Babylon 5 (B5) was a television series with well defined characters that developed and grew in a very concise fashion, giving them a depth you don’t get in many series. It happened because J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) had a vision for his work. A five year plan where he had mapped out a definite beginning, middle and end.
The five year ride was a great one and JMS was lucky enough to be able to see it through to its end. Though I did not like it when it ended, I don’t think I’ve ever been more satisfied with a series ending.
Later on, I caught The Legend Of The Rangers, but it just wasn’t the same. It had a bit of depth from the history developed in B5, but it didn’t feel like it extended it. It was just lacking something for me… It didn’t inspire me to look forward to another Babylon 5 installment.
Recently Straczynski noted that if he were to ever do another B5 project, it would only be a big-budget project so he could do it right. Now that is why I would look forward to a potential Babylon 5 movie!
Why did he specify “big-budget project?” Last year J. Michael Straczynski addressed some questions on the potential of any new B5 projects. He said that considering how the more recent B5 projects were done with a low cost approach, he wasn’t too enthused on doing more like that.
He realized that his first efforts at additional B5 projects came from his succumbing to his own desire to keep his Babylon 5 world alive. Once green-lit, he had to work within the constraints of what little money was tossed his way.
After that, he decided that there would be no more low-cost DVD or cable projects. If he was going to move forward on any type of Babylon 5 project, he made it known that it would be a “big-budget feature film.”
He’s putting his foot down, and rightfully so.
As he put it, the five year story arc of Babylon 5 stands up well on its own and if there was going to be any further projects added to the franchise, he would want them to add to the legacy, not take from it.
I can respect that kind of thinking. He doesn’t want to jump any sharks trying to keep something alive. He wants to keep the memory of the project fresh and quality driven. And if you’re going to do something new, it has to resonate with the existing fans, while sparking the imagination of the potential new fans.
Thankfully, his patience might be paying off.
After seeing his work on The Changeling, and with his work on the upcoming Forbidden Planet project, there is suddenly a light at the end of the tunnel of quality story telling. Now Warner Bros is asking JMS about what he meant by “big-budget.”
I can see it now… Toe kicking some dirt, hem-hawing a little bit, the WB rep tries to nonchalantly saunter up to JMS to try and start a conversation that in a stuttering fashion, gets around to his point. Or more to the point, desperately looking for some quality content to create, knowing that there’s already an established fan base, he meekly asks Straczynski how much money he wants. (This was just a daydream segment… not a real event.)
If this portends a future project, this means that Straczynski will be able to stick to his new rule of sequel storytelling which is “Do no harm to the original.” I sure wish more people would adhere to that rule.
I have to wonder how many new faces will be added to the story? How many old faces would come back? Now, like always, we have to wait. Wait and see what comes of this. Everyone, cross your fingers!
Do you think J. Michael Straczynski will get his funds? Can you be patient enough for a Babylon 5 movie to come to a theater near you?
Sources: JMSNEWS, SKNR, Images: Hulu.com, one digital life,
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This would be simply incredible if it happens.
B5 and X-files lit the torch and made sci-fi a phenomenon in the 90′s. SG1, Battle Star, and others owe their very existence to these two shows success, IMO.
The made-for-TV movie was really boring but the TV show was awesome. I’m with the creator that a massive budget is the way to go.
Of course, I will need to have a time machine to jump to the future once he starts working on the project because I will be too pumped to wait.
Yes Please be true and PLEASE NO REBOOT!!!! I just finished rewatching the entire series on dvd once again. I do so once or twice a year (And fastforward thru most of the stupid season 5 telapath hippie, new age Shasta moutain pothead Tantric stuff) B5 is my favorite all time show (tied with Shatner Trek) G’Kar would be a tough wound to heal in a new film. But we have a wealth of stuff to tackle: Londo’s decline, Garobaldi hunting Bester, return of Ivanova, Sheridan’s son and his keeper. Resolution to Crusade. There’s plenty of exciting stuff here to mix up and Bake a sweet B5 cake with. And the actors ages ar not too far off from where the series and films ended so seeing a few more grey hairs wouldn’t be a complete leap of faith.
Oh, oh… first sign of the appocapypse…Knowledgable people actually forming intelligent disscussion about a big budget Babylon 5 project!
I would be delighted to see this very well written and concieved series make the jump to the big screen, but only if JMS sticks to his guns about the quality thereof, and if the producers check ScreenRant regularly to get an informed take on what true fans would be interested in!
@ INK, John, & Garth…
Keep bangin’ the drum boys!
I hope it works out.
But the big question is
how many changes will WB ask for?
I’m really starting to like this nowhereman’s opinion of our humble site and it’s richly intelligent core of readers and subscribers!
Gary, for every change they ask for, I’d recommend one frying pan strike up-side the head on the rep asking for the changes. That should keep it to a minimum!
The show was groundbreaking to me in the breadth of the social, political & religious issues it tackled. It was a reflection of our world, at least on how JMS saw it, in the early through late 90′s. It tackled very adult themes and dealt with philosophical questions that have plagued mankind for thousands of years such as order vs chaos, free-will vs authoritarianism and was not trying to be cute or pretentious in how it dealt with these issues. It was one of the first shows I can remember that dealt with homosexuality in a mature way by making it as normal as any other aspect of human life which I think was grounbreaking (it neither marginalized it nor placed emphasis on this issue…they just were and it was not a big thing)..Being a married man and a father of three young children this is something that I can really respect since we are trying to teach our children tolerance and respect for all human beings no matter of creed, race or sexuality.
I hope a movie gets made and that it does exceptionally well and that it spawns a great franchise..
“I hope a movie gets made and that it does exceptionally well and that it spawns a great franchise..”
Amen, brother!
Yes, Babylon 5 will forever be one of my favorite television series. The DVD movies haven’t done anything for me, although a couple of them were pretty good. But a big-budget movie – I’d go to the cinema to see that for sure, no questions asked.
Hey if Whedon can get Serenity pulled off and done well, why not JMS? There is plenty of B5 fandom out there if it’s made, we will come
After all, Science Fiction junkies are always ready to flock to the big screen if we have a known quanity of a universe that stays true to itself and intelligent character driven dialogue just so long as there are still smokin hot alien femmes to be ogled at.
Let’s keep this thing going guys!!!!!
Vic any chance you can arrange a Q&A with JMS???
@Lord Garth
That would be AWESOME!
@Lord Garth
I’d have to figure out how to get in touch with him.
Vic
Hell Vic
You’re a big shooter now. He should be getting in touch with you
Loved the tv show. I loved many characters, especially Gkarr and Londo, and Garibaldi’s decline was excellently done.
Also, this was a scifi show with alien races where the humans stayed just as fascinating as them.
The human civil war was one of the best parts.
If they can recapture that, then by all means do it NOW!
This fall I watched the entire series and all the movies & spinoffs, for the first time. I can’t see how a sequel would carry any standalone appeal. A “reboot” doesn’t make sense–how do you reboot an entire series?
Maybe a movie could hone in on a single story from the series and retell it? It was done in the series with dreams or retellings from different points-of-view.
Yeah, the only really unresolved arc (and didn’t they show us out to a billion years after the station’s demise?) was Sheridan’s son and the keeper in wait. With all the meticulous resolves, the lack of tying up that loose end annoyed me. But maybe it’s *sequel-ready.*
I for one would love to see More Babylon 5 projects aBy JMS and if it means a big sreen movie even better.I loved the original series and all the characters where awsome.More BABYLON DEFINETLY YES.
KEN
The thing to remember about B5 was that for once everything available is Cannon. The books, the spin-offs, the Comics, the direct to DVDs, everything. We have a resolution to David and the Keepers, and even the fall of Mollari. We know what happened to Bester in the end(Shot of Garibaldi stabbing Bester’s grave with a wooden stake shall forever be held dear.) We even know the connection between the Shadows and the Techno-Mages. As far as I can tell, there are only two stories left to tell, the Telepath war, and the cure for the Drakh Plague.
Something like this couldn't be done with just one flick and it would have to be a total reboot of the TV series for film to allow character development. If it could be pulled off it would leave star wars in the dust.
Something like this couldn't be done with just one flick and it would have to be a total reboot of the TV series for film to allow character development. If it could be pulled off it would leave star wars in the dust.
Something like this couldn't be done with just one flick and it would have to be a total reboot of the TV series for film to allow character development. If it could be pulled off it would leave star wars in the dust.
that’s interesting stuff – great post…