Babylon 5 Movie through Studio JMS

[Ubik]

See I don't think I would ever share my collection because I wouldn't want to hear criticism from everyone.

We don't judge here...

(*secretly judging... constantly...)

[Lope de Aguirre]

Dude, you have good taste in films! Was just looking at your BluRay collection list. Not often I see SF fanatics who appear to love the work of Harmony Korine. As of this day 'Julien Donkey Boy' is the only film that's ever made me feel physically ill. This is a feat in itself, and Herzog's performance in that film is priceless. Not one I dig out often, but powerful stuff.

Thank you very much.

I love Korine.
Julien Donkey-Boy was my favorite film for a couple of years.
Now I prefer Gummo and Spring Breakers by him.

I am a huge Werner Herzog fan as well.
I even ordered "Lebenszeichen" (Signs of Life) and "The Wild Blue Yonder" on Blu-ray at the office of Mr. Herzog.
These two masterpieces aren't available on Blu-ray in regular (online-)stores.

[Ubik]

Thank you very much.

I love Korine.
Julien Donkey-Boy was my favorite film for a couple of years.
Now I prefer Gummo and Spring Breakers by him.

I am a huge Werner Herzog fan as well.
I even ordered "Lebenszeichen" (Signs of Life) and "The Wild Blue Yonder" on Blu-ray at the office of Mr. Herzog.
These two masterpieces aren't available on Blu-ray in regular (online-)stores.

Yes! Herzog is one of the greats of cinema. There are no directors left like him, he truly suffered for him art, went to extreme lengths to get his films made. If you've seen the documentary about the making of Fitzcarraldo you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Aguirre Wrath of God remains one of my all time favourite films.

I am also a massive Popol Vuh fan, the outfit that soundtracked many of Herzog's 70s and 80s films.

Sorry, we should probably take this to the 'general films' thread so as to not derail this one.

[Ubik]

Sooo... the original announcement that the B5 movie would be written and shopped around for investment was 2014!

I do hope we get some kind of positive news at SDCC this year. Any kind of forward momentum would be positive.

[Looney]

I hope we do too, but if I remember correctly I believe 2017 was when JMS was hopeful production might begin. I think with Sense 8, health issues, and everything else we aren't really too far behind schedule - if an announcement does come at SDCC 2017. And if he doesn't say anything I don't think we should panic until 2018. Then we just go nutz!

[Ubik]

I hope we do too, but if I remember correctly I believe 2017 was when JMS was hopeful production might begin. I think with Sense 8, health issues, and everything else we aren't really too far behind schedule - if an announcement does come at SDCC 2017. And if he doesn't say anything I don't think we should panic until 2018. Then we just go nutz!

Hahah. Yes. What will be, will be. There are so many factors that have to come together for this to happen. It's nice that there's at least hope of it, and that it's there on JMS 'to do list'.

We always have five seasons of great TV to re-visit.

[Jan]

I hope we do too, but if I remember correctly I believe 2017 was when JMS was hopeful production might begin. I think with Sense 8, health issues, and everything else we aren't really too far behind schedule - if an announcement does come at SDCC 2017. And if he doesn't say anything I don't think we should panic until 2018. Then we just go nutz!

The original announcement was in 2014 for the script to be written in 2015 and go into production in 2016 (Hey, you pay me to keep track of this stuff, right? You don't? Hmmmm...). Last year when asked he said he was concentrating on building 'street cred' for Studio JMS. I can't be sure but I'd think that that sort of building would require projects being made and though we've seen a number of projects announced, there's really nothing new in front of the cameras (that we know of) yet.

But we'll see what he might say at the con. You know your roving reporter will let you know as soon as she can get back to a computer. Updates always get posted here first, of course (typos and all!).

[Looney]

The original announcement was in 2014 for the script to be written in 2015 and go into production in 2016 (Hey, you pay me to keep track of this stuff, right? You don't? Hmmmm...).

Great Jan. I was trying to calm the masses and now you've just opened the flood gates. Okay folks, I guess 2017 is the year to go nutz.

[Ubik]

The original announcement was in 2014 for the script to be written in 2015 and go into production in 2016 (Hey, you pay me to keep track of this stuff, right? You don't? Hmmmm...). Last year when asked he said he was concentrating on building 'street cred' for Studio JMS. I can't be sure but I'd think that that sort of building would require projects being made and though we've seen a number of projects announced, there's really nothing new in front of the cameras (that we know of) yet.

But we'll see what he might say at the con. You know your roving reporter will let you know as soon as she can get back to a computer. Updates always get posted here first, of course (typos and all!).

Cheers Jan! Always good to get the news first hand via a reputable JMS nut.

We can pay you in Spoo if you want?

[Jan]

Great Jan. I was trying to calm the masses and now you've just opened the flood gates. Okay folks, I guess 2017 is the year to go nutz.

