Ideas for Future B5 Movies and Series

[Bester]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joseph DeMartino:
Londo dies in 2278. Sheridan dies in 2281.

Regards,

Joe
Official Timekeeper of the Babylon 5 Olympics

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Of course! I must be losing it.

I remember reading an interview with jms somewhere during which he mentioned that he had a rough plan for a possible B5 feature. And it involved the Psi-Corps and Vorlons!!!!

It's probably bogus, but I'll have a look for the link and post it here if I find it...

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Be seeing you

 

[FlarnChef]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cern:
how about a sicom all about Drall and the Zathras brothers? I tcould be called JUST THE TEN OF US.

Thump thump thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*WHAM*.......

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That would be better than
"Larry, Darryl, and his other brother
Darryl

***********
But seriously, David Sheridan is the key to a possible B5 future....he has the contacts with the much beloved past and could carry
on his parents beliefs....

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"...abso-FRAGGIN-lutely, damn it! I have been studying your use of lauguage since our last discussion. Do you approve?"

[This message has been edited by FlarnChef (edited July 02, 2001).]

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>I expect the first movie to be the Teep war, but not because such a movie would Have to include all the "regulars". It'd be nice if it did, but JMS tends to write Stories that work. I suspect he won't give away any "walk on" spots just for the sake of showing someone's Face. Any character who is in the movie will have to Earn his screen time by being essential to the story.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

To paraphrase Matthew Gideon, "Can't it be both?"

1) JMS did exactly what you're saying he wouldn't do for In the Beginning, giving nearly all the regulars once brief scene to include them in the tapestry. (The only current regular who didn't make it into the film was Jerry Doyle as Garibaldi - and he's blamed that on bad advice from his agent, because JMS originally planned to include him, but the actor opted out.)

2) For the Teep War I think he'd plan on using all the characters much more, because all of them would have something worthwhile to contribute to the story (even Vir and Londo could probably be worked in.)

Finally, this notion of involving all the regulars isn't my idea, it comes from JMS. When speculating about a possible spin-off series (this was early in the negotiation process for Crusade) he wrote the following about the B5 regulars and how they would be used in future projects:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>The best possible situation would be a central core of new characters who can move through the B5 universe, and run into our familiar characters, on an as-needed basis, as determined by the story. It gives the story maximum flexibility, and lets the actors negotiate sort of "a la carte," if you will, which means they'll almost certainly get more than if they get locked down and have to do X-number of episodes at a pre-negotiated price. And that seems to be pretty much what we're heading toward.

In addition, I think we need to have the B5 cast available for a feature film that is getting more and more probable by the day. That, to be honest, is where they're finally going to make the kind of money they've all earned by staying with this show for this long.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

He's made several similar comments over the years about wanting to use as many of the original regulars as possible in any feature film because they all deserve the big payday that that would represent. (Unfortunately I can't find any of them at the moment because all my keyword searches on JMSNews are returning too damned many unrelated posts for me to read through.

)

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[bakana]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> In addition, I think we need to have the B5 cast available for a feature film that is getting more and more probable by the day. That, to be honest, is where they're finally going to make the kind of money they've all earned by staying with this show for this long.


He's made several similar comments over the years about wanting to use as many of the original regulars as possible in any feature film because they all deserve the big payday that that would represent.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Joe, I didn't totally rule out the possibility of a bunch of them showing up. Just that, when they do, it Won't Be a "walk on stage, Say 'howyadoin-nicetoseeyou' and sit in a corner" part. JMS will make every one of them earn his/her paycheck.

And, knowing his penchant for killing characters off, none of them is Safe in a movie, either.

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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

 

[GKarsEye]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>And, knowing his penchant for killing characters off, none of them is Safe in a movie, either <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, they are safe:

<table bgcolor=black><tr><td bgcolor=black><font size=1 color=white>Spoiler:</font></td></tr><tr><td><font size=2 color=black> Sheridan dies in 2281.
Londo and GKar die in 2278.
Delenn lives a very long time.
Garibaldi, Franklin, Ivanova, Vir, and Zach outlive Sheridan.
Bester dies shortly after Sheridan.
Lochley's and Lennier's fates are the only two unknowns, so they could be brought into a movie and killed off. I suppose you can count the entire cast of Crusade in there, too. </font></td></tr></table>



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"You do not make history. You can only hope to survive it."

