Mary McNamara of Multichannel News has posted her article about the recent Comic Con International held in San Diego (July 26-29) at which Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate Atlantis were represented by panels that included actors, producers, writers, and directors.
Stargate SG-1 Movies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios continues to invest heavily in the wholly owned Stargate franchise even though Stargate SG-1 was dumped by Sci Fi after a decade on cable. (Sister series Atlantis lives on.)
City buses plastered with Stargate images ran continuously in front of the convention center. At the Sci Fi/EW bash, MGM’s senior executive vice president of finance and corporate development Charlie Cohen said the studio decorated 10 buses and has already reserved the vehicles for next year.
MGM has two direct-to-DVD SG-1 movies in production — Continuum and Ark of Truth — that cost about $7 million each to make, and there are plans to crank out more, Cohen said.
- Solutions: SG-1 Movies index (spoilers)
- Solutions: Comic Con: SG-1 Panel Breakdown, Images (some spoilers)
- Solutions: Spoilers: Ark of Truth Trailer Breakdown (spoilers)
- Solutions: Comic Con: DVD Movie Release Dates (includes image of The Ark of Truth bus advertisement)
- Solutions On-Site Forum: Post Season Ten News and Speculation
Stargate Atlantis
The Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis panels were raucous, moderated by Gary Jones, a Toronto Second City improv vet who plays the beloved “GateGuy” (Chief Master Sgt. Walter Harriman) on SG-1.
No such event would be complete without a fan protest. When an audience member asked the Stargate producers “what they have against doctors,” the 4,500-strong crowd roared and hundreds of little Scottish flags fluttered in the air.
Earlier, a fan named Michelle from San Francisco had distributed the keepsakes in support of returning Dr. Carson Beckett (Paul McGillion) to the Atlantis cast. The character, a Scot and a medical doctor, was killed off last season.
The producers tried to deflect the issue with humor. “It’s not doctors we have a problem with,” executive producer Robert Cooper quipped. “It’s Scottish people.” Atlantis showrunner Joe Mallozzi assured the crowd he loved Scottish people and instructed them to redirect their “hate e-mail to Rob Cooper. My inbox is full.”
Later, in the hallways, fans dressed in kilts played a dirge on bagpipes.
- You can read more about the fans of Carson Beckett at the Save Carson Beckett Campaign website (includes several photos from Comic Con).
- Solutions: Stargate Atlantis Season Four index (spoilers)
- Solutions On-Site Forum: Discuss Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Universe
Cohen also indicated Stargate producers are incubating a third spin-off series, based on the “ninth chevron,” a symbol imbedded in the stargate. “It will take some Stargate group to an awesome, complex region of space that will allow for many great stories,” Cohen said.
Stories that MGM hopes will appeal to the fans — OK, geeks — like those that can be found at ComicCon.
To read the full article, visit Multichannel News: At Comic-Con, Geeks Wield Power.
[Thanks to jasonf for the tip.]