Before the last episode of the final season of Stargate SG-1 airs on the SCI FI Channel, the famous cast of the history-making television series will have already begun the production shoot for the highly anticipated new films in the franchise.
As we have reported in the past, Stargate SG-1 may be leaving television, but MGM is far from letting the successful franchise languish or die out. Fans were very upset with the SCI FI Channel’s decision to stop making new episodes after the landmark 10th straight season of the show wrapped this year. It is also nice to know that fans weren’t the only one’s upset over the announcement of the cancellation. Michael Shanks and the entire cast and crew were also a tad miffed, especially concerning the network’s timing, and the fact that they knew Sony had worked out a deal with the network in advance for a possible 11th season. The Happy 10th Anniversary cake had barely been cut and the 200th episode in the can when the word came down that the show would not have an 11th season. Shanks’ feeling on network empathy, “Yeah, there is such a thing as timing isn’t there?” was shared by us all.
As a result of the public outcry, franchise owner MGM stepped up to the plate and decided to continue the gate action with straight to DVD movies with filming on the first two (and hopefully many more) set to begin on April 15, 2007.
In an interview with IGN.com, Michael Shanks, who has played Dr. Daniel Jackson for the full 10-years of the series (with one short hiatus), talked about some of the things fans can expect from the two upcoming films.
I don’t believe we are telling any tales-out-of-school when we talk about the contents of the first movie as we and many others have already reported on what its main theme would entail. That being said, Shanks revealed that the whole cast from the original series are all signed-on for both movies. Executive producer Robert C. Cooper will write and direct the first movie that “has to do with wrapping up the Ori storyline, which is the storyline that has taken prominence for the last two years of the show,” Shanks revealed. “I don’t know if [Cooper] is going to wrap it up completely or bring it to some conclusion for the sake of the fans and the franchise, to bring that epic struggle to a close.”
As far as the close of Stargate SG-1’s final season on television as a series, Michael did confirm that Amanda Tapping’s character, Col. Samantha Carter, will be crossing over to the Pegasys Galaxy, spending more time at Atlantis. Concerning Daniel Jackson, he would only say that, “something happens to Daniel that sends him on a strange journey,” Shanks said. “So that was kind of fun to play. You get to see the darker side of Daniel and play with that portion of the latter half of the season … he comes back and is kind of a villain….There is obviously more Ori and stand alone stuff,” Shanks continued. “And, at the very end of the season you kind of expect some sort of finale episode, but we did an episode that is more like a ‘bottle show’ and it has nothing to really do with the tying up of any loose ends and is actually one of these strange episodes were you get to see these characters and how they might age and grow in the future and whether or not that is how they stay is the big question mark.”
Will we ever get to see Daniel Jackson make a return visit to Atlantis?
“I think I got my tribute paid in the Pegasus project when Daniel actually got to Atlantis and ended up in a broom closet talking to a hologram, but hey, things happen…..I haven’t been spoken to about anything to do with Atlantis, so I guess Daniel will have to wait,” Shanks said laughing.
For the discussion Shanks had about movie number two, there are some spoilers given in his comments so the spoiler alert is now active. Continue reading at your own risk.
The second movie will begin its full production on June 1st of next year. Executive producer Brad Wright will scribe this one and SG-1/Atlantis director alum Martin Wood is set to helm. The storyline for this one will deal with time travel, sending the SG-1 Team to sometime in the past. “[It] has something to do with our main mustache twiddling villain Baal [Cliff Simon] doing something in the past,” Shanks said. “He basically finds a way to lift the Stargate from Earth so the Stargate Program never happens, and I imagine the characters will have to go through some process to reset the clock and fix everything.”
Michael’s complete interview, with some spoilers, can be found at IGN.com.
Mike from Miami says
Dugg!
http://digg.com/movies/Stargate_SG_1_Films_Given_Shooting_Dates
loggia says
How many times are they going to have someone go back in time and make the Stargate program never happen?
How about something a little more subtle for the Stargate universe – like Baal goes back in time and history turns out for *the better*? That’d be an interesting ethical puzzle for our team…
Kyle Nin says
Isn’t that basically the plot for the Season 8 episode “Moebius”?
Atlantis fan says
If they have Carter on Atlantis then I’m going to stop watching it!!!
Jeremy says
The best episodes have been ones with time travel, Moebius was definitely doing something different and cool. I would say though that Ioggia has a good point. They are just repeating themselves a lot. The series can go a fafillon different ways, and I have to say I am excited about the movies. I heard somewhere that there will be a third series, or it might just be a rumor.
Don says
Carter needs to displace that scenery chewing McKay — he is the reason I hate Atlantis. I know they copied the formula of Stargate’s personnel because it worked so well, but copies are never like the original and they dilute the material. I feel that Atlantis is the B movie version of Stargate, ripped off storylines and actors not all up to par.
Sean says
I have to say I’m not a big fan of Atlantis because all they ever do is fight the Wraith. Look, the Wraith are coming! What Ancient technology is lying around that we just found that could possibly solve the problem?
There in a completely new galaxy. Are you telling me there’s nobody interesting to meet here other than the Jenai?
SwartzNegger says
Why don’t I see colonel O’neal in the picture above. I haven’t watched in a long time.
Kyle Nin says
It seemed like all SG-1 was doing for the first couple of years was fight the Goa’uld. There was no other major enemy around. Don’t knock “Atlantis” because the Wraith show up a lot. They’re supposed to. That’s the point, if you had watched the premiere episode “Rising”. They want Earth.
Sam says
Richard Dean Anderson is still part of the Stargate franchise, has made several return appearances, and will again on SG-1 and Atlantis…and it looks like Brig. General O’Neill is returning in the two DVD movies. So, that is why he is pictured in the story…didn’t want to leave the most important character of the francise out of the limelight of this article. 😉
Bob Loveland says
I’m sorry to see the tv series come to an end, but very grateful that they are going to continue with a few movies to finish up the story line. I have yet to miss any episodes since its first airing years ago and plan to see them all as long as they continue to be produced whether its on tv, theaters, or dvd.
My guess is the original crew will have to appear occasionally on Atlantis if nothing else to aid in its story line from time to time.
coco says
SG-1 AND SG ATALNTIS best watch in last 15 years. cant’t stop it. so don’t.
HAM says
i think that having carter in atlantis will be good, we’ll get to see her and mckay fight a bit, maybe romance, but daniel should definetely go, as he is the foremost expert on the ancients, and is a good character
Juls says
I was shocked as I read, that the series is going to end. I am 18 years old now and grew up with it:-(
I don’t know if I like Atlantis. On the one hand it is a part of the stargate universe but on the other… I kind of miss the old Characters
Robert says
I’m from England and Stargate SG1 is my favourite tv-show ever next to Stargate Atlantis which is second to me. I really like how SG1 has gone for 10 years and there still wanting to do a movie. I am disapointed about series 4 of Atlantis because Dr.Weir and Carlson Beckett are only gonna be in a couple of episodes but I like the way that Amanda Tapping/Sam Carter is wanting to go over and act in Atlantis even after doing 10 years of SG1 🙂