Singer wants to do a big screen Galactica!?!

Television, Movies Games and Books Galactica Verse
#41

The movie is optimistically slated for 2011, eight years after the Sci Fi miniseries debut.

In the DVD commentary for Daybreak, Ron Moore, David Eick and Michael Rymer confessed to not having watched the miniseries since sitting down together to do that DVD commentary in 2004.

The 1978 theatrical release of Battlestar Galactica was never shown in the United States.

I expect movie audiences will be willing and receptive in three years provided it’s a quality drama of course. For no other reason than the vast majority recognize the name, but aren’t familiar with the story.

#42

I agree completely about the possibility of having multiple independent visions of the same universe. I would be a hypocrite not to considering my love of RDM’s BSG. I even find the furor over the non-Wendon Buffy kind of amusing. However, I don’t think the name Battlestar Galactica now has enough cashé to pull off a big blockbuster. While I could be interested in seeing a continuation of the original with some of the cheeze factor toned down a bit), I don’t think the original series has enough resonance to pick up where the original left off or even to jump 20 years in the future. Every one knows who Capt Kirk is, but even today Cmdr Adama is still a name drop only geeks really pick up on. A new movie of Battlestar will have to start again from the beginning with the destruction of the 12 Colonies, and we’ve already seen that… twice.

In fact I suspect a non-Wendon Buffy movie has a better chance at success than does a new BSG. Its been of the air for multiple years now (tho, I really only know Buffy from the original movie anyway). But a quick perusal of Entertainment Weekly makes it obvious that vampires and the women that follow with them are all the rage right now and money can be made…

#43

I believe it is way too soon to redux BSG but I will give it a chance If it comes out! I saw the video Pike posted and it has set construction that means they have probably filmed something. Lets see that so we can see how good or cheesy this will be.

#44

This comic sums it up very well:D:

from: http://hijinksensue.com/2009/08/14/so-sad-we-all/

#45

It’s a boot… planted firmly on the GINO fanboy’s a$$. Way too soon.

BSG doesn’t really lend itself to multiple tellings like this. The BSG universe is not built like Stargate or Doctor Who, where it’s a open universe of stories that you could tell… this is the kind of story you have to let rest for a while, and come back to it in another 20 years. I mean, I might enjoy another version from the BSG universe, but other people? Casual fans? I suspect, not so much.

#46

well said :smiley:

#47

Battlestar is Battlestar. Bring it on.

#48

I didn’t realize how far the production process Singer got. Those wooden Vipers on huge soundstages, I wonder what stopped that process? There was a pretty hefty investment there.

As for whether it should be done or not I really don’t have an opinion. Part of me is interested in seeing the extension of the show from my childhood and part of me thinks it doesn’t get much better than RDM’s retelling.

In the end, more story is more story. If it is good it is good. If it isn’t, well, you know.

#49

if it isn’t then in the words by eddie izzard “DEATH BY TRAY IT SHALL BE”

#50

How dare you? I mean…er…using…rationalism and logic and…oh screw it!

In the end, more story is more story. If it is good it is good. If it isn’t, well, you know.

Well, except that if it’s no good, it could sully the RDM incarnation the same way the Star Wars prequels have sullied the original trilogy in the minds of many critics.

That said, the Singer version did provide a template for David Eick and Ron Moore, as many elements in it made their way into their version: the asteroid settlement echoes New Caprica to me, and the Laura Roslin character first appeared, though under a different name, in this earlier continuation idea. Hell, the cylon concept was used for the Earth cylon fossils in “Sometimes a Great Notion.” And based on Richard Hatch’s self-produced trailer, a continuation of the original series could have some potential.

Peter Jackson, when finishing his work on The Lord of the Rings, said he hopes that his version will just be the first of many filmed interpretations over the years. I suppose the same could be said here, even if the timing seems more based on commercial interests and an attempt at capitalizing on the popularity and success of the recent series than in trying to present an alternative to that story from a creative standpoint.

I want to ask why Singer would do it, but Singer’s one of the better creative folks in Hollywood, and I always love it when sci-fi is given the money to look as good as it does in my head, so I’d certainly give it a shot.

