user7682134

I can't think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.
(not a bot)

[UNDΘΘMΞD @Undoomed]

92,000 people are watching a plane fly a Stargate banner. Can you even imagine how many would watch an ACTUAL Stargate show?

Reinstate Martin Gero's Stargate! #SaveStargate
@AmazonMGMStudio @PrimeVideo

[Joseph Mallozzi 🏴‍☠️ @BaronDestructo]

Stargate Trivia: Casting Stargate: Atlantis

While SG-1 was my first love (We were together for seven years!), my time on Atlantis proved equally memorable. The show was possessed of a similar tone in its mix of high adventure and humor, yet proved distinct in its exploration of Ancient mythology and an unfamiliar galaxy as seen through the eyes of a new set of heroes. Atlantis offered a sense of wonder and camaraderie born of isolation and constant danger.
Whereas team SG-1 could always go home at the conclusion of their adventures, the members of the Atlantis expedition (at least for those first few seasons) could only draw comfort from the city of Atlantis itself – and, of course, each other. It was unique and compelling yet, at the same time, comfortingly familiar.
Nowhere is this more evident than in its opening theme, composed by the late Joel Goldsmith, which is, at turns fresh, haunting, stirring and, throughout, discernibly Stargate.

Stargate: Atlantis wasn’t originally planned as a companion to Stargate: SG-1. It was intended to replace the long-running series. The only problem was, with eight seasons under its belt, SG-1 wasn’t quite done yet. And fans (and the network) weren’t done with it either. And so, instead of passing the torch and segueing to a new Stargate series, we ended up producing both. In retrospect, it was quite an achievement: 40 hours of television in a year! Today's productions can barely manage a quarter that output, but Stargates SG-1 and Atlantis delivered two fantastic 40 episode seasons before SG-1 took its final bow. It wasn’t easy, but it was certainly made easier by all of the enormously talented individuals who made it happen, from the office staff and crew to the cast and my fellow writer/producers.

Still, it was not without its challenges. Take casting, for instance. It may surprise you to know that, when it comes to producing a show, not everybody cares about costumes or set design or whether the script’s fifth act denouement is emotionally satisfying - but everybody, and I do mean EVERYBODY, has an opinion on casting. Studio and network execs, producers, hell, even your significant other peering over your shoulder as you screen the auditions on your laptop, will want to weigh in. Of course, the more voices in the mix the more likely there are to be disagreements. So it is with every production and Atlantis was no different. Various individuals envisioned these characters in various ways and, as a result, consensus was only achieved after many auditions, calls-backs, heated discussions, and not-so-gentle reminders that our start date was fast-approaching and we really needed someone to say the lines on camera.

The part of Carson Beckett was one of the first we cast. The other producers were in Rob’s office, screening the first batch of local auditions when Brad called me in and told me to check out the guy onscreen. I hadn’t imagined Beckett with a Scottish accent but, after watching Paul McGillion (@PaulyMcGillion) in the role, I couldn’t imagine him without one. He’d brought something unexpected to the part, something we all responded to.

Elizabeth Weir was not an easy character to pull off. She had to be smart, confident and strong yet needed to exude a certain warmth and empathy we were looking for in the civilian leader of the expedition. When it came time to (re)casting the role, several established names were considered (One had her own hit genre show back in the day while another went on to break out on a hit show soon after), but it was Torri Higginson (@torri_higginson) who managed to strike just the right balance and vault her name to the top of the list.

The role of Teyla Emmagan was a tough one to cast. Like Weir, she needed to be a strong, empathetic leader. But she also required something even more important – quite literally, an other-worldly quality that made her unique. Some equally talented actresses auditioned for the role but, as good as they were, they were never quite able to achieve that gravitas Rachel Luttrell (@rachel_luttrell) pulled off with such grace and seeming ease.

Former VJ Rainbow Sun Francks (@RainbowFrancks) won the role of Lieutenant Ford on the strength of a great audition, preceded by an equally great audition with a funny hat. I recall Brad Wright on the phone with our casting agent, advising him to ensure there would be no hat worn in the callback for fear the network would fixate on it. There wasn't, they didn't, and Rainbow delivered.

The role of John Sheppard was the second to last one cast. It came right down to the wire and there were several candidates in play. The character was originally conceived as a good ole southern boy, so it only made sense that Ben Browder’s name was bandied about early. However, he was too busy shooting Peacekeeper Wars to warrant consideration. A number of other actors were considered (one went on to play the lead in a hugely popular show the following year while another made his mark as a handsome heart throb on another hugely popular medical series) but it was Joe Flanigan (@JoeFlanigan) who won the part based on his ability to pull off the devil-may-care attitude Brad and Robert were looking for.

We come to the final role cast, a character who, in many ways, embodied everything Atlantis was about: exploration, discovery, fun, humor, and seat-of-your-pants-Holy-Sh&%-how-the-hell-am-I-going-to-get-out-of-this-adventure. And he almost didn’t make the trip to Pegasus. Originally, the casting call went out for a completely different character, an earnest young doctor who would lend the team much-needed medical support on their off-world ventures. Unfortunately, no one could agree on an actor to fill that role.

