MGM/Warner Bros teaming up with Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin Stargate Reboot

[Falcon Horus]

...every single one of us is going to empty our pockets for any new stargate fix we can get.

Actually, no... that ain't true... I consciously decided against buying the DVD's of seaon 4 and 5 of Atlantis because I didn't like the quality of the show, and didn't want to spend my money on that drivel. And I haven't. I saw it, but I don't own the DVD's (I might one day -- if I can find them really, really, really cheap, for free would be the best).

I might dig into my pocket if I think I will like it, and I might like it, or I might not like it. Who knows.

it's out with the old, in with the new.

And you can be part of it, or sit in your little corner of TV-franchise only and b**** and whine until pigs fly. Either way, MGM will not care about it. All they care about is their wallet, and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have agreed to this project if they think it wasn't worth something. Who knows what Dean & Emmerich pitched them.

[majorsal]

And you can be part of it, or sit in your little corner of TV-franchise only and b**** and whine until pigs fly.

hey, that was rude!

just because you don't *care* doesn't mean i'm going to shut up so i don't irritate you. expressing opinions is a two-way street.

i'm not *interested* in a version of stargate that's not based around the characters and mythology of the tv franchise. it's that simple.

Who knows what Dean & Emmerich pitched them.

i'm guessing, but starting stargate over, without all the history and baggage. then come up with a scenario that sg1 or atlantis or sgu didn't already do. which is really hard to do, with 3 tv shows worth of storylines.

but they can just fill in what's missing in plot with cool special effects.

[Falcon Horus]

hey, that was rude!

Is it?

Cause that's what's gonna happen with a lot of folks - it has happened before and it will happen again.

[jelgate]

Is it?

Cause that's what's gonna happen with a lot of folks - it has happened before and it will happen again.

it probably could have been worded nicer but essentially your point is true.

[poundpuppy29]

I am just waiting to see how it plays out I am bummed that my fav scifi franchise is now an AU it was the tv franchise I fell in love with I see both sides Sal and FH I am a causality with this reboot I still think it will flop cuz it is not Star Trek or Star Wars well known in the mainstream and unlike other scifi and fantasy franchises there is no book or comic book fans to pack the theaters.

[Gatefan1976]

I am just waiting to see how it plays out I am bummed that my fav scifi franchise is now an AU it was the tv franchise I fell in love with I see both sides Sal and FH I am a causality with this reboot I still think it will flop cuz it is not Star Trek or Star Wars well known in the mainstream and unlike other scifi and fantasy franchises there is no book or comic book fans to pack the theaters.

All they have to do is take the same route that ST and transformers took, Minimal complications, massive eye candy and some "signature" effect, and the masses will come and watch it. Sci-fi is pretty "hot" in the movie arena right now, and with SW and ST getting more movies in the near future, Stargate will just ride that wave to success. They are not going after the book fans, or comic book fans, or franchise fans, they are going for the general population who like eye candy, and scifi fans, or purists, or "true fans" or however else you want to view it are just too small in number to really bother to cater for on the big screen.

[Dr. Michael Benjamin]

I was a regular here several years back but due to work and educational demands (and an end to SG-1) I wandered away. This is my first post here in about four years. I said all along that MGM should go back to the original film. At the time I argued for the long-rumored sequel to the original film to be made but I had no idea this was coming. I think it's improtant to remember that the original film is twenty years old now. The age range of the target audience for the blockbuster CGI laced summer sci-fi bonanza is about 13 to 25. This means that the target deomgraphic for the original Stargate was in kindergaten or not yet born when it was released.
MGM probably realized after all this time that the competition is getting ever more fierce. Consider the position the studio finds itself in the last few years: its biggest franchise is James Bond. While that franchise has stood the test of time it wouldn't be what I'd consider summer blockbuster material. After several iterations of the title character its more of a too-cool-for-school sophisticated intelligencia. But moviegoers on this side of the pond already have similar franchises on a more democratic, everyman type of superspy (the Bourne franchise, etc.).
At the same time Marvel is knocking it out of the park with seemingly can't miss comic book based films. For each of Marvel's missteps (Daredevil) it has several huge blockbusters (The Avengers, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, etc.) that are sending Stan Lee's retirement fund into the stratosphere.
Then of course there is in my opinion probably the main reason MGM has given the go-ahead for the Stargate films. It also happens to be the 800 ton gorilla in the room no studio wants to talk about. When Disney purchased Lucasfilm and announced the upcoming Star Wars trilogy, it issued a news flash to the entertainment world that it had not only obtained the rights to one of the legends of American scfi-fi they also set up a money making machine in their garage. Studio execs everywhere understood that Disney- in buying the rights to Star Wars- gained a money genie that will flood their bank accounts (along with the accounts of 21st Century Fox) and keep them on top as long as they make Star Wars films/shows/merchandise.
MGM was on the fast track to becoming irrelevant. Stargate was it's only real sci-fi/fantasy franchise they own. Considering that the original film did well at the box office the first time around MGM probably decided to make the move. This can be a huge deal for MGM. I truly hope that reuniting Emmerich/Devlin with their baby will pay dividends. SG1, Atlantis, and SGU will probably be relegated to the realm of expanded universe. But it became clear after the first eight years of SG1 that the existing powers that be for the Stargate TV franchise were out of ideas and energy. The last two seasons of SG1 dropped off significantly from the first eight. Richard Dean Anderson was moving away from the lead role, the episodes became more and more about interplanetary politicking and intrigue instead of the classic step-through-the-event-horizon-to-the-next-great-adventure on which SG1 built its reputation. Finally, when the talentless Farscape actors Ben Browder and Claudia Black were brought on board the show was already withering on the vine. SG1 ended not on a great finale but on a strange and run of the mill time distortion episode that-had you not known it was the last episode-would have better served as a mid-season filler episode.
Atlantis remained very entertaining but lacked the staying power of SG1 and did well without having any true chemistry among the cast. Then of course there was the creatively derivative Stargate Universe. This is the one series that should have been rejected out of hand by the studio when originally pitched. It lacked any reason to have people (even many loyal Stargate fans) watch. The ultra slow character development, characters no one cared about, the weekly tangential and mundane how-do-we-get-the-door-open?! problem of the week only served to repluse franchise fans even more (would anyone care if they didn't get the door open and they all died?). It was a moody and tedious melodrama that wanted to be Battlestar Galactica with a stargate. The cancellation of Universe (one that I predicted at the time it premiered) was well deserved and merciful.
I can't wait to see what Emmerich/Devlin have in store for the franchise. If they can manage a decent story arc I could envision a reality in which MGM not only revives a truly original and entertaining story but also open the door to possible TV series in years to come.

