I believe the usual pilot deal includes some kind of "first call" option on the actors's services for a given period of time. The series almost certainly could not go into production until next February or March anyway (because of JMS's other commitments) so everybody has plenty of time to do other projects in the meantime, and Sci-Fi is under no particular pressure to make a decision now.
JMS has said that he's been told that Sci-Fi may do one of two things - make a "go" decision based on the rough-cut of the film (without FX), which is being assembled now, or wait until the film airs (probably in December) and see how the ratings look. But's he's also said that he's confident that they'll like the movie and approve the series.
Sci-Fi has been trying to get a
B5 project since
1998. They're not only trying to add more nights of original programming, but they're almost certainly going to cancel two of their current prime time series (
Black Scorpion and
Jules Verne - neither were mentioned at their recent "up-front" for advertisers.) So they have slots to fill.
The very fact that they're advertising the thing in June, when it likely won't air until December, and promoting it during the
B5 reruns under the proposed series title,
and that they've put some footage out when the prints are barely dry, tells me that they're very interested in this project.
While it is technically true that we don't
know that the series is going to happen, unless the TV movie is just
awful, or Netter and Straczynksi go wildly overbudget in post production, I'd be willing to bet the mortgage check that it will.
Regards,
Joe
------------------
Joseph DeMartino
Sigh Corps
Pat Tallman Division
joseph-demartino@att.net