Stargate: Universe gets Greenlight

Mr E

From Aint It Cool News:

A third live-action "Stargate" series, "Stargate: Universe," will launch early next year on the SciFi Channel.

According to James Hibberd's story for The Hollywood Reporter:

“Universe” introduces a team of explorers who find an ancient unmanned ship called the Destiny. Unable to return to Earth, the crew must fend for themselves aboard the ship, which has a preprogrammed mission taking them to the far reaches of the universe.

The Official Blurb:

After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron, a team of explorers travels to an unmanned starship called the Destiny, launched by The Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment set in motion, but never completed.

What starts as a simple reconnaissance turns into a never ending mission, as the Stargate Universe crew discovers the ship is unable to return to Earth, and they must now fend for themselves aboard the Destiny.

The crew will travel to the far reaches of the universe, connecting with each of the previously launched Stargates, thus fulfilling the Destiny's original mission.

Challenges will arise though as the ship comes into range of Stargates placed centuries ahead of the Destiny, but only for a brief period of time before carrying on with its pre-programmed navigational schedule. If someone is left behind, there is no way to go back for them, adding to the drama of encountering new races, enemies and adventures.

A two-hour "Universe" movie will hit the channel in the first half of next year, followed by the series proper next summer.

"Stargate: SG-1" ended its regular run on SciFi last summer. The channel announced Thursday that spinoff "Stargate: Atlantis" would air its last regular episode in January.

Read all of The Hollywood Reporter’s story on the matter here.

Some good news comes from the cancellation of Atlantis. Hopefully Universe will be a success and not become as I fear the next Crusade, a decent programme cancelled before it's time. Oh, wait that could be pretty much every decent Sci Fi show of the past decade.

Hopefully it will fill the rathe rimmense hole in my life left by the cancellation of both Stargate and Atlantis.

seamus

Sounds like something of a mix between Stargate, Star Trek and Sliders...

The toughest part I guess will be getting the mix right. If they go for the same "team" of,

1. Sarcastic, non-techie leader
2. Highly intelligent superperson technical genius
3. Expert on all things to do with the enemy
4. Badass warrior

It'll probably make people lose interest.

Nukem

They cant just have 4 members it will suck something awful

Yavvy

It will have to be a bigger team with some comming into prominance as others get left behind. I would guess 5 or 6 and ofcourse they will gather soem kick ass aliens along the way like Ronan.. etc

Cant wait. I need something to fill the void after sga

Mitch Connor

that bit about people possibly getting left behind sounds lame already. Can almost see the last 2 minutes of every episode being a race against time and all odds.

ixoy

Uh-oh check out this bit:

Proving that you can't keep a good franchise down -- at least not for more than a day or so -- the SCI FI Channel has green-lit production on Stargate Universe, the third live-action television series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The official press release from MGM and SCI FI is expected later today.

Universe will have a 2-hour premiere in 2009, and land in a regular time slot next summer -- meaning there will not be a production gap between the second and third Stargate television series.

The trade magazine also reported that the show will be set on board a previously unmanned ship called the Destiny, and will involve more space-based action than its predecessors. "Unable to return to Earth, the crew must fend for themselves aboard the ship, which has a preprogrammed mission taking them to the far reaches of the universe," the magazine said.

The producers are reportedly looking to cast a known actor for one of the leading roles, and fresh faces to round out the cast. This would follow the pattern of SG-1, which earned a lot of marketability from leading man Richard Dean Anderson when it premiered in 1997, rather than the largely unknown cast of Atlantis.

The new series will also be aimed at a slightly younger audience, SCI FI president Dave Howe said.

"This is an opportunity to reinvent this franchise and make it relevant to a new generation," he said. "We really don't want to be more of the same. It's going to build clearly off the existing franchise but with a cast that gives it a younger vibe."

"In Universe, we plan to keep those elements that have made the franchise a success, such as adventure and humor, while breaking new ground in the relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers, thrust together and far from home," series co-creators Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper said. "Above all, we believe the Stargate itself remains an enduring icon with infinite potential as a jumping-off point for telling stories."

Wright and Cooper will also executive produce. The two created Stargate Atlantis, which will end its TV run in January (story). An Atlantis movie will also air later in 2009 on SCI FI -- hopefully the first of many.

There is more news to come, so stick with GateWorld for breaking news on Stargate Universe later today!

