Stargate being re-booted!

[Ubik]

Most of you have probably already heard, but Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin are officially rebooting the Stargate franchise with a "re-imagined" trilogy of films. More info can be found on io9 here.

What do you make of this?

The case of Stargate is interesting, as these new films would ignore the long running TV shows and any lore set up there. Emmerich and Devlin seems pretty dismissive of the TV incarnation in general. I know they had nothing to do with the TV incarnation after they sold off the TV rights. The original film was okay, nothing more. The TV show was a massive success, and I can see how that might be a bit galling for Emmerich and Devlin.

However, this approach seems like a quick and easy way to piss off millions of existing Stargate fans who were weened on the TV incarnation.

I do wonder if Warner are looking at other (cough B5 cough) properties that could be given the reboot treatment? This kind of example does make me glad JMS owns the film right to B5 and that it can

[phazedout]

I however, have heard of it, since I do present a stargate podcast, they are ignoring the 10 years of sg1, the 5 years of atlantis and the two years of SGU.

They plan to round off their original trilogy so not paying any attention to it.

[Ubik]

They plan to round off their original trilogy so not paying any attention to it.

Was the original film really intended to be the first part in a trilogy?!? I never got any inclination they were building a larger story arc. It has been some time since I saw the film though.

[Looney]

I heard this a few days ago and immediately dismissed it because I figured they would ignore the TV Franchise. That absolutely disgusts me. The only question is will they really do it? I assumed because it is Emmerich and Devlin that they want to regain all control and profits from Stargate, however after thinking about it a couple of times over the past few days I have started to wonder about what the studio's ideas are. I can't imagine the studio marketing folks want to risk alienating a large pre-existing fan base. It seems foolish to try to create a reboot film franchise by turning your back on an existing TV franchise fan base. I am not saying they won't do it. I am just saying it doesn't make sense to do it from a bottom line standpoint. All that being said I am certain they will ignore the TV franchise because I doubt Emmerich and Devlin would do it if they weren't going to ignore it. So I can't answer Ubik's question, but I can ask my own. Is it definite that they've said there will be no reference to the TV franchise?

Of course if there were any reference to the TV shows I am sure they would likely only be cameos and not a part of the actual plot. But I'm going back to my original thought when I saw this news a couple of days ago, I am certain there will be no reference to the TV franchise. Devlin and Emmerich have wanted this for twenty years. I can't imagine they compromised. I'm sure it was a pitch more along the lines of "Now that the TV franchise is dead, we want to reboot our film franchise." (Don't get me wrong I love the movie, but I have no interest in seeing a reboot of the Stargate franchise that ignores the people who made Stargate great.)

[Ubik]

Of course if there were any reference to the TV shows I am sure they would likely only be cameos and not a part of the actual plot. But I'm going back to my original thought when I saw this news a couple of days ago, I am certain there will be no reference to the TV franchise. Devlin and Emmerich have wanted this for twenty years. I can't imagine they compromised. I'm sure it was a pitch more along the lines of "Now that the TV franchise is dead, we want to reboot our film franchise." (Don't get me wrong I love the movie, but I have no interest in seeing a reboot of the Stargate franchise that ignores the people who made Stargate great.)

Totally agree with you Looney.

It will undoubtedly be a big 'hard reset' - so it's 'new viewer friendly' and will appeal to audiences outside of the existing fanbase. Part of that makes sense, I understand that studios don't want to alienate a large chunk of their potential audience with existing back story and history, BUT the Stargate TV show had legions of fans. Seems dumb to re-invent the wheel again.

I think it's more to do with the fact that Emmerich and Devlin had NOTHING to do with the TV show, except the bare bones premise, which they sold the TV rights to. They clearly don’t see the TV show as 'their' Stargate, so they’ll be creating a new continuity of their own. I wonder if their original film will be largely disregarded too?

