Sci Fi Cancels Atlantis! (Updated)

This breaking news just in from Multichannel News:

Space drama Stargate Atlantis will conclude its run on Sci Fi Channel after the current, fifth season ends next January — but the network has greenlit a two-hour Atlantis movie to run after that and says the show will live on as a network franchise.

After airing on Sci Fi sometime next year, the untitled Atlantis movie will be sold as a home-video title by producer MGM, Sci Fi told Multichannel News on Wednesday.

MGM this year released two financially successful straight-to-DVD movies made after progenitor series Stargate SG-1 ended a 10-year run of first-run cable episodes on Sci Fi. MGM and the show producers are scheduled to make more in DVDs in future. A movie franchise is also envisioned for Stargate Atlantis.

Longtime Stargate writers and producers (and Atlantis show runners) Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie will write the Atlantis feature script. Other details, such as how many cast members would participate or who would direct, were not immediately available.

“We’re excited to tell Atlantis stories on a bigger canvas,” Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, co-creators of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis and currently executive producers on Atlantis, said in a statement. “The successes of the two original Stargate [direct-to-video] movies The Ark of Truth and Continuum have shown us the opportunities that the movie format offers. We have plans for both SG-1 and Atlantis to remain vital as we expand the franchise.”

“We share in the producers’ enthusiasm to move forward in this direction and we look forward to a strong and continued relationship on Stargate Atlantis in this new format,” Thomas Vitale, Sci Fi Channel senior VP of Programming & Original Movies, also said in the statement.

To read the full article, visit ‘Stargate Atlantis’ Ends Sci Fi First Run After Season 5: 2-Hour TV-Movie Greenlit For 2009 As Stargate Franchise Lives On In Features.

ETA: Official confirmation of the end of Stargate Atlantis as a television series was given by executive producer Joseph Mallozzi in his weblog. Mallozzi promises to issue a full statement tonight (August 21) in that same blog.

From the SCI FI Channel (NBCU), comes this official press release: SCI FI CHANNEL GREENLIGHTS 2-HOUR FILM FROM MGM BASED ON POPULAR ‘STARGATE ATLANTIS’ SERIES.

Sci Fi Addresses

Thanks to sg1_spoilme for these addresses, obtained from the Sci Fi board:

Snail Mail

David Howe, Executive President
NBC Universal | Scifi Channel
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY. 10112

Thomas P. Vitale
Senior Vice President, Programming and Original Movies, SCI FI Channel
30 Rockefeller Plaza, Fl. 21
New York NY, 10112

Mark Stern, Executive VP Original Programming
NBC Universal | Scifi Channel
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY. 10112

E-mails

David Howe
Dave.howe@nbcuni.com

Thomas P. Vitale
Thomas.Vitale@nbcuni.com

Mark Stern – (New York Office)
Mark.stern@nbcuni.com

Fax

Fax: +1 212 664 3890