New 'Battlestar Galactica' movie will completely reimagine the sci-fi tale

From The Verge

Universal is preparing to start work on a Battlestar Galactica movie. Variety says the studio is planning to completely reimagine the sci-fi story — in which space-bound humans fend off the attacks of nefarious cybernetic Cylons as they try to find a new home — just five years after the four-season Syfy TV show set in the same universe drew to a close. The planned film would mark the second time Battlestar Galactica has been rebooted after the original show aired in 1978.

Jack Paglen, the writer of the upcoming Transcendence, has agreed to write the reboot's screenplay. Paglen is hot property for studios wanting to create sci-fi at the moment: he's also slated to write Ridley Scott's Prometheus sequel. Glen Larson, who worked on the 1970s TV series, will produce the film, but there's no confirmation yet on who'll take on the role of director. Bryan Singer was originally attached to a Battlestar Galactica movie project in 2011, but the production was put on hold in 2013 after the director committed to working on new X-Men movies. Having agreed to direct 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse, Singer is unlikely to have time to work on developing a new Battlestar.

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Bryan Singer Signs On To Direct Battlestar Galactica Movie

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Variety

Universal has just signed Bryan Singer to direct the upcoming "Battlestar Galactica" movie. The signing came to the surprise of many in the industry who believed that he had already signed on to helm "X-Men: First Class".

Singer has a long history with "Battlestar Galactica", back in 2001 he was set to relaunch the television series along with producer Tom DeSanto. Many speculate that the events of 9/11 caused ABC to rethink their plans and put the new series back on the shelf. Singer then moved on to other movie projects and Ronald Moore stepped in to re-invent "Galactica" for the Sci Fi Channel.

A long-time fan of the original 1978 series, Singer had longed to continue on the story from where it had left off. Now, he may get his chance.

Though, Universal has stated that the movie version of "Galactica" would again be another 're-imagining' of the television series, reports have surfaced that the project would resemble the 1978 TV version more then the new Ronald Moore series.

During a convention a few years back I got a chance to talk to actor Richard Hatch, who has appeared on both "Galactica" series, about what Singer and DeSanto had in store for their series. Here is an excerpt from that interview:

"...... Finally Bryan Singer (X-men, X2 & Superman Returns) came on board and his version was to continue the story on down the line so that they would only have three or four of the original actors in the show. I felt that was much more in line with what the fans wanted to see and was more in line with what I was doing. I was supportive of that project. The only problem I had with it was that it seemed like they were bringing some of the main characters back in main roles, yet my character was being brought in through the back door. I felt that the story Tom DeSanto was working on was very interesting. My character was to find redemption after being captured by the Cylons, maybe even being turned into a Cylon himself much like what was done in the new series. I thought that would be a very compelling story. In the opening two hour pilot, however I basically didn't have a word. I felt like Herb and Dirk were given the main roles in the show and I felt like I was being brought in through the back door. Maybe to do a real interesting role that for me as an actor I would have loved doing."

Richard also went on to talk about how the series could have continued on from the original series.

"You could have great stories about fathers and sons plus you get to flash back and build upon the mythology and fill in the blanks that never got tied together. To me it was important to build upon the back story, tie together the missing links and some of the story threads that never got explained and bring it all together in a powerful way. To me a continuation made the most sense."

Read More - Interview - Richard Hatch

Of course, Singer and DeSanto's "Battlestar Galactica" series never got produced, but it does give some insight into where the director's head is at.

It is uncertain at this point whether Ronald Moore or Tom DeSanto will be involved with the project, but series creator Glen A. Larson has been signed as executive producer.

See Also: Battlestar Galactica And V Coming To The Big Screen Retro Style?! / Interview - Richard Hatch / SyFy Announces Air Date For Caprica / Tricia Helfer Talks Galactica And Burn Notice With The Media / USA Launches Second Online Game Based On Burn Notice / Galactica Prequel Caprica To Premiere On DVD / iPhone Users Can Now Download Their Own Cylon Detector / Galactica Brings Record Viewers And Web Traffic To Sci Fi / Galactica Actors Hand Pick Items For Charity Auction / Sci Fi Begins Producion On Galactica Prequel Caprica / Battlestar Galactica Props To Go On The Auction Block In Pasadena / The Galactica Begins Its Final Journey Battlestar Galactica Props Go On The Auction Block / Actress Profile - Grace Park / Galactica's Grace Park Set To Star In The Cleaner / Nothing Brightens Up A Home Like A Life-Size Cylon /Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979) /Sci Fi Begins Production On Caprica

Battlestar Galactica And V Coming To The Big Screen Retro Style?!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: IGN / i09 / Avery Guerra

I just read two articles that made me do 'the happy dance'!

