Wright: Stargate Universe news may be close

Stargate fans may not have to wait much longer to find out when the franchise’s third live-action series is coming to television. Series co-creator Brad Wright told Newsarama.com that he expects to hear word from the network soon.

The series, Stargate Universe, was first revealed to GateWorld in 2007 (story) and pitched to SCI FI Channel last fall (story). The decision was delayed by the writer’s strike, but is also complicated by the on-going success of Stargate Atlantis (renewed and now in production for Season Five) and SG-1‘s direct-to-DVD movies.

“Stargate Universe is very much something we have been discussing with SCI FI and MGM for a long time … too long actually,” Wright told the site. “They need to make some decisions. I think we are at the point of finding out soon. We know what we are doing and what we want to do.”

The writing staff and production crew managed to produce both Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis simultaneously for three years, though 40 hours of television proved to be a very difficult task. In 2007, one series and two DVD movies was a more manageable work load.

“Making one or two [films] a year would be a damn fine thing to do, honestly,” Wright told GateWorld in a recent interview. It takes up a big chunk of time writing it, a big chunk of time making it, and the post [production] on a movie is more than twice as complicated as post on the biggest episodes. It’s not like you can just knock one off while you’re making a television show. It’s just too much.”

Thus two television shows and an SG-1 movie seems out of the question. Either the next movie would have to wait, or Universe can’t get going until Stargate Atlantis ends. That is the decision that MGM and SCI FI have been wrestling with.

“We are excited about the prospect but as long as Atlantis is going strong and as long as there are prospects for new movies, it doesn’t matter to me if my next project is two more movies for next year,” Wright told Newsarama. “Essentially, we would put a third series off another year, but MGM wants one. They know the franchise is still strong.”

Does that mean that MGM believes the third TV series is a higher priority than the third DVD movie? Only time will tell. Stargate’s production schedule runs from February to October — leaving plenty of time to gear up for a 2009 premiere of the third series, should it be given the go-ahead soon.

Read Wright’s full interview at Newsarama.com, where he talks at length about the film Stargate: Continuum, coming to DVD and Blu-ray July 29. (Watch out for spoilers!) He also discusses Stargate Universe in more depth in the second half of GateWorld’s April 2008 interview.

Stick with GateWorld for the latest on Stargate‘s future as the news develops!