Stargate: Continuum

Précis

While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba'al, the last of the Goa'uld System Lords, Teal'c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities what's happened, a fleet of Goa'uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba'al, his queen, Qetesh (Vala), and his first prime, Teal'c. SG-1 must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the Goa'uld.

Movie Guide | Transcript |  Production Notes

MGM Official Summary

The official summary is not yet available as this movie has yet to be produced.

Spoilers

Note: Latest updates are in color.

Storyline

SG-1 gets involved once again with time travel.

"While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba'al, the last of the Goa'uld System Lords, Teal'c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities what's happened, a fleet of Goa'uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba'al, his queen, Katesh, (Vala) and his first prime, Teal'c. SG-1 must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the Goa'uld." — Business Wire, MGM Greenlights New Stargate Movies, January 15, 2007.

Production Notes

• Announcement of the movie was made online by TV Guide, October 11, 2006:

Stargate SG-1 may be winding down its 10-year-run this spring, but here’s some exciting news for its fans. MGM has granted a green light — and enough money — to produce two movies, most likely for DVD, executive producer Brad Wright tells TV Guide. The first flick will tie up most of the finale’s loose threads — “It’s the climax of the Ori story line” — and will be written-directed by exec producer Robert Cooper. The second film, penned by Wright, will involve time travel, and both projects should debut in the fall of 2007. Though no deals are signed, SG-1’s stars are said to be “very eager” to continue.

“They’re not big-budget [films] by any definition, but for us it’s pretty good,” says Wright. “As we’ve proven over the years, just give us little more money and we can make pretty good television, or DVDs.

“There’s a sense of an era for us ending,” Wright continues, “but at the same time, we’re all positive because of the prospect of continuing forward with movies and the introduction next year of Stargate Worlds, a massive multiplayer online game.”

• Michael Shanks comments on his interest in being a part of these movies: "Oh yeah, absolutely," he says. "We know that it's going to be a better way to take some time and tell some good stories instead of what we've been doing a lot of years - telling some good stories and some not so good. This time we can really take our time and I think it's a dream fulfilled for a lot of people. Certainly a better wish would be to do a big budget feature film, but to do things like this, with less time commitment and more care taken, is something that we all are very interested in doing; especially if this is going to be the end of the road, then this is a great way to go out." — Michael Shanks, "Skating Past The Gate" Interview on Michael Shanks Online, October 2006.
• "Asked about the DVD movies, he [Michael Shanks] said he doesn't know much, but one is supposed to resolve the Ori storyline, while the other one, being written by Brad Wright, is about time travel-Ba'al-submarines. He doesn't know much and only found out the movies had been green-lit on the internet while he was in Bulgaria." — Solutions Features: Burbank Creation Con Report by Michelle, November 2006.
• "He's [Cliff Simon who plays Ba'al] excited about the movies that are going to be shot next year. He has a "yes" on one and a "maybe" on the other, but it's a Hollywood yes, meaning no contract yet. He's heard that filming will take place in May and June of '07. He expects the movies to be really good story-wise and in terms of special effects." — Solutions Features: Burbank Creation Con Report by Michelle, November 2006.
• "As a matter of fact, just last night Brad [Wright] and I were talking about how we're going to work live orchestra into the movies. And we were just discussing that and how, logistically, we were going to do that. Because there is a little more budget on that. So we can do it." — Joel Goldsmith, composer, Interview at Gateworld, December 2006.
• IGN Interviews Michael Shanks, published December 18, 2006:

IGN TV: Though there isn't going to be a next season, there was an announcement that movies would be in the works. Are you set to appear in the movies and is there anything you can tell us about what the movies will center around? I didn't know if you'd got those scripts yet or not. I know I heard something about filming starting in April and June.

Shanks: I just finished negotiations - I think most of the cast has finished for appearances in movies - as far as I know, you guys by reading stuff on the Internet know as much as I do, because all we knew were we were going to do two movies, and Rob and Brad were going to pull away from the Atlantis franchise and focus on doing these movies - Rob was going to write one and Brad was going to write one. Rob was going to direct one and I think Martin Wood was going to direct the other.

We know the first shoot date of the first movie is April 15th and the second is around June 1st. [...]

And Brad is writing one, as far as I know, is a bit more standalone that will involve some kind of time travel and has something to do with our main mustache twiddling villain Baal doing something in the past that alters…he basically finds a way to lift the stargate from Earth so the Stargate Program never happens, and I imagine the characters will have to go through some process to reset the clock and fix everything over the course of two hours. Quite frankly that is as much as I know. I haven't even talked to the guys about it. They told us these pitches in September, so I haven't talked to anyone since then so that could've changed overnight, I have no idea. Everybody is very excited to close the book on the show and maybe it will introduce the possibility of continuing the franchise in the DVD format or taking it to another level and boosting it up to a feature film or it just might be on closing the book on it or another spinoff - who knows. There is a lot of potential for the franchise and it would be a shame just for it to end, but it has been a wonderful run.

