“About time”, is probably what many Babylon 5 fans are thinking right now as the cult series is finally getting a shot at the big screen. But not quite the way they may have hoped or expected.
At the recent San Diego Comic-Con (via TV Wise), writer, director and producer J. Michael Straczysnki announced that he will be penning a script for a “big budget” feature film this year with an eye for its release sometime in 2016. This isn’t the first time though that Straczysnki has wanted to take the series to the movies. Way back in the 90’s he hoped to produce a movie revolving around the Telepath War story arc, but was let down. Even though Wachowski actually owns the rights for the movie he failed to get it green lit on two more occasions, although he was very close in 2004/5. What he lacked on those occasions was funding from Warner Bros. But with the recent success of his production company Studio JMS (producers of the soon to be released Sense8 from the Wachowski’s) he will now go it alone if Warner Bros. refuses to bankroll the big budget endeavour again, and will just throw $80-100 million of his own company’s money at it (in comparison Star Trek: Into Darkness cost $190 million)
Besides for the newly acquired financial freedom, there is one big difference between those earlier attempts and this latest one: Straczynksi is intending for this new movie to act as a reboot for the franchise. Just how this “reboot” comes about isn’t clear yet (or even if there are intentions for it to kickstart a new series), but he has said that he was hoping to get some of the original cast to come back: “I’d love to see Bruce (Boxleitner ) as the President of the Earth Alliance”, and so would I! Let’s hope he also finds a space for Mira Furlan.
I must say I really enjoyed the show when it originally aired and although it never hit it as big as Star Trek, it had some great ideas that would be really cool to revisit.
What do you think, are you ready for more space opera?
Last Updated: August 14, 2014
Grant [_G_] Hancock
August 14, 2014 at 14:45
I do not have hope for this film … With Star Trek and Star Wars getting new instalments i hope B5 is not just an attempt to cash-in on the resurgent popularity of old sci-fi franchises … like Stargate is almost certainly set to be.
Enjoyed the series when it aired, like 90’s Star Trek, it is my style of sci-fi … I detest the degenerate JJ Abrams’ popularist interpretation of Star Trek and I fear the new Star Wars and all of these other awesome sci-fi brands are going to be following suite over the next few years.
Rinceable
August 14, 2014 at 15:54
Well he has been trying since the early 90’s, so I really hope that is an indication of not cashing in!
Grant [_G_] Hancock
August 14, 2014 at 16:02
Hope so … but if that is what making money…
James Francis
August 14, 2014 at 14:56
Awesome! And may they have lots of technomages.
xdvd
August 14, 2014 at 15:18
Love Babylon 5. This excites me.
Sith JJ
August 14, 2014 at 15:34
I’m a little disappointed that neither your, nor Darryn’s, face is shopped into that header pic.
Rinceable
August 14, 2014 at 15:54
Lol 🙂 Missed opportunity!