FROM SCI FI CHANNEL:
GRAMMY NOMINATED RECORDING ARTIST, JANELLE MONÁE
SET TO GUEST STAR IN SCI FI’S ORIGINAL SERIES,
SGU: STARGATE UNIVERSE
Series Premieres in October 2009 With a Two-Hour Special
New York, NY – April 15, 2009 – SCI FI Channel rounds out its stellar cast of the highly anticipated drama-adventure series, SGU: Stargate Universe with an array of celebrity guest stars, set to make appearances throughout the season including, Richard Dean Anderson, Christopher McDonald, Grammy nominated recording artist, Janelle Monáe, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Gary Jones and Carlo Rota. The new original one-hour series stars Robert Carlyle, Lou Diamond Phillips and Ming-Na. Produced by MGM Television, the series is currently in production in Vancouver, BC and is set to premiere on SCI FI in October 2009 with a special two-hour episode.
Edgier and younger in tone, SGU will take the franchise in a dynamic new direction, appealing to longtime Stargate fans and first-time viewers alike. The two-part premiere of Universe is being directed by Andy Mikita (Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1) and lensed by Rohn Schmidt (The Shield, The Mist). The series also stars Alaina Huffman, Justin Louis, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith and Brian J. Smith.
SGU follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth. Faced with meeting the most basic needs of food, water and air, the group must unlock the secrets of the ship’s Stargate to survive. The danger, adventure and hope they find on board the Destiny will reveal the heroes and villains among them.
Guest Stars Include:
o Richard Dean Anderson (Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Anderson reprises his role as General O’Neil. O’Neil is the former leader of the elite military team SG-1.
o Christopher McDonald (Superhero Movie, Rumor Has It) Stars as Senator Alan Armstrong. The U.S. Senator and head of the International Oversight Committee that governs the Stargate program. He is the father to Chloe Armstrong.
o Janelle Monáe (Bad Boy/Atlantic Records) The Grammy® nominated artist plays herself in an upcoming episode. Janelle and her band will perform “Many Moons” and “Sincerely,” two songs featured from her latest album titled “Metropolis.”
o Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary, Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Reprises her role as Samantha Carter, an astrophysicist and United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.
o Michael Shanks (Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Reprises his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson, Stargate’s archeologist and linguist.
o Gary Jones (Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Reprises his role as Chief Mst Sgt. Walter Harriman, commander technician of the team.
o Carlo Rota (24, Saw V) Stars as Carl Strom, head of the International Oversight Advisory (IOA), the civilian oversight committee that heads up the Atlantis Expedition and all funding.
Robert Cooper and Brad Wright, of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, serve as executive producers and writers on the new series. Stargate Universe is distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units including Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching approximately 120 countries and territories around the world. MGM ownership is currently as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), Texas Pacific Group (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgmchannel.com
SCI FI Channel is a television network that fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com). Launched in 1992, and currently in 95 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. SCI FI will become Syfy on July 7, 2009.
LOL
LOL indeed but not at the guest stars. It’s for the O’Neil with one L in the press release :P
Dude, Carlo Rota is ultimatt bad-a$$! The line of great stars continues to grow. I’m stil (one L.. haha) very excited for this show. Should be a great mix of all things awesome.
I’m no expert on “Universe,” but I thought the whole premise of the show is that the characters are stuck on a ship, randomly gating from one place to the next, and not in control. If that’s the case, how are they going to continue running into familiar Stargate Command people??
I was on the fence about this series but now clearly they’re going the way of 90210 and The OC in space: they’re having pop stars play themselves and perform. How lame is that? Smells like teen spirit…which means it smells like sh*t.
Inter arma enim silent leges,
ATMD
jyh, they are going to use a method of communication seen on Stargate before to tell an ongoing arc of Earth stories while still on the Destiny.
“It’s O’Neill. Two L’s!”
Very interesting that they’re bringing in Carter. All we need now is Teal’c.
On a more serious note regarding their continuing to run into familiar faces, it’s probably either flashbacks, or the action is alternating between the Destiny and Earth with the SGC trying to figure out what happened to the team. The latter is more likely.
BRILLIANT!!! FANTASTIC!!! AWESOME!!! COOL!!! First Rick and and Michael and now Amanda guest starring…I am waaaaaaaaaay above and beyond Cloud 9 with this news!!! Bring it on!!! :D :D :D :D
*sigh*…after all these years, they still can’t spell “O’Neill” right? Oh wait…waht if they’re referring to the O’Neil from the original movie? o_O
I’m happy that Daniel and Jack and Sam are all guest starring! Is Sam gonna die her hair blonde again? Cos it would be kind of cool to see her with dark hair on Stargate. :P
is Carlo rotas character name Carl or Dale?