Not sure I like this younger audience idea at all - bunch of teenagers in space ? Or something like the cadets we saw in SG1? I'm reminded of the teen version of the SG1 team in "200"...

User45701

ye could be depressing and uninteresting if your right about it being young and all. i dont get it its bollox. Young is a state of mind not a something physical. Ive know 50 year olds who are up for a "buzz" more than people younger/older/same age than me. Youth is just a state of mind.

is_that_so

Since when did Sci-Fi have an age limit?

"Youth is wasted on the young" as they say. Not always the best arbiters of quality or taste , "the youff". That said the bit about "make it more relevant" sounds like complete PR waffle and does not augur well in my view. Still it may be worth a look at least and they do have the advantage of not having to spell out what it's all about. If this leads to a character-driven format then it might be interesting.

J-blk

While I'm happy to be getting a new series to fill the void that'll be left by Atlantis, those "younger" comments do have me a bit worried. I mean WTF? SG-1 was on for a decade and most people did not start watching when they were 8 years old, so why are they so interested in appealing to a younger audience? It could easily alienate the core fans...

Mr E

Spooks Code 9 did the same thing (younger people) and its not the best....

senordingdong

This is a terrible idea.

As per all Stargate related matter, I think it has potential, huge potential, because lets face it, Stargate has some great writers under its belt.

However, I think pairing with Sci Fi channel on this, or any future Stargate projects is a bad idea. They seem to take meddling to a whole new level.

p

I don't really understand why cancelling one Stargate show and comissioning another seems like a good idea. It's bizare really.

User45701

ive been thinking based on what we know sgu is about it will mean there is no chance of a charactor like Apophis, Tanith, Anubis, Todd, micheal, koyali?, Fifth or yu. I like enemys that feature over the course of several episodes or seasons - this show sounds like good chractor episodes with bad guyof the week enemies anytime they need a enemy.

Thats not going to happen here so this show wont have any reoccuring charactors - im getting worried, but then again being worried is better than excited and over hyping something for yourself before you see it.

SGA launched at the perfect time, after the antartic battle wasent it?

don ramo

i suppose they could jump to the each gate in the order they were layed by the ship ahead, therefore taking one or two seasons to travel through an area of space that is overrun with problems, and constantly meeting the same aliiance or enimies, for a season or two,

a bit like voyager,

maybe loose someone, and find them on a differnet planet a few epsiodes later, struggling to survive,

there a creative bunch of writers im sure they find some way to make it work

Overheal

I found an image of the cast they have lined up!

jhegarty

spot on...


and the ship :

Sherifu

Obligatory wh00t!

A few things i'd like to see in sgu;

1. No more replicators
2. Furlings
3. Lots of new races (seems like this is a given with the format)
4. Some long lost Asgard cousins with some kick ass tech
5. No more ascension
6. Space battles (also seems like this is a given with the format)
7. A change in the team format as seamus has said

The leaving people behind aspect could be cool.

What will their purpose be exactly? SG1 were protecting Earth, Atlantis were exploring Pegasus. These guys will be stuck on a ship with no control over where they're going...

I liked sliders, voyager was a bit ho hum.

don ramo

well i would assume the new enemy from the deadalus veriations will be in the new series, cant really see them showing up in the final season of atlantis, which begs the question how long did the produers know of the cancellation.

furlings, have to, two series and still no sign of them,

Sherifu

don ramo wrote: »

well i would assume the new enemy from the deadalus veriations will be in the new series, cant really see them showing up in the final season of atlantis, which begs the question how long did the produers know of the cancellation.

I was thinking about that. I hope they're in Atlantis and give the show a good send off. They may hold them back now that it's cancelled though.

don ramo wrote: »

furlings, have to, two series and still no sign of them,

We live in hope.

User45701

don ramo wrote: »

well i would assume the new enemy from the deadalus veriations will be in the new series, cant really see them showing up in the final season of atlantis, which begs the question how long did the produers know of the cancellation.

furlings, have to, two series and still no sign of them,

I dlike to see the furlings do you think they will be like the ones in sg1 200?

I think those enemies will show up in sga because (im guessing) but the finalie is called

Enemy at the gate

JohnK

Right so they're on a ship thats constantly going to a pre-determined set of planets all of which will have a Stargate yet they cant return home...

