From AICN:
The thrust of the news is this: straight-to-video BABYLON 5 adventures…involving B5 characters in an anthology format…should arrive late next year. Written and directed by JMS.
This project was green lit less than two weeks ago. Its going to happen. Production starts in September in Vancouver, Canada. Post-production will occur from October to February with a release of the first three anthologies in the second quarter of 2007.
Cool!
Oh boy oh boy oh boy!!!
Does a happy dance all around the thread!
Well, as my grandfather used to say: cool.
I just hope they don’t screw it up.
Great potential here for good or evil. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
On the one hand, the “direct-to-video” thing probably means that JMS has less interference from suits who wouldn’t know good science fiction if it flattened them with mass drivers. On the other hand, it also likely means a significantly lowered budget, and possibly lower production values. And with the time elapsed, many of the actors will no longer be available (the fellow who played Dr. Franklin is now dead, and the guy who played Garibaldi is now a politician, off the top of my head).
And no G’Kar.
…snif
Interferance shouldn’t be an issue
Brian
As much as I’d like to see this, I wish JMS would finish the Rising Stars project first.
Unless the final third is finished and I missed it. But maybe someone here can point me towards it?
Yes andreas Katsulous (sp)? is also dead. I’m excited though, B5 was an excellent show. I hope that whatever they throw at us is better than Crusade. (which had potential, but man, it was boring)
I don’t know. I really loved B5 when it first came out, but I was a teenager back then, and I’m not sure if it would impress me quite as much these days. I’ll probably end up checking it out, though.
I’m in! I’ve even got someone (on second thought, make that a couple of someones) to share it with.
The final issues of Rising Stars were printed around the end of 2004, and collected into a trade paperback. The series is also available in hardcover as well.
I’m interested in these direct-to-video movies, but I also wonder what’s left to say that wasn’t already covered in the show.
I loved Babylon 5 but sometimes a series just needs to end before it turns into a long trek nobody remembers why they’re on.
Marc
Hmmm. Cautiously optimistic on this news. Picked up a pair of tidbits from the linked article in the OP:
*It will be a direct to dvd collection of 20 minutes stories set in the b5 universe that will feature the prominent characters.
These stories will expand on the characters that were previously established. The only character he mentioned would not be covered would be G’Kar since he believes no one should ever voice G’Kar except for Andreas Katsulas, who passed away earlier this year. *
I won’t really miss Dr. Franklin. He was probably my least favorite character in the series, but G’Kar ruled. Not recasting that role is the right decision. Twenty minute stories focusing on particular characters could be fun. Plenty of stuff to work with, but really wondering if the format will get old fairly quickly. Wonder how the marketing will be done? I’d be inclined to pop for a subscription deal if one was offered, rather than risk missing a popular episode at retail…
The other tidbit dealt with the question will there be a B5 computer game soon? Jms said he could not talk about it now, but that in two weeks expect something big to be announced. He hinted that if you ever wanted to live in the B5 universe, you might get your chance. Now, either thats a super holobrothel or a MMORPG. Im hoping for the former
Holobrothel would be…interesting…but I’d rather have a great game. Not so sure about a MMORPG format, though. I could see a strategic version of the Shadow War, and/or the other conflicts in the series. Could maybe see a “Wing Commander” style space-fighter pilot deal. Balanced character classes would seem to pose a problem…Psi-Corps, Rangers, Rogue Telepaths, Earth Force grunt?
Shorter side-stories that explore characters away from the station, or during off-hours, or before they got there, or after they left, or…
As an anthology, this ought to be tres cool. Gonna miss Andreas muchly.
And no Doctor Stephen Franklin, either. Richard Biggs death hit me like a ton of bricks. My wife and I were 1/2 way through the show(my 2nd time, her 1st) when he died.
I think his death played a big part in stopping the feature film. I think everyone just didn’t want to approach B5 for awhile since it was so painful.
And Andreas Katsulas died so early as well.
Two main leads dead and it feels like this show was just off the air yesterday(8 years really). I think Star Trek didn’t lose a lead until Deforest Kelly. Lucky bastards.
I recently re-watched the last season. I believe that was season five. It was okay, but seemed kinda dated already. I also watched, or re-watched all the mini movies. Horrible. Almost too painful to watch.
I have to agree with you in wondering what they could possible have to say or do.
Thanks to the article in the OP though, I realized I’ve not yet seen Legend of the Rangers, so I just added it to my Netflix queue. We’ll see how that is.
Crusade had so much potential. Too bad it was crap.
This…would be a mistake. Just let it pass.
I guess there won’t be any stories about Zathras either.
Poor Zathras.
Regarding B5: Somebody placed a shark in hyperspace, and the entire Earth and Interstellar Alliance fleets jumped over it.
The posted threads mentioned characters being “voiced” … so it appears that JMS is talking about a bunch of fracking 'toons.
I’m sorry, JMS, the real beauty of B5 was that it was to be a planned five-year arc. Now we get spin-offs and sequels and other sundry crap.
No thanks, B5 ended for me with Sleeping in Light.
Please, JMS, for the love of god, do not turn B5 into a Highlander-style orgy of sequels and spinoffs.
This is way cool!
I do have to note: Of course JMS would write/direct/produce/be local deity over the whole production. He’s like that with his creations.