Sci-fi & More TV Musings

Jan 17, 2007
MGM GREENLIGHTS NEW STARGATE MOVIES

Studio Continues Record Breaking Franchise by Releasing “Stargate: The Ark of Truth” and “Stargate: Continuum”

LOS ANGELES, CA January 15, 2007 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM), announced today the extension of the hit “Stargate SG-1″ franchise with two movies based on the popular series. Titled “Stargate: The Ark of Truth” and “Stargate: Continuum”, the movies will both be made available to the television universe and home entertainment marketplace by MGM. The announcement was made by Charles Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President, MGM.

“Stargate SG-1″ is to MGM Television what the ‘James Bond,’ ‘Pink Panther’ and the ‘Rocky’ franchises are to our feature film unit,” said Cohen. “We are committed to continuing to release new SG-1 content and its “Stargate Atlantis” spin-off, and we’re also steadfast in our dedication to extending the franchise. ‘Stargate’ is an indelible brand for MGM and we will support it well into the future.”

With its high quality production values, long-term stability in the show’s leadership and strong chemistry between the lead actors in the series, all of whom have big audience appeal, “Stargate SG-1″ is the longest-running science-fiction series in U.S. TV history. The series has a strong worldwide fan base and can be seen in over 120 countries. “Stargate SG-1″ cast members Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black and Michael Shanks are confirmed to star in both movies. Written and produced by Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, the new movies will feature the latest visual and sound effects, providing viewers with a theatrical movie-going experience.

In the first movie, “Stargate: The Ark of Truth” will bring a conclusion to the primary storyline of the past two seasons of the SG-1 television series. More thrills and action-packed scenes are planned for this special event movie, which will be directed by Cooper. The suspense will end as fans will see the conclusion of the epic Ori saga.

In the second movie, “Stargate: Continuum” the SG-1 team is now free to embark on new and exciting adventures throughout the endless Stargate universe.

Below are the synopses for the new “Stargate” movies:

“Stargate: The Ark of Truth”
As SG-1 searches for an Ancient artifact which they hope can defeat the armies of the Ori, they learn more Ori ships are about to be sent through the supergate to launch a final assault on Earth. Daniel discovers that the artifact, the Ark of Truth, may be in the Ori home galaxy, and SG-1 embarks aboard the Odyssey to find it, and pre-empt the attack. The IOA has a plan of their own and SG-1 ends up in a distant galaxy fighting two powerful enemies.

“Stargate: Continuum”
While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba’al, the last of the goa’uld system lords, Teal’c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities what’s happened, a fleet of goa’uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba’al, his queen, Katesh, (Vala) and his first prime, Teal’c. SG-1 must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the goa’uld.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,000 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 110 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), Texas Pacific Group (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

One of television’s most critically acclaimed series is moving to television’s hottest night: Battlestar Galactica returns January 21 on its new day and time — Sundays at 10/9C — immediately following the series debut of The Dresden Files at 9/8C.
FROM scifi.com

I believe this is perhaps a move to gather viewers for THE DRESDEN FILES.
Naturally BSG fans will be lured to the premiere considering BSG follows it.

The future of Stargate is in question today, as SCI FI Channel has cancelled the long-running Stargate SG-1, Multichannel News reported today and a GateWorld source has confirmed. The news regrettably follows the airing of the show’s milestone two-hundredth episode on Friday.

Excerpt from www. Gateworld.net {August 21}

Yep, it’s true folks! Scifi really screwed up. Who cancels a “top 5″ show then brings in Extreme Championship Wrestling(nothing pertaining to science fiction if you haven’t already deduced!) and Who wants to be a superhero! It’s not the best idea to announce something such as this on the night of the 200th episode….

Stargate owner Metro Goldwyn Mayer is planning an on-going Stargate SG-1 movie franchise, a production source tells GateWorld. MGM and the show’s Vancouver-based producers are no longer pursuing an eleventh season for the hit television series, which was cancelled by U.S. broadcaster SCI FI Channel in August.

The cast of Stargate SG-1 has now signed on for the first film, though an exact list of confirmed actors is not yet available. The film begins shooting April 15 in Vancouver, followed by a June 1 start date for the second movie, according to a new IGN interview with actor Michael Shanks (“Daniel Jackson”).

Though perhaps a disappointment to fans rallying for an eleventh season at SaveStargateSG1.com, the news does offer a silver lining: should DVD sales justify the plans to make an on-going series of movies, the adventures of SG-1 will continue.

The studio was previously exploring its options for an alternate way to finance and distribute Season Eleven in the U.S. (story), calling Stargate its most important franchise second only to James Bond.

The producers announced in October that two SG-1 movies, likely direct-to-DVD, had been greenlit (story). The first will serve as the climax of the Ori story line, according to executive producer Brad Wright. It will be written by executive producer Robert C. Cooper.

The second film will be written by Wright, and is said to deal with time travel.

The studio is targetting a fall 2007 release for both films — just a few months after Stargate SG-1 ends its historic, 10-year run on cable television. They hope for at least one new SG-1 movie each year thereafter, a source tells GateWorld.

“There’s a sense of an era for us ending,” Wright told TV Guide in October, “but at the same time, we’re all positive because of the prospect of continuing forward with movies and the introduction next year of Stargate Worlds, a massive multiplayer online game.”

Stargate SG-1 takes its final television bow with 10 all-new episodes starting in April on SCI FI Channel.

from Gateworld

My Opinion is: hey it’s stargate, I’ll watch but I ain’t satisfied! The movies will be low-budgeted. Seeing new SG-1 EPS every week is way better than seeing a movie once a year which is approximatethat hey theyly 3 EPS a year.
Many now have the mentallity
that hey they said season 11 is “officially off the table” so lets not continue to fight for season11, when it was actually reported by Gateworld, not MGM.
Now MGM has the news posted on their new and improved SG-1 site, www.stargatesg1.com
but again it is just that GW article. MGM has yet to make an official press statement.
Continue to save S11.
www.savestargatesg1.com
goto:
“Resources ” and “tatics” tabs