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wraithfodder) wrote2007-01-14 09:53 pm
MGM Interviews: RC Cooper and Brad Wright talk about SG1 movies and SGA - SPOILERS
From interviews located at http://stargatesg1.com/Interviews
ROBERT C COOPER interview (42 minutes)
Brad is in charge of SGA overall while RCC was in charge of SG1. He directed the last episode of SG1 (“Unending”). They also thought the show would continue and had the cast all signed for deals for season 11. They were going to do a cliffhanger at the end of season 10.
Robert Cooper said when Sci-Fi didn't renew the show, they were concerned on how to end it. They didn't want a cliffhanger and 'out of respect for the fans' have the episode have a 'spirit of closure, a sense of ending without it being an ending,' so they called it "Unending." The team gets stuck in a spaceship in a time dilation field (just the one team) and live out about 50 years(!) so you see the relationships that develop and evolve and as scifi allows you to do, "we undid it all." (reset button!) They don't want to end it, as a finale, as they want fans to feel the universe is ongoing (aka, keep the franchise going). Rob said he and Brad wanted to have a bigger budget and longer form (movies) so they have more freedom to do what they want to do.
There will be no 11th season. The movies will appear on DVD and perhaps some "form of broadcast" on a network somewhere - has not yet been confirmed. What is confirmed is cast of SG1 (season 10) will be in both those movies and "our hope" is that the movies will be springboard to become a series of films (if they make enough money off them). There is the "opportunity" to do a third season and include elements of SG in it.
Will Sci-Fi channel air the movies? Doesn't know. MGM has financed the film based on DVD release and working hard to trying to get broadcast deals.
RCC is executive producer of both films and is writing/directing the first movie. The movie is a continuation of what has been happening on the series (the first movie). They will "probably" produce a one-hour special to be included on the DVDS to catch you up if you haven't been following the series. It will continue and tie up loose threads left dangling after season 10. The SECOND MOVIE "definitely plays on a lot of the characters and brings back people, maybe favorites, for the fans." It's a 'one off' that 'hopefully will get people used to the idea of sG1 movies.' and make them feel that they want more movies. Doesn't have to be about Ori or the series but new adventures. They feel they have an obligation to finish the story they stated telling. And Charlie Cohan is a big fan of the show and that's why he's paying for the first movie so he can find out what happens with the Ori (must be nice to have that kind of money!).
They're doing a one-hour special called 'Stargate Mythology' which is not just a clip show but will explore the concept of mythology as it relates to the SG universe and on mythology in general.
RCS is very big into the Merlin mythology.
As for extras for DVDs, RCC says they think of things to add to the DVDs. It’s the way to go these days. “What are people interested in relation to the SG universe.”
Casting for the movies. “Right now we know for sure the main cast of season 10 will be returning. … Beyond that, we’re still working on it. I know Brad’s put a call into RDA and Rick, as well call him. … we’re hopeful he’ll make an appearance. Whether he’s in both or just one, we’re not sure yet.” Not planned to have Atlantis people on it.
“Amanda Tapping will be joining the cast of Stargate Atlantis for 14 episodes for season 4.” There’s going to be fans of Atlantis who feel like they don’t want to see SG1 people coming over, they feel like Atlantis is their own thing now and they’ve embraced that thing… but you know…(BIG Pause) Amanda and Carter are such a likeable character, such a good actress, I don’t see how anybody can have a problem once they see it.” He says it will keep the franchise going by bringing sG1 going. They want to draw the SG1 fans over to SGA
And then the video crapped out, but check out http://stargate-sg1-solutions.com/blog/?p=734 for more detail.
BRAD WRIGHT – 44 minutes
Said Joe Mallozzi and Paul Mullie will be the ‘go to guys’ for SGA now, even though they’ve been producing (although previously they did not have final say). While RCC and Wright will go off to do the movies.
Stargate the Ark of Truth is the first movie, and the second movie is Stargate Continuum (Wonder if Q will be in it?) Carl Binder will be back as co-ex producer as is Martin Gero. Says show’s in “good hands.”
