Stargate: Universe gets Greenlight

Mr E · 22-08-2008 10:07am #1

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.

22-08-2008 10:30am

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 · 22-08-2008 10:40am

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 · 22-08-2008 10:56am

They cant just have 4 members it will suck something awful

Yavvy · 22-08-2008 11:13am

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 · 22-08-2008 11:18am

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 · 22-08-2008 1:14pm

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 · 22-08-2008 1:43pm

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 · 22-08-2008 4:43pm

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 · 22-08-2008 4:45pm

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 · 22-08-2008 5:24pm

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

senordingdong · 22-08-2008 6:43pm

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.

22-08-2008 7:30pm

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

User45701 · 22-08-2008 7:37pm

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 · 22-08-2008 11:02pm

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 · 23-08-2008 2:59pm

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

jhegarty · 23-08-2008 3:08pm

spot on...

and the ship :

Sherifu · 23-08-2008 3:46pm

Obligatory wh00t!

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

No more replicators
Furlings
Lots of new races (seems like this is a given with the format)
Some long lost Asgard cousins with some kick ass tech
No more ascension
Space battles (also seems like this is a given with the format)
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 · 23-08-2008 5:19pm

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 · 23-08-2008 5:38pm

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 · 23-08-2008 9:26pm

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 · 23-08-2008 10:59pm

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 · 23-08-2008 11:28pm

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 · 24-08-2008 12:02am

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

don ramo · 24-08-2008 12:06am

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 · 24-08-2008 6:19pm

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 · 24-08-2008 6:50pm

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 · 24-08-2008 6:54pm

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 · 24-08-2008 11:07pm

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 · 24-08-2008 11:43pm

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 · 25-08-2008 10:19am

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...

don ramo · 25-08-2008 11:11am

the question is how commited sci-fi is to this project, are they gonna guarantee 4-5 seasons, or if there not happy wil preliminary figures just cut there losses and end the show afte half a season,

there expecting an immediate injection of viewers to the stargate universe, what if these viewers dont show, and there left with the current viwership, is this acceptable

chamlis · 25-08-2008 1:00pm

Sounds alot like Voyager to me.

You know, they'd spend this amount of time in, we'll say, Kason (sp?) space, then as they move they find themselves in Borg space, etc.

So there is a little scope for recurring characters etc. If someone loses popularity, they get trapped in a gate or they move on to the next piece of space.

Overheal · 25-08-2008 5:09pm

Sliders meets Stargate meets Voyager tbh. I mean, how many times did I watch Voyager thinking "They're gonna go down to that planet, and find a stargate!"

Just as long as they dont try and come up with a really bad opener and get all the sound effects mixed up...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67E-_SQLVRo

or cast people too young...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10HN5UpRZc4

or make it too space-shippy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeEbozKM7y8

senordingdong · 25-08-2008 9:01pm

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).

How exactly are they going to make it more like BSG and make it appeal to a younger audience?

Ivan · 25-08-2008 11:46pm

I'm going to go on record now and say, This will suck

SG-1 worked on the basis that RDA was a great actor and the scripts were really witty, but also humanist stories

Atlantis completely left all that in its dust. Hell, season 8-10 of SG-1 missed this point entirely, too.

The words "reinvent", "franchise" and "Stargate" just dont work together. If you are reinventing the stargate franchise, then you arent selling what was so successful in the first place, you are just making up a whole new show again and you have to go through the luck based process, of latching onto something that people like.

Atlantis has already been a casuality of such an endeavour and Enterprise has already demonstrated that Nerds are just as fickle as regular Joe Schmo.

Sherifu · 26-08-2008 8:40am

Ivan, someday somewhere you'll say something positive about stargate and I hope we get it on tape.

Ivan · 26-08-2008 9:30am

I say positive stuff about Stargate all the time. Stargate SG-1 was a great show. Rodney McCay is my favourite character in any of the shows...