Hmmm…see, Singer hasn’t impressed me all that much since The Usual Suspects, the charm of which I always found had more to do with its script than its production (caveat emptor: I have yet to see Valkyrie). He is far from a hack, though, so this could have potential. Ultimately, Ron Moore’s BSG is complete and will always be complete now. Whatever Universal decides to do with the property will be something new. I just fear a backlash on Moore’s version if Singer’s turns out to be less than stellar (cf. Star Wars, as above. And I liked the prequels, warts and all).

#51

9/11 is usually cited, although that smells like executive excuse to me.

#52

Hmm. I don’t have a problem with a separate BSG film in principle. But it just seems, well, pointless really. Good luck to them, and I’ll probably watch it (depending on reviews), but RDM’s BSG is so complex, subtle, epic and explores so many issues that I can’t see the new film being anything other than people shooting at robots by comparison. However, I’ll be happy to be proved wrong, and will approach it with an open mind.

I was one of those who was put a little off-balance by the Head 6 and Head Baltar characters being “angels” (whatever that means) and by the retention of “supernatural” elements in the BSG finale. I didn’t hate it, and thought it worked very well poetically and stylistically, even if it was unsatisfactory in terms of narrative and closure (and some would say tone). It’s just that my preference would have been for something that worked a bit more rationally. I still think they really, really should have landed in our far future on a post-civilisational Earth - that would have allowed them to retain a lot of the elements of the finale without all the lack of archaeological and historical credibility. The tying in of the RTF to “us” would have worked much better too - the same message could have been delivered without all the mysticism and need to accept cultural transmission down the millennia given the timespans involved. But I’m not dogmatic about it - I still like the ending despite it’s flaws.

That said, given the ending we had, what I’d really like to see is a series spanning millennia and telling the stories of Head Six and Head Baltar as they play their role as mini gods interfering in successive human cycles. That would be fun - it could hark back to and be inspired by our own classical mythology within a sci-fi context and fill in a few holes, and even massage the ending into a but more sense. The focus of the action would be in their world/universe, and this could be done in all sorts of ways - where did they come from? What are they? What is their relationship to the human race? What sort of tinkering did they do in the past and what is their goal and purpose? “God”/“It” as a massive Cylon mainfrain with its own plan trying to guide humans and their creations to some sensible accommodation? That could be a project as big as BSG itself.

Another possibility is the story of what the centurions did when they headed off into the sunset. What happened next? What happens when “we” head off into the stars - will we meed their descendants and how will the next cycle play out?

While RDM seems to have wanted to wrap the whole thing up, and while the story of the characters we know and love doesn’t have anywhere to go other than how they survived on Earth, there is plenty of scope for more fun in the BSG universe.

#53

Well… I try :slight_smile:

I agree with Jackson… I don’t mind multiple interpretations. Even differing interpretations. (Aside: like versions that include Tom Bombadil, or the Scouring of the Shire) It’s just that the body isn’t even cold yet. RDM’s BSG is still warm on the slab, fresh in our minds, and they want to remake it already? I wonder if Larson runs the risk of wearing out the story’s welcome.

More from the same 'boot, is what I’d currently like to see… there’s got to be at least 2-3 more miniseries out of RDM’s version, no?

#54

Movie is a GO. This time, for the very first time, the source is Bryan Singer himself. Pre-preproduction has resumed. Remember, the original anonymous source (Variety: Bryan Singer to direct ‘Battlestar Galactica’ August 13, 2009) claimed Universal had signed Singer to produce and direct. I’m assuming he is now fulfilling that contract.

SFX: Bryan Singer’s Excalibur Is Shelved 10/17 10:15AM

indieWIRE: The Playlist: Bryan Singer Says Death Of ‘Excalibur’ Has Allowed Him To Focus On Developing ‘Battlestar Galactica’ 10/17 11:20AM

Story is blowing up on Twitter. Maybe that will shake some more news loose from Universal or Singer.

#55

Deadline: Bryan Singer’s ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Gets Airborne With John Orloff Scripting Deal 10/20

Hitfix: John Orloff talks his new exciting gig: writing Bryan Singer’s ‘Battlestar Galactica’ reboot 10/20

Lot of buzz for Anonymous, in nation wide release next Friday.