[Falcon Horus]

it probably could have been worded nicer but essentially your point is true.

Sometimes it's better not to sugarcoat it...

...they are going for the general population who like eye candy...

Does that mean Megan Fox will be in it?

Finally, when the talentless Farscape actors Ben Browder and Claudia Black were brought on board the show was already withering on the vine. SG1 ended not on a great finale but on a strange and run of the mill time distortion episode that-had you not known it was the last episode-would have better served as a mid-season filler episode.
Atlantis remained very entertaining but lacked the staying power of SG1 and did well without having any true chemistry among the cast.

Isn't that a bit harsh?

My pigs-fly-comment sounds awefully nice right now.

[Skydiver]

What the heck happened to respecting others and live and let live?

So you are looking forward to the reboot. Good.
So you are dreading the idea of the reboot. Good.

Learn to scroll or put people on ignore. Stop taking others to task for DARING to disagree with you.

[The Shrike]

....I can't wait to see what Emmerich/Devlin have in store for the franchise. If they can manage a decent story arc I could envision a reality in which MGM not only revives a truly original and entertaining story but also open the door to possible TV series in years to come.

This is my hope as well. People forget that the last time Emmerich and Devlin did a Stargate film, the concept was so compelling it spawned almost two decades worth of TV sequels. One can only hope for a repeat of that pattern.

As for myself, I love exploration sci-fi, especially big objects in space, Niven's Ringworld, Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama, but I realize that type of sci-fi isn't a big seller on the silver screen, action adventure is what drives big box office returns. The Star Trek reboot is a prime example of this, we just have to hope we get a compelling story along with that action.

[thekillman]

As for myself, I love exploration sci-fi, especially big objects in space, Niven's Ringworld, Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama, but I realize that type of sci-fi isn't a big seller on the silver screen, action adventure is what drives big box office returns. The Star Trek reboot is a prime example of this, we just have to hope we get a compelling story along with that action.

I don't think this is going to work, as there are already so many doing it. by the time nSG comes out, there will have been even more of these standard action movies. If Stargate is to survive, it should fight it's own battle, not try to outdo MGM

[Gatefan1976]

I don't think this is going to work, as there are already so many doing it. by the time nSG comes out, there will have been even more of these standard action movies. If Stargate is to survive, it should fight it's own battle, not try to outdo MGM

That, is why you fail.

Stargate has now got it's niche in pop culture, it has existed long enough. Now like ST it needs to explode into the General populous. ST-1 may been seen as one of the WORST ST movies of all time, but it drew the GP back into the ST universe, and if this movie, no matter how bad, or campy or whatever can fulfil -THAT- role, then I am prepared to give up a lot of SG elements, at least initially to see that idea moved forward.

[poundpuppy29]

Finally, when the talentless Farscape actors Ben Browder and Claudia Black

they are talented and very well respected just because you didn't like them doesn't mean they are talentless I just disagree with you completely 1 through 8 were not all the same just because RDA were in them seasons 6 and 8 were very bad season 5 was very weak too ok that being said I just think the reboot is not a wise move and I also don't think that these 2 can make it a full and colorful universe look at their reviews for other recent movies not very good they don't have vision or scope from I can tell

[Mike3121]

Well Dr. you said so many good things I hardly know where to begin. In MHO Stagrate SG1 was so successful was because of the adventure. You never knew on what whacky planet or danger they might face. The original Star Trek was like this. Also, they all got along and pulled together. SGU was dark and moody with everyone at each others throats.

Stargate would be a great choice to reboot; mostly because it's cheap to produce. Pure science fiction space type adventures are so expensive what with all that CG. But with Stargate much of it's action took place on earth or in a forest that for some strange reason looked a lot like Vancouver BC (hmmm, strange that).

[Gatefan1976]

they are talented and very well respected just because you didn't like them doesn't mean they are talentless I just disagree with you completely 1 through 8 were not all the same just because RDA were in them seasons 6 and 8 were very bad season 5 was very weak too ok that being said I just think the reboot is not a wise move and I also don't think that these 2 can make it a full and colorful universe look at their reviews for other recent movies not very good they don't have vision or scope from I can tell

They had enough vision to -create- the stargate, which had enough scope to create 17 seasons and nearly 370 hours of television. Sure, that TV was filled by others, but if you are talking scope.........
These movies don't NEED to be epic masterpeices, they need to re-ignite Stargate.