According to multiple sources, it appears that both the original versions of "Battlestar Galactica" and "V" are about to be made into movies.

According to IGN, "Galactica" creator, Glen A. Larson, has been tapped by Universal to write and produce a movie based on the 1978 television series, not the modern reboot.

Initially Universal ignored the report, then denied it, but IGN was later able to validate the report.

Yes, my friends, the original "Galactica" is coming back!

There is no word yet, whether Richard Hatch, who campaigned relentlessly for a new "Battlestar Galactica" series for years, will be involved in the project.

Read my interview with Richard Hatch for more details - Interview - Richard Hatch

Many fans of the original series, may remember that this will not be the first time that "Galactica" graced the big screen. Back in 1979, the original pilot episode was re-edited into a feature length film. In fact several episodes from the series were re-edited into two movies, that were released in the UK and other countries that didn't air the program.

Likewise, Kenneth Johnson is pushing forward with a movie adaptation of his 80s alien invasion series "V". It seems that Johnson is pretty pissed that ABC is going forward with a new "V" series without him.

Johnson still, unlike Larson, owns the movie rights to his creation, and is presently going forward with his vision of what he wants "V" to be.

Recently Johnson told a writer for the "Unlikely Worlds" blog, " I own the motion picture rights to V and have turned down offers from several major studios whose vision of V as a movie doesn't correspond to my own. We are currently working to set up V as an independent feature."

"My prime desire is to bring big-screen production values to the new V movie while carefully protecting the timeless story, the characters, quality, integrity and substance that make my original V such a favorite of worldwide audiences and a critically acclaimed, international landmark."

I don't know about you, but I feel pretty damn good about seeing both "Battlestar Galactica" and "V" being made into movies by the people who created them. Normally, when someone else gets involved, they have their own agendas, and the core material gets either 'lost' or 're-envisioned' to fit their desires.

Remember that neither of these two projects is guaranteed to be made at this point, but if they do, you know I will be forking over my money to see them!

Hell, I would get in line now, if I knew for sure that they were making a retro "Galactica" movie!

See Also: Tricia Helfer Talks Galactica And Burn Notice With The Media / USA Launches Second Online Game Based On Burn Notice / Galactica Prequel Caprica To Premiere On DVD / iPhone Users Can Now Download Their Own Cylon Detector / Galactica Brings Record Viewers And Web Traffic To Sci Fi / Galactica Actors Hand Pick Items For Charity Auction / Sci Fi Begins Producion On Galactica Prequel Caprica / Battlestar Galactica Props To Go On The Auction Block In Pasadena / The Galactica Begins Its Final Journey Battlestar Galactica Props Go On The Auction Block / Actress Profile - Grace Park / Galactica's Grace Park Set To Star In The Cleaner / Nothing Brightens Up A Home Like A Life-Size Cylon / Interview - Richard Hatch /Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979) /Sci Fi Begins Production On Caprica

Characters For New V Series Revealed / ABC Going Forward With A More Family Oriented V / ABC Hires Peters To Bring V Back To TV / V Creater Johnson Snubbs Remake - Continues Plans For Film

Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979)

Battlestar Galactica (TV 1978-1979)

Directed By: Richard A. Colla & Alan J. Levi

Written By: Glen A. Larson

Cast:

Richard Hatch as Captain Apollo

Dirk Benedict as Lt. Starbuck

Lorne Greene as Comander Adama

Herb Jefferson Jr. as Lt. Boomer

Maren Jensen as Athena

Tony Swartz as Sgt. Jolly

Noah Hathaway as Boxey

Terry Carter as Col. Tigh

Lew Ayres as President Adar

Wilfred Hyde-White as Sire Anton

John Colicos as Count Baltar

Laurette Spang as Cassiopeia

John Fink as Dr. Paye

Jane Seymour as Serina

Ray Milland as Sire Uri

Anne Lockhart as Sheba

Ed Begly Jr. as Ens. Greenbean

Patrick Macnee as Imperious Leader (Voice)

