Babylon 5 Movie through Studio JMS

[Jan]

And I think it is great given that we all know Sense 8 didn't make quite the splash he, and we all, hoped it would.

Speak for yourself. I'm not sure where you got any kind of 'we all know' anything from anywhere, but given that Netflix has financed an even bigger second season than the first, I'm pretty sure you're mistaken. Is it 'mainstream viewing'? Of course not. "We all know" it was never intended to be, don't we?

[Looney]

Here is a Looney Look at it.

I think JMS was so psyched about Sense 8 that he thought Sense 8 would be the springboard of a B5 feature. I think Sense 8 hasn't brought him the success and recognition he hoped for, wanted, and deserved. We all know it is a great show, but I think we also all recognize it might not have the mass appeal needed to get what JMS wants. I mean it is great there is a second season coming, but that didn't happen immediately. Hopefully the second season will bring with it the recognition it deserves.

My next thought is on the financing front. If JMS really thinks he can eventually raise one hundred million dollars for a feature film budget on his own, then my guess is he won't go to WB until that is a lock. Yeah they might say great do it on your own, but they might also say here is another fifty to hundred million. They might also say feature film and let's do a new series. Really the money talks and if he can eventually raise that much then there is no telling what might happen. I mean honestly it is pretty awesome that he could give us a sixty million dollar figure. I think it is great he could throw that out there. And I think it is great given that we all know Sense 8 didn't make quite the splash he, and we all, hoped it would. Sixty million is a really great start. Now we just have to hope Rising Stars and Midnight Nation boost that "Street Cred" even more. It would be especially helpful if that happened before they were released. And of course, we all need Sense 8 Season 2 to explode in popularity.

[Jan]

If there was any pretence my guess might be he's actually hoping to get a TV series going and is using the potential of the film to try and light a fire under WB.

This is an interesting question and I thought I'd answer it separately. (Don't tell the moderator that I'm double posting! )

First and foremost, of course, is the fact that only JMS knows his own thoughts but my first reaction is that this isn't it. While I don't follow industry news at all, it seems that Kevin Tsujihara, CEO of WB Entertainment is bent on doing things the way he wants, much to some people's dismay, and it doesn't seem to include B5 in any way.

Is it likely that WB will come on board whenever it comes time for JMS to look for major investors? Dunno. I'd hope that they'd realize how silly they'd look if they didn't support it and it became even a modest hit. But studios have been known to do pretty stupid things in the past.

My personal feeling is that JMS has quit hoping they might do something with the property and is doing the only thing he can do after his attempt to buy the rights back dead-ended. But that's just me.

Jan

[Jan]

Does anyone think that Joe never intended on doing a new B5 movie, that he just wanted to say he was making one, to use as an attention getter for Sense8? The news of the movie 2 years ago got everyone talking about him, which gave him an excellent spotlight to talk about Sense8. And then as soon as his new show is on and doing super well, all talk about the new movie disappears because the news achieved its purpose, and that was all it was ever intended to be?

This paints him as being incredibly manipulative, don't you think? It also makes no sense because of the way it was announced at his spotlight panel. It wasn't a springboard, as I recall it was at the end of his 'this is what I've been up to/what's coming up' segment of the panel. And frankly, a Netflix show with the Wachowskis doesn't need any extra support. It's plenty all on its own.

It's also possible that 2 years ago, he just got all heady with excitement about his new studio and maybe he really did want to do it, and thought, but not realistically, that everyone would be jumping all over themselves to give him money to do it, and that he'd have time to do it. But then time and reality took over.

Perhaps there was a bit of over-optimism but once again I'll point out that what JMS said this year about building up 'street cred' for Studio JMS is *exactly* what he said two years ago - that after another TV series or two, another movie or two, the studio would be able to attract the major investors it needs. What happened in the meantime? Some projects he discussed two years ago didn't pan out (the over-optimism) and he had two major eye surgeries which took large chunks of time from his work. If you haven't seen what he was contending with with his eyesight, read this article about his leaving comics and look at the pics of what the disease did to his eyes. I know *I* couldn't have worked like that.

I wish we could change the title of this thread because it's mocking all of us with false hope from yesteryear. But it was as true as anyone knew back when the thread was started. Prolly I shouldn't have posted, since the best thing would be to just let the thread die.

That's not a bad idea. I can change the thread title. I gots da Mod Power!

Can you share your viewpoint and thought process?

I know it's super positive, but any specific points?

My main thought is that I shouldn't have posted while on the computer in the middle of the night when the cats woke me up. For the rest, see above.

Always be positive. Don't be obsessive.

Oh, far too late for me to not be obsessive!!

Jan

[Delenn_of_Mir]

If there was any pretence my guess might be he's actually hoping to get a TV series going and is using the potential of the film to try and light a fire under WB.