 

[crazybillyo]

Actually, we know that both Lennier and Lyta died around 2265 during the teep war. As for Lochley, she's around for Crusade, so, depending on the time frame of the movie, she may or may not be expendable. If it's during the teep war, then she obviously doesn't die. After Crusade, though, all bets are off.

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Sheridan: Are you trying to cheer me up?
Ivanova: No sir, wouldn't dream of it.
Sheridan: Good, I hate being cheered up. It's depressing.
Ivanova: So in that case we're all going to die horrible, painful, lingering deaths.
Sheridan: Thank you, I feel so much better now.

 

[Quagmire]

Zach is safe, everyone forgets him as is David the younger.
Ta'lon is not, Number One is not, David the elder is not.

I'm not saying these people would be in there but they are possibilities.

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Bus
"The pink ones keep ya from screamin'." Grandpa

 

[bakana]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> Actually, they are safe:
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, there is precedent: Sheridan Died at Zha'Ha'Dum, but he got better.

Safge is relative. being Alive doesn't rule out maiming, mangling, burning, stabbing, shooting, and in general carrying on cranky on JMS part.

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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>being Alive doesn't rule out maiming, mangling, burning, stabbing, shooting, and in general carrying on cranky on JMS part.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

True, but it does rule out anything permanently disfiguring or disabling for those who are seen after the period of the telepath war.* Which takes a lot of the fun out of it.

(* Except for Zack, who has that unexplained limp in "SiL" This may be an old Teep War wound. Also JMS hints that, even had Zack been present at "the last supper" with Sheridan and the rest, he might not have toasted Lyta as one of the "absent friends" "given what happened with her later." Makes you wonder exactly what did happen.

OTOH, knowing Zack, he may just whacked his knee against a table five minutes before Sheridan came aboard.

)

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[bakana]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>
OTOH, knowing Zack, he may just whacked his knee against a table five minutes before Sheridan came aboard.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Or, there are two Drazi aboard, it's Election time again, and Zack tried to break up the fight.

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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

 

[Jomar]

From the little I know about the teep war it involves Lyta going to Mars to meet up with Garibaldi where she gets her investment money to provide arms. Then she/they blow up the PsiCorps headquarters which is probably on Earth. If it is ever made there are three people I would bet on, Bester, Lyta and Garibaldi. I can't see why any of the alien characters would be brought into it except perhaps Lennier if indeed he dies during that period. In that case, it would ultimately bring in Delenn because his whole purpose in life is to atone for his behavior on the white star. That would give a reason to bring Sheridan in some way. If it spread to Babylon 5 then it could include Lochley and Zack. I suppose they could drag in the doctor to save someone.

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[Joseph DeMartino]

According to the PsiCorps trilogy, the Interstellar Alliance intervened late in the war, possibly turning the tide against PsiCorps. Certainly it is one of the many things that Bester hates Sheridan for. So that alone would involve the alien characters that are associated with the IA. (G'Kar, for instance, would just have returned from deep space with Lyta when the war starts ,and would certainly have advised Sheridan and Delenn on whatever he had learned about her plans.)

B5 would certainly make a logical staging area for forces based on Minbar and elsewhere, so there's no problem involving the station (which would have to be in a feature film with "Babylon 5" in its title.

)

I'd have to re-read the Centauri Trilogy to see who was where at the relevant time, but if the station is involved it should be possible to work Vir in. Londo might be trickier beyond a cameo appearance on a monitor. But consider this: The Drakh, who are still getting settled in on C.P. and gearing up for the attack on Earth, have a vested interest in seeing things go badly for the Humans. They'd certainly want to take advantage of the situation if they could without tipping their hand. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to have the Centauri secretly selling arms to one side or both, which could give us a scene or two on C.P.

