Brad Wright
Every symphony needs a conductor, and every ship needs a captain. Film production is no different — and for fourteen years of Stargate television that commander-in-chief was writer and executive producer Brad Wright.
A co-creator of all three live-action Stargate TV series (one who also wrote more than 50 hours), Wright is a visionary who defined this era of the franchise. But since Stargate Universe went off air in 2011, Wright has largely gone silent on the subject of Stargate.
Now, thanks to his new sci-fi series Travelers — created for Netflix and Canada’s Showcase — Wright has stepped back into the public eye and has taken some time to reflect on his odyssey with the Stargate franchise.
In a recent Reddit AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) Wright fielded questions on the revival of Stargate, his return to show-running, and the cancelled direct-to-DVD movies that would have neatly wrapped up his tenure with Stargate. He’s also responded to a few questions on Twitter. Here are some highlights:
“We tried. We wrote scripts,” Wright said, responding to a question about the additional SG-1 and Atlantis movies. “The bottom of the DVD market went away and MGM asked us to put it on hold. Then, MGM went into bankruptcy and that was that.”
Originally announced in 2008 on the heels of the moderately successful Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, these feature-length Stargate movies included Stargate: Extinction (a continuation of the Atlantis story) and Stargate: Revolution (a Jack O’Neill-centric story for SG-1). Both projects lingered in development hell until they were permanently shelved in 2011.Wright also responded to a question about the proposed Stargate crossover movie, conceived as a last-ditch effort to continue the franchise after SGU was cancelled at the end of 2010. That would have seen characters from all three Stargate shows uniting to save the crew of the Destiny.
“That was (part of) the plot of the script I was writing when I tried to convince MGM to make a direct to video movie to properly end the SGU story,” Wright said on Twitter last week. “MGM said no before I could finish it. With all the sets gone, that’s never going to happen now.”
He ended the tweet with a hashtag saying “We kept the sets up as long as we could.”
In regards to the emotional (and unintentional) Stargate Universe series finale “Gauntlet,” Wright responded to a fan who said he’s learned to accept the Season Two episode as the end of Destiny‘s voyage.
“Honestly, I now feel exactly the same way about that last episode,” Wright replied. “Years later it feels like an ending. And Joel [Goldsmith]’s incredible music cue for the last scene was his best work.”
Composer Joel Goldsmith was the primary composer for all three Stargate series, and a close friend of Wright’s. Just a year after “Gauntlet” aired, Goldsmith passed away after a quiet battle with cancer.
His final Stargate composition can be heard in this scene:
Despite a prolonged hiatus, the Stargate franchise has made a return with the digital prequel series, Stargate Origins — the first new, live-action Stargate content in almost seven years. Wright took a minute on his AMA to acknowledge the franchise’s rebirth (and also clarify his lack of involvement).
“MGM hasn’t asked me to participate in any future Stargate content and I sort of understand their desire for fresh blood,” he wrote. “Wouldn’t say no if they asked though!” He reiterated on Twitter that his involvement in future productions would depend upon MGM asking him.
“I haven’t seen anything about Origins but wish them well,” he said. “Maybe one day they will want to reboot SG-1.”
Stargate Origins is the first live-action Stargate production without Wright’s involvement since he took over in 1997.
In the meantime, Wright’s full attention lies with Travelers — which is awaiting word of whether or not it will be renewed for a third outing. Season Two aired on Showcase last fall, and dropped on Netflix in December.
“The writers and I have already spent some time working on Season Three,” Wright revealed to fans. “It’s gonna be a wild ride. [We] just need the official pick up and we can GO!”
“We know how the show ends, but if we get the chance it would be fun to take a few more seasons to get there!”
Head over to Reddit to read the full Q&A, which focuses on Travelers (watch out for Season Two spoilers)! Series lead Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) also participated.
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Could you guys ask the old showrunners about their opinion and whether they would be up to return IF requested be MGM? Not a deep interview, just a couple of short questions, like a poll.
Brad Wright and Robert Cooper made some amazing TV.
I'm really disappointed with SGU though, not because of the show itself, but because of their attitude: They knew that had 2 seasons before a single frame was shot, but didn't think to create a whole story with a tight ending should it not get renewed beyond that...and let's be honest, it was apparent that an expensive show like that wouldn't make it not long after it aired unless there was a massive uptick in viewership.
Now he looks back and goes 'well, in hindsight it's a sort-of ending'...which I'm really disappointed with. Please don't make that mistake if any more SGTV goes forward! :)
They should NEVER reboot the franchise. That would erase so many years of of continuity. Haven't they learned anything from Sony with these Spider-man reboots? They should continue to evolve the current universe of stories and build upon an already solid foundation. Maybe tie them together some how. SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe still have an enormous fan base.
STARGATE It's one of the best TV shows for me
Recently, I have been very disappointed for the last two seasons
The launch of the series Very excellent to Atlantis
Is there a way to communicate with the directors of the series may I have good ideas for them ??!
You know there is a way that they could potentially bridge the gap and continue the franchise without a remake (I hope someone in Warner Bro's reads this!)
Before I explain what should be done I will explain why it hasn't been done.
All of the fans want more content in this franchise however Warner Bros after buying the rights from MGM grand library decided to make a remake of the original movies rather than a risky series; after they made this public Fans across the globe yelled and yelled that they didn't want a reboot because they have come to love the entire mythology that the Stargate TV Universe had built up over the years and a reboot would throw that out the window for a cash grab. Excuse after excuse they have finally said they are not going ahead with the reboot. (Thank god) but this now leaves us with nothing, but nothing is still better than something bad.
From their prospectives they only have a few choices
1) Reboot (tv or movie) recasting same characters throwing away mythos (bad Idea)
2) Alternate Timeline / universe Style star trek style (really bad idea)
3) Make a limited follow up season with a reunion of old cast members (yeah we all know how well X-Files pulled that one off, even worce idea)
The problem / difficulty is that there has been such a long time between the last episodes in the Stargate Franchise Universe and too many immediate plots and subplots that would needed to be told to address what has happened since that time. But there is a simple solution no one has thought about that would successful prevent having to break cannon and make it very easy to continue where it left off with completly new characters and no backlash (unless they simply do a bad job, which is a risk every show has anyway).
Ready...
We re-enter the franchise on earth, in the year they renew the franchise (let's say 2018) with a completly fresh cast and a few cameos in the pilot.
First thing we notice is that technology has not advanced that much at all as a matter of a fact it seems the opposite to the viewer. Stargate and the earth's space fleet seem to only be a circulating conspiracy theory (that may or may not be in popular circulation like our moon landing conspiracies) This is because both Stargates and Spaceships have not been used since 2011. (Trust me, read on...)
Pilot:
Act:1
We are simply being introduced to the new cast of characters who come from different areas of expertise and walks of life across the globe. A couple of these people in different location and circumstances start to notice things that both shouldn't be possible and / or they shouldn't know.
Such as: astronomers from the James Webb telescope view stellar anomalies, archiologists and /or museum curators discover exhibits acting strange as well as both
Military and care takers of the offices previously known as I.O.A discover classified cold storage tech is turning on (Stargate and limited lantian tech)
Act:2
These people scattered across the globe are brought together in secret to a central location and briefed / debriefed. We learn as the characters do that since 2011 something has happened in the milkway galaxy (and for all they know further) that has disabled all subspace tech (both Stargates and hyperdrives) as well as either lantian tech or fusion devices that would be needed to use such tech. (Geeky 5-10mins of explanation why and quick 101 of limited important previous franchise mythos explaining)
However suddenly limited tech has started to work again such as the Stargate in a limited capacity. One of the main parts of intregue of season one is why and why now. This also means that the viewers don't have to be inducted to the entire history of the franchise in one impossible episode of boring dialogue but when needed over the course of the first season which is friendly to new viewers.
We find out that whilst currently the Stargate has the ability to dial some of the old gate address and some newly discovered addresses, that just like the last 6-7 years all other FTL tech still doesn't work and the reason why the fleet was decommissioned was it was too expensive and impractical to have these large ships with only sublight functionality in space that have nearly the same speeds as we do in real life and only they are only kept in condition for defense should something eventually make its way to earth Sublight.
From this point the team of characters are tasked with using the Stargate to investigate what has happened since the franchise left off as well as the descovery aspect which made the franchise so popular
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR WARNER BROS?
- Since 2011 All plots have been frozen and some auto-reslove for obvious reasons because of the circumstances that have occurred.
- they can change any and all of the political, sociological, economical, biological circumstances from the previous shows without breaking cannon as circumstances have forced changes to everyone and everything that we previously knew or didn't know before. (And maybe we learn some have not even been affected at all unlike the rest of the universe)
- Show Runners now have the ability to go in any direction they want to without being restrained to the advancements in each storyline made previously. For example, do we want earth to have spaceships in the near future, fine the tech doesn't work! If the show runners don't want to keep a current cannon enemy / ally / entity moving forward then Fine they died out or changed politically without spaceships / supply lines / communication.
-can bring back some of the series regulars as one time only cameos to brief and advise the new SG team(s) without having to be corny and join them.
- What happened to the discovery from SGU(oh WB doesn't want to continue with that storyline) simple, they lost contact years ago and have no idea where they are and can't contact them (those communication stones work on subspace yeah? The subspace that does t work properly anymore!)
This can easily be done.
In both Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis and even in the completly different tv show Star Trek Voyager; episodes talked about natural spacial phenomena, man made weapons and even the side effect of constant use of subspace tech causing damage possibly irreparable to most tech space fairing and communication technology making it impossible to use.
Now WB can make a show about anything they want which happens to be Cannon for the previous fans without having to be forced to continue the direction of the cannon so far.
Reply and share if you think that this would work and hopefully someone can convince WB to consider the option.
Not sure why you think Warner Bros. bought Stargate, SHS&W. It is still owned by MGM.
But thanks for the comment. We're queuing up some additional pieces on GateWorld in the coming days and weeks about the future of the franchise, sticking with established canon, and what such a show might look like. I think you're right that the best option would be something that follows on the heels of SGU, with a new setting a new cast of characters, where cast members (and unresolved story points) from the previous shows can turn up -- or at least be referenced.
hello if it was me i would make a new show call alantis sg1 really when alantis landing on earth at the end they should of continue it . now that earth has more power to take on anything that comes at them a show base on that would be awesome just saying.
MGM can you please bring back STARGATE sg1
“We kept the sets up as long as we could" was the most depressing part of this whole read. Just... oh... All of my pain.