After three successful television series spanning 14 years and 17 produced seasons, MGM is taking Stargate back to its roots.
The studio announced today that it will produce a new Stargate feature film trilogy, along with partner Warner Bros. (which will handle distribution duties). Heading up the films will be original writer-producer Dean Devlin and director Roland Emmerich, who brought the concept to life with 1994’s Stargate.
Devlin will produce the new films, with Emmerich on board to direct at least the first. Presumably they will also share writing duties.
Based on past comments from the two it seems likely that the new films will signal a “reboot” or continuation of the original, rather than a remake. It will probably pick up a suitable number of years after Stargate, and may or may not include any characters or actors from the 1994 film. (The two will also likely avoid the entirety of the television series’ continuity.)
The two have talked about wanting to revisit Stargate for years, suggesting at one point that their story could co-exist with the TV continuity. (Neither were involved when MGM called upon Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner to adapt the premise into a television series, which premiered on Showtime in 1997.) After Stargate ended its TV run in 2011 and MGM went bankrupt (bringing a major turnover in its roster of executives), Devlin and Emmerich went to the studio and pitched a new trilogy.
“The Stargate universe is one that we missed terribly, and we cannot wait to get going on imagining new adventures and situations for the trilogy,” Emmerich and Devlin said. “This story is very close to our hearts, and getting the chance to revisit this world is in many ways like a long lost child that has found its way back home.”
MGM head Gary Barber called Emmerich and Devlin “world-class creators of the original Stargate,” and said they will “bring their reinvigorated vision of this wildly popular property to audiences of multiple generations.”
Devlin and Emmerich originally intended Stargate — which starred Kurt Russell and James Spader — to be a trilogy, but gave up the rights when they signed up with MGM to distribute the film in the U.S.
It’s not the only hit from the past that the duo are going back to. After years of speculation FOX announced last year that a sequel to 1996’s Independence Day is also in production. That will be released on July 1, 2016 — meaning the first new Stargate movie is likely to come after.
Stargate has been called MGM’s most important property after James Bond, with Stargate SG-1 helping to launch its television division and earning billions of dollars in worldwide broadcasting.
Watch this space for more as it develops!
(Via Deadline. Thanks to Steve, Tom, Adam, and Michael for the head’s up!)
I’ve been worried this would happen for a long time. Ever since they started talking about doing it. Emmerich and Devlin had their chances with the franchise, but they sold it off instead. Now they’re getting the rights back… and assuredly permanently ensuring (that’s a mouthful) that the television franchise will never be concluded. :(
As much as I like anything Stargate and as much as I liked the movie I just hope this does not put and end to any possible SG-1 or Atlantis movies. I really can’t wait for the movie trilogy to start because I believe in Emmerich and Devlin and with the technology at their disposal I know they will make one hell of a movie. Think about it they made a great movie back in 1994 just imagine what they can do now. Good luck guys. I do want to say again I also want to see a third SG-1… Read more »
WOW. I certainly wasn’t expect to be hit with this news today. As a fan of the franchise I’m obviously excited. I would like to point however that I am still angry about SGU’s cancellation and would be much more enthusiastic about it’s continuation. There probably is $0 to made doing that however. Quite ballsy to announce a whole trilogy. Well, time to start checking GW more frequently!
i find this news very depressing. i was hoping and wanting a continuation of the tv mythology and history, with the tv characters and actors. or at least another series with some of the original sg1/atlantis characters making guest appearances. to me, the tv franchise is THE stargate, so the movies will be an alternate reality. and one i’m not interested in visiting. i didn’t care for the original movie (found it boring), and the only reason i even gave the series a chance was b/c it was on before or after another show i liked back then. but i… Read more »
Yeah, Emerich has always said he didn’t agree with teh direction the TV series took. So our stories are done. The reboot won’t have carter, Te’alc, Bratac, the SGC, Atlantis, the Gou’ald, or anything we recognize except for the Gate, Jack and Daniel.
No more of the tories we like, just a reboot of the movie and the continuation Emreich always had in mind.
>Thumbs down<
obviously the best news for this franchise. the fact that it had a reboot and a bunch of tv shows before it solidifies its existence. It doesnt matter how well the movie turns out to be. Im just glad Emmerich finally got the disaster movie genre out of his system before picking up this movie. Hes turning to being a good director again.
this can only be good news – whether they include or don’t include anything from sg1,sga or sgu – any new, especially special 3 films to be made – is better than where we’ve been
Stargate is coming back from the dead? Hooray! The rest of you seem to be down on the idea for some reason, but I am super excited. I can’t wait to see the ol’ Gate on the big screen again, and I sure hope it leads to a new television series! This is such great news. Stargate is back!
