For those who have been waiting with bated breath for news about the future of the Stargate
franchise, the first sign of things to come has arrived in the form of an interview with
Stargate veteran Brad Wright.
In a recent appearance on the Nerks of the Hub Podcast, the Stargate SG-1, Atlantis,
and Universe co-creator confirmed that conversations to move the Stargate franchise forward are
happening in the halls of MGM — and even more importantly, that he is involved in those talks.
“MGM has recognized that they have a genuine franchise in their hands, and they’re looking
at it quite seriously,”
Wright said on the podcast.
“So our first conversation was after Stargate Origins … They had reached out to interview
me for the twentieth anniversary [of SG-1], which would have been lovely.
But I said: ‘I’m surprised you want to talk to me since you seem in your latest effort
to be trying to avoid Stargate SG-1’s canon, and anything that I had contributed.’”
He then added: “And that may have been so, but they have since changed their mind.”
Now in regards to Wright’s comment about SG-1 canon, it’s important to understand
the context around Stargate Origins.
In February of 2018, MGM released the modestly budgeted, 10-part digital series Stargate
Origins -- which was the first Stargate to be produced since SGU’s series finale,
"Gauntlet," which aired in 2011.
Origins followed the adventures of a young Catherine Langford in a story that took its
tonal, thematic, and narrative cues from the original 1994 Stargate feature film.
In the vein of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Jurassic World,” Origins attempted
to recapture the feeling of the original movie that birthed a franchise.
Origins worked to tell an in-canon story that celebrated the source material, yet also furthered
the franchise’s greater mythology.
Now, whether it achieved that is up to an individual viewer’s discretion.
But Origins’ objective was clear: cultivate nostalgia, and tell a retro story that re-energized
fandom as a tease for things to come.
Origins wrapped up its 10-part story last March, and was later re-released in the form
of a feature cut called “Stargate Origins: Catherine” -- sold exclusively on digital markets.
But while Origins was meant to reopen the franchise, things fell quiet
after the feature cut’s June release date.
The first sign of any progress came last September at Gatecon: The Invasion where former Stargate
producer Brad Wright revealed that he and MGM are once again talking
about the Stargate franchise.
At the same time, he was rather vague about details, and his brief mention sounded more
like a non-statement than a tease for things to come.
But Wright’s more recent statements should give more confidence to fans who are hoping
one day to see the full-fledged return of Stargate -- and also assure them that a high
standard of quality will be required for whatever the studio decides to produce.
Wright explained: “We’ve had conversations about what may or may not be able to happen
going forward, and it’s sort of starting from scratch in so many ways.
And very much in the acknowledgment that whatever the next step forward is, it has to be of
certain quality and honor the several hundred hours of show that’s already out there.
I don’t mean ‘honor’ — I mean acknowledge it.
And they agreed.”
He added: “That’s really still where we are, I don’t expect — and certainly don’t
anyone expect — another television show to appear around the corner.
But Stargate is an important part of their library.
And so … maybe we’ll think of something!
That’s all I can tell you!
We’re working on it.”
So nearly a year after MGM tested the waters with Stargate Origins, it sounds like the
studio is actively eyeing options to move the franchise forward.
And while we don’t know what the plan is yet, at least the maestro himself is involved
in the planning stage.
He isn’t just “talking” with MGM: he’s talking about Stargate’s future.
Wright also opened up in the podcast about the impact of MGM’s bankruptcy on Stargate
Universe’s lack of a third season renewal back in 2010.
He explained: “What happened with Stargate Universe is MGM went through a major restructuring
— basically a structured bankruptcy.
Everyone who I knew at MGM simply was gone within a month of this event.
And so even Syfy — who wanted to talk about a third season, or at least have the conversation
— really had no one that they could talk to.”
He also admitted: “It was kind of sad.
And it was kind of a perfect storm of not great ratings and the studio disappearing.”
You can listen to Brad Wright’s 50-minute conversation with Nerks of the Hub now at
Anchor, iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.
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