Uhmm...
Tayla has really nice hair.

seamus · 26-08-2008 9:33am

Let's not forget that Dr. Keller is Hawt!

Ron DMC · 26-08-2008 9:50am

seamus wrote: »

Let's not forget that Dr. Keller is Hawt!

That's what this forum needs, a thread of Stargate babes ala the Lost forum.

chamlis · 26-08-2008 10:39am

Yup, always had a soft spot for Jewel

Kashkai · 29-08-2008 1:44pm

Beautiful Jewel Staite...................Oh how I could marry her, that is if I wasn't already married (wife beating me over head now :eek:)

Overheal · 29-08-2008 5:45pm

Im busy, someone: Post Jewel pics now!

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 29-08-2008 5:47pm

she was hotter when she had a bit of meat on her, in firefly.. in atlantis she was very meh.

Kashkai · 29-08-2008 5:56pm

Do you remember her first appearence on Firefly??;) She was ahem, liaising with Mal's original engineer as she just wanted to be around engines. Can't describe it any more as there may be kids watching so I'm off home to watch Firefly again, and again, and again (dirty old sod I am):D

AlmightyCushion · 30-08-2008 6:04pm

Overheal wrote: »

Im busy, someone: Post Jewel pics now!

http://www.go4celebrity.com/wallpapers/Jewel-Staite/go4-Jewel-Staite-019.jpg

DesignLady · 09-09-2008 12:59pm

With yet another Star Trek/ sci-fi actor in Stargate Atlantis (Nicole DeBoer) who wants to start taking bets on the new Stargate Universe cast?

It's not that I dislike all the well known sci-fi actors popping up since SG-1 series 8 but surely there are actors who are less well known to the audience (most likely fans of other sci-fi) that are just as good and don't require us to keep reminding ourselves which show we're watching?

Anyway with that in mind I'm thinking that the new show cast will include Will Wheaton, Nathon Fillion, a couple more farscape people, Jeri Ryan, and maybe Porthos the dog from Enterprise. :P

Overheal · 09-09-2008 6:37pm

Porthos was a terrible actor. no synergy at all. He just sat on the floor and moped around.

Gareth-W-A · 09-09-2008 8:05pm

Does anyone else think that the way sci fi has stated there will be an ALL new cast in universe may just bring this new series far too distant from the original two series. I mean, SGA touched base with earth occasionally and brought familiar characters into episodes all the time which kind of stopped fans getting "homesick" in a word. The pitch for this show says to me that the main goal of this expedition will be returning home - sounds a lot like voyager. This implies a total disconnection with the Milky Way Galaxy, something a lot of fans may not appreciate, myself included. For this reason i think a couple of regulars MUST be brought over to the universe world to provide some source of familiarity for fans.

Any suggestions here?

krpc · 09-09-2008 8:21pm

Overheal wrote: »

Porthos was a terrible actor. no synergy at all. He just sat on the floor and moped around.

Porthos? :eek: He was a dog?!

krpc · 09-09-2008 8:26pm

Gareth-W-A wrote: »

Does anyone else think that the way sci fi has stated there will be an ALL new cast in universe may just bring this new series far too distant from the original two series. I mean, SGA touched base with earth occasionally and brought familiar characters into episodes all the time which kind of stopped fans getting "homesick" in a word. The pitch for this show says to me that the main goal of this expedition will be returning home - sounds a lot like voyager. This implies a total disconnection with the Milky Way Galaxy, something a lot of fans may not appreciate, myself included. For this reason i think a couple of regulars MUST be brought over to the universe world to provide some source of familiarity for fans.

Any suggestions here?

I think that is the idea that the producers are running with - to bring Stargate in a whole new direction that is disconnected from SG-1 and Atlantis, although maintaining the general Stargate theme.

That being said, Atlantis was suppose to be a stand-alone show without much connection to Earth / SGC, but time proved that it relied heavily on that connection.

Stargate: Universe gets Greenlight

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