Because the wholly sudden information that Amazon is ready to relaunch “Stargate,” the web has gone supernova with rumors, theories, fan solutions, and an insatiable starvation for any scraps of confirmed information.
Again in November, out of the blue, Amazon introduced it was formally shifting ahead with a brand-new entry into the “Stargate” franchise. Martin Gero, who served as a guide and co-producer on each the “Atlantis” and “Universe” spin-off reveals, is behind the brand new collection and it seems that many members of the unique artistic staff are additionally concerned, together with franchise figureheads Joseph Mallozzi, govt producer and author on every incarnation, plus Brad Wright, showrunner and co-creator of all issues “Stargate.”
In an interview with Dial the Gate, Gero said discussions have been already underway by late 2023, with an early growth settlement finalized by June 2024. He added that the quiet interval following Amazon’s 2022 acquisition of MGM didn’t mirror waning inside enthusiasm for the franchise.
“To their credit score, Amazon had already recognized ‘Stargate’ as a chief candidate for a TV present,” Gero mentioned. “They’re only a very secretive firm. They seem to be a tech firm. So the truth that you did not hear something is not about their [lack of] enthusiasm, it was about them internally attempting to determine what to get proper.”
With writing now scheduled to start in early 2026, a debut in late 2027 and even 2028 seems more and more real looking.
“We’re beginning the writers’ room on the opposite facet of the yr,” Gero mentioned. “This stuff take about two years, give or take. It is likely to be just a little shorter, it is likely to be just a little longer, hopefully it is not longer. Simply to set all people’s expectations, it will be a minute. We needed to announce early as a result of we did not need it to leak … It had been 20 or 30 folks inside the corporate that had identified about it, and to make a present it’s a must to rent 400 folks … We needed followers to listen to it from us and never from a leak.”
Gero was cautious to emphasize that the brand new collection shouldn’t be designed to overwrite present “Stargate” canon. “We’re not right here to undo what got here earlier than,” he mentioned, framing the mission as a brand new entry level somewhat than a reset.
“Stargate SG-1” ended after a powerful 10 seasons and greater than 200 episodes, with its groups persevering with to discover the galaxy because the franchise efficiently transitioned into “Stargate: Atlantis.” That epic spinoff lasted 5 seasons and 99 episodes and concluded with the traditional metropolis splashing down within the Pacific Ocean, only a few miles off the California coast. Lastly, the vastly underrated “Stargate Universe” ended after simply two seasons and 40 episodes, with the crew of the “Future” positioned into stasis in an try to flee pursuing drone ships. The franchise finally went darkish in Could 2011, abandoning a stranded vessel, a sleeping crew, and a narrative frozen in time.
A lot has modified within the 14 years since. At its peak, a “Stargate” episode price roughly $2 million, in contrast with reported averages of round $9 million for contemporary “Star Trek.” Furthermore, the standard 22-episode season has all however vanished, with fashionable audiences usually receiving little greater than half that quantity. Whereas Gero stopped wanting specifying episode counts, his feedback mirrored the realities of recent streaming manufacturing, signaling shorter, extra tightly constructed seasons somewhat than a return to the franchise’s conventional 20-plus-episode runs.
Manufacturing expertise has developed as effectively. Because the growth of “the Quantity,” the wraparound LED wall and ceiling system that started life as ILM’s StageCraft on “The Mandalorian,” many extra studios world wide have adopted related digital manufacturing setups. On the very least, alternatives for expanded world-building now exist in methods they by no means did earlier than.
Throughout social media platforms, discussion board threads, and fan-site remark sections, the dominant chorus is a name for continuity with out calcification. Fairly than a tough reset or nostalgia-soaked revival, many followers argue for a brand new entry level set firmly inside the present “Stargate” universe, with a contemporary staff, new stakes, and a way of ahead movement.
There’s additionally a transparent urge for food for unresolved threads to be acknowledged, even when they aren’t positioned entrance and heart, alongside a broader plea for the present to rediscover its tonal candy spot. “We’ve got to earn each view,” Gero mentioned. “We’re gonna attempt to earn each view, be it longtime followers or brand-new folks.”
Commenting on X, Mallozzi mentioned, “Martin has been creating this present for some time now. Slightly over a yr in the past, he reached out and requested, ‘Need to learn one thing cool?’ That one thing turned out to be his pilot script for the brand new Stargate collection.”
“Now I clearly cannot say an excessive amount of concerning the content material at this level – however I can guarantee you that it embraces all the pieces that made the unique Stargates so nice: coronary heart, humor, wealthy mythology, exploration, motion, journey, compelling/endearing characters, and that total sense of optimism and enjoyable that made you fall in love with Stargate,” Mallozzi mentioned.
Little question numerous concepts have been debated over the course of these 18-or-so months, however it seems a plan is now firmly in place. Many questions stay, not least of which is casting. The brand new collection inherits a frightening legacy, as “Stargate” excelled at character-driven storytelling, forging a few of tv sci-fi’s most compelling relationships, whether or not it was Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackson, Rodney McKay and John Sheppard, or Nicholas Rush and Everett Younger.
“We’re not casting but. We’re nowhere close to casting but,” Gero mentioned. “You actually need the writing to guide the casting, not the opposite manner round.”
Since that interview, Mallozzi shared on X lately that the writers have convened for the primary time to start fleshing out concepts for the brand new present. “The primary couple of weeks might be spent discussing the Large Image. Issues like… What form is the gate? What are our character and story arcs? How does our first season conclude? Who’re our villains and what do they need?” he wrote.
It has additionally been introduced that the brand new present will movie in London and never Vancouver, as had been assumed. In line with Gateworld, the primary phases might be in London, however filming will happen worldwide. Manufacturing is predicted to start in fall 2026, with a potential September begin beneath dialogue.
The London area additionally makes sensible sense for a manufacturing of this scale. Past customary UK tax breaks, Amazon MGM Studios controls a large studio footprint within the space, with owned or long-term leased services starting from Shepperton Studios in Surrey to Bray Movie Studios in Berkshire, the latter acquired by the corporate in 2024.
It additionally seems that “Stargate: Atlantis” star Joe Flanagan was personally invited to the author’s room for the brand new collection by Gero, as revealed in a latest interview with Dial the Gate. Flanagan himself lives within the Malibu space and is even sometimes noticed window procuring in Santa Monica, so he did not have far to journey.
Whereas the collection has but to obtain an official title, the Stargate mission is being produced by Safehouse Photos, led by govt producers Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell. Extra manufacturing companions embody Quinn’s Home Productions, the banner run by Brad Wright Gero, together with Electrical Leisure from Dean Devlin, Centropolis Leisure, based by Roland Emmerich, and Amazon MGM Studios.
Throughout the US, Amazon gives a devoted 24-hour “Stargate” channel on Freevee, Amazon’s ad-supported streaming service. That is free to look at with adverts and doesn’t require a subscription or further expense.
Exterior of the US, Amazon gives “Stargate” via Prime or a separate MGM+ subscription. Furthermore, all three of the “Stargate” tv reveals are coming to Netflix, each within the US and the UK, in mid-February.