Writers are taking down time.
Will SGA benefit from it? He hopes SGA does. Two shows helped them carry the resources (sets, etc.) and that’s one of the reasons they wanted to make the movies to use the facilities. Creative-focus. Wright spent a lot of time on it, he said. Said he’ll still be involved with SGA and worked on the first stories for this year and helped with the casting and budgeting process. He’s going to support Paul and Joe in their decisions.
The interviews were done in December. They said they’re not done with the last episodes; says they’re magnificent. “Submersion” is ‘amazing stuff’ (fourth to last episode). Thinks season 3 has been the best for SGA. The last few “are really strong. I feel very happy.” He thinks the fans will love the movies.
Said the final SG1 episode has ‘an element of a wrap up’ and look into the character and personalities of the characters.. but it won’t wrap up the Ori storyline (which will be in the movie). Hopes his movie (2nd) will continue the SG1 legacy (aka franchise). Its’ a time travel story. He wanted to do a feature film that would lead into Atlantis and MGM thought it was a good idea but wanted both shows at the same time, so that script turned into “Lost City.”
Why direct to DVD instead of TV or theater? Says it’s a business plan and it doesn’t “preclude a broadcast”. He’s sure there will be a network broadcast of both films. He thinks it’s because home theaters are rivaling movie theaters. People now have 100” screens at home with surround-sound systems. “It’s a huge revenue stream for studios.”
Said the movies will have “more scope” than the show.
Richard Dean Anderson? “I will say we have almost every one for the movies, coming back. I say almost because… I want RDA to be in the second movie. I don’t know if our schedule is going to allow it. I don’t know if the has been made or can be made, but I’d sure love him to be in it. It’s very hard to see Stargate without Rick in it. I think he belongs in it. He doesn’t necessarily have to be in the center of it anymore. … ultimately it’s a business and I can’t – I wish I could say it was going to happen but I can’t yet.”
The deals were signed in this order: Amanda, Ben, Chris and Michael. Claudia. “Not sure if we have a deal with Beau Bridges yet.” “In my story, Hopefully we will see a LOT of old faces.” (The second movie is a time travel episode so dead people can come back.)
He won’t spill any secrets on the time travel film, and said talk to RCC about the first film.
He said SG1 couldn’t go anywhere else. Could only air it on Sci-Fi (contractual reason). He said it was nice that Sci-Fi stuck with the show for ten years (actually, it was less – Showtime had it for five years). Wright wanted to go in a different direction – movies.
He talked about an SGA theme park ride (something in development??) Ah, it’s starting in Germany and maybe MGM park in Korea in a “couple years.” It would be a going through gate and ride in 3D (or 4D).
Thinks the online game could be big. “I hope it is,” he said. Basically it sounds like War of Warcraft with multiplayers but with Stargate. He says if it’s successful it will help keep the franchise alive. The game is based on SG1 but will have an SGA component (the Atlantis expansion pack).
He thinks a third series would have to have the humor and the here and now that the two other SG series have in order to succeed. “The new series – it would be premature to talk about what it’s about or when it’s going to be done. Just know they would call it ‘in development’, that’s what they call it. Robert and I have been talking with MGM about it for some time now. It comes from the studio’s belief that the franchise should continue even if this is Atlantis’ last year. I doubt it will be and I hope it isn’t but ultimately we’re not in control of these things and we think it should continue and the fans think it should continue.”
The show’s ultimate fate is decided by the fans. The numbers did go down in season 10, if the numbers had gone up, Sci-Fi would have kept it on the air.
First SG1 movie is being shot in April, the second movie being done immediately afterwards. “We’re going to take a short break and going with the same crew. Different director. Robert can hand off his director’s hat to Martin Wood, hopefully.” The release time is up to MGM.
How long does it take to create a script? If necessary, they can do the whole thing in a couple of weeks. Or even in an afternoon or on a weekend – very quickly, or months. Depends. He will take as much time as he has because no one’s cracking a whip behind him.
Next questions were sorta long, but no spoilers or pertinent information, about canon (fans know more than the writers), a typical day in the office (nothing exciting), said that movies won’t ‘suck energy’ from SGA; they’ll help support the show instead.
They’ll have a lot of SG1 crew come back to do the movies.
Atlantis – the first eight episodes are being written right now. A couple are finished but nobody’s seen them. “As they get completed, we email them to each other and send them back to each other.:
Is the whole cast coming back? “Well, I can say that Amanda Tapping is coming to join the Atlantis cast.” Anybody new? He mentioned AT – “She’ll be coming in her own spaceship and joining the crew and we’re delighted by that. It’s something that we’ve been thinking about for some time but SG1 kept going. She’s a good fit. She’s a natural for Atlantis. She’s got the military and the science. That’s the balance of SG1 and the balance of SGA…. And Torri Higginson is also coming back for some period of time. She’s going to be a recurring character. I don’t want to give too much more away.” HE won’t say anything about Paul McGillion. “There’s a story in the back half of the season that is very dramatic and signals a change but uh (pauses) but having said that, nobody goes away in Stargate. People come back.”
Any other SG1 cast members appearing? “I’d love to bring some SG1 people over but a) we’re doing the movies and b) who knows what’s going to happen to their careers. I mean for some of these folk they’ve been tied up for a long time. They might end up going off on their own television series or films. I’m sure Paul and Joe will find a way to incorporate someone from the SG1 universe.”
Atlantis movie? He wouldn’t be surprised if this is an Atlantis movie and I would argue that “there could be elements of Atlantis in the movies, in a movie, before Atlantis is finished as a television series.” Thinks a crossover movie would be great “if we get to do it.”
Season 4 of SGA? “I’m excited about it for a lot of reasons. First of all, it’s season four. That’s cool. …. “ He went on about the mythology in SG1 and said “we’ve achieved a critical mass of characters and worlds and stories that it is now a ripe source of storytelling and that’s one of the reason I think it could go on for years.”
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As for SGA, I have to admit that I'm not real excited about those changes but it's another wait and see situation. I'll watch the show until they run it into the ground or pull it off. Although the way things are going, Season 4 probably won't air until July of 2010 when the fans have finally gotten sick and tired of waiting anymore and have totally given up.
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As for SGA, well, I wonder if there will be a season 5 and if there, who will be left!
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I'd really, really like to know what they're smoking in Bridge Studios, because this? Is insane. Kill off Carson to introduce "realism", then shove Carter down our throats? I love Sam, but I just cannot see SGA surviving with the changes they're going to have to make for her to fit in.
Meh. And I was just really falling in love with this fandom.
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I don't know how the writers are going to salvage this mess. Don't think they can.
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The core group of characters and the promise they showed for this show in Season 1, that's what I want. They've hit here and there since then, but they've never used Beckett as well as they did first season. Same for Weir, and Teyla--and even Ronon. The only reason he got "Sateda" was because Robert Cooper was practising for the SG1 movies, sounds like.
Argh. Sorry, ranting in your LJ. But I've been really upset about the Carson thing for a long time, and this just makes everything worse.
Carson
"There’s a story in the back half of the season that is very dramatic and signals a change, but having said that, nobody goes away in Stargate. People come back."
I bet Michael kidnaps him and we see bits and pieces of him in season 4, (the Official SGA magazine lists Carson as 'coming back in 4) and then they eventually rescue him. If they want to kill someone off because of 'realism', they'd kill someone who's more likely to BE killed, like a person who's ALWAYS going off-world and getting into dangerous situations, not the sweet medic who's usually holed-up in the infirmary, lol!! Sheesh!
Re: Carson
Re: Carson
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(Anonymous) 2007-01-15 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)no subject
Nope, not happy about either event, alone or together.
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Guess for now I'll take a wait and see.
(oh though as for a Season 11 of SG1-sure it was due to the viewership going down... yeah...)
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As much as I love Amanda though, I really don't think this is such a good idea. Especially when they're making Torri a recurring character..everyone's gonna hate Sam if they do that, don't they see that?? ::throws things::
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You're a legend.
