Ever since 1994’s Stargate movie, producer and co-writer Dean Devlin has wanted to make a sequel for the big screen. Two of them, actually.
Now that Stargate is no longer on television and MGM (the studio that owns the rights to the franchise) is under new management — a management that so far has been focusing more on recovering the film side of the historic studio’s business — it seems like more than wishful thinking.
Talking with The Hollywood Reporter this week, Devlin sparked rumors of a new Stargate movie once again.
“Stargate has always had this empty hole,” he said. “When we made the first one, we always intended on doing part two and three, and we were prevented for years. And our hope is that we can get another chance at Stargate and tell the entire story we wanted to tell.”
That Devlin still wants to do sequels is nothing new. It’s been a year since Devlin last commented publicly on his desire to finish the original film trilogy (story).
Rather than following up Stargate with a sequel starring Kurt Russell and James Spader, MGM decided to send the concept to the small screen when Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner pitched a television series, Stargate SG-1.
Dean Devlin
A more immediate possibility is that Devlin will get a sequel to 1996’s Independence Dayoff the ground, along with fellow writer and director Roland Emmerich. That film grossed more than $817 million and helped launch or boost the careers of Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, and others. It also won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
“I can tell you that Roland and I have been working together for the first time in 11 years and we’re every excited about the idea of doing it,” Devlin told THR. “Whether or not we can make this happen, if we can get all the pieces to come together, that’s gonna be challenging. But creatively, for the very first time since we did the original, I feel we have a worthy concept, a worthy path to go.”
Though the film has not been green-lit by a studio yet, he said that they have begun the long process of talking to those who were involved with the first film more than 15 years ago.
There is no timeline set for the project, as Devlin remains busy as the executive producer of TNT’s Leverage. The crime drama premieres its fifth season this week.
Stargate, however, remains on his wish list. But with Devlin and Emmerich’s successful track record, it may be a wish MGM executives decide to grant. Stick with GateWorld for more news as it develops!
(Thanks to Calhoun, Jeffrey, Simon, Andrew, AJ, and Charles for the tip)
If I remember right Devlin wants to tell his own story though, anything they did in SG1/SGA/SGU would not take place in his story. That said, would be great to see the SG again.
I thought that I had heard something like Independence Day had been a Stargate movie reworked. Does that ring a bell to anyone??
To be honest, I’m not thrilled of Stargate sequels that ignore everything that happened in SG1/Atlantis/Universe. I would be much more excited over an Independence Day sequel.
I don’t think that Emmerich and Devlin will be given the opportunity to do anything more with Stargate. The reason a sequel to their movie has never been done is because it had a huge budget and didn’t turn a profit. I fear that if they do get a hold of Stargate we would see a similar result to the 1994 outing. The chances of ever seeing new Stargate on any screen are already on life support. Giving Stargate back to Devlin and Emmerich and pulling the plug are probably one in the same.
Actually, Zach, Stargate made $199.6 million worldwide, easily making up its $55 million budget, and that doesn’t account for VHS/DVD/Blu Ray sales over the years, and I’m sure the growing popularity of Stargate SG-1/Atlantis and Universe has helped it make more out of home video sales as people want to check it out. But I do agree, I don’t think that MGM will give Emmerich and Devlin a chance to revisit Stargate because it would be a very hard sell to general fans of SG-1 Atlantis and Universe and tell them “forget everything you spent watching the past 10 years.”… Read more »
@Browncoat1984
Good catch
While I would love to see something Stargate on the big screen (I was 12 in 1994, and wouldnt have seen it in the movies back then), I just don’t think it will happen. can’t forget everything I have seen in Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis. Why should I? Why should anyone? I have read that Kurt Russell is interested in playing the part again, but I don’t think many people associate him with the role of Jack anymore – I know I think of Richard Dean Anderson immediately. I was angered to hear that James Spader did not like this… Read more »
I see a lot of people confusing the importance of tv-Stargate to THEM with it’s importance to OTHERS. I love of tv leg of the franchise, and watched all of it air over the years. Sure, I’d love a return to that. But honestly, I’m a franchise fan. That includes the original movie, as well as Bill McCay’s novels that have nothing to do with the tv series whatsoever. And the fact is, most people don’t know anything about Stargate whatsoever, be it the tv franchise or the McCay novels. They vaguely remember it as that Kurt Russell movie where… Read more »
For me going back to the original film is a catch 22 because I would prefer the story of Stargate to continue where it left off in SGU. If a sequel to the original movie were successful, the tv version of Stargate (SGA/SG1/SGU) will be pushed aside for the other interpretation. If Devlin’s sequel were unsuccessful, MGM probably wouldn’t spend another cent on reviving Stargate.
Ultimately, my point is if Stargate is only going to get one more shot on screen, I don’t want Devlin being the one taking aim.