I was expecting and afraid that this will happened. Emmerich and Devlin cannot ignore 17 seasons of SG1/SGA/SGU, 2 movies, 50 Books and 12 audio books. It too much material that MGM and fans invested in. Didn’t MGM learn it lesson with SGU and how much back lush fandom can created when we as fans are not satisfied with direction our show is going?
Thank you for the best possible news ive heard in three LONG years!! The likely 3-5 year wait on the next new sg will be interminable, but well worth it at the end!
This just sucks!!!!!!! I want a continuation of my beloved SGA and SG1, we’ve long moved past the movie premise. I hate this news so much, so VERY VERY much! :(((((((((((((((((
Well I’ve always loved the original movie and have been incredibly curious as to what the original creators had in mind for their intended trilogy. So although I loved the TV series and I’d obviously love to see more, I’m still really excited about this. I would prefer it as a direct sequel to the 1994 film though with Russel and Spader back. If they reboot it with yet another Jack and Daniel, that will make the whole franchise that little bit more convoluted.
So they will ignore the things that made this franchise so great – the tv series. The original film, while good, was never as great as what was created for television. All our beloved characters and story arcs will be thrown away so they can start over? No thanks. Keep it true to the whole SG universe and give the fans proper closure before moving on to something new in the SG world please!
NO REBOOT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Continue and finish Atlantis and SGU!! REALLY??
LISTEN TO YOUR FANS!
guys how can you be sos selfish? look, you will watch those movies you will buy dvds they find out that the stargate is profitable and they will look into history and the will see that the best way for stargate is a tv series and the most profitable one? That is SG1 and we are where we should be! so wait for the movie and pay for it! we will rise again, this is a brilliant day for all of us, so enjoy it! :D and at least we will see the stargate spinning once more in the movies… Read more »
what a misleading headline, instead of “Stargate‘s Return” it should say “Stargate dead and erased forever”
the new movies will continue the first 1994 movie while ignoring and effectively erasing the 17 seasons and 2 movies of amazing characters, history and mythology we came to know and love (and obviously also ending any chance of another REAL stargate movie or tv show).
I consider these news to be the official death of Stargate, there is no way I’ll watch the new movies who ruined my favorite franshise.
Damn you Emmerich, and damn you MGM.
if it wasnt for the movie the tv show would of never been made im happy with this news even though im a fan of the tv shows over the movie any stargate is better then no stargate. really the tv show isnt much different to the movie the tv show did pickup from where the movie left off afterall.
Mixed emotions. Glad Stargate is coming back, but quite sad it isn’t the TV continuity. Honestly can’t see MGM supporting both the movie and TV versions long term, so although we may still get Fandemonium books and Big Finish audiobooks and the like, I think that’s basically the TV continuity finished. Any new series will likely spin off from the movie continuity now. Still, the SG-1/SGA/SGU continuity had a really good run, so I suppose we shouldn’t complain too much. We will, but we shouldn’t.
If it wasn’t for the TV shows, Stargate wouldn’t be anything more than “that movie from the 90’s… it had Egypt in it and aliens.” to most people. I have dreaded this day for a while and never thought those two would get their chance to take over and undo the TV version of things, so to speak. Sadly, as with Star Trek, I won’t be touching this mess of a reboot/alternate universe/movie series. I don’t care about a “new” world or getting a “reinvigorated” trilogy from two people who openly hate the rest of the fictional universe I love… Read more »
benwahballboy: well actually star trek reboot made me watch trek shows and I am very thankful for it
AtariGabriel, it never work out that ever, every single reboot as prove these, star trek perfect example to these, destroyed want made star trek in single move, star-gate be no difference, the film was that good, series why star-gate is so popular, start at films will not help at all.
got agree the comment that stargate is now official dead, in terms of want stargate was.
On the one hand:
ERMAGERD MOAR STARGATE I CANT EVEN!
On the other hand:
S***, what about all the canon? Oh they’re probably going to throw it out, aren’t they? I shall call this reboot “The other timeline” then and embrace both as acceptable realities.
I hear everyone’s concern…but I’ll take anything Stargate over nothing Stargate.
@benwahballboy
Yeah no, most people wouldn’t even know that there was a movie called Stargate was if it wasn’t for the TV series
I’m a huge Stargate fan and I’m extremely displeased with this. They could at least do us the courtesy of offering a conclusion to the original continuity first. Especially Atlantis and Universe. SG-1 was at least wrapped up. It annoys me as well that MGM have been sitting on scripts for Stargate: Extinction, an Atlantis movie, and Stargate: Revolution, an SG-1movie for years. Not to mention the fact that when Universe was cancelled Brad Wright pitched a movie to tie that up as well as a crossover movie between the 3 series. Emmerich had his chance. The Stargate universe as… Read more »
Anything that brings money to the franchise is a good thing. With money, there is the possibility of a future, without it, none.
well I hope they at least wrap SG:U before these new movies come out.