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net

 

[bakana]

The most likely reason for the Alliance getting involved is that PsyCorps has been building a Secret Fleet hidden in Hyperspace. No telling how Large it is or what Tech they've appropriated to install on those ships.

Or, how many Telepaths have been listed as "deceased" in order to staff the fleet.

In addition, we can be Certain that PsyCorps is holding blackmail over almost every politician in Earthdome and many of the General Staff of Earthforce.

They might very well try a variation on Clark's takover using the blackmail to force cooperation from key people in Earthgov and Earthforce.

That would leave those Not being blackmailed no choice but to ask for help from the Alliance.




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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?

 

[Leto II]

Excellent, excellent summing-up posting re: the placements of various characters during the war, there, Joe. It codifies all fandom speculation up to this point into one easy-to-use post.

And, you were spot-on concerning the feature film situation and the original series actors, which might very well become more of a reality if Legend of the Rangers goes to series and becomes a hit...this time around, barring, of course, his (already) numerous commitments elsewhere, JMS may choose to strike whilst the iron and Warner Brothers are hot.

And, as also pointed out by Joe D., the Telepath War story is one of the few "untold" tales in the Babylon 5 universe not overly burdened by backstory continuity and exposition, and is one that untried viewers to the storyline can simply leap right into feet-first and gain relatively all that they need to go on in fairly short order. Not to mention the fact that, at the core of the story are human characters...not that I am opposed to tales focusing upon alien protagonists by any means, but such an angle may make it much easier for the film to find an audience at the box-office, given recent history.



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[This message has been edited by Leto II (edited July 17, 2001).]

 

[PsionTen]

Although this may be sacreligious, I dunno if B5 would ever work well as a full-length feature film release -- only because of the structure of most films and the limited amount of time available. Personally, I would much rather see a B5 mini-series-- which is the only format that I think would do the material justice. I mean if they did it with RoboCop then why not with B5, which definately has a larger fan base.

Also, I've never really been too fond of the thought of featurizing a TV series. It has definately failed much more than it has succeded. I can only think of one success story -- The Fugitive (with an honorable mention going to South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut)

Even with Star Trek, which may be the exception that proves the rule, there has only been a few films -- out of nine -- that have been good, IMHO.

I would definately prefer a B5 mini-series to Childern of Dune or RoboCop, that much is certain.

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"Even I am not a Marxist" —— Karl Marx.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>I dunno if B5 would ever work well as a full-length feature film release -- only because of the structure of most films and the limited amount of time available.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It depends entirely on the story being told. In the Beginning and A Call to Arms worked very well at a screen time of about 90 minutes. "War Without End" told a terrific story in about 90 as well (throw in "Babylon Squared" and you've got a fairly self-contained two-hour movie.) And the series certainly had some excellent "stand alone" stories that it told in 42 minutes. Why should 120 be a problem?

There's another objection to doing a mini-series. To repeat something I qouted from JMS above:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>I think we need to have the B5 cast available for a feature film that is getting more and more probable by the day. That, to be honest, is where they're finally going to make the kind of money they've all earned by staying with this show for this long. - jms (emphasis added - j.d.) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mini-series don't pay near as much as feature films, and they don't get actors as much exposure in the industry, or as much respect, as a feature would.

Unlike the English, American film actors still tend to look down on television, even while they sometimes do it because they need the work. The difference between the U.K. and the U.S. in this regard is one of geography. London is the center of television, film, legitimate theater and publishing in the U.K. In America New York was the original home of the movie business as well as publishing and the theater, but when the movie business went west it took a massive inferiority complex - vis a vis legitimate theater - and an attitude with it.

Because television started in New York and only migrated - in part - to California later you've got this N.Y. vs. L.A. rivalry overlaid on the TV vs. Movies thing. Because movies were once considered the bastard child of legitimate theater, movie folks like to cast TV people in a similar role in Hollywood. All very strange, but also very real.

Regards,

Joe

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Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net