J. Michael Straczynski Announces ‘Babylon 5’ Reboot Movie
J. Michael Straczynski has announced plans for a Babylon 5 feature film, which would reboot his iconic sci-fi series when it enters production in 2016.
According to io9, the proposed Babylon 5 film would not be a continuation of the series, which ran for five seasons in the 1990s, but rather a complete reboot of the concept. Straczynski announced at San Diego Comic-Con that he would be writing the script for the Babylon 5 feature, intending for it to be finished by the end of 2015.
J. Michael Straczynski planning to reboot ‘Babylon 5’ on the big screen http://t.co/MV28dVpm2b via @YiannChpic.twitter.com/xiVoUiwnxz
— Ioannis Chaidoulis (@YiannCh) August 10, 2014
Little is known about the film, aside from the fact that it is planned as a reboot of Babylon 5. According to TV Wise, however, Straczynski stated that he would like to use familiar faces like Bruce Boxleitner and Mira Furlan, pointing out that he would “love to see Bruce as the President of the Earth Alliance.”
Londo: Perhaps it was something I said. G’Kar: Perhaps it is everything you say. #Babylon5 pic.twitter.com/XEGxa8x7oF — Ana Kay (@anakay831) August 6, 2014
Straczynski plans to pitch the movie to Warner Bros., the studio that originally produced Babylon 5. Fans should note, however, that if they fail to move forward with the project, the Babylon 5 movie will still most likely be made, thanks to Straczynski’s 20-year-old deal:
“Owing to the nature of the deal that Straczynski inked with the studio to produce ‘Babylon 5’ in the early 1990s, he, rather than Warner Bros, owns the feature film rights to the show. Should Warner Bros. choose not to greenlight a ‘B5’ movie, Straczynski would still proceed with the feature, which would then be funded and produced through his Studio JMS banner on a budget of $80 – $100 million.”
The announcement marks the fourth time that Straczynski has pitched a Babylon 5 movie. This time, he is able to move forward without Warner Bros. if necessary thanks to the financial success of Studio JMS. The company counts the upcoming Netflix series Sense8, which The Inquisitr has reported on, among its range of projects.
ICYMI @straczynski and guests will discuss #Babylon5 tomorrow along w/ 2 episodes! @SidGraumanhttp://t.co/r4m6wtB0dNpic.twitter.com/ehHTXci2Oq
— Sean Wicks (@wixpix) August 1, 2014
In the past, Straczynski has developed several concepts for a Babylon 5 feature. In 1996, he planned a film to tell the story of the Telepath War, while a second attempt would have followed President John Sheridan as he investigated the deaths of a White Star crew. That project would have been titled Babylon 5: The Motion Picture. Straczynski’s last Babylon 5 feature film pitch, The Memory of Shadows, came closest to production but fell apart due to a lack of funding.
[Image via CG Society]