Am I missing something ridiculously simple here?

don ramo

JohnK wrote: »

Right so they're on a ship thats constantly going to a pre-determined set of planets all of which will have a Stargate yet they cant return home...

Am I missing something ridiculously simple here?

obvioulsy the power will be astronimical, milky way and pagasus gates are millinia (i think thats how its spelt) old, the distance formula will be unbelievable, to get to the most recent gates.

they cant do an atlantis and have them hook up with earth every second episode, that i think is the downfall or the series



aslo id say zalenka or lorne would be a good option for this series, what do ye think,

JohnK

But if they'll be in Pegasus then why not just gate to Atlantis and go home from there?

don ramo

JohnK wrote: »

But if they'll be in Pegasus then why not just gate to Atlantis and go home from there?

its not set in pagasus or the milky way, them gates were layed millenia ago there ship is 100 years or so behind the ship that laying the gates, so there to far out to have enough power to gate home,

sure they need a 9th chevron to get to the ship

User45701

don ramo wrote: »

obvioulsy the power will be astronimical, milky way and pagasus gates are millinia (i think thats how its spelt) old, the distance formula will be unbelievable, to get to the most recent gates.

they cant do an atlantis and have them hook up with earth every second episode, that i think is the downfall or the series



aslo id say zalenka or lorne would be a good option for this series, what do ye think,

im assuming a zpm or a black hole powered (like the supergate) wpuld allow passage to any galaxy via stargate. otherwise whats the point if the most advanced lantian tech wont lewt them reach the gates they are seeding.

J-blk

The official blurb posted here reads something like "After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron..." - I'm I wrong or are normal gate addresses not 7 chevrons and Pegasus is 8 because it's in another galaxy? So does 9 mean that Universe is waaaaaay out there or what?

J-blk

This is interesting - I'm not sure were the Wikipedia article is sourced from but it seems to have a bit more detail on the story and what the deal with the ship and Stargate travel is:

Stargate Universe is the working title for a third Stargate series which is currently in development. The idea of Stargate Universe is that it is set on a ship that was part of an Ancient experiment that was set in motion probably millions of years ago, one that they never saw to fruition, but that we can. The experiment is to send a ship across the universe, and to send one ahead of it to seed the galaxies with Stargates, and that they would one day use the ninth chevron to get to the ship.
Millions of years ago (before their conflict with the Wraith and possibly even before they moved Atlantis to the Pegasus Galaxy), the show would reveal, the Ancients sent out two ships: an automated vessel to place Stargates throughout multiple galaxies in our universe, and a second ship to follow up and explore. A standard, 7-symbol gate address allows for travel within the same galaxy. Use of the Stargate's eighth chevron allows for travel to a different galaxy. And the ninth chevron will allow the team to reach this second, still unmanned Ancient ship.
The series was pitched to SCI FI Channel in the fall of 2007, just before the writer's strike -- which put a hold on the project. "The pitch was received very well," according to Stargate Atlantis co-creator Brad Wright. The third Stargate series won't be set on Earth, or on a remote base, but on a ship that travels from galaxy to galaxy.
Following news of the cancellation of Atlantis, it was reported that SciFi Channel had ordered Universe to series, with a planned launch date of 2009.[26] It has also been revealed that the series will be geared towards a younger audience.[27]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargate#Stargate_Universe

Overheal

J-blk wrote: »

The official blurb posted here reads something like "After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron..." - I'm I wrong or are normal gate addresses not 7 chevrons and Pegasus is 8 because it's in another galaxy? So does 9 mean that Universe is waaaaaay out there or what?

I'd have to assume so. Keep in mind Pegasus is the next galaxy over.

Theyve already said on a few blogs the cast will be completely new.

ixoy

Apparently the producers are going to make this one darker and are looking a bit at what BSG has done. So BSG has younger characters, a bit bleaker, and is more dramatic (the science piece of the sci-fi is actually quite small).

J-blk

ixoy wrote: »

Apparently the producers are going to make this one darker and are looking a bit at what BSG has done. So BSG has younger characters, a bit bleaker, and is more dramatic (the science piece of the sci-fi is actually quite small).

They seem to be throwing the "be like BSG" line around quite a bit these days after how successful BSG has been... If it ends up like that, fair enough, but if it ends up like "Bionic Woman" which was also going for the BSG darker look... meh. Just as long as we don't end up with an SG/generic teenage angst hybrid, I'll be happy enough...