B5 Animated Movie

[Springer]

After months of speculation (and I think the members on B5TV kind of already knew) JMS has confirmed a Babylon 5 animated movie from Warner Bros! Title and release date to be announced by Warners next week. Already produced and in the can, it will be coming out soon.

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1653799076641779712

When he says movie, I'm assuming it's a movie for streaming/Blu-ray, not a theatrical release.

Edit: his tweet says WB Home Entertainment, so yep, not theatrical.

 

[vacantlook]

With the statement that it's coming from WB Home Entertainment, I hope that means there'll be a physical copy; I love owning me a physical copy of entertainment I love.

 

[babylonfan]

With the statement that it's coming from WB Home Entertainment, I hope that means there'll be a physical copy; I love owning me a physical copy of entertainment I love.

Me too, but for now I’d be happy to know who will broadcast / stream it.

Even the remastered B5 has not made it to a streaming service were I live.
Can’t buy it either on local iTunes or Amazon.

 

[Ubik]

Pretty over the moon with this. Animation solves so many issues with the older cast, and you can do pretty much anything you want with animated stuff. No idea is too big or whacky.

So, we finally got a B5 movie, just not how we expected.

WB also has excellent pedigree with the DC animated features, that are often far better than their live action output. I'd take an animated series over the CW reboot any day of the week.


Screw the CW reboot, give me an animated series.

 

[LateArrival]

Was hoping for something in the animated realm as it would allow the main cast to return to any point in the B5 universe, and as only voices were required, could if necessary record from pretty much anywhere. Ex: I believe Andrea Thompson is in Mexico, so IF she were involved, she could have recorded her lines at the closest capable studio rather than fly up to California.


Will it be "classic" animation or more computer generated along the lines of the Starship Troopers sequels?

 

[Looney]

People I can't even speak. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it is so beyond my expectations!!!!!! :dancing::dancing::dancing::dancing::dancing:

 

[hypatia]

What great news to hit just as the high pressure of finals week begins! Definitely happy dance time. I’m a bit confused, though. They don’t have a streaming service lined up yet, but it’s still definitely coming out? Or do they have the streaming service but aren’t announcing it yet?

 

[Springer]

JMS has said in response to a fan on Facebook that Chris Franke is not doing the music for the animated movie, JMS invited him but Franke has now retired, so somebody else will be doing the soundtrack though JMS hasn't revealed who yet.

 

[Springer]

With the statement that it's coming from WB Home Entertainment, I hope that means there'll be a physical copy; I love owning me a physical copy of entertainment I love.

JMS also added on Twitter that he's recorded an audio commentary with Bruce Boxleitner, and he's said that the movie should be easy for people to watch in terms of its availability, so it sounds (fingers crossed) like a Blu-ray is coming.

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1653970088889032705

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1653983256776429573

 

[Recoil]

With the statement that it's coming from WB Home Entertainment, I hope that means there'll be a physical copy; I love owning me a physical copy of entertainment I love.

JMS also added on Twitter that he's recorded an audio commentary with Bruce Boxleitner, and he's said that the movie should be easy for people to watch in terms of its availability, so it sounds (fingers crossed) like a Blu-ray is coming.

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1653970088889032705

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1653983256776429573

I saw this quote on Twitter too. Can't wait to watch it! It's not the reboot, but maybe it will be better.

 

[babylonfan]

if there are Bonus Features included with the project, that usually implies physical media since streaming rarely bonus materials.

There will be at least a commentary track.
Here’s what JMS had to say about that:

https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1653970088889032705

Here's a story that may best illustrate why I'm so happy about how the #B5AnimatedMovie came out and what fans have to look forward to. A few weeks ago, I and
@boxleitnerbruce met to do an audio commentary for the movie. Bruce had not yet seen the movie, only snippets a few seconds long during the final voice session to do little fixes. When he sat beside me in the recording studio, and no one was around, he leaned over and said, "How is it, really?" with eyes that, like my own, had seen so much disappointment over the years.

I said, "Bruce it's the best thing we've done since the original show, hands down." He seemed pleased and hopeful but still cautious. Then they started the playback, and Bruce's jaw hit the floor and stayed there for the entire thing, punctuated by this great big grin of excitement at what he was seeing. He got so caught up in it that he kept forgetting to do the commentary, so if there's a lot of me and only some of Bruce in the final version, my apologies, but that's the reason why. He left that room as happy as I've ever seen him. *That's* what's coming

 

[Looney]

eeeeeeekkk I can't stands it. Bummer about Franke though. WOW I just am so in awe that we are actually getting a movie. I never thought it would happen.