*sneaks back*

That's an interesting viewpoint. I think I like it better than mine. "giggles"

So the moral is, ABP & DBO.

Always be positive. Don't be obsessive.

[moreorless]

If there was any pretence my guess might be he's actually hoping to get a TV series going and is using the potential of the film to try and light a fire under WB.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Nope. <rolls eyes>

Can you share your viewpoint and thought process?

I know it's super positive, but any specific points?

I mean about JMS, not me. "giggles"

You might not have any thoughts since there are so many other JMS projects to think about, or maybe it's none of my beeswax. *I do have a habit of borrowing people's beeswax without permission sometimes.*

Or did you say it already in other places and I should just go away and read them?

*goes away*

[Jan]

Does anyone think that Joe never intended on doing a new B5 movie, that he just wanted to say he was making one, to use as an attention getter for Sense8? The news of the movie 2 years ago got everyone talking about him, which gave him an excellent spotlight to talk about Sense8. And then as soon as his new show is on and doing super well, all talk about the new movie disappears because the news achieved its purpose, and that was all it was ever intended to be?

Nope. <rolls eyes>

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Does anyone think that Joe never intended on doing a new B5 movie, that he just wanted to say he was making one, to use as an attention getter for Sense8? The news of the movie 2 years ago got everyone talking about him, which gave him an excellent spotlight to talk about Sense8. And then as soon as his new show is on and doing super well, all talk about the new movie disappears because the news achieved its purpose, and that was all it was ever intended to be?

It's also possible that 2 years ago, he just got all heady with excitement about his new studio and maybe he really did want to do it, and thought, but not realistically, that everyone would be jumping all over themselves to give him money to do it, and that he'd have time to do it. But then time and reality took over.

And maybe there's still a very unrealistic, not-very-well thought out hope that someday he could do it, but he doesn't really have time to think about it very often. With ten million other projects he can't really be expected to think about it.

I wish we could change the title of this thread because it's mocking all of us with false hope from yesteryear. But it was as true as anyone knew back when the thread was started. Prolly I shouldn't have posted, since the best thing would be to just let the thread die.

But I didn't want to start a new thread just to cry in.

[DaveNarn]

Left over from some April Fool's Day joke, I'm afraid.

No truth (or grammar or spelling) to it at all. Sorry!

Jan

Oh, bummer

Bakula would have made a good Jeffrey Sinclair.

[Jan]

Left over from some April Fool's Day joke, I'm afraid.

No truth (or grammar or spelling) to it at all. Sorry!

Jan

[DaveNarn]

An interesting post today on the Babel Conference: Trek.fm Listener's Group Facebook page.
I haven't seen any corroboration so maybe just some fan's wishful thinking.

Scott Bakula to make Quantum Leap into Babylon 5 franchise

It was confirmed yesterday that the Star Trek and Quantum Leap actor
has shown interest in expanding his acting talents to the once
popular science fiction epic Babylon 5.

First shown in 1994 and hailed as a masterpiece by many because of it's 5 season arc, and ground breaking CGI effects of any series of it's time,
Babylon 5 looked set to be a sure fire hit. But due to the lack
of interest from Warner Brothers in running a fifth season most of
the main shorelines were squeezed into the remaining fourth season.

But in the eleventh hour a fifth season was taken up by TNT Network and it was weak in comparison to the previous seasons. Not to mention several movie tie-ins
including the revered Legend of the Rangers.

Now J.M.Straczinski is putting his hands in his pockets and funding a rebooting of
the Babylon 5 universe, but at the moment no storyline or other actors have been announced.

Scott said at a small press hearing this afternoon:
"I am proud to be considered for the main role in one of my all time favorite shows
and hope to bring the Babylon 5 franchise back to life".

[Jan]

If I shrink ray myself, can I hitch a ride in your suitcase? I've always wanted to go to a con, but I'm stuck in down below and Deuce takes all the money I manage to steal.

Probably better if I tuck you in my purse - never know if the luggage compartment is pressurized, y'know...

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Funny, that's just how I feel! The con is July 20-24. I'll be arriving on Thursday the 21st.

No word yet on what panels JMS will be having when but I've got my trusty recorders ready so I'll be able to report what JMS *actually* says vs what will end up getting mis-reported.

Only a month away

A whole month?

And hurraaaaaays we all know we can count on you to bring us the real facts, not the good facts.

If I shrink ray myself, can I hitch a ride in your suitcase? I've always wanted to go to a con, but I'm stuck in down below and Deuce takes all the money I manage to steal.

[Jan]

Is it comic con yet? Is it, huh? Is it, huh? Is it????

Funny, that's just how I feel! The con is July 20-24. I'll be arriving on Thursday the 21st.

No word yet on what panels JMS will be having when but I've got my trusty recorders ready so I'll be able to report what JMS *actually* says vs what will end up getting mis-reported.