• "Regarding yesterday's post, SG-1 Forever writes: 'Jack would be awesome! Can you tell us if he's in the movies, Joe?' Answer: Nothing to report on this front (sorry)..." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, January 10, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: Cooper, Wright Talk Stargate's Future, January 14, 2007:
  • MGM has financed the movies based only on projected DVD sales, but are looking for broadcast deals as well. The funding for each of the 2 DVD movies is more than it would be for 2 episodes, but still nowhere near a feature-type budget, so they will be using their creativity to make it look big on a TV-movie budget. All of the main cast have signed for the movie, and they have contacted RDA about appearing as O’Neill in one or both movies. No work on whether that will work out business-wise or not.
  • The second movie is more of a standalone story, although, if the actors are available, it will bring back a lot of fan favorites. The intention is to get fans used to the idea of SG-1 movies, to whet their appetites for more.
  • The movies will not be tied to an exact length, so they can edit them to have all the scenes and shots that make sense for the stories, rather than being tied to 44:15 like they were for episodes. They will also be shot in widescreen 16×9 format without ‘protecting’ the center of the screen, for a movie-like feel.
  • The movies will keep RCC and BW busy until the summer time. They are writing now, planning of 4 weeks of shooting for each starting in mid April, then the usual post-production.
  • The second DVD movie will be called Stargate Continuum. It will be a time travel story. He [Brad Wright] wants to prove it could be the first in a string that could continue the SG-1 legacy. It will feature characters who are dead in current show canon, but can be brought back because of time travel. He would really like RDA to be in one or both movies, but it’s up to RDA and the business side to work it out. At the time of the interview, Beau Bridges was not yet signed for the movies. Wright hopes that Martin Wood will direct the second movie.
  • He [Brad Wright] does not feel going direct to DVD for the movies is a bad thing. As home theaters become so good, more and more people prefer to watch movies on DVD. The 16×9 widescreen format gives them a lot more freedom to film in a movie style as well, rather than having to keep all the action in the center of the screen for 4×3 TV’s.
• "While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba'al, the last of the goa'uld system lords, Teal'c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities what's happened, a fleet of goa'uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba'al, his queen, Katesh, (Vala) and his first prime, Teal'c. SG-1 must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the goa'uld." — Business Wire, MGM Greenlights New Stargate Movies, January 15, 2007.
• "Anonymous #5 writes: “I read in Variety that Beau Bridges is going to be starring in a new show for Fox. Does this mean General Landry won't be in the movies?” Answer: Congratulations to Beau who is hilarious on My Name is Earl and I’m sure will prove just as hilarious on his new series. And, yes, General Landry will be making an appearance in both SG-1 movies." — Joseph Mallozzi, Personal Blog, February 21, 2007.
• "Today was the big Arctic briefing for Stargate: Continuum. Those heading up North for the shoot were regaled with sobering warnings on thin ice, wandering polar bears, and wind gusts that freeze exposed skin in less than three seconds. But assurances were made that everyone would be accompanied by “someone with ice experience”. Like, say, a shotgun-toting Dorothy Hamel?" — Joseph Mallozzi, Personal Blog, February 27, 2007.
• "David McKee writes: “What does your Magic 8 Ball say about the prospects for Jacob Carter returning in "Continuum"?” Magic 8 Ball says: Outlook not so good." — Joseph Mallozzi, Personal Blog, March 4, 2007.
• From ComingSoon.net's "Stargate: Continuum to Film Scenes in the Arctic," March 14, 2007:

MGM is teaming with the U.S. Navy to capture a series of bone chilling adventure scenes for the studio's upcoming "Stargate SG-1" direct-to-video, "Stargate: Continuum." Cast members, including Ben Browder ("Stargate SG1's" Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell) and Amanda Tapping (Lt. Col. Samantha Carter) will travel to the sub-zero climate of the Arctic to shoot at the Navy's Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS) for the week of March 23 through 29. Martin Wood, Director of over 70 "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis" episodes, is confirmed to direct "Stargate: Continuum."

"Stargate: Continuum," which is being co-financed by MGM and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, will shoot a variety of scenes on location in the Arctic ice, located approximately 200 nautical miles north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. In addition to the frigid outdoor environments, the filming will also involve U.S. Navy submarine USS Alexandria (SSN-757). Among the most visually stunning and dramatic scenes to be filmed at the location involves the submarine as it bursts through the ice and into the cold Arctic air with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees below zero.

