WB Possibly thinking Big Screen B5 movie.

[Elipsis]

I wonder which movies he regrets making.

 

[Truth_Seeker]

Such good news can even bring me out of my forum lethargy.

 

[Bester]

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but assuming the movie gets the greenlight, and bearing in mind Hollywood's current obsession with remakes/reinventions, what are the chances of it being set within the same chronology and using the same cast/crew as the B5 we all know and love? Pretty slim, if you ask me.

Yes, I know jms owns the rights to a B5 feature, but I can't imagine WB backing anything other than a remake/restart (using new actors) in the current climate. In which case, you can count me out.

 

[B5_Obsessed]

Oh, and this also comes back to my comment about a nine months ago that B5's future will hinge directly on the success or failure of the resurrected Star Trek. Those WB money-counters are watching and waiting.

 

[KoshN]

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but assuming the movie gets the greenlight, and bearing in mind Hollywood's current obsession with remakes/reinventions, what are the chances of it being set within the same chronology and using the same cast/crew as the B5 we all know and love? Pretty slim, if you ask me.

Yes, I know jms owns the rights to a B5 feature, but I can't imagine WB backing anything other than a remake/restart (using new actors) in the current climate.

After the reaction to such a tack with B5:TMoS, Warner Brothers be 100% blithering idiots not to use the original cast. Babylon 5 is not old enough to warrant a remake/reinvention. With regards to going for a new cast in the upcoming movie, if it gets greenlit, I would HOPE that JMS would let Warner Brothers know that they fans wouldn't go for such a movie, one without the cast that they know and love.

In which case, you can count me out.

Me too.

 

[Bester]

After the reaction to such a tack with B5:TMoS, Warner Brothers be 100% blithering idiots not to use the original cast.

In that case, I can guarantee that they won't use the original cast!

I would HOPE that JMS would let Warner Brothers know that they fans wouldn't go for such a movie, one without the cast that they know and love.

Something tells me that WB would rather use new (younger) actors and pitch to a new audience, rather than attempt to get the original (remaining) actors together to please the fans. Especially if the new ST movie proves to be a success.

Of course, I'd love to proven wrong.

 

[KoshFan]

Easy compromise if that's the problem: new story in the established universe. A few of the old actors come back as mentors and guides to the new kids. I can see a Shadowtech story where Sheridan or Garibaldi gets asked to consult, or something.

 

[Sindatur]

Easy compromise if that's the problem: new story in the established universe. A few of the old actors come back as mentors and guides to the new kids. I can see a Shadowtech story where Sheridan or Garibaldi gets asked to consult, or something.

Exactly. As stated, the original cast is getting too long in the tooth to be doing stories set in the original Series 5 year time frame, and we already have as much as we need from that time. A Big name star or two could easily be slid in between the original cast members

 

[KoshN]

In that case, I can guarantee that they won't use the original cast!

Yeah, sad but true.

Something tells me that WB would rather use new (younger) actors and pitch to a new audience, rather than attempt to get the original (remaining) actors together to please the fans.

Then we, the fans, should tell Warner Brothers to go screw themselves.

Especially if the new ST movie proves to be a success.

Success or failure of the new Star Trek movie does not necessarily translate to success or failure of a new B5 feature film or TV series. Of course, being blithering idiots, Warner Brothers will be too stupid to realize that.

 

[KoshN]

Easy compromise if that's the problem: new story in the established universe. A few of the old actors come back as mentors and guides to the new kids. I can see a Shadowtech story where Sheridan or Garibaldi gets asked to consult, or something.

Crusade is as far as I'd like to see anything go in that direction. A new B5-Dawson's Creek/90210 is NOT the way to go. We already had that in B5:LotR:TLaDiS <shudder>.

Exactly. As stated, the original cast is getting too long in the tooth to be doing stories set in the original Series 5 year time frame, and we already have as much as we need from that time.

So don't do 2258-2262. Use a latter timeframe, that of Crusade 2267-2271 and B5: Lost Tales 2271+. It would even be possible to do The Telepath War (2264).

A Big name star or two could easily be slid in between the original cast members

A big name star would be a mistake. The real stars are the cast of Babylon 5 and Crusade (1993-1999). Babylon 5 is not the place for "big named stars." They'd only serve to distract, to take away from the feature, to take the longtime B5 viewer out of the story. Martin Sheen did that for me in The River of Souls, though Ian McShane didn't. The more the big named star sticks out like a sore thumb (e.g. Martin Sheen) , the worse it will be. Stunt casting to attract new viewers is not the way to go if you want to have a good B5 story that everybody can enjoy.

 

[Sindatur]

Crusade is as far as I'd like to see anything go in that direction. A new B5-Dawson's Creek/90210 is NOT the way to go. We already had that in B5:LotR:TLaDiS <shudder>.




So don't do 2258-2262. Use a latter timeframe, that of Crusade 2267-2271 and B5: Lost Tales 2271+. It would even be possible to do The Telepath War (2264).




A big name star would be a mistake. The real stars are the cast of Babylon 5 and Crusade (1993-1999). Babylon 5 is not the place for "big named stars." They'd only serve to distract, to take away from the feature, to take the longtime B5 viewer out of the story. Martin Sheen did that for me in The River of Souls, though Ian McShane didn't. The more the big named star sticks out like a sore thumb (e.g. Martin Sheen) , the worse it will be. Stunt casting to attract new viewers is not the way to go if you want to have a good B5 story that everybody can enjoy.

I don't think it's possible to get a worthy budget, without giving WB their star power. We have to realize WB wouldn't be doing a movie for you and I personally, but, to make money off of it. Those of us who are die-hards likely wouldn't be enough to make money for them.