:dancing::dancing::dancing:

 

[Sinclair]

This is definitely awesome news! I'll take new B5 however we can get it.

 

[Springer]

Jason Carter has said on Facebook that he isn't in the animated movie, and didn't know anything about it until this week (though he seems happy abut it). Which I guess makes sense since Marcus is 'dead' and in suspended animation at the end of the show (though with it being animation he could voice any character) but it does kind suggest that what JMS said a while back on Twitter about all the surviving main cast being in it as not being strictly accurate.

 

[vacantlook]

Yeah, I figured "all" couldn't mean literally all because that would then have to include Robert Rusler (Warren Keffer) and both Julie Caitlin Brown and Mary Kay Adams (both Na'Toth) since they were in the opening credits. I wonder if by any chance (I actually kind of am hoping) if Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters) is involved.

 

[Looney]

ALL... I know is this opens so many possibilities IF it is successful. There could be an entire series of films just based on Marcus' adventures we didn't see. There could be an entire series of films on Lennier's adventures we didn't see. Ivanova as a Captain. Lochley as a ships Captain. Ta'Lon during his time before B5. Talia AFTER B5 (I mean we don't actually know for certain.) Lyta on the run. LYTA VS BESTER. Or just Bester, Bester, and more Bester. All and all and so on and so on until we find out what happened to Corwin.

AND OF COURSE AS I'VE SAID ELSEWHERE let's get TNT onboard and wrap up Crusade in an animated movie. Or continue Crusade. Or Continue Legend of The Rangers. Or continue the Lost Tales. Or a whole series of films based on the infinite number of possible stories that happened on a giant space station that didn't involve the main cast.

As all week has gone I am greatly over stimulated and thinking of all of the future B5 I want to see. :wtf:

 

[Sinclair]

As others have said, being animated the storytelling options would be unlimited. I would personally like to see the thread about Jack, Garibaldi's aide, which just disappeared after his arrest and 'escape'. How was he recruited and what happened after he was found out.

That being said, I'm curious what this animated movie will be all about.

 

[Looney]

As others have said, being animated the storytelling options would be unlimited. I would personally like to see the thread about Jack, Garibaldi's aide, which just disappeared after his arrest and 'escape'. How was he recruited and what happened after he was found out.

That being said, I'm curious what this animated movie will be all about.

There are sooooooooo many nuggets like Jack JMS could expand on. Animation just provides soooooooo many opportunities for expansion of the arc and continuation of the arc. It will be tough to do a lot focused on Sheridan without Delenn, but we know essentially Lyta, Lennier, Londo, and Ivanova ended the series going out on their own. We know Lyta had a companion, but we also know they likely weren't together for a very long period of time. There are sooooo many other avenues they can venture down, including plots that don't necessarily need to involve much of the original main cast.

 

[Springer]

I wonder what WB would class as 'success' for this animated movie. It's a show that has a loyal, hardcore fanbase, but it's not a huge fanbase, and this animated movie is going to be reviving a niche show from 30 years ago that's even more niche now, in a medium that isn't everybody's cup of tea. Us hardcore fans will buy it and watch it, but how much of the wider audience it will get, I'm not sure. I think back to The Lost Tales, when we were told we'd get more, but never did. If there are more animated movies, I can't see any of them not featuring all the main cast. I'm sure an animated movie is still going to cost millions of dollars to produce, they're not going to produce anything that doesn't have the widest appeal.

Also, I don't know how everyone feels about this, and I know JMS would never do it so I suppose it's a moot point, but I wouldn't be against recasting characters such as G'Kar, Franklin, Zack etc with new actors for future animated movies if their voice is close enough. After all, since Leonard Nimoy died we've had a new actor play Spock, they're not 'retiring' any of the original Star Trek characters. I suspect this is probably a controversial opinion though!

 

[Jan]

Also, I don't know how everyone feels about this, and I know JMS would never do it so I suppose it's a moot point, but I wouldn't be against recasting characters such as G'Kar, Franklin, Zack etc with new actors for future animated movies if their voice is close enough. After all, since Leonard Nimoy died we've had a new actor play Spock, they're not 'retiring' any of the original Star Trek characters. I suspect this is probably a controversial opinion though!

Contrary to what many say, the only character that JMS has said that he'd never recast is Andreas/G'Kar. And I'd be perfectly fine with him changing his mind about that, really. Particularly for the reimagining.

What I'm *adamantly* opposed to is any attempt at using AI to voice any of the 'beyond the rim' characters unless the *actor* (not their estate) gave explicit permission before their passing. Any such attempt, IMO, is just short of grave robbing, to use something so personal and unique to the person without permission.