Key Takeaways:
– Roland Emmerich, co-writer and director of the original Stargate film, won’t be a part of the Stargate franchise revival.
– The 1994 sci-fi adventure film was a box office success that launched a string of TV series, books, and games.
– While MGM and Amazon are set to bring Stargate back, Emmerich has distanced himself due to complicated IP rights.
In 1994, sci-fi fanatics witnessed the launch of an epic adventure that carries its legacy up to this very day. Co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich along with Dean Devlin, the Stargate flick was a box office hit that sparked a thriving franchise.
The cinematic endeavor brought us a variety of TV shows, books, comic books, computer games, and direct-to-video movies. Among these spin-offs, the Stargate SG-1 TV series soared high in popularity. It ran for a whole decade and then concluded with additional, direct-to-video movies. Talk about a lot of sci-fi tales!
A Reboot, A Breakdown, Another Attempt
Half a decade ago, Emmerich and Devlin revealed plans to reboot the franchise with a brand new trilogy. They aimed to re-narrate the story, right from the start and all the way to its final act. However, amid concocting new grander schemes for the Stargate universe, it sadly came to a halt. But hope floated in 2020 when Amazon acquired MGM, the proud home of Stargate, and showed interest in giving Stargate a fresh start. Yet, there’s a hiccup.
Roland Emmerich, the mastermind behind the original Stargate, won’t be steering the ship of this revival. He shared this in an exclusive tête-à-tête with Chris Bumbray of JoBlo at the San Diego Comic-Con, where Emmerich showcased his latest historical series, Those About to Die currently streaming on Peacock.
When Bumbray discussed the idea of Emmerich leading a new Stargate TV series, Emmerich, set the record straight. He revealed, “The problem there is, it’s a very, very difficult IP. Different people own the IP, and it’s very, very difficult to do stuff like that.” He further elaborated that despite the popular demand for him to resurrect the Stargate universe, he is unwilling, stating clearly, “Yeah, but I don’t want to do it, really. I gave up.”
The Stargate saga
Stargate recounts the extraordinary journey of Professor Daniel Jackson and retired Army Col. Jack O’Neil, set in modern-day Egypt. They decipher the code of an interstellar gateway that transports them to a world strikingly similar to ancient Egypt. The planet is under the tyranny of Ra, who has the means for Jackson and O’Neil’s safe return to Earth. Their escape plan hinges on convincing the planet’s people to overthrow Ra.
This star-studded action adventure featured Kurt Russell, James Spader, among many other notable actors.
With Emmerich stepping away, the future of the Stargate franchise stands at a crossroads. The community continues to wait for updates, wondering if this beloved franchise can ever recapture its past glory.