Glad to hear Orloff is raring to go and not just pulling a paycheck. So guess I’m seeing the owl movie and Anonymous to get a feel for this unknown quantity suddenly commanded to write the next to impossible. :slight_smile:

#56

Mentioned this also in Random News…

http://forum.galacticwatercooler.com/showthread.php?9292-Random-news&p=393293&viewfull=1#post393293

Still no frakkin idea why he wants to do it.

#57

Singer? Ten years ago he was seven months short of beginning filming. Sets were built, etc. Here’s an overview of that aborted film for anyone who isn’t familiar with it: Battlestar Wiki: Battlestar Galactica (SDS) This is a summary, most of the source material is linked in the footnotes.

“I have a pretty radical take,” Orloff said, declining to offer more details about his treatment of the long-gestating, secrecy-shrouded project. - LA Times

(this is not a quote from his Hitfix interview)

I posted several times, maybe not here, that once the screen writer is announced we would know a lot about the direction of the movie. But Orloff is something of a mystery with a highly credible but very short resume. In such a circumstance, I have no idea how to parse, “radical.” :smiley:

ADD: Nor what he’s referring by, “And I think I’ve come up with a way to write this movie that won’t **** any of that up. I’m not sure how much they want me to talk about it. Let’s just say it’s not what you expect. It will all work in the universe that exists. It will not conflict with anything Ron Moore has done.”

Bleeding Cool thinks this means: New Battlestar Galactica Film From Bryan Singer And John Orloff To Co-Exist In TV Show’s Universe

I don’t believe Orloff meant that, but… first thing that did come to mind was the JJTrek Not-Quite-A-Fresh-Start reboot option: his weird Trek parallel new-verse that bridges to the old franchise by guest starring Leonard Nimoy. In this case, Orloff wouldn’t need the idea of parallel universes but seize on RDM’s addition of “all this has happened before…” This recurrence theme is not part of the original Battlestar story at all. I think anyone loving the original since age twelve knows that, wouldn’t they?

Please, no story with two Adamas? No two Adamas living in different times in different parts of the galaxy. Don’t go there.

ADD ADD: This morning, ComicBookMovie’s Mark Cassidy gets the same impression: Battlestar Galactica Movie To Be Set In Rebooted Show’s Universe?

With commenter ManoGeek succinctly thinking, "So it may or may mot be a reboot of a rebooted reboot. That’s frakin confusing. "

Singer’s comment and news of this hire is garnering a lot of attention. The roller coaster has started. Maybe expect casting news sooner than later. (and if Singer already tapped Justin Timberlake to be Starbuck years ago.)

#58

Well, thats not at all confusing :rolleyes:
Im hesitant to say any roller coaster started. They still have no script, no budget and no studio approval. Not doubting Orloff’s ability to write a good war fflick. Just saying he’s not gonna have script within the next month or two. Not doubting Singers desire - however he did direct the Superman reboot ( which might make studios skittish about saying "here have a gajillion dollars’).

Again, not saying its not gonna happen, or the script wont be good or whatever. Let’s just all calm down until thre actually is a script and Universal says ok.)

as a wise man once said “Yeah, at first there’s ooh-ing and ahh-ing…then there’s running…and screaming”

#59

There would be strong reaction if Orloff works Ron Moore’s universe into the movie without Ron Moore. That on top of the moderate resistance already greeting this news. Mostly negative so far, identical to the average WTF reaction from 2009 when IGN/HR broke the story Universal had hired Singer to do the movie.

Like I wrote I don’t think this is what he is up to. But Universal owns the entirety of Battlestar including the Syfy series for derivative works, he does have the latitude to do so.

Im hesitant to say any roller coaster started.

Buzz/hype/snark/meh roller coaster. 50+ articles in 24 hours. This the first time MTV has mentioned BSG in years. Six months or so for LA Times aside from where are they now updates on the former cast. So that’s good.

Running and screaming commences with the casting news. Which faces the utter impossibility of pleasing any group of onlookers. Ought to be fun. :groucho:

#60

Yeah, they’re kind of frakked whichever gender they pick for Starbuck. :wink: