Stargate: Origins gets a final trailer before the prequel series debuts in less than two weeks. Written by Mark Ilvedson and Justin Michael Terry, and directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, it takes place before the events of the before the original film and followup television show, exploring a time in the franchise that hasn't been explored yet.
Initially announced during last year’s San Diego Comic-Con back in July, Stargate: Origins was expected to be available sometime in the fall. But December's announcement confirmed that it will become available at MGM’s exclusive Stargate-centric online streaming service, Stargate Command, this February. With just several days left to market the digital-exclusive project, the final trailer for it has just been released.
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The two-minute preview (which you can watch above), posted on Stargate Command's YouTube channel, gives a bit more context as to what audiences can expect in the prequel series. Spearheaded by Australian actress Ellie Gall as lead Catherine, daughter of Paul Langford (who discovered the Stargate in 1928), the show continues to give off an Indiana Jones vibe. And depending on how the story and its execution will be handled, has the potential to become a crowd favorite considering the exciting sci-fi premise set in a period setting. MGM has also released the official synopsis for the project, read it below:
"In 1939, Professor Paul Langford and his daughter Catherine are still grappling with the mysteries of the ancient relic they discovered in the Egyptian desert more than ten years ago. With war looming in Europe and funding running out, these brilliant minds are approaching their lowest ebb. Little do they know, answers are about to present themselves in a dangerous form, when the Nazi Occultist Dr. Wilhelm Brücke approaches their facility with a sinister motive. Enlisting the help of two young soldiers, Catherine must use all of her wit and nous as she and her new allies embark on an adventure into the unknown to rescue her father, and save the Earth from an unimaginable darkness."
The trailer certainly has some whimsical feeling to it, especially coupled with the music used in the footage. If anything, it entices people to join Catherine's supposedly fun adventure with a cause. MGM is definitely trying to sell the show as charming and not overly dramatic and heavy. Its success, however, lies on whether Gall can sell herself as a compelling character that people get behind or not. Another factor is its exclusivity to Stargate Command. We're not sure if people will be willing to sign up for more streaming service with a shorter portfolio compared to bigger platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.
Narrative-wise, what's more interesting is seeing the gate functioning at the start of the trailer, a phenomenon that would create conflict with the Stargate's existing canon. The original 1994 film by Roland Emmerich established that the scientists, including the older Langford, weren't sure how to activate the device. Belatedly, its 1997 spinoff show, Stargate SG-1, divulged that it was started once. We hope that the series will find a way fit in the franchise's lore in a satisfying way that doesn't feel lazy or inorganic to the story.
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Stargate: Origins will be available for streaming this February 15.