If the casting of Sheppard went down to the wire, then the casting of this final part went a step past it. Finally, days away from production, Robert Cooper had an idea: Forget the doctor character. Why not use an established character from SG-1? How about Rodney McKay played by David Hewlett (@dhewlett)? The writers were on board, but some executives weren't weren’t sold on the idea. They found him annoying! I mean, hell yeah, but he’d be sooo much fun to write for! Rob got on the phone and went to bat for Rodney, pointing out that the character had come a long way since first being introduced way back in SG-1’s 48 Hours. He’d evolved, going from annoying jerk to endearingly irritating. To this day, I’m convinced that they weren’t totally convinced but, with production poised to commence, they relented, I suppose figuring they could just replace the character somewhere down the line. No one, even those who loved the idea of having the endearingly irritating Rodney McKay on board could have predicted how hugely popular the character would become.

How do you think we did?

[Michael Shanks @MichaelShanks]

Found Family
#SaveStargate

[Zagros Ozkan @Reason_Will_Win]

#Stargate fam!

We got the first picture of the plane and the banner in the sky over @AmazonMGMStudio HQs!

#SaveStargate !

[Joseph Mallozzi 🏴‍☠️ @BaronDestructo]

Stargate bloopers - #SaveStargate

[The Popcast Brothers @PopcastGuys]

IT'S NOT TOO LATE -- @PrimeVideo and PETER FRIEDLANDER... Put STARGATE with MARTIN GERO back in Production! Our Fandom will make up the foundation of a new generation of this franchise by honoring what came before BUT bringing in newer audiences. Don't make the same mistakes Paramount and Disney have made with Star Trek and Star Wars. They failed by leaving out the fan base! WE ARE YOUR STRENGTH! #SaveStargate

[user7682134 @user7682134]

@AmazonMGMStudio #SaveStargate

[GateWorld.net #SaveStargate @GateWorld]

Folks, get ready and join in a kickoff #SaveStargate tweetstorm this Wednesday! Our French friends are leading this one, starting in 13 and a half hours.

Please use only the hashtag #SaveStargate, and let Amazon know we want Martin Gero's new Stargate series. Stargate and its fans can't be shrugged off!

[Saturnus @Saturnu65963191]

@AmazonMGMStudio "You have your answer Amazon, I suggest you act upon it. "

#SaveStargate #FreeGerosGate
@AmazonMGMStudio @PrimeVideo

[GateWorld.net #SaveStargate @GateWorld]

Fans Launch #SaveStargate Campaign To Petition Amazon
https://t.co/b9PTY9FK5r

Stargate fans all around the world are getting organized, calling upon Amazon MGM Studios to reverse the cancellation of the new show.

[Michael Shanks @MichaelShanks]

No matter what happens. Come what may. I am so F….n proud of this fandom and how you all have come together.
Stargate fans really are the best ❤️❤️❤️❤️
#Stargate

[GateWorld.net #SaveStargate @GateWorld]

Stargate’s Cast and Crew React To Amazon’s Cancellation Shocker
https://t.co/OnXVad9dXb

Producer Joseph Mallozzi, actor Michael Shanks, and others call out Amazon MGM Studios' decision to kill its Stargate revival – and dispute the initial rationale for the move.

[Pavel M @PoetAnderson182]

@BaronDestructo

[Joseph Mallozzi 🏴‍☠️ @BaronDestructo]

So many nerds in that writers' room geeking out over gate travel. I'll miss 'em!

[Michael Shanks @MichaelShanks]

Send to “Peter Friedlander”. He’s the boss 😉👍🏻

[Fandom Pulse @fandompulse]

Doom and Age of Empires creator Sandy Petersen blasts Amazon over their handling of Stargate:

"1) get handed a massively popular IP that spans 17 years of successful shows."

"2) realize it has millions of loyal fans, desperate for more. They are now in their 40s and 50s, flush with money. Eager to teach their kids & grandkids about Stargate."

"3) you could start with this. You are already three steps up the ladder to huge success. The fans will evangelize it, if you don't wreck the IP. Don't believe it? Look how the fans evangelized Battlestar Galactica after its 30 year hiatus. And the initial Dr Who reboot after 15 years."

"4) cancel the project because you want a "new take" that will eliminate all the loyal fans and turn them into bitter enemies."

"It's like an ancient Greek play about hubris."

Why are corporate execs like this?

[Michael Shanks @MichaelShanks]

🙋‍♂️I also dispute their claim

[Michael Shanks @MichaelShanks]

As always, I can’t find the words. So I’ll share Joe’s
He’s the writer for a reason 🥹

[Nina Infinity @Nina7Infinity]

Hey Stargate Fans please let @amazon and @AmazonMGMStudio know how you feel about them cancelling #Stargate

They MOCK us. They think they don't need us. Let them know what you think of that.

I won't be watching ANY other Stargate that is created without the OG creators /Gero being involved.

I'm DONE with studios SHITTING ON THE FANS AND KILLING IPS WE LOVE.

#stargate #stargatecanceled #amazon #amazonstudios #amazonmgmstudio

[Joseph Mallozzi 🏴‍☠️ @BaronDestructo]

Nope. No. Sorry. Gonna have to push back on this. We were ever mindful of creating a show that would have broad appeal.