Thank you so much Wraithfodder for putting this up. I couldn't get the videos to load, infact the whole interview page at that site wouldn't load properly for me. So thanks so much for taking all your valuable time to type that up. :)
Re: You're a legend.
And you're welcome. Lots of folks had problems with those videos, me included!
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(Anonymous) 2007-01-18 04:37 am (UTC)(link)Just WTF is this about Torri Higginson being reduced to "a recurring role"? Whose bright idea was this? And why? (Well, I have a pretty good guess about the "why.") This flat-out sucks, blows and downright pisses me off. Time to send a scorching letter to Bridge Studios ...
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Interview stuff
Re: Interview stuff
Weir recurring, Carson returning - will the MADNESS never END! *spoliers*
(Anonymous) 2007-01-26 05:33 am (UTC)(link)WEIR
First off - no offense to anyone, but I'm not surprised Weir is becoming a recurring cast member. I want everyone to think back over the last few seasons and consider how many Weir episodes there have been and how many in which she's been a primary throughtout the episode plot. The Storm and The Eye boule episode is one good example, all the one where they all go "home" (all Season 1). But she's been sort of regulated to a bit character (which is very unfortunate) especially since it would be nice to have more strong female characters that aren't necessarily butt-whooping (I love Teyla) or nerd-meets-army or vice versa (Sorry Sam!). Recurring is what Weir has been for the last while whether anyone wants to admit it or not. They're just making it official. It's obvious they're not quite sure what do with her these days. It's like they molded a character to one thing but the show went in a different direction. Remember, she's the negotiator and so far the Genii, the Wraith and the Ancients, aren't the negotiating types. Plus, how would you feel as an actress or actor, you supposedly have a main role on the show, but you get very few lines per episode? This will give Torri the opportunity to flesh out in other projects but still be part of Atlantis.
CARSON
Does anyone else feel like they're body parts are being pulled in every direction? "Sunday" completely undid me. I was devestated. More so especially after meeting Paul in Toronto this past September. When you reconcile actor and character it's hard to take his demise in Season 3. I hate the hinting though. About everything. Oh, he'll be back. Oooooooookkkkkkk. Really? When will this take place? How? HE'S DEAD. Well, I know on Stargate no one ever truly dies. But when somebody on the show says that, I instantly think: Alternate Universe. Oh boy. Personally, I'm rooting for Ascension. After all Carson's done, the Ancients owed it to him.
What's irritating me is that the survival of a show depends on characters. Because fans emotionally invest themselves in characters. If characters inexplicably die, the fans sometimes flicker out and then so does the show. MOST tv shows don't do stuff like this until 4 or 5 seasons in, when they feel relatively safe pulling peoples' legs and then retunring some of our faves back. But look what happened to Ford? And Grodin? And now Carson? Ok, Grodin wasn't huge, but still! This is only 3 seasons in! I guess they figure they can get away with it. I mean how many times did Daniel die on SG-1 before fans just started saying, "OH, pul-eeeeze." Here's my message to the producers: knock it off. I don't want to be turning on my computer and logging onto Gateworld or otherwise and being bombarded with criss cross forum board despearate pleas etc etc etc because a character may or may not disappear in 4 months times when the episode finally premieres. Just don't say anything! So easy. No risk of spoilers either.
Ok, here's one last thing nobody may have thought of. Carter's now going to be on Atlantis for 14 out of 20 episodes on Atlantis. How will this affect the Rodney/Katie relationship?
OOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooo!!!
Have fun with that.
Kat
Re: Weir recurring, Carson returning - will the MADNESS never END! *spoliers*
Oh man, I can see a nasty love triangle... Sam comes to Atlantis (don't think anybody doesn't know that by now), Rodney's IQ lowers, Katie gets jealous. Next thing you know, both Rodney and Sam break out in mysterious nastily-itching rashes. Chaos ensues! Is it an alien disease? No, Katie has gotten jealous and infected them with an alien poison ivy...