't say anything until...' or 'Why hasn't he...'

And what's the complaint this time? That he sounds 'wishy-washy' in an interview that wasn't even about B5 at all. What he did is stay "on message" and not derail the interview with a subject that wasn't key to the point of the interview.

So the bottom line is he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Because the ones who don't know what he's said about projects in the past like to spout off about how JMS has 'abandoned' B5. Or 'doesn't show any commitment' or some other hogwash. And the ones who do know want to nit-pick about him not keeping them abreast every time he writes a paragraph...or don't want to know...except they do because every time he says there's an announcement coming up there's a chorus of 'Is it B5, JMS????' 'I hope it's B5, JMS or I'll cry!' and the like.

So if you guys can blow off some steam...so can I. Because I've learned over the years that nothing in H-wood *ever* goes according to plan or schedule.

Sorry folks. Not feeling well today and my nerves got frazzled. I'll be my sunny self again soon.

Jan

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Awe, hope you feel better soon, Jan!!!!!!!!

And you are totes entitled to rant as much as you'd like to, and to be as optimistic and rah, rah, JMS, rah, rah he's the best, as you want to be!!!!!!!!!

I for one, really like your enthusiasm and optimism and cheerful positivity!!!!!! It's great to see and I enjoy your polite rants, too. "giggles"

I also share in Ubik's pessimism and suspicion that we will not see any more B5 in a very long time.

It's true Joe doesn't have to share anything with us, and nope, we a'int entitled to anything from him. But it would still be nice to hear of any forward motion, if there was anything to hear about, of course.

And a line-by-line script update would be awesome!!!!!!

[Looney]

Heck, wasn't it Looney who follows all the buzz and keep us up to date on 'Lantern City'? Why isn't anybody complaining that they started something and it hasn't happened yet?

Jan

YEAH! COMPLAIN ALREADY! For all you know I totally made Lantern City up from my own twisted imagination. (Unless you saw or read any of the comics.) BUT if you didn't see the comics then who's to say it was ever a real thing. And if anyone wants me to send Team Lantern City emails about their total failure to force someone to give them the money and distribution deal they want for their TV show I will do it. PM me and I'll forward all of our disgust at their four year journey that gave us a book and a comic book instead of the TV show they said they wanted to do. HOW DARE THEY! ! ! (And always remember, any publicity is good publicity even if it comes from a Looney - GO LANTERN CITY!) [If this didn't make you laugh, then be very afraid of me because I laughed the whole time I was writing it. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LEAD IN JAN! ]

And Jan if you want to continue to rant about something, tell them about the little group I ran into at Space City Comic Con that seemed to be in agreement that JMS was the reason B5 is locked away somewhere never to be seen in reruns or on streaming sites. I have no idea where they came up with that idea, but one guy in a line said it out loud and someone else agreed like it was a real thing. I am so glad I was there to set them straight. They were glad too.

[Ubik]

Hey guys and gals, it's cool!

I don't mind people jumping to defend JMS or the way the fan community can sometimes behave. It's just that I got really excited at the B5 announcement and signs do not point to it going full steam ahead. Jan, I can understand your lack of patience with these kinds of comments though, because it's the kind of stuff that pushed me out of a few B5 Facebook groups. However, we should all be allowed to occasionally critique JMS as well as praise him here. At least my complaints are based on real tangible information and I caveat it with 'JMS owes me nothing' and 'I generally hate fan entitlement'.

I will wait patiently like everyone else and I hope the JMS spot at SDCC gives us a clearer picture or a revised timeline, and yes, I totally appreciate everything takes FOREVER in Hollywood.

I can't complain too much, cause we got Sense8 last year and we are getting MORE soon. My little moan only reflects my interest in seeing some new B5.

[Triple F]

I know that due to some of the things I’ve said (and even done with regards to B5Scrolls) some view me as a borderline jms-hater. Just to be clear, that’s nonsense. Quite the opposite really. I genuinely admire his tenacity as a producer and his talent as a writer….. But.

I’m not blinded by that. Way back when jms first boldly and confidently announced that there would be a script written by this year, getting finance would be easy enough and if WB didn’t want it he’d make it himself, etc. I noted that the timing of the announcement coincided with the start of the filming of Sense8. A potential Babylon 5 movie was an extremely newsworthy story and unsurprisingly hundreds of articles were written all over the place about it……… along with jms’s new project….

So Sense8 got a lot more virtual column inches, and a lot more buzz was generated in the wider sci-fi community, than it would have normally (even with the Wachowski’s involvement)…. Now here’s the thing. Noting and commenting on the timing of such and exciting, unambiguous and definitive announcement – although some would view it like that – isn’t me ‘joe-bashing’ again. As an executive producer one of the things in his job description is to promote his – new - projects as best he can…. And I tip my hat to him for doing so…… If that’s what he was doing by confidently announcing a B5 movie like that, out of the blue, at that moment in time…….. and to be honest, that’s exactly what I believe he was doing....

Now I really do GET IT that some fans view jms almost as a friend, and he’d never do something like that to them……… But the reality is he’s an executive television producer. That's just something that some fans can't easily accept sometimes.

[Jan]

Thanks for understanding, folks. Just to be clear...you won't catch me getting upset about concerns about timing or whether other work will get in the way. I may have a response to those concerns but they're perfectly legitimate. And I doubt anybody's any more aware than I that JMS is really bad at guesstimating the time something will take when it's at the mercy of studios and PR folks (there's a reason why I open up the Skywatch Game to a full year, after all ).

No, what gets on my nerves is the 'why doesn't he give us regular reports' and 'we should have heard by now that he's at X stage' when the reality is that he's never done so - and probably never will. Oh, and don't get me started on one like yesterday (elsewhere) who decided that even though JMS doesn't own B5 (except the feature film rights, of course) that there's 'always a way' for him to bring back the series 'if he really wanted to'. Well, sure - if he wanted to do B5 as shadow puppets on his wall, right?

Reasonable doubts only make sense. When 'Red Mars' was on the table with JMS as showrunner, I had a feeling that it might interfere with plans for the B5 feature - and made a point of mentioning that when the B5 script came up in conversation. I wasn't concerned about Sense8 so much because at that point writing the script was all that was on the table and JMS can (and does) write everywhere and any time. Witness his recent tweet that he was turning out *40 pages per day* in order to meet deadlines. That's one third of a movie script. So when people complain about him working on stuff other than concentrating on the B5 feature, mostly I just smile.

What do I think is the most likely thing to cause the feature to take a back burner? Paying work. That's always taken precedence over his personal projects, be it comic books of the Crusade 'Hell' books.

All I'm asking is that, knowing that any news is likely to be coming next month, maybe the complaints can take a little lower volume for a while. Thanks.

Jan

[Looney]

Seriously?! OUCH! That one hurt.

[Jan]

Seriously?! OUCH! That one hurt.

What?? Which?? Who??

[Looney]

Exactly Jan. Nobody commented on my HILARIOUS post. You opened the door and I thought I hit a home run penalty shot right through the uprights of the goal net.