I’m satisfied with SGA an SG1 endings.
[…] Wait. What trilogy? Oh, THIS trilogy: https://www.gateworld.net/news/2014/05/stargates-return-mgm-announces-new-movie-trilogy/ […]
I always liked Stargate. I’m glad that there will be some kind of Stargate material coming out. I do wish they would at least finish off Atlantis and SGU. Give us endings to those two shows.
I hope the idiots who had any part in the cancellation never get another dime from the franchise!
“Emmerich and Devlin cannot ignore 17 seasons of SG1/SGA/SGU, 2 movies, 50 Books and 12 audio books.”
Well, they can ignore the books and audios (and the comics, which you didn’t mention) since the majority of fans only know the movies and shows–the rest is just licensed fiction. But ignoring the TV shows and movies is a huge mistake.
Something Stargate is better than no Stargate. Which is what we have now. It’s time to face the facts. SG-1, ATL and Uni are over. There will be no more episodes and there will be no movies. You can pine away until you are blue in the face, but it just ain’t gonna happen.
I don’t get this “any Stargate is better than no Stargate” idea. If it’s bad Stargate then I don’t think that holds true. Remember Infinity.
“Something Stargate is better than no Stargate.”
Not true at all. GOOD Stargate is better than no Stargate. Something Stargate can lead to complete and utter crap like Infinity.
The new Stargate Trilogy has lots and lots to offer us. Lets take a look at some of the possibilities posed by such an ambitious endeavor, shall we? 1. The original vision had Ra as a Human invaded and inhabited by a Classic Grey, the unnamed Grey alien was obviously to large to physically dwell inside a man which would indicate a connection to a different plane of exsistance (I.E. diff. Dimension) eerily indicating a connection to arguably The real Alien visitors in our reality (the fringe believers buy into) Now while i dont necessarily believe in such things I… Read more »
Guys don’t you think everyone is jumping the gun regarding the comments of SGU & SGA ” Just let these 3 new movies try and kick start more TV shows … If they are a hit then this might be a time for them to reconsider finishing SGA and SGU.
Please be NOTHING like SGU!
NOTHING!
We all fell in love with the franchise because of how fresh, exciting, and how the over all new concept of the tv series was presented. Something never seen before. It was goofy, comical, and even tho you werent the one walking through the gate you still felt connected. Idk what the problem with SGU was other than it was dragged on and the producers were playing it safe. Out of all 3 that was the one that I had the most hope for. That was the one that would completely define the entire franchise. Pull everything together. Hearing MGM… Read more »
[…] the recent news that Stargate will be rebooting into a new trilogy of films, I thought it might be the right time to take a step back and look at the abundance of […]
I’d watch as long as they brought back Michael shanks to reprise his role of Doctor Daniel Jackson. It would also be nice to see Claudia Black back as Vala Mal Doran, Ben Browder as Colonel Cameron Mitchell, Joe Flannigan as Colonel John Sheppard. I’d also like to see Colonel Albert Reynolds and Majors Evan Lorne and Kevin Marks get more screen time. As long as it doesn’t take after SGU which is the only stargate I can’t stand, it’s just the same each episode at least SG1 and SGA went on plenty of off world missions getting themselves in… Read more »
OK, so MGM made an unbelievable profit from the SG-1 and Atlantis tv shows (and their fatal decision to cancel the series cost the company it’s independence) but, ignoring this fan base is something to be done at the producers’ peril. It was the tv show fan base which made Stargate what it still is, not just the one-off movie. Surely the commercial failure of SGU demonstrates the kind of Stargate the fan base wants and will pay to see. Reboot as much as you want, if it ends up being radically at odds with what people want and expect… Read more »
Two words: Steampunk Stargate!
MAKE IT HAPPEN!!
so how long we need to wait until we get the schedule for the movies? any idea?
We were promised if we supported the DVD movies, MGM would continue making continuations of the SG1/SGA universe.. They weren’t great money makers, but did make a profit.. We kept our end, they lied.. why support MGM.. if they want the fan base to give them money, they need to give us what was promised.
[…] talked about plans to reboot the Stargate franchise with a new feature film — the first in a planned trilogy — is facing a bleak future, according to producer and Stargate co-creator Dean […]