Bryan Singer and Battlestar Galactica

Haruspex

Came across this interesting article from BBC News way back in 2001. I had never heard Singer was interested before! I knew Richard Hatch wanted to revive the series but was unaware that Singer had "signed a deal". Wonder how his reimagining would compare to Ron Moore's? Probably would be just as strong on characterisation. How would his "healthy respect for the fan base" been reflected? Maybe no Starbuck or Boomer gender change perhaps?

Note how Kissinger states that Singer has "a whole mythology and arc for the series already worked out". I'm intrigued! The X-Men franchise probably took over Singer's ambitions and the concept abandoned. Who knows what a different BSG we could have been watching had this evolved further!

Battlestar Galactica set for TV return

Cult 1970s science fiction series Battlestar Galactica could be revived under plans put forward by X-Men director Bryan Singer.

Singer has signed a deal with production company Studios USA to resurrect the series with a view towards producing and possibly directing a new series for network television.

Battlestar Galactica first appeared on TV in 1978, riding the wave of interest in science fiction generated by Star Wars.

It ran for two years before being cancelled, although TV movies based on the series have also been made.

Lorne Greene starred as the commander of the title vessel, leading a rag-tag convoy of ships seeking the ancient mother world of their race, Earth.

Singer, a fan of the original series, believes the brand retains international appeal.

"The lesson I learned on X-Men is to have a healthy respect for the fan base of sci-fi fantasy franchises, and I'm confident that the Galactica brand is a sleeping giant,'' he said.

X-Men earned more than $150m (£103m) at the US box office, and Singer has been lined-up to make a sequel.

"It was a show I watched during its initial run, from the pilot to the final episode," he said of Galactica.

"The essence and the brand name is quite potent in a climate where there's a great deficit of sci-fi programming," he added.

There have been several rival attempts to revive the original show, with cast members and the show's original producer Glen Larson all looking to bring a version to screens.

Richard Hatch, one of the original stars of the TV series, has been working towards a revival of the series for many years.

The actor has produced a trailer for a new series - which is not connected to the Singer-led revival - which he has used to generate interest in a resurrection of the show.

David Kissinger, one of Singer's partners in the planned revival, admitted he was wary when he first heard of the director's interest.

"I never dreamed a filmmaker of Bryan's stature would be enough of a hard-core fan that he saw this as a franchise that could be reinvented,'' Mr Kissinger, of USA Television said.

"In the initial meeting, I was wary that he might be just another feature guy looking to slap his name on a TV project, but it was immediately clear this wasn't so. He's got a whole mythology and arc for the series already worked out.''

The original series was the highest budgeted drama of its time with each episode costing more than $1m.

A reinvention would be more expensive today, but Kissinger is confident he can find the funds.

"We'll shop it right away with the goal of having it in a prime-time slot on a network, but it's possible that we might be able to do a dual window scenario with the Sci-Fi Channel,'' he said.

He added: "With Bryan's vision and a brand name which has international appeal, we're optimistic we'll be able to make it on the grand scale he imagines.

"The visual imagery he's talking about is unprecedented in its effects and scope.''

Source: BBC News, 23 February 2001

stakey

mmm... i've heard about and read about Singers interest in doing a battlestar galactica series. He was competing around the same time as richard hatch for the remake (i think). What ive read of it though was that he had also planned for human cylons. His series was going to be a continuation though. The human cylons were going to be humans that had given up running and had been co-opted into the cylon race. Something similar to the borg i think. Singer left the project though to concentrate on X-Men.

Then our Mr. Moore came into the light and now we have BSG rethink!

TCamen

Yeah I remember all this too -- I was quite looking forward to the series under Singer, but when he left, I didn't think it would continue moving forward under someone else, in this case Moore. Especially considering that Hatch had struggled for so long to get a new BSG on air.

All in all, we can't really complain I guess -- BSG that we have now is damn goood

Judge

You might find this interesting: http://www.battlestarpegasus.com/gallery/desanto_singer_2001/

TetsuoHashimoto

Galactica: The Second Coming
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193000/
User Rating: 6.2/10 (141 votes)

- over one hundred and forty have seen this ?

Sherifu

TetsuoHashimoto wrote: »

Galactica: The Second Coming
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193000/
User Rating: 6.2/10 (141 votes)

- over one hundred and forty have seen this ?

That's a trailer from nine years ago. Or am I missing something?

Overheal

alright tetsuo quit digging up old crap.

toiletduck

TetsuoHashimoto wrote: »

Galactica: The Second Coming
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193000/
User Rating: 6.2/10 (141 votes)

- over one hundred and forty have seen this ?

Any chance of a link to the trailer?

TetsuoHashimoto

toiletduck wrote: »

Any chance of a link to the trailer?

I though it was a movie but Sherifu is correct, its a trailer and it's really difficult to find.
I've tried the usual places but no luck

I've been reading up on Hatch, and it looks like he hated the new series for a while. He invested all this time and money trying to re-invent the old Larson show as a darker, more modern BSG show. He went on to accuse the modern producers of stealing his thunder. Then he was approached by new series producers, given a pay deal to start in the new series as Zarek. Himself and the new producers came to this understanding and Hatch has been singing praise for the new series ever since.

Goodshape

The quality is abysmal - but for curiosity's sake, here's Hatch's trailer for BSG : The Second Coming :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLvHK-hOJKo

Looks interesting... but I'm glad we got the version we did.

toiletduck

Cheers, I saw it years ago and that clip got the auld memory jogging

Looks interesting... but I'm glad we got the version we did.

I'm still holding for a re-imagining of Galactica 1980 :pac:

TetsuoHashimoto

not too sure about Singer & DeSanto's lizard person

http://galacticabbs.com/index.php?showtopic=1990

Ivan

Goodshape wrote: »

The quality is abysmal - but for curiosity's sake, here's Hatch's trailer for BSG : The Second Coming :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLvHK-hOJKo

Looks interesting... but I'm glad we got the version we did.

Thanks so much, had been looking for that for ages and just noticed this post here... he's really protective about the trailer and it cant really be found anywhere!

Pretty damn awesome

robby^5

Wow after seeing that trailer I'm quite thankful moore got the rights to make this show, hatch's version looked camp-tastic.

Sherifu

Trailer sucks.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

why is it accepted wisdom that sci fi = bright flashing colours?

IamBeowulf

Something tells me Singer's/DeSanto's version would have sucked in comparison to what Moore et al have achieved. From design to concept to storyline to overall mood.

toiletduck

Yeah I tend to agree, though it could have done with a hell of a lot more daggits :pac:

TetsuoHashimoto

Bryan Singer's Battlestar movie allegedly under way
http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/bryan-singers-battlestar.php

IamBeowulf wrote: »

Something tells me Singer's/DeSanto's version would have sucked in comparison to what Moore et al have achieved. From design to concept to storyline to overall mood.

You will love this one

http://www.redcel.nl/Acropolis/Revival_Campaign/UntitledFrame-1.htm
The planned pilot movie found a home at the Fox Network and they immediately assign Dan Angel and Billy Brown (X-Files) to help Singer and DeSanto rework the script and to serve as executive producers as well. Together they revamp the script, which featured a dark twisted tale of the Cylon's return after 20 years of non-activity.

The first change in the script placed the story 20 YEARS (yarehns) after the conclusion of the final episode of the original series The Hand of God.


The plot and premise of Battlestar Galactica II was to be more twisted, darker and grittier in the same tone of the recent mini series on The Sci-Fi Channel. Also Tom DeSanto, Danny Angel and Billy Brown did introduce Cylon that looked Human as well as many different CGI Cylon centurions. The only difference is DeSanto wanted to use the Centurions in action during the ground assault scenes. Incontrast to the recent remake on Sci-Fi, due to low funded production costs the CGI Cylons were only used in two scenes and basically stood in the background and did nothing.

It was explained in the beginning of the Singer/DeSanto pilot that Galactica engaged in a fierce battle with the Cylons three years after they fled the Colonies on the original series pilot. The Colonials was victorious against the final attack from a Cylon Fleet commanded by Lord Baltar. However the victory was bittersweet when most of the Viper pilots from the original series were killed including Adama's first born son Apollo.

With the Cylon threat behind them, the battered fleet discovered a huge asteroid field containing an abundance of natural resources for survival. They decided to settle and build a new colony and rebuild their society. The war was over as was the Cylon threat or so they thought.


The story opens two decades after their last battle with the Cylons. The Colonials successfully rebuild their civilization upon a new Colony they call New Kobol. Their capital is now run by President Mara and the Council of Twelve. Life among the Colonials takes a twisted turn when key figures within the politicians and the militaries are abducted and then returned, but not quite themselves. Commander Adama who still is grieving the lost of his first born son is now dying from a terminal illness, but must persuade the Council to abandon New Kobol and continue the quest for Earth because he believes that the Cylons will return.

Neither Adama nor President Mara are aware that the Cylons were already among them. Key figures within the Political and Millitary society are being abducted and returned at a faster rate by the Cylons who has been infiltrating their society. Adama is once again thrown into his usual conflict with the Council of Twelve when they declare that the Galactica is to be decommissioned. Then all hell breaks loose when fleets of Cylon Baseships appear and begins their final a new attack.

http://www.cinemaspy.com/article.php?id=1966

Planned from the inception as a continuation of the 1970s series, the DeSanto/Singer version picked up the story 23 years later, with a return of various original cast members in concert with new characters and situations. In this version, Adama is deceased, Apollo has been captured by the Cylons and presumed dead, and Apollo's stepson Boxey has assumed command of the Galactica. After almost 20 years without Cylon contact, and weary of their extended search for the mythical planet Earth, the "rag tag" fleet decides to establish a new colony in a secure asteroid field. Perhaps predictably, the Cylons return to launch a massive assault — and in a "Locutus of Borg" plotline unabashedly borrowed from Star Trek: The Next Generation — are led by a cybernetically modified Apollo.

www.battlestargalactica.com/
After 9/11, the production ground to a halt. Said DeSanto, "It was devastating. No one was able to function. It was difficult to focus, and we lost about a month, and that caused the schedule to shift." The delay forced the departure of Bryan Singer to focus on X2, and Fox had assigned Rob Bowman to take his place. DeSanto tried to recruit another name director, Nic Meyer (who had directed several Star Trek feature films), before bringing on board Stephen Hopkins, Gary Fleder and Brian Henson. With Singer gone, however, everything unravelled. Fox had lost interest, withdrew its support, and chose instead to devote its efforts to creating Joss Whedon's Firefly. On November 13, Variety announced that as a result of Singer's departure, the early 2002 shoot in Vancouver had been cancelled. Tom DeSanto then made an announcement to the fans:

galacticacic.blogspot.com/
Q & A
"The plot twist [of the finale] seems to share allot in common with the DeSanto Galactica continuation story, where the humans think they are safe from the cylons and revolt against the military by deciding to give up on Earth and to colonize another place called New Caprica. Were you at least partially inspired by this earlier concept? "

No. I can honestly say that the idea for our finale was entirely home-grown. I had lunch with Tom DeSanto a few weeks back and we talked about the struggles we both went through trying to get our respective versions of the show off the ground. As he talked about his pilot concept, I shared many of the plot details from our finale and we both remarked on how some notions and ideas are simply either "in the ether" or have a certain inevitability to them. It's reminiscent of the "Babylon 5" vs. "Deep Space 9" questions I used to get. I was there when DS9 was being created and I knew for a fact that neither Michael Piller nor Rick Berman had any knowledge of the B-5 material, but when you're doing a series set on a space station, there were bound to be certain paths that writers found attractive (like having a female second officer, for instance). In terms of Galactica, the idea that the people of the rag-tag fleet might one day come across a planet and decide to settle down permanently, is an idea that would probably occur to anyone approaching the material, and it's really a question of how you execute that idea which is key.


A lot of people criticized the original BSG for being too clichéd or too G rated but ignored the fact that BSG was a dark premise that could have been far better than it was. It was produced in the 1970s where censorship rules were stricter than they are today.

Bryan Singer and Tom DeSanto set out to revive BSG and return it to its dark roots. Unfortunately it was cancelled when it was so close to being filmed. David Eick with Ron Moore took control of the project and went for the re-imagining course instead.

Let us compare and contrast and look at the similarities between Singer/DeSanto and Moore. Note -- The Adama/Orin references meant that Singer and DeSanto kept re-tweaking the character back and forth from Adama to Orin.

Singer & DeSanto -- Darker, grittier than the original series and not family friendly nor a kiddie flick.
Moore -- Darker, grittier than the original series and not family friendly nor a kiddie flick.

Singer & DeSanto -- Human Cylons infiltrating the Colonials. Anyone could be a Cylon.
Moore -- Human Cylons infiltrating the Colonials. Anyone could be a Cylon.

Singer & DeSanto -- Newly advanced CGI Cylon Centurions that would have been featured in action sequences.
Moore -- Newly advanced CGI Cylon Centurions that were only featured in two scenes and basically stood in the background and did nothing. (Damn you Sci-Fi. I wanted to see them in action.)

Singer & DeSanto -- Kept the origins of the Cylons intact but gave them a new semi Borg-like / X-Files black oil motive due to a Cylon Civil War. However, that story arc would have most likely ended by the finale of the first season, so the Cylons could have reverted back to their old ways.
Moore -- Didn't bother to watch the entire TOS, therefore couldn't understand the Cylon's origins nor motives (by just watching the short version of the pilot) so he re-imagined them to be machines turning on their makers.

Singer & DeSanto -- Female President Mara, and always at odds with Commander Adama/Orin.
Moore -- Female President Roslin, and always at odds with Commander Adama.

Singer & DeSanto -- Galactica to be decommissioned because the Cylons had not been heard from in over 20 years.
Moore -- Galactica to be decommissioned because the Cylons had not been heard from in over 40 years.

Singer & DeSanto -- (Dr Wilker ?) unintentionally betrayed the colonies.
Moore -- Dr Baltar unintentionally betrayed the colonies.

Singer & DeSanto -- Starbuck, a manic depressive drunk, breaks free from his slump and becomes a hero upon the Cylon attack.
Moore -- Tigh, a manic depressive drunk, breaks free from his slump and becomes a hero upon the Cylon attack.

Singer & DeSanto -- The Cylons return and ambush New Kobol with the new advanced Cylon Raiders and Missiles from the Basestar in a scene that could have been compared to such films as Armageddon or Deep Impact. Also newly enhanced Centurions would later launch a ground assault.
Moore -- The Cylons return and ambush Kobol except no Cylons are seen (Damn that Sci-Fi's tight budget) so instead the viewers are treated to mushroom clouds in the background and a semi-spectacular scene at Baltar's apartment. Also the Holocaust and destruction of the fleet was dialogue driven.

Singer & DeSanto -- Space battle Scenes -- Traditional Science Fiction with fast moving ships and sounds that would make your surround sound speakers roar.
Moore -- Realistic Science Fiction Experiment with semi/slow moving ships and no sound surround is necessary because there are little to no sounds (for realism purposes.)

Singer & DeSanto -- After the Cylon ambush, Commander Adama/Orin and President Mara decides to begin the quest to Earth based on faith.
Moore -- After the Cylon ambush. Commander Adama and President Roslin decides to begin the quest to Earth based on a lie.

Singer & DeSanto -- A surprise ending with a twist. Apollo, Adama's Son/Orin's Father is a Cylon.
Moore -- A surprise ending with a twist. Sharon Boomer is a Cylon.

Singer & DeSanto -- TOS original cast members were practically knocking down his door for a role (including Jane Seymour.) However, only Dirk Benedict and Herb Jefferson would have been featured and the surprise cameo of Richard Hatch at the end.
Moore -- Every TOS cast member declined any roles that were offered to them.

Singer & DeSanto -- Pilot that was intended to be an updated semi-continuation, fix the flaws and extend the original series.
Moore -- Pilot that was intended to update the story, fix the flaws and bury the original series.

Singer & DeSanto -- was going for a darker traditional Science Fiction Epic feel.
Moore -- was going for a darker docudrama and reality TV feel.

Singer & DeSanto -- Targeted Audience -- 18 to 40.
Moore --Targeted Audiance -- 18 to 40.

In my opinion it does appear that a lot of miniseries groundwork was laid out by Singer/DeSanto until the production was derailed by Sci-Fi and David Eick.