The thing that comes to mind for me is some of them have been cast beyond the first episode. This is going to mean a) regular-ish flashback type scenes, not something done a lot in stargate.
b) Some sort of tie to earth beyond them going through the gate.
sam/amanda’s going to be on?…
okay, now i’ll watch. :p :D
I thought the premise of the show was that it was one-way gate travel. Can’t the people on Earth still dial the gate to the ship but not the other way around? Cannot they send supplies and whatnot to the ship but not back the other way? Presumabbly that means that earth can communicate with the ship. But knowing that they can let earth know what is happening aboard ship but can’t return home would be really frustrating to the crew. If i knew my kid was growing up without me but I could never see him/her again would be… Read more »
Also it would seem to me that if the crew can communicate with earth wouldn’t thay use the MALP or cameras to send pictures of the ship-gate to earth to have Carter and everybody try to figure out how to identify the ship-gate symbols and try to figure out how to gate home?
Dave C.
It’s all great news, but…
WHERE IS CHRISTOPHER JUDGE?
….And As Always….
Have A Very Stargate Day!
:-))
I just checked out those Janelle Monáe songs… They’re terrible, I hope they are only used as background music at a restaurant or something.
Great. As long as they do also get Chris Judge. He is definitely part of SG1, and became one of my favorites! Hope he doesn’t get excluded!
I liked Carlo Rota character in 24.
I wonder what they are going to go about Carter’s hair?
Call me crazy but I’m going to assume that not only is that gate one way but they only have enough power to dial once.
I am a tad worried about Janelle Monáe playing herself.
To me celebrities playing them selves in TV shows always seemed fake, but I’m not going to go on about that until I have seen a few episodes call me a hater if you will but I’m still unsure on this series.
@jyh
I don’t think they are I think the whole point is that they will be in the pilot and flashback.
RDA, Michael Shanks, Gary Jones AND Amanda Tapping! This so rocks!
And it’s nice to see Carlo Rota in the cast list- he’s my favourite part of Little Mosque on the Prairie!
arghhhhh! They really are trying to get me to watch this thing aren’t they?
I’m sorry…no amount of stunt casting will drag me into this “thing” they call SGU. I don’t like soaps.
@Pippin, my sentiments exactly.. Throw a hook with flashy lures (in this case, our favorite actors for a 30 second cameo), and see who’ll bite..
@US06154 You could watch the clips with them in on youtube and if it really doesn’t look like BSG or a soap (why wouldn’t they show that in the trailer) then you can watch the episodes on TV, but I think it will be shame :(.
“Call me crazy but I’m going to assume that not only is that gate one way but they only have enough power to dial once.
kzap333 | April 16 @ 8:49 am”
Okay, you’re crazy!
But you also probably right.
; )
Dave C.
Hope they don’t pull that old cameo trick where they strut though with a cup of coffee saying hi, and just passing through…
I was really excited about SGU (the cast is good and the style looks edgy and dark from what I’ve seen). Until, that is, this singer playing herself thing – that is just so Gossip Girl/90210/Las Vegas. Not only is it lamer than a horse that’s been quadruple kneecapped, it just doesn’t fit in with a Sci-fi show at all. Is there going to be a cheesy scene at the end with everyone on the Destiny getting down to her latest hit? Utter idiocy.
Regarding the singer, I think you’re reading far too much into it. More than likely she’ll in for a scene on Earth in a club or some place where some or all of the main characters meet in the pilot or used as flashback later on in the season. 1 singer does not make a show like 90210.
Dragging in these SG-1 characters for universe is like tying a steak to an ugly baby so the dog will play with it.
I wonder if they will be taking a page from LOST and doing flashbacks with all these characters.
talk about messing up the show.
OMIGOD. We are going to have singers playing themselves on the show? What for? It was fine when they had scientists like Bill Nye, etc. on. But singers? Really? Is this the best they can do? And why are we raiding the SG-1 cast? Can’t this show stand on it’s own? Sorry, but I am still on the fence about this new series.
if they need all the sg1 team together to kick start sgu off that’s telling me somthing about this sgu show……..that i thought would happen as soon as i heard about sgu…….
Where is Telic
Where is Vala
tow lovely character R gone why
at least one episode pls
their are 2 ships to start with the first ship places the stargates on different planets in different galaxys hence the name universe the second ship follows the first one stopping at every gate drop for a limited time to explore for life if your not back on the destiny the ship will leave you stranded the ancients stopped the first ship from planting more gates but never stopped the destiny which probably still has a lot of stops to make before it catches up to where the ancients stopped the first ship.
Fantastic!!!!Richard, Amanda ,Michael…And Ben??? Yes,BEN BROWDER.Come on! Producers,Sci Fi !!Don´t forget him.You must call him!He worked 2 years in SG1 and also he was part of the team.He´s a brilliant actor!!!!!!
She’s a terrible singer!!! They should pay her NOT to be on the show!!!! No Atlantis people??? This show sounds like BSG…