• Playback Magazine reported that Richard Dean Anderson will be in the movie. "Stargate goes nuclear", March 17, 2007.
• "Siler will not be making the move to Atlantis but will be putting in an appearance in Continuum." — Joseph Mallozzi, Personal Blog, March 21, 2007.
• Lexa Doig cancelled her appearance at the Vulcon: Ladies of Sci-Fi convention to be held May 18-20 due to the changes in the filming schedule of Stargate Continuum, according to the Vulcon convention website, accessed March 26, 2007. However, in an interview conducted while filming her new movie Killer Eyes before the resumption of filming of Continuum, Doig didn't mention being in the same movie with her husband, Michael Shanks, when he stopped by her trailer during the interview. She said that she had nothing planned after Killer Eyes but "motherhood" (Interview published May 27, 2007).
• Those who attended the Vancouver Creation Con report that N. John Smith said that special sets will be built to accommodate Michael Shanks's filming of Daniel Jackson's scenes in the Arctic. Shanks was not available for the Arctic shoot because he was filming a four-episode arc for FOX TV's 24. — Solutions Blog: SG-1 Spoilers: Continuum Locations and Sets, March 28, 2007.
• Reuters reports of the extreme dangers of filming in the Arctic Circle and also reveals that the movie is costing between $6-7 million to produce. — "Stargate" filmmakers risk lives in Arctic Circle, March 27, 2007.
• The opportunity arose because Barry Campbell, who runs the ice camp, is a fan of Stargate. "He invited [executive producer] John Smith to visit the ice camp, then it became John and a few people from the show, and it snowballed from there," executive producer Brad Wright told StargateAtlantis.com. "When I was conceiving the story, I came up with a reason that SG-1 could end up stranded in the Arctic and get rescued by a submarine -- and Jack O'Neill -- and Barry has been very accomodating. So has Erik Reynolds, the Navy liaison." — SG-1 cast to film in the Arctic, StargateAtlantis.com, March 14, 2007.
• Question: "Did Martin Wood wear his shorts up in the Arctic?" Answer: "Find out in the Stargate: Continuum tease Ivon Bartok has put together for the season 10 dvd release." — Joseph Mallozzi, Personal Blog, April 11, 2007.
• The Stargate crew was featured in Navy Lab "post cards" (similar to a blog) while filming in the Arctic. There are pictures and an entry made by Amanda Tapping. — Solutions Blog: Navy Lab Chronicles Stargate Filming, April 11, 2007.
• Barry L. Campbell, head of operations at the San Diego-based U.S. Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory, presented the idea to Executive Producer N. John Smith at a Stargate convention in Vancouver, British Columbia, and has a speaking role in the film. — Navy Newsstand: Stargate Stars Film Movie Aboard USS Alexandria at the Polar Ice Pack, April 18, 2007.
• "In the second movie, we get to see a completely different side of the character [Daniel Jackson] — we get to see him vulnerable in a way we've never seen before. I won't give away specifics, but something he's never had to go through before, but be alive, which is different. It's kind of neat. I know it was kind of a last-minute thing that Brad [Wright] offered for the character because I wasn't able to go and shoot scenes in the Arctic. So, it's one of these compromises that turned into a real neat character thing that's going to be fun to play." — Michael Shanks, SciFi.com interview, May 2007.
• IMDb is reporting that Steve Bacic will be reprising his role as Camulus.
• "Jacqueline reprises her recurring role from Stargate SG-1 as the evil Hindu goddess/go'auld Nirrti in the upcoming movie Stargate: Continuum. Shoots May, 2007." — Jacqueline Samuda's Official Website, Jacqueline appears in Stargate movie as evil Nirrti!, May 15, 2007.
• Concerning filming scenes with Ben Browder, Michael Shanks stated in his May 17 blog entry at TVGuide.com that the tendency for keeping the two actors apart (presumably because they look too much alike) continues in the movies, where Shanks implies that they don't have much of an opportunity to work together (share scenes).
• Joseph Mallozzi published some photos from the "up-and-coming sets" for the movie in his May 21, 2007, blog entry. One is of a storage crate damaged by the Stargate's "kawhoosh" and others appear to be parts of a weather-worn yacht. In his May 22 entry, he included more set pictures (a gimbaled set) and candids of actors Michael Shanks and Don S. Davis who was wearing Lt. Gen. George Hammond's class A uniform. He also mentioned that Richard Dean Anderson was in the production offices and