So when Stargate returns fans need to know what to expect… Could MGM/Amazon really do the unthinkable and give us a hard reboot of the franchise? To pretend as if what came before did not really happen, the erase the past and just start again?
In some ways the hard reboot is the easier and safer thing to do. Humanity had acquired so much technology and become so powerful by the end of SG1 and Stargate Atlantis that there is an argument to say we are now the dominant force in the known Galaxy. Where do you take the story now? Maybe starting again would be safer ?
NO HARD REBOOT!
Well the fans overwhelming say NO… They do not want a Hard reboot even if it is easier. We will not forget the 17 season of television and SG1, SGU and SGA still matter. They must not be erased from history.
History has shown too that hard reboot of beloved franchises don’t tend to go down very well, with many Battle Star Galactica being the the exception that proves the rule. Now a continuation or new in universe show? Star Trek being the best example, can reignite a franchise and get it back on track even after years of being off our screens. Even the most recent return of Quantum Leap has shown that there is an appetite to see the next chapter, the next generation, of the shows we adore. So Stargate the next generation? Maybe.
The rumors though that we have been hearing at SciTrek for some time are that it will not be a straight up continuation and that we will see differences in what we know as Stargate. We heard that over a year ago now Mark Fergus was asked to produce a Bible for the show, a document that told any new creator attached the the franchise exactly what Stargate is. According to whispers this document was approved by Amazon executives and would tell any new writers what they could not change, what was CANON… but that also means if it isn’t in the bible, it could be changed.
However rumors are just rumors. We don’t know for certain what Amazon or MGM are thinking. Or at least we didn’t.
As we have talked about in recent weeks we have opened up a conversation with MGM. An executive has given permission for one of their staff to contact us and discuss the Stargate plans, unofficially. They have told us that they are preparing to announce a Stargate movie and they are now hoping to get some trusted Youtube channels on board with their plans and to hopefully get some positivity out there.
They have already been able to confirm a few things… But would they answer a few bigger questions?
Well I decided to ask and they did respond.
I asked:
“At SciTrek we have heard rumours that for some time that the revival will be a continuation but that perhaps some changesto what we know as Stargate would be permitted by creators. Can you reassure fans that the “hard reboot” is not an option?”
They answered:
“At MGM and Amazon Pictures we strive to create exciting and new Television and Movies. To do that we have to trust the creative people chosen to bring those shows and movies to life. We have though of course done significant investigations into what the fans want and expect. A beloved franchise like Stargate cannot be rebooted as if those shows never happened. Our intention is to respect what has come before while also respecting the creative visions our creators bring.”
So this is not the clear, “NO HARD REBOOT, not on our watch” answer we may have liked to hear because they are leaving the door open for creators to bring their “vision” to the new show or Movie.
At the same time though I am reassured. Yes okay if they bring the wrong people in and their “vision” for Stargate is to make wholesale changes, re-cast and change characters, to basically do a Kurtzman on Stargate like he did to Star Trek? Then I am not sure I could stomach it. The pain of some of the creative decisions made by Alex Kurtzman and his team during the newest iterations of Star Trek have been, at times, nauseating to watch. I am not really sure I could take it if that happened to Stargate. If they put people in charge though that actually are fans of the series and know what Stargate means to fans, knows how big it is and how special? If they treat the canon with respect and yes update a few things, maybe bring some new ideas to the franchise and they do it well? I am sure they will still do things I don’t like at times but I can only hope that overall we will fall in love with what they make for us.
So we have the confirmation that this will be a continuation and NOT a hard reboot… Mostly at least.
Now all we have to do is sit back, wait for it to be announced, get made and then buy the Popcorn!