Conversations about how to move the Stargate franchise forward in this new, digital era are ongoing inside the halls of MGM — and Brad Wright is involved.
Wright co-created Stargate SG-1 in 1997, followed by Stargate Atlantis in 2004 and Stargate Universe in 2009.
After telling fans at Gatecon: The Invasion in September that he is talking to MGM again (after years of disconnect), Wright this week hinted at the discussions that continue to take place. He spoke about Stargate — and Travelers, which dropped its third season on Netflix last month — with the Nerks of the Hub Podcast.
“MGM has recognized that they have a genuine franchise in their hands,” Wright said. “And they’re looking at it quite seriously. And so our first conversation was after Stargate Origins. … They had reached out to interview me for the twentieth anniversary, which would have been lovely. But I said, ‘I’m surprised you want to talk to me since you seem in your latest effort to be trying to avoid Stargate SG-1 canon, anything that I had contributed.’
“And that may have been so, but they have since changed their mind.”
Set in 1939, the 10-part Web series Stargate Origins followed a young Catherine Langford (Ellie Gall) in a story that largely took its departure from the 1994 Stargate feature film — though there were a few notable references to the later TV mythology, including the presence of a Harcesis child.
With Origins wrapping up its 10-part story last March, the studio has been cautious about where to take Stargate next. Now that Wright is back in the mix, it means hewing closer to the TV mythology in that next project.
“We’ve had conversations about what may or may not be able to happen going forward,” he said. “And it’s sort of starting from scratch in so many ways. And very much in the acknowledgment that whatever the next step forward is, it has to be of certain quality and honor the several hundred hours of show that’s already out there. I don’t mean ‘honor’ — I mean acknowledge it. And they agreed.”
When Stargate’s next step does emerge, Wright noted that fans should not expect it to be something on the level of a full TV show.
“That’s really still where we are,” he continued. “I don’t expect — and certainly don’t anyone expect — another television show to appear around the corner. But Stargate is an important part of their library. And so … maybe we’ll think of something! [Laughter] That’s all I can tell you! We’re working on it.”
The Stargate franchise went into stasis right along with Colonel Young’s crew. From “Gauntlet”
The writer-producer also discussed the impact of MGM’s 2010 bankruptcy on SGU‘s third season renewal.
“What happened with Stargate Universe is MGM went through a major restructuring — basically a structured bankruptcy — that changed everybody,” he said. “Everyone who I knew at MGM simply was gone within a month of this event. And so even Syfy — who wanted to talk about a third season, or at least have the conversation — really had no one that they could talk to.
“It was kind of sad. And it was kind of a perfect storm of not great ratings and the studio disappearing.”
Nearly a year after testing the waters with Stargate Origins, though, it sounds like the studio is ready to take another step forward. And while the next production might not be a full-fledged TV show, it ought to be something that honors Stargate’s more than 20-year legacy on television.
Check out the entire, 50-minute conversation with Nerks of the Hub now at Anchor, iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts. Wright also talks about working in the Canadian film and television industry, pitching SG-1 to Showtime (in the middle of a fire alarm), casting SGU‘s Patrick Gilmore and Jennifer Spence in key roles on Travelers, and what it will take for Travelers to win a Season Four renewal.
And be sure to follow GateWorld for breaking news about Stargate in 2019!
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View Comments
Hopefully it won't be as terrible as Origins!
I haven't seen Origins, but if it messes with canon I am glad I haven't. This interview is encouraging though, hopefully we will get something modern that doesn't attempt to rewrite history. The trend of messing with canon in existing franchises has left my avoiding much of what I used to love.
I actually didn't notice much. It does the easy way out at the end. i won't say what, but it is easily explained and kind of connects with the original movie. It was defiantly fun to watch (i watched it on Prime).
@ levly_love
You want more stargate or not? that attitude doesn't help!
Origins was a terrible show. If it will be another part of it i wish that it will be made by people who really knows how to made a QUALITY Stargate show.
Bring back universe
Please
that arguing sexualized show no thanks that one chick was only to make that young dude jealous, we need a show like SG1 back turn each episode into small stories about each planet like the original series SG1 was but of course fans like u are going to be hell no when we wouldnt be here without SG1 or even Atlantis that turned stargate into a great franchise
Yeah, it was a great show, pitty it ended.
I wish they renew it too, but im sure all the actors have jobs so it will be hard.
Origins could have been done a bit less... juvenile, for lack of a better word, but it wasn't horrible. Especially once all the ridiculous spinning camera crap is removed and it can be watched as a single hour-and-a-half film. Not all SG-1 season 1 episodes are masterpieces either, and at least it's more Stargate.
Plus it seemed to send a nice, big KAWOOSH to MGM that the franchise is far from dead, thanks to the support of thousands of tolerant (and forgiving of a few flaws) Gaters out there. It didn't break canon, if anything it reinforced it. With the non-illuminated chevrons, I simply chocked the story up to being in the same "alternate" universe the 1994 film is set in. And as Sam has said many times, there are an infinite number of universes out there. I want to live in one where there is more Stargate. :)
Everything comes back these day, Star wars, Star Trek, etc
Stargate is no less popular then Star Trek and matches it in per-episode quantity, plus minus of course.
If they can bring back star trek with 2 new shows then why not Stargate?
People will watch, this show has just as many fans as Star Trek and many are cross watches and fans of both, i just love scifi.
I would gladly watch Battlestar Galactica prequel, not boring political cap like Caprica but the first war with Cylons, like Battlestar Galactica Blood and Chrome.
I would love to watch futuristic story about Babylon 5, maybe 1000+ years after how the enemy comes back yet again [forgot their name] or 1000+ years before how the enemy came to be.
Maybe a One season 12 episode show about Human Minbari war.
I would Gladly buy Babylon 5 Bluray re-edit and if they doing Bluray then why not 4K+HDR, ill buy that too.
Getting the right cast together is the key to a new Stargate series. SG1 could have gone for another 5 years at least, however Atlantis struggled with the cast and chemistry, and Universe simply missed the mark. Universe tried to be unnecessarily 'gritty' and Atlantis seemed to second guess their casting decisions.
An ending/new beginning of Stargate Universe would be perfect. Millions of fans are still waiting......
Personally I would like the next story arc to follow a return of the Ancients much like the fan written story arc available on the web.
Best news I've heard in awhile.. Brad Wright back at the helm, with a new series based on the existing SG-1 canon.. It's the best case scenario for stargate(tv) fans, as far as I'm concerned.