Categories: Interviews

Evil Snow Monkey

Stargate‘s David Hewlett had us at “lemon chicken.” Ever since his irascible Rodney McKay first turned up in the SG-1 episode “48 Hours,” we knew we were going to love hating him. Who knew back then — nearly 10 years since the episode first aired — that we’d also see Rodney’s brave and loyal side on Stargate Atlantis and learn to love him, too.

But David is up to new and exciting things since Atlantis went off the air — including a turn in the director’s chair. One we’ve been waiting for is his “evil snow monkey” movie, shot on a mountaintop in Bulgaria in early 2010. Now it’s finally here: the Syfy Channel monster movie Rage of the Yeti airs this Saturday (November 12, 9/8c).

We caught up with David this week to talk about the movie and his experience in the Big Chair. He heaps praise on the film’s stars — David Chokachi, Matt Anderson, and Yancy Butler — and jokes about shooting a movie that revolves around creatures digitally added long after their work was done. We also prod David for his thoughts on the current state of science fiction, his former SGA co-stars, and what he thinks MGM’s best bet will be on resurrecting the Stargate franchise one day.

He also gives us the scoop on his current projects in development, including a sci-fi movie he hopes to write and direct (titled Debug), and brother-sister concepts he is pitching with sister Kate (“Jeannie Miller” on Atlantis).

GateWorld’s interview with David Hewlett is an audio exclusive, and runs just over 50 minutes. You can play it right here on the Web site and listen while you browse, or download it to your computer, iPod, or other mobile device!

Darren

Darren created GateWorld in 1999 and is the site's managing editor. He lives in the Seattle area with his wife and three spin-off Stargate fans.

View Comments

  • Good interview. Interesting to see where he is in his career. Kind of sad about the Stargate stuff, though. I wish he and some of the old crew would get together on a project or two. Much luck to him as a writer/director!

  • David Hewlett and David Blue both rock because you know they're just as much fans of the stuff as we are. While I would hope for one last SG-1/Atlantis/SGU movie and maybe a combo movie to finish off the current iteration for the franchise and pave the way for either a reboot, continuation from the original movie, or a series set in a different time (but close to our own), it sadly probably won't happen, but IMO for all the fan support and money that its helped to make MGM and SyFy over the years, these shows deserve that, even Universe which might not have been as popular but still had its following.

    I mean, come on SyFy we're only asking for another three years of the show and then you can wash your hands of it! So what if it gets low ratings, you're always going to have a show that gets the lowest ratings and if you cancel every show that gets low ratings then eventually you won't have anything! You even cancel the shows that get HIGH ratings like EUREKA! Remember Star Trek: The Next Generation? That show wasn't so great in its first two years. If it was on SyFy, it likely would have been canceled and there likely wouldn't have been not one, not two, but THREE series and TEN films following it. Networks today are afraid to give shows a chance and in todays world there's no room for failure at all. I realize that not everything can survive low ratings, but some shows can eventually and should and when it comes from a franchise like Stargate, should be given the benefit of the doubt.

  • i'll admit, hearing what david had to say about what he thinks might happen with the stargate franchise... that kind of bummed me out. see, i still have this hope that mgm will CARE about the fans of this loooong running franchise and make a combo movie for us! but more and more i'm reading actor comments to show that it prob isn't going to happen.

    shame on mgm!!

  • Problem is Fans no longer have a spine..they will not boycott or seriously throw a fit..they mat send a few boxes of tissues, but they do not hit the companies where it hurts..boycotting their channel, or not watching their films..or Talking up a competitors better line ups...these guys only hear $$$$$ and advertisers go where the people are..

Recent Posts

Our Man Zelenka: Stargate Atlantis’s Unsung Hero

Actor David Nykl looks back on Stargate Atlantis, being part of the fan community, and…

2 days ago

Puddle Jumper Model Coming From Master Replicas

EXCLUSIVE: A classic Atlantis ship is now in the works from Master Replicas – one…

4 days ago

Amanda Tapping Headlines Live Podcast Event This Weekend

Fans in and around Vancouver, B.C. can attend a live recording of YVR Screen Scene…

6 days ago

Stargate’s Odyssey Ship Model Is Coming Soon

Pre-orders go live this week for the next ship in Earth's fleet, set to ship…

2 weeks ago

Basingstoke’s Stargate Guest List Expands With Jason Momoa, Torri Higginson, and More

Get ready for a cast reunion this spring in the U.K., with actors from across…

3 weeks ago

This Is Why There’s No New Stargate Yet

It's been two years since Amazon bought MGM. These factors likely have kept Stargate off…

3 weeks ago