Fans gained an insight into the future for Stargate at London Film and Comic Con this weekend. During the Stargate talk, executive producer Michael Greenburg remarked that “the ratings went up” when Michael Shanks returned to the show, “and have been high ever since”.
Asked in the official Stargate magazine whether Stargate could continue without Richard Dean Anderson, Greenburg comments:
“…It would be a big loss. But the Stargate brand and franchise is obviously strong enough to get big numbers on its own. Stargate: Atlantis is showing that”.
Stargate SG-1 is showing the same trend as audience figures have increased despite Richard Dean Anderson’s reduced role. Season 9 has not been officially announced, but Michael Greenburg said in London that SG-1 should go on to “Season 9,10,11…” and that there are still many storylines to explore.
According to Greenburg, if Season 9 is confirmed Richard Dean Anderson will do only four episodes and Amanda Tapping will be absent for some of the season due to her pregnancy. While fans will undoubtably miss them, it sounds as though Bridge have been asking themselves who could carry Season 9 and they have decided Michael Shanks is their man.