Jonathan Harris as Lucifer (Voice)

Janet Julian as Lt. Brie

Sarah Rush as Flight Cpl. Rigel

No TV series that lasted only one season can boast a bigger fan base than Battlestar Galactica. The series that Newsweek Magazine dubbed "Son of Star Wars" still, 25 years later, hosts hoards of loyal die hard fans. What is the appeal for the series so many years after it left the airwaves in 1979? A series so popular that it was revived this year by the Sci Fi Channel as a new mini-series. This fleet on the run story based loosely on Mormonism may actually be more popular today then it was then. As a fan of the show from it's original airing I can tell you that the series left a lasting effect. I can still remember being that eleven year old boy that tuned in every Sunday night with joy for a new episode of Galactica. Star Wars had come to TV. Or at least the next best thing. Remember there were no DVD's or VCR in the late 1970's. Galactica was intentionally designed to capture the momentum of the hugely popular George Lucas epic. It did the trick. The show was a huge hit with my generation. But this show was no clone. The series itself stood on its own. Great special effects, good acting, and stories that sparked imagination made the show unique for it's time. What did in Galactica? Simple. Money. Each episode was heavy on the special effects side. Each episode ran around the million dollar mark to produce. Today that may not be much but back then it was unheard of. No amount of ratings could equal the cost. The show was popular, but not that popular. Yet despite this the fans have stayed loyal to the show throughout the decades.

The story itself focused on the last remaining refuges from a once great intergalactic society running for their lives from the Cylon Empire. The Cylons may be Science Fictions most inept villains ever. They can hardly walk above a shuffle and could never hit anything they aimed at. In comparison Stormtroopers (Star Wars) look like Special Forces. Regardless the Cylon Empire did manage to destroy almost all of humanity in a "Pearl Harbor" like sneak attack on a day that was bring peace between the two races. Survivors of the Holocaust boarded what ships they could find and formed a fleet behind the last surviving Battlestar. The Galactica. The only hope for these survivors was to reach a lost tribe of mankind that existed in myth. Their home world known only as Earth and it's exact location a mystery. The fleet plotted the best course they could with the limited information available and began a journey to save mankind.

Episode List:

1. Saga of a Star World (Part 1)

2. Saga of a Star World (Part 2)

3. Saga of a Star World (Part 3)

4. The Lost Planet of the Gods (Part 1)

5. The Lost Planet of the Gods (Part 2)

6. The Lost Warrior

7. The Long Patrol

8. The Gun on Ice Planet Zero (Part 1)

9. The Gun on Ice Planet Zero (Part 2)

10. The Magnificent War

11. The Young Lords

12. The Living Legend (Part 1)

13. The Living Legend (Part 2)

14. Fire in Space

15. War of the Gods (Part 1)

16. War of the Gods (Part 2)

17. The Man with Nine Lives

18. Murder on the Rising Star

19. Greetings from Earth (Part 1)

20. Greetings from Earth (Part 2)

21. Baltar's Escape

22. Experiment in Terra

23. Take the Celestra

24. The Hand of God.

Galactica 1980
Directed by: Barry Crane & Vince Edwards

Written By: Allan Cole & Jeff Freilich

Cast:

Lorne Greene as Commander Adama

Kent McCord as Captain Troy

Barry Van Dyke as Lieutenant Dillon

Robyn Douglass as Jamie Hamilton

James Patrick Stuart as Dr. Zee

Allan Miller as Colonel Sydell

Richard Lynch as Xavier

Herb Jefferson Jr. as Boomer

Robbie Rist as Dr. Zee

It was the fan base that convinced the network, ABC, to give the show one more try with the ill-fated Galactica 1980. Most of the main cast was replaced and the storyline just plain sucked. Gone were the flashy special effects. It was much cheaper to produce a show that is based here on Earth rather than in space. Lets face it "V" did this whole thing a lot better. I remember as a youth the series held my attention for about five seconds. Where were Starbuck and Apollo? Alas the viewing public shared my view and the series lasted ten episodes. This did surprise me because I could have sworn it lasted three or four tops. The potential for a series where the Galactica finds Earth could have been awesome....it wasn't.