Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Amazon today announced that the tech giant will purchase the historic Hollywood studio, confirming earlier reports. The sale price is a whopping $8.45 billion, which includes MGM’s current debt.
Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Studios’ Senior Vice President, Mike Hopkins, stated that the company’s chief motivation for the acquisition is to exploit MGM’s deep library of film and television IP (intellectual property) for new productions. On the film side that includes the likes of the James Bond and Rocky franchises, plus Legally Blonde, Robocop, Silence of the Lambs, the Pink Panther, and much more.
MGM’s scripted television holdings include Vikings, The Handmaid’s Tale, Fargo … and, of course, Stargate.
“The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of IP in the deep catalog that we plan to reimagine and develop together with MGM’s talented team,” Hopkins said. “It’s very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling.” He identified Stargate specifically in his list of MGM’s IP.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also commented on the deal today. He said: “The acquisition thesis here is really very simple. MGM has a vast, deep catalog of much beloved intellectual property. And with the talent at Amazon and the talent at MGM Studio, we can reimagine and develop that IP for the 21st century. It will be a lot of fun work and people who love stories will be the big beneficiaries.”
So what does this deal mean for the future of Stargate? The science fiction franchise ruled cable television for a decade and a half, but fans have waited more than a decade since the last show went off the air. Aside from 2018’s Web series Stargate Origins (which had a lukewarm reception by long-time fans), the TV franchise has laid fallow since 2011. Series co-creator Brad Wright has been developing a new show since at least 2019, but it has yet to gain lift-off — thanks in part to the COVID-19 delays on television production.
READY TO GO
Amazon is highly motivated to put new projects into production. This seems to be the missing ingredient with getting a new Stargate series going at MGM, which is historically risk-averse. The studio has never commented publicly on Wright’s project even being in development, let alone sending it into production.
MGM board chairman Kevin Ulrich said in a statement, “I am very proud that MGM’s Lion, which has long evoked the Golden Age of Hollywood, will continue its storied history, and the idea born from the creation of United Artists lives on in a way the founders originally intended, driven by the talent and their vision. The opportunity to align MGM’s storied history with Amazon is an inspiring combination.”
Founded in 1924, MGM will continue to operate as a label under the deal, as a production arm for Amazon.
Among all of the fictional worlds owned by MGM, Stargate is among the closest to launch. Wright’s pitch for a new Stargate series is ready to go, with at least one script written already. And if our speculation is right that by now Wright and MGM would have already taken this pitch out to potential broadcast partners, it’s also possible that Amazon’s programming executives are already familiar with it.
So while fans have to wait a bit longer for the decision to be made, things do look positive that Amazon will want to make a new Stargate project — and that one is prepped and ready for them to take advantage of immediately.
MOVE FORWARD WITH FANS
Realistically, though, Amazon’s acquisition of MGM also resets the board somewhat. Any existing Stargate pitch could be sent back to the negotiating table, now that Amazon effectively has interests on both sides of that deal. Today they are not just a potential streaming home, paying a license to MGM for first-run rights to a new series. They’re also about to become the parent company of the studio producing the series.
Hopefully Amazon’s decision-makers will see Wright’s project as the best way forward for Stargate, and quickly green-light the project for 2022. But that is by no means certain. On the opposite end of that, Amazon could send it back into development once again — or pass on the pitch in favor of a hard reboot of Stargate.
Stargate’s loud and global fan base has been petitioning MGM not just for new content, but for a new series that is set in the existing canon of the television universe. The fact that Wright himself is willing to return to the franchise and create that show is a gift, both to fans and to MGM and Amazon.
With support from former Stargate writer and executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, in 2018 and 2019 fans organized two “tweetstorm” social media campaigns to raise awareness for Stargate and let the studio know that fans want a new series — one that continues the existing universe, and not a reboot.
Stargate Atlantis (2004–2009)
Mallozzi weighed in yesterday on a possible acquisition by Amazon, before the deal was confirmed today. “There’s no doubt that if this sale is finalized, we will see a new Stargate series sooner than later,” Mallozzi wrote on his blog. “The big question is ‘What will this new series look like?’ It’s no secret that longtime Stargate (SG-1, Atlantis, Universe) co-creator Brad Wright has been developing a new show. In a best case scenario, an executive familiar with the franchise, and its amazing fandom, will recognize the huge potential there and fast-track his series. In the worst case scenario, someone else is brought in, 20 years of canon gets wiped out, and the fans get screwed.
“The latter is, in my view, most unlikely. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to let Amazon know that the Stargate fandom is still strong, active, noisy, and happy to support Brad’s new in-canon series.”
GLOBAL REACH
One outstanding question is almost certainly answered by Amazon’s acquisition of MGM: where a new Stargate series would be available. While it may not always be the case, today Amazon’s chief concern is to flood its own over-the-top digital streaming service with content — both new original films and TV series, and classics from MGM’s vault.
That service, Amazon Prime Video, is available in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Amazon is also growing its streaming offerings more and more into the world of science ficton and fantasy — always a reliable way to reach young and tech-savvy audiences. It acquired The Expanse (reportedly a Bezos favorite) after Syfy Channel cancelled the series, giving it another three seasons. The show has thrived on Prime Video, with top-quality production values and no evidence of creative interference.
Amazon has recently announced that The Wheel of Time, based on Robert Jordan’s bestselling novels and co-produced with Sony Pictures Television, will exclusively stream on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. The series has also been renewed for a second season ahead of its upcoming premiere.
Finally, Amazon’s highest profile series now in development is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Set in an age before the popular novels and films, that show has received an astounding $465 million production budget — just for its first season — in order to build out the world for a series (or franchise) that Amazon hopes will run for years to come.
The Expanse (Amazon Prime Video)
All of this bodes well for Stargate’s prospects on Prime Video. Over the past two years Amazon has put its money where its mouth is, showing its commitment to genre programming; its willingness to let creatives make the shows they want to make; and the money to properly fund high-quality productions.
Yes, it does mean a new Stargate show likely will be locked behind a subscription service rather than airing on ad-supported television. But Prime Video’s reach also offers the Stargate fan community something it has never experienced before, in the long and storied history of this franchise: a global premiere.
Historically Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe aired first in the United States. Viewers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, and so many other places where Stargate was popular had to wait weeks or even months for the new season to finally arrive on their local broadcaster. (Meanwhile the Internet was a minefield of spoilers.)
That was the traditional model of TV distribution — one country at a time, with staggered premiere dates as a show slowly made its way from one territory to the next. And as the show’s fandom coalesed online, viewers were forced to cope with this fragmented reality. MGM’s broadcast deals varied from country to country, so the shows’ availability (and at times even their broadcast quality) was inconsistent.
With a global player like Amazon now a new home for Stargate, new episodes are likely to debut all over the world at the same time. That suitably modern distribution model puts fans on an even playing field to enjoy the show, and to participate in online conversations.
Loading ...All of this is pretty exciting to us: a stable home for Stargate, with a global reach, a healthy production budget, and a studio that is looking for new content right now. But of course today, with the announcement of Amazon’s purchase still brand new, it’s all hope and speculation. Great meals still take time to cook — and corporate acquisitions like this are subject to approval by government regulators.
Variety reports that insiders believe the deal will be finalized by the end of the year.
When it comes to green-lighting new productions, we don’t know if Amazon and MGM will be forced to sit on their hands until that date. It may be that the companies can still set their plans, but make all contracts contingent upon the sale and then wait to make formal announcements after it is finalized.
But we’re excited and optimistic about what Amazon might mean for Stargate’s future. Fans are more than ready for new, quality content. Fans need to let Amazon know that we want Brad Wright’s universe to be continued with a new show. And GateWorld will continue to report on the latest developments.
DIAL THE GATE welcomes industry expert and Stargate fan Jenny Stiven for a special conversation about the Amazon-MGM deal and what it means for Stargate. Watch this conversation now! Watch »
Not the biggest fan of Amazon. I don’t think many people are. However, MGM was up for sale so someone was going to end up buying it. If this acquisition means that some portion of Amazon’s billions will go towards funding a new Stargate show, or shows… I’ll take it.
At this point, Amazon may have enough money to build an actual Stargate (on this planet only though :( )
I have been coming to this site every day for ten years waiting for the kind of news we have been getting lately, although its mostly speculation and everyone keeping their fingers crossed, hope reigns. Let’s just keep hoping this fourth series happens and someone smart does the right thing by stargate fans.
Same, pretty much my entire adult life coming here waiting to see about a new show. I really hope they realize Brad Wrights vision, because honestly if this is like stargate origins I can’t watch it.
I just hope it gets more than the usual 10 episodes streaming services give their shows.
I think that if we ever get more Stargate, it will be the, what now seems to be standard for streaming, 10 to 13 episodes. I just want to see it happen. Stargate has been in hibernation for far too long.
I guess we will see! Fingers crossed. But I’m not sure Stargate has any better of a chance than any other show being pitched.
Much prefer it going to Amazon than Disney. I just can’t trust the mouse with established IPs after what they did with Star Wars.
Here is hoping Amazon does right by the series and the fans.
The sequel trilogy were terrible many agree, but we’re getting a Renaissance of Star Wars shows now under Filoni and Favreau and it’s been pretty amazing. Seeing what Amazon did with The Expanse I do have faith that they will do right by Stargate. I’m SO excited about this news and can’t wait!
After the Heroes two-parter the show was ruined, it can only be fixed or keep sucking like post Heroes.
Care to elaborate? How was it “ruined”? Genuinely interested to know.
Don’t really feel like going into that again so I just copy-pasted a comment I made earlier. Thought it’d be hard to find again, but it wasn’t after all.
https://www.gateworld.net/news/2021/01/how-heroes-came-to-be-stargate-most-memorable-episodes/#comment-29740
Im feeling optimistic, but I am also worried that they will want to “reimagine” Stargate for the 21st century and it will end up like Star Trek…all swearing, crappy flawed unlikeable characters, unnecessarily gritty and unrealistic with light flares everywhere. I just hope they consider the failure of SGU when they think about how much they want to reimagine the show. Like Star Trek, I do not watch SG-1 and Atlantis for grittiness and realism – there are plenty of other shows that do that already. Fingers crossed they do a show at all and that they keep it in… Read more »
Sadly, I think your initial fears may pan out here.
Stargate Universe was a damn good show. It was Stargate in setting and they finally moved away from alien enemy series bad guy. There was more exploration of the characters (which people love), the ship (which people wanted more of in Atlantis), and diving more into the lore of the show (which people always love). Stargate does not have to be about a team of exceptionally talented folks cracking jokes and shooting bad guys. If that’s all the Stargate IP is good for, then the IP will not last. Star Trek and Star Wars have grown because they haven’t limited… Read more »
SGU could’ve been a good show if it hadn’t been trying so hard to ape the Battlestar Galactica reboot.
Stargate Universe was incredible, especially the 2nd Season! That show deserved a solid 5 season run because the set up was incredible. I LOVED BSG, so I was all for Stargate finally putting on the adult pants and going deeper into characters. As much as I love SG-1 and Atlantis, I felt Season 2 of SGU was the best Stargate ever produced.
Great news! Amazon is more “patient” with shows than Netflix. As for the new series, I’m torn between head and heart. Heart wants to see the all-time characters in a new show, picking up where the previous ones left. Head tells me this would be very complicated, and not engaging enough for the show to survive, if you know what I mean. Imagine having to tie three different universes (SG1, Atlantis and Universe), that have little to do one another, in one show. Who would be able to understand/follow that? Only the hard-core fans that have been following all three… Read more »
Between the mass of petitions, tweets, Facebook goups, etc, over the years – where is the best place to visibly demonstrate support for the series where Amazon will take notice?
The official Twitter handle for Amazon’s shows is @AmazonStudios. But I don’t know how much good these sorts of tweetstorms and such do unless they’re in the millions. Just my thoughts though.
News I’m hearing is bad. Very bad. Makes it seem that Brad might’ve been strung along to prop up MGM as having currently active properties and fanbases to boost the closing price on MGM from Amazon.
Supposedly, not only will none of it happen, there’s a rumor that the property will get a Kurtzman-like complete reboot; not a continuation at all.
I hope it isn’t true, but it’s what’s be said the last couple days by some folks claiming to have an ear to the ground.
Where are you hearing all of this? MGM has no reason to string Brad along, it has successful and active properties with which to bait potential buyers like their roster of unscripted tv so it has no reason to put up any kind of charade regarding Brad or Stargate. All they had to do was bait Bond and shows like Shark Tank and The Handmaid’s Tale which are current properties with existing fanbases and very successful. I’m pretty sure the people speculating on the reboot is the people who read the word “reboot” in the press releases and are taking… Read more »
I’m torn. Amazon is looking for IPs, but are they looking for long-lasting IPs? Are they going to take IPs like James Bond and Stargate and keep them alive, not just in movies/tv on Prime, but via video games, novels, and theaters? Given that MGM does not own 100% of James Bond, there’s no way James Bond will be stuck on Prime. The other property owners have power to say it has to keep going to theaters. But with Stargate, Amazon could do one show/movies to test the waters and whenever that ends decide “that’s it” until they revamp it… Read more »
For me it means I have to cancel Prime if Janet isn’t brought back.
I just hope if they bring it back the script is not Political or Social propaganda.
Could we please get a source for that Mike Hopkins press release statement, this bit here:
“It’s very exciting and provides so many opportunities for high-quality storytelling.” He identified Stargate specifically in his list of MGM’s IP”
Can’t find it anywhere and none of the articles I’ve read actually cite the source of this statement.
Here is Amazon and MGM’s original press release (which news outlets tend not to cite, beyond identifying “the announcement”).
I of course would love to see a continuation of any series, but another option that I think would be cool is perhaps a period piece set in the 90s, maybe following like an SG-5 team or something. I already equate Stargate with late 90s/early 2000s, so set a show there, with the CRT monitors and everything :D
I thought a cool idea would be to build a show around another planet discovering the stargates and start exploring and Earth sort of taking the role of the Asgard. That would give the opportunity to take a look at how another culture would approach exploration. You could even place the new world in a far less developed society, maybe something similar to 18th century earth.
Problem is now when it’s streamed on amazon it’ll be edited and anything deemed offensive will be removed. So if you want to watch it how it was meant to be you better buy the dvd/bluray’s now. :( MGM would at least let the creators enough room to make their stories with out garbage un-like the new Star trek ended up. Any chance of a uncut new version and continuation of SG1 with out being injected with woke garage isn’t happening.
Three things that I will insist upon (in my mind, of course) 1.An episode re-introducing the adventures of Felger &Coombs (Patrick Mckenna & John Billingsley). 2. Vala goes back and talks to Sal, the owner of the diner who rescued her when she had amnesia. 3. Bring back Harry Maybourne!