I must admit, I think a Franchise has to move forward if it is to work well, going backwards is NOT the answer. Trek led the way, when one set of producers were done, new ones moved in. There has been no going back. I have no faith in Devlin and Emmerich. Stargate’s premise was its success, but their other work has been a catalogue of “see it then forget it” popcorn flicks, with clichéd storylines and stereotypical characters. I’d rather we all have to accept no more Stargate, than risk them killing the franchise once and for all by… Read more »
I’d still like to see how the crew is doing on Destiny. That being said, Delvin says that his parts 2 and 3 would be able to coexist with SG1/SGA/SGU, even though he has yet to write a story. It sounds like it will take place in the present and in Milky Way. I think that SGtv has left plenty of room for anything to happen in the Milky Way. Shy of blowing up the SGC, I don’t see how this could be a bad thing. If he can get a large enough budget to get some Hollywood actors, people… Read more »
…cont This is well past the point of having any influence. Used books are cheap online, we should have launched a ‘save the gate’ campaign and sent books to Eli Wallace at MGM. He has to be really bored if he is sitting in a shuttle for 3 years. When those campaigns mail little things, the studios can ignore it. But what do you do when a ton of books start showing up at your studio? I think we would have stocked a nice community library somewhere… or a Goodwill. Actually mailing them to Cheyenne Mountain would have been funny… Read more »
I still believe Stargate Atlantis is the best, with the strongest charactors and would be a great movie, ‘Rise’ was the best pilot of them all!
I think that most people who go to the cinema today, know Stargate from the TV only. It would be hard to sell this idea to them. And I think it would mostly miff them that the sequel would ignore everything they know. And besides, aren’t all the actors a bit… old by now? Kurt Russell and James Spader aren’t what they used to be anymore, box office wise.
Many of the people who liked the original movie went on to watch and enjoy the universe of SG-1, et al. I can’t speak for all of those but I wouldn’t be interested at all in a movie that tried to negate all of that. In fact it would alienate me. Big screen or small, 17 collective seasons of SG1/Atlantis/Universe now takes priority over whatever vision Devlin had. Plus, a sci-fi sequel to a movie made that long ago isn’t likely to play out well. Sure, we had Tron, but the original Tron is also a pop culture icon far… Read more »
Devlin does this all the time, good luck getting will smith back in Independence Day 2. As for Stargate keep dreaming devlin.
I have been looking forward to his official sequels since I first saw the movie. Love SG1, but it’ll be great seeing what Devlin had in mind.
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Good question, as to why anyone should bother to forget SG-1, etc for a new movie. Well, first of all, before SG-1 came out, there was a series of novels by Bill McKay that continued the story of the original movie, and there were 8 of those novels, as well as tie-in comics. When Stargate SG-1 came out, fans had to “forget” basically all of what was then all of Stargate continuity. Is it a shame to lose all that continuity? Yes, but what was gained was SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, etc. All good Stargate stuff. Fans of the short-lived cartoon… Read more »
considering that sci-fi is getting screwed by most tv networks… we would be lucky to get more good sci-fi movies and shows..
at this point i would take any stargate show movie game etc i just love anything to do with it
I sincerely hope they don’t make a Devlin/Emmerich sequel. The thing that made me go “oooh” as someone from a military family when Daniel pointed out that the US military doesn’t use force out of fear, they use force to protect people. Normally, such as NuWho’s UNIT, the military is just a bunch of nuts running around wanting to shoot things. Devlin’s movie was “oh, let’s nuke people we don’t know to stop a threat,” which was countered by Hammond’s statement “I can think of no military reason to bomb Chulak!” Yes, this effect was lost in SGU with officers… Read more »
Let’s not forget which came first; The movie. And let us not also forget who created the universe; The cast and crew of the movie. Roland, Dean, all the crew for their ideas towards the story, art, etc. SG1 on the other hand, is a non-endorsed project carried out by the studio who’s legal rights superseded the creators. How that whole issue came about, I’m not entirely sure, but if you can put yourselves into Roland and Dean’s shoes, it isn’t nice to create an awesome idea, and then have the studio who you thought was going to aide you… Read more »
Well put chrisnfz! I for one would love to see more of the original Stargate movie’s storyline. (intentionally not calling it the Stargate universe so as not to confuse people) I wouldn’t be upset at all if such movies would completely negate whatever happened in all the SG-series. After all there are indeed already many inconsistencies between the movie and the series. I kind of look at the original movie as being the mother of the franchise. And mothers should be respected. ;) That being said, I would looooove to see more of SG-1 as well. Out of the series… Read more »
I would be pleased to see more of either story arc. However, I do not think that we will see any incarnation in the near future. I just don’t think the market is there. Especially in these times, there is going to have to be a solid indication of a payoff before anyone sticks their financial necks out.
Hi, i just signed up to post my little 1 cent..
I think another stargate movie ignoring the whole sg-1 plot (with it atlantis and universe) will be a big mistake and will probably take the franchise into the grave.
i am bit worried because the stargate page (“stargate”) on facebok – no idea if it’s the offical one just posted a question wheter people would like to see another stargate movie ……
I have no interest in seeing this. I want more TV universe.
I for one would love to see this as the film is a personal favorite (I saw it three times in the theatre). I absolutely _do not_ care for any of the TV series or about maintaining any “continuity” with them. The TV spin-offs were someone else’s pitch. Who cares whether a sequel that was intended to be made in the first place follows someone else’s bastard revisioning? It’s finally time for the MOVIE Stargate franchise to quit being held hostage by the TV franchise…
[…] be more interested in seeing Emmerich & Devlin’s own take on a Stargate film sequel, which they’ve discussed before. I’d be curious to see how different it would be from the TV shows (which they were not […]