Oh - it's only fair to warn you that I gave up my only question to ask about the movie last year. Not gonna happen this year. I've got some questions chosen already and will decide on the day which (if any) to ask.

Cheers Jan! Always good to get the news first hand via a reputable JMS nut.

I prefer to think of myself as 'moderate to severely' obsessed, thankyouverymuch.

We can pay you in Spoo if you want?

Can you really? I'll be requiring back pay, you know...

[Looney]

it's only fair to warn you that I gave up my only question to ask about the movie last year. Not gonna happen this year. I've got some questions chosen already and will decide on the day which (if any) to ask.

Do you mean you expect he will announce something about the movie so you won't have to ask?

[Jan]

Do you mean you expect he will announce something about the movie so you won't have to ask?

Dunno if he will or not. It's just not a priority for me to ask about this year, that's all.

[Ubik]

Sooo, it's 2018. No news. This all seemed so certain. Hope to hear some news or a glimmer of hope this year. Still astounded that WB hasn't seen the promise in reviving B5. I kinda wish Netflix would just buy the rights and throw some cash at JMS to do ANYTHING B5 related. I can dream right!?

Well, at least there are some JMS projects in the works. I was kinda gutted he stepped back somewhat on Sense8 and that it got cancelled. I would have loved to see the full arc on that done properly. I could totally go for a new original JMS' SF series, but I wonder if he has another B5 in him?

[B5-Stefan]

Now we did reach the midst of the 1st quarter of the year 2018.
Shouldn't it be high time for a jms-update about his ongoing and further planned projects?
Where my very special interest focuses on a thinkable B5 movie.
Jan?

Sooo, it's 2018. No news. This all seemed so certain. Hope to hear some news or a glimmer of hope this year. Still astounded that WB hasn't seen the promise in reviving B5. I kinda wish Netflix would just buy the rights and throw some cash at JMS to do ANYTHING B5 related. I can dream right!?
Well, at least there are some JMS projects in the works. I was kinda gutted he stepped back somewhat on Sense8 and that it got cancelled. I would have loved to see the full arc on that done properly. I could totally go for a new original JMS' SF series, but I wonder if he has another B5 in him?

Flynn2000 in another thread

I guess this [the encyclopedia] is a fitting thing to close out the Babylon 5 era with since I don't see anything on the horizon and even JMS seems to be taking it easy recently, which I have never seen him do before.

This statement and UBIK did lead me to this post.

Warning at the start: sometimes I tend to be a bit rough and tough.
You'll see.


Looking back...

SDCC 2014:

"And due to that, he can now look to doing a feature film for B5.
JMS recapped that WB owns everything about B5 except the movie rights and even though he holds the film rights, to take a B5 movie to another studio without holding the TV rights wouldn't work.
There's one studio in LA that doesn't care about that - Studio JMS - and in 2015 JMS will write the script.
He'll give WB the opportunity to step up, but if they don't, Studio JMS will make it in 2016 on thier own with a $1-200,000,000.00 budget."

At the time I was surprised and wondering about the directness of JMS.
But well, if he said so...
It seemed for me that at least there should already exist a written concept paper - most likely a finished movie script. And money and producers onboard (remember: "with or without WB").

But time was passing on and lately we didn't hear nothing from JMS about relevant plans.

Now: Is there a secret B5 script in a JMS' drawer?
Did/Does JMS actively went/goes fund-raising in favor of a B5 movie?
Where do we stand now?
Last stand?
"Blowing in the wind"?
Gone forever?
Dead and buried under the surface like shadow vessels?

In my impression B5 25th jubilee and Sense8 finished and AutoBio finished and last draft "Rising Stars" finished (nov 2017) it would be best occasion for JMS to tell us s.th. about.

Am I undergoing any illusion or was JMS more open minded to Q&A about his projects, plans, work back in the time at GENIE, Compuserve, rastb5m compared to nowadays (social media, twitter)?

Hmph, Stefan

--
President Clark to Ivanova: "Your commanding officer,
Commander Sinclair, will not returning to Babylon5.
He is being reassigned. Permanently."
[Points of Departure - filmed but not published]

[Jan]

Interesting attitude but I'll answer as best I can anyway.

It's been quite a while since JMS did info-dumps of info on his projects online. I'm pretty sure I mentioned in my SDCC update last year ETA: I did. You even responded to it) that he said (paraphrasing) that he's still working on building up street cred for his studio and he's quite aware that the property gets colder the more time goes by.

So far there's one - and only one - credit for Studio JMS: Sense8. And as impressive as that is, it's not enough to attract the kinds of investors needed to do a B5 feature film.

Does he have a script in the drawer? Very possibly. At one point he did mention that he'd planned to finish the script.

I don't know about you but I'm under no illusion that I know all the things that JMS is working on at any given time but as I'm sure you're aware, there are usually several at any given moment. We know that he's told us that he's concentrating his energies on novels and plays as replacing comics.

I'll be at SDCC again in July and I'll pass along any updates then.

Jan