It's Hollywood, all they seem to care about is milking the cash cow a bit more. It reeks of creative brain death and a distinct unwillingness to take chances on new ideas and fresh stories. When was the last time we got a good SF film that wasn’t a sequel/prequel, a comic adaptation, a novel adaptation or a re-make? They have been painfully few and far between. This just continues the trend of Hollywood execs plumbing the archives.

My guess is that it will eventually happen to B5 too, but at least JMS will be in control if it’s on the silver screen. With the Wachowski’s and JMS now in league, maybe that COULD happen sooner than we think. (massive speculation on my part!)

[sarthaz]

My initial thought on this was DO NOT WANT! But after thinking about it a bit, I guess I don't mind. The film was their idea, and it was pretty good. Emmerich and Devlin have been talking about sequels for as long as I can remember, so it's not like they're trying to weasel in on the success of a long-running but financially insignificant franchise. (Don't take that as an insult -- the film made $200 MM in 1994 -- that's impressive). The TV franchise itself ran way too long and sprawled all over the place, so there's no high ground for them to complain about this anyway.

The hesitation I have is that I'd have rather seen this 10 years ago. I'm interested in seeing two sequels with Kurt Russell and James Spader. I'm not so interested in seeing a reboot with Channing Tatum and Jesse Eisenberg (or whoever the crap they'll get for this).

[Looney]

The TV franchise itself ran way too long and sprawled all over the place, so there's no high ground for them to complain about this anyway.

The hesitation I have is that I'd have rather seen this 10 years ago. I'm interested in seeing two sequels with Kurt Russell and James Spader. I'm not so interested in seeing a reboot with Channing Tatum and Jesse Eisenberg (or whoever the crap they'll get for this).

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THOSE STATEMENTS ! ! !

I love SG-1, but their first and biggest wrong turn was going toward ascension. Then there were several seasons and two spin-offs full of wrong turns after that. They still put out quality products, but it could have gotten better every season it went on as well as through the spin-offs and it didn't.

I am still not interested in a new movie franchise. They would have to cast my favorite people in the world for me to go to a big screen Stargate movie that doesn't feature Amanda Tapping and Richard Dean Anderson.

[Ubik]

I enjoyed SG1. I didn't follow it religiously or anything, but it was a nice easy going show that was eminently watchable. They used to air it on Sunday mornings on Channel 4 here in the UK, and it was nice to zone out to with a cup of tea.

I honestly thought SGU was the best incarnation of the show. Once it got past trying to be gritty and BSG-esque, it really did come into its own. Season two of SGU was just really damn good. If they’re bringing anything back it should be that.

[KoshN]

And Crusade can't even get finished! Looks like there is money lying around but it can only get thrown at stuff that doesn't need it. I didn't much like the Stargate movie, but I loved SG-1 and SGA.

Most of you have probably already heard, but Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin are officially rebooting the Stargate franchise with a "re-imagined" trilogy of films. More info can be found on io9 here.

What do you make of this?

The case of Stargate is interesting, as these new films would ignore the long running TV shows and any lore set up there. Emmerich and Devlin seems pretty dismissive of the TV incarnation in general.

I couldn't care LESS about Emmerich & Devlin's new trilogy of Stargate movies and will avoid them entirely. Fah! Who needs them.

I know they had nothing to do with the TV incarnation after they sold off the TV rights. The original film was okay, nothing more. The TV show was a massive success, and I can see how that might be a bit galling for Emmerich and Devlin.

Tough. The SG-1 and SGA were BETTER. Suck it up, Emmerich and Devlin.

However, this approach seems like a quick and easy way to piss off millions of existing Stargate fans who were weened on the TV incarnation.

EXACTLY! They probably think they can take a page out of Abrams' book (re. TOS and Abrams' Trek).

I do wonder if Warner are looking at other (cough B5 cough) properties that could be given the reboot treatment? This kind of example does make me glad JMS owns the film right to B5 and that it can

B5 DOES NOT NEED a reboot. CRUSADE could use one though. Get the original cast back as much as possible and pick up A CALL TO ARMS.