What we really need is for JMS to become "Lucas-Rich" and get the rights back, then he could do whatever he wanted with his own money

 

[KoshN]

I don't think it's possible to get a worthy budget, without giving WB their star power.

Without the big star, they could probably save $10~20 million in the budget.

We have to realize WB wouldn't be doing a movie for you and I personally, but, to make money off of it.

Of course.

Those of us who are die-hards likely wouldn't be enough to make money for them.

If they do it right, B5 fans will surprise 'em. Aren't you tired of being underestimated/undervalued?

What we really need is for JMS to become "Lucas-Rich" and get the rights back, then he could do whatever he wanted with his own money

You mean for B5:TMoS? "Lucas-Rich" ....never going to happen. Besides, it'd probably have disasterous effects on the size of his ego.

See http://themadgoner.com/B5/B5Scrolls/B5Scrolls.htm#Screen1_01_1
The live action was normal speed, and the step printed stuff had the most boring sound track added to it. I and my crew were HUGELY disappointed. I voiced my feelings and promptly got the wrath of Joe, "How dare I suggest that the genius was wrong"!!! He got Harlan Ellison to telephone me and tell me to apologise. That was the week I realized that B5 was run on Joes Ego.

 

[Jan]

JMS owns the rights to a B5 feature. He doesn't own TMoS (which I think we can consider dead pages) or any rights to write or film anything other than a feature film.

Jan

 

[vacantlook]

...It would even be possible to do The Telepath War (2264).

You'll get some of that if you get the TV movies scriptbook that just got put up for purchase last week. From the notification email:

Exhumed from Joe's vault, a 3-page fragment of an outline detailing the premise for a Psi Corps feature film . Focusing on The Telepath War, and appropriately titled "Wars of the Mind," JMS' notes reveal the background of the conflict -- teeps vs. teeps, the cast of characters -- including the identity of the Interstellar Alliance's Vice President, and the explosive deaths of two B5 regulars -- something hinted at, but never stated in an official series document.

 

[Sindatur]

Without the big star, they could probably save $10~20 million in the budget.




Of course.




If they do it right, B5 fans will surprise 'em. Aren't you tired of being underestimated/undervalued?



You mean for B5:TMoS? "Lucas-Rich" ....never going to happen. Besides, it'd probably have disasterous effects on the size of his ego.

See http://themadgoner.com/B5/B5Scrolls/B5Scrolls.htm#Screen1_01_1
The live action was normal speed, and the step printed stuff had the most boring sound track added to it. I and my crew were HUGELY disappointed. I voiced my feelings and promptly got the wrath of Joe, "How dare I suggest that the genius was wrong"!!! He got Harlan Ellison to telephone me and tell me to apologise. That was the week I realized that B5 was run on Joes Ego.

Meant a Feature in general. I didn't realize features were his rights, I thought it was only he had right to refusal to write for one, before WB got someone else to do it.

Yea, "Lucas-rich" probably wouldn't be a good idea now that you mention it.

 

[KoshN]

JMS owns the rights to a B5 feature. He doesn't own TMoS (which I think we can consider dead pages) or any rights to write or film anything other than a feature film.

Jan

But we're talking about a feature film. He could write another script to tie up Crusade (though I'd prefer, at a minimum, a 20 hr. miniseries.*) or present The Telepath War, and he'd have to get the production financed. The latter is where the problem lies, Warner Brothers unwillingness to finance the feature film.


* Doesn't matter though, 'cause I'm not going to get anything, not a TV series, not a miniseries of even 3 hrs. sans commercials, not a series of novels, not graphic novels, not comic books, not even one comic in a Bazooka bubblegum wrapper. I should change my name to Zathras.

 

[KoshN]

You'll get some of that if you get the TV movies scriptbook that just got put up for purchase last week. From the notification email:

I got a Tuesday, February 03, 2009 6:50 AM email from CafePress saying that my copy just shipped.

 

[darth_librarian]

Thanks for the Ron Thornton quotes links, made illuminating reading.

Thanks also for the interview and article link. It was a similar thing that got me to this site 5 years ago. It ended in huge disappointment on my part (not the site obviously, ), and although it was down to business decisions well out of his control, I still thing JMS could have been a bit quiter about it. In some respects with TMOS, I really think he blew his load before he was ready to.

And I really do not want all that to happen again, so I think he needs to tone down on comments like this till we see some more concrete news. He owes it to his fans (of which I am most certianly a major one) to give them the news they want with the facts (and bucks in place) to back it up. Or just keep mum.

Looking forward to all the other movies he is working on though.

 

[darth_librarian]

Also, going over this thread I can pick up on two things. You all want the original cast back, and any greenllighting will be down to the new Treks movies' success. I agree with both of those. However, the success of Trek could also been as an indicator that a 'reboot' with a young trendy cast works. Bester is right here guys, we are never going to see the teep war movie we want.

 

[Jan]

I got a Tuesday, February 03, 2009 6:50 AM email from CafePress saying that my copy just shipped.

That's impressive! I was afraid there'd be major delays from hearing about all the weather trouble KY has been having. That's where the production facility is.

He owes it to his fans (of which I am most certianly a major one) to give them the news they want with the facts (and bucks in place) to back it up. Or just keep mum.

The facts were that he'd written a B5 feature screenplay and that it was in pre-production with some staff and with studio space reserved. That the financing fell through was beyond his control. I don't think pre-production is overly premature to talk about a project.

Also, going over this thread I can pick up on two things. You all want the original cast back, and any greenllighting will be down to the new Treks movies' success. I agree with both of those. However, the success of Trek could also been as an indicator that a 'reboot' with a young trendy cast works. Bester is right here guys, we are never going to see the teep war movie we want.

It may well depend on how much creative control JMS manages to retain.

Jan