Cooper Speaks Up On SG-1, SGA Movies
Aug 12th 2009
Stargate executive producer Robert C. Cooper gave an interview over the weekend about the prospects for new SG-1 and SGA direct-to-DVD movies. In this exclusive interview, he cites the current economics of DVD sales as the major stumbling block:
“We’re ready to go,” Cooper said in an exclusive interview over the weekend in Pasadena, Calif., where he was promoting SGU at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. “We’re just waiting for the right opportunity,” he said. “We want to be successful with it. The studio wants to be successful, and we really don’t want to proceed with something in the wrong climate, which I think financially it is right now.”
Two previous SG-1 straight-to-DVD movies, Continuum and The Ark of Truth, sold well, but the current economic downturn makes DVD premieres less lucrative than they were in the past.
“It’s tough, because we were very successful with the first two SG-1 movies,” Cooper said. “Since then, the economics have changed a little bit. DVDs aren’t selling the same way they were when we released those even just a year, and a year and a half ago.”
This line of reasoning matches what producer/writer Joe Mallozzi has said numerous times in his blog, for example, here, as we discussed here back in June.
Fans may wonder why the studio can’t look at alternative distribution methods to DVD, such as iTunes, Amazon UnBox, and other pay-for-download media. Consumers aren’t watching fewer movies; they’re just watching them differently. In any case, this confirms what we suspected back in June: the movies are by no means a sure thing. Filming for Stargate Universe wraps at the end of October, and the producers had hoped to keep the crew on board to move directly to filming the movies. With no green-light nor deals in place, this becomes ever more unlikely as the weeks pass. David Hewlett recently expressed doubts via twitter as well:
cast has heard nothing about Atlantis movie. I think the chances of it happening now are slim to none…such a waste!
Watch this space for more news as it arrives.
about 7 months ago
This really pisses me off. You have a successful TV series, one that recently won the Peoples Choice award and other awards since that one, the viewership slipped for a while but was on the way up again, there were still endless stories to tell, more and more was being revealed about the characters that made it more and more interesting from an emotional and connectedness standpoint, and what do the powers that be do? They pull it because the economy is bad? Give me a break!!
Then they make hollow promises about making movies in the belief that the fan base will be satisfied with that and now they’re saying it’s very nearly unlikely any Atlantis movie will be made.
I feel like they have not only disrespected the fans but also the actors who have worked so hard to make Stargate Atlantis so successful. And don’t give me that crap about it lasting five years and we should be thankful for that. Stargate SG 1 lasted ten years. There was no reason Atlantis couldn’t have matched that or more.
Basically, the shows producers didn’t fight hard enough to keep this show going. Why? Because they wanted to make yet another spinoff before Atlantis was anywhere near finished. It wasn’t just the money…as they would have us believe…it was more than likely being told if they want to make the new series then they have to let go of the old one. They opted for the new one…which I have no intentions of watching and I hope none of the other Stargate fans watch it either.
Bitter? Damned right I am. You have cheated us out of the only action/adventure sci-fi series worth watching on television. It should have been continued and you know it. Shame on you.