Babylon 5 to Return?

monkeyfudge

I just read an article over on aint-it-cool-news

http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=23963

The biggest announcement I'll paraphrase: Every 6 months, I get together with WB to discuss what to do something with B5. The DVD sales have raised over 500 million in revenue. Now, I produced B5s 110 episodes at about 90 million dollars. Somehow, B5 is still 50 million in the red. Every time I mention that to WB they say We made a good deal, huh? Anyway, they asked if I wanted to do a feature film but I declined mainly because I can't yet picture structuring a B5 movie as long as [Andreas Katsulas] and [Richard Biggs] insist on staying dead. Maybe in a year or two I'll be able to but right now I can't do something big and those two roles will NOT be recast.

So I thought about it, and I suggested a bunch of short films. Little mini-movies or an anthology show set in the Babylon 5 universe. I pick a character and develop an hour-long story around that character. Stories that I wanted to tell during the B5 series but never had the chance to develop. They said, Okay. I said I wanted complete creative control. Do not change my words that I write, and I want that in writing. They said, Okay. And I want to direct. They said, Okay.

This project was green lit less than two weeks ago. Its going to happen. Production starts in September in Vancouver, Canada. Post-production will occur from October to February with a release of the first three anthologies in the second quarter of 2007.

But have we any reason to believe these will be much better than some of the other spin offs and movies that really haven't been all that great?

jaggeh

i think so, as he is going to have full control over the content. one of the main problems with crusade was studio interferance and the shows beign aired out of order.

jacQues

monkeyfudge wrote:

I just read an article over on aint-it-cool-news
http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com/display.cgi?id=23963
But have we any reason to believe these will be much better than some of the other spin offs and movies that really haven't been all that great?

Wow, that is great news!!

If Michael has "full control" I'm sure they'll turn out to be fantastic.

jacQues

monkeyfudge

The sad thing is that G'Kar is going to be missed more than ever now though.

The Gnome

monkeyfudge wrote:

The sad thing is that G'Kar is going to be missed more than ever now though.

Agreed. Definately won't be the same, he was by far my favourite character. His capture and torture by Cartagia was superb as was the breaking of the chains at the end.

Jack B. Badd

Oh my god, I almost wet myself when I saw this!!!

Pugsley

Excellent news, however no G'kar or Franklin will be a shame, looking forward to it. (better not be another Legend of the Rangers, or much whining will be done)

monkeyfudge

Actually did I read somewhere that Jerry Doyle has given up acting altogether?

So we mightn't see him back either.

Tar.Aldarion

I would love to see new Babylon5, what a class show and series of books.

madrab

OMG!!!!!

sorry i lost control there

well hopefully he is allowed to go ahaead with his idea & be pressured into another woefull legend of the rangers (eugh even mentioning it makes me nauseous)

fingers crossed...

Ivan

Have we learned nothing from previous experiences with other shows? Cant we just let a brilliant series lie?

madrab

True, but crusade did have potential (*grumble* stupid fox *grumble*)

If he is givin full creative control then i welcome it, even if to just see if JMS still has it.

popebenny16

As a big B5 fan saying this sounds a bit strainge but I thought that JMS was doing far too much towards the end what with the films and writing then entire last three seasons alone (one ep apart, granted) as well as Crusade.

Hopefully the time away has helped him rediscover the magic.

As long as the first spin off isnt those two cleaners on B5 again.