The third chapter in the Stargate television franchise embarks through the gate on Friday, October 2, Syfy Channel officially confirmed in a press release today.
“Air” (Parts 1 and 2) will premiere as a 2-hour movie event at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific (8 p.m Central). The following week, the show will stick with the 9 p.m. time slot. Amanda Tapping’s Sanctuary will follow at 10 p.m.
Here’s how the network describes the show in the most recent press release:
Syfy’s upcoming one-hour series, Stargate Universe 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.
Set to premiere in October 2009 with a two-hour special, the series stars Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty), Lou Diamond Phillips (Che, La Bamba), Ming-Na (ER, Vanished), Alaina Huffman, Louis Ferreira, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith and Brian J. Smith with special guest stars, Grammy nominated recording artist, Janelle Monáe, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Gary Jones and Carlo Rota.
Edgier and younger in tone, Stargate Universe will take the franchise in a dynamic new direction, appealing to longtime Stargate fans and first-time viewers alike. The two-part premiere is being directed by Andy Mikita (Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1) and lensed by Rohn Schmidt (The Shield, The Mist). 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.
Also on Syfy’s fall schedule: Destination Truth (Season Three) premieres September 9 at 9 p.m.; Scare Tactics returns October 6; Ghost Hunters will air Wednesdays throughout the fall; and Warehouse 13 continues Tuesdays at 9 p.m. through September.
We’re counting down the final weeks till the new show premieres! For more on Stargate Universe, including episode details, spoilers, photos, character descriptions and more, head over to GateWorld’s SGU Launch Center.
NEXT: The full press release
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Okay thats great but is it the same for canada, on the space channel?????
Riley93 | July 20 @ 2:22 pmAm I crazy or have they forgotten to mention Richard Dean Anderson as a special guest? Idiots!
Mac Jackson | July 20 @ 2:29 pmI’m still waiting on the “Confirmed! Entire SG-1 Series on Blu-ray!” article.
AsFarAsLarry | July 20 @ 2:50 pmIm still waiting on the “OH CRAP, we really messed up when we canceled Atlantis and will bring it back post-hast” announcement
TigerOtter | July 20 @ 4:04 pm“Edgier and younger in tone, Stargate Universe will”
appeal to the kids and scare the adults away *g*
GateHunter | July 20 @ 4:23 pmI expect that Canada (SPACE) and the U.K. (Sky1) will be airing new episodes a few days after Syfy. They haven’t announced their schedules yet, to my knowledge, but we’ll keep our ears open and report it when it’s confirmed.
Darren Sumner | July 20 @ 4:44 pmI sure wish you were announcing SGA’s 6th season return along with this. so sad.
Sylvia | July 20 @ 4:50 pmThanks Darren!!!!! your awesome!!!!
Riley93 | July 20 @ 7:34 pmOk.. In an article posted her it said that the gate has the ability to dial 7,8 or 9 symbols ok so just dial earth… How can they be stuck… Again another fact that totally messes with accepted theory..
Kitana | July 21 @ 4:20 pm@Katana
dekion | July 21 @ 4:43 pmI imagine they will explain why they can’t dial earth in the actual pilot episode, wouldn’t they. In the end, you have to watch it and find out.
I hate that Atlantis was cancelled (I will miss characters like Rodney McKay), but I can’t hold that against Universe, one has nothing to do with the other.
@Kitana: I expect this will be explained. The only thing we know about a 9-chevron address so far is that it allows one to dial TO the Destiny, provided you have sufficient power. There is no indication that a 9-chevron address can take you anywhere else, such as back home.
I suspect that an 8-chevron address would be needed to reach Earth from another galaxy (as in Atlantis). But since the ship is moving, it may be a matter of simply never knowing what that correct address is.
Darren Sumner | July 21 @ 7:58 pm@Katana
Sylvia | July 21 @ 11:51 pmSee, to my mind Universe has EVERYTHING to do with cancelling Atlantis, and so, yes, I can hold it against them! But that’s only my opinion, I’m sure most others do not agree and will give it a shot.
@ Sylvia
dekion | July 22 @ 9:41 amI think you meant to send that comment to me, not Katana (Kitana). I disagree. There are many things in life that are facts. Gravity is a fact, for example. There are many that are opinions, such as the “gay marriage” issue, the “abortion” issue, etc. In the case of Universe being on the air and causing Atlantis to be cancelled, that is factually not true. Sci Fi announced Universe (and pre-production had begun) LONG before a decision on Atlantis was reached. I wonder if it is an age thing. 5 years of ANY show (nonetheless a science fiction show) is an excellent run. Before Babylon 5 there was no SciFi series (space based) which made it to 5 years unless it had the term “Star Trek” in it. Since then, we have had a glut of them (including Earth: Final Conflict, Andromeda, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, etc.) Why not take the 5 years and be happy. SciFi (SYFY) cancelled Atlantis, not the producers. The producers made Universe, not SciFi. The television industry does not work like that.
I miss Atlantis as well, but I miss Babylon 5/Crusade/SG-1/Buffy/Angel/Farscape/Battlestar Galactica/etc as well. The reality of the television industry (and the awards like the Emmy’s associated with it) is that SciFi fans generally get the shaft. I am used to it.
@GateHunter
Really??? We’re still caught up on the ‘young’ thing? You obviously have not been paying attention to anything related to Universe for say… 4 months.
AscendedTauri | July 22 @ 10:38 am@dekion
Sylvia | July 22 @ 10:58 amas I said, it’s only my opinion.
But if you look at all the interviews surrounding the cancellation, it is quite clear that Syfy was willing to run another season, if the producers and MGM had delivered it.
They chose not too, as Brad Wright and Co. wanted to devote their time, resources and energy to create the best show they could, in their opinion, Universe. They seem to have felt dividing their focus between two shows would have not have enabled them to make SGU in the fashion they wanted to.
It was their business and creative decision, but not one I am happy about at all.
I wish they would have taken all this great creative focus and used it to make SGA better, not dump it like an old wife for the hot, young girlfriend.
@ Sylvia
dekion | July 22 @ 2:22 pmYour “old wife” analogy is awesome. I am not kidding. I teach English, and that is a fantastic analogy.
We have to bear in mind the decision to cancel Atlantis or renew it would have to be made before preproduction on a season 6 would have happened. Therefore, SyFy (Scifi, whatever) said “no,” then the producers made the best of it. Only an idiot would pass up the chance to have 2 shows on at once, that means more exposure, etc. I would have loved to have seen more of Atlantis (and SG-1 for that matter, I felt seasons 9 and 10 were the best SG-1 since seasons 3-4.). Unfortunately, we didn’t get it. I, like the producers, plan to make the best of it. Atlantis was done either way, so I would rather have Atlantis over, and have an Atlantis movie (Stargate Atlantis: extinction) and Universe season one than to have nothing.
Just my opinion.
Once more, great analogy.
And on that day, the TRUE Stargate fans weeped a thousand tears as the name of Stargate fell from the heavens to lay in the mud that lives below. May Atlantis never lose it’s wonder and SG-1 never lose it’s purity and if the good Lord be willing, may Universe go down in flames to the pit of grim darkness from wence it came.
Shout if you still love the old days!
CatWink | July 23 @ 7:07 pmI’m shouting Catwink can you hear me lol
RIP SGA :-(
Sylvia – couldnt agree more an dekion, Brad Wrong/Cooper are on the record for saying that they didnt want to do 2 shows again, as it was so tiring for them “all together now ahh bless”
It would have been a win win with both shows, everyone happy.
An a movie YOU REALLY believe we gonna get a movie,well when the actors ACTUALLY get signed or say EVEN know anything about it then maybe just maybe we will see!
Long Live GOOD ENTERTAINING SCI FI, you know like Atlantis, which WAS axed to make way for SGU, WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT!
Atlantis Rocks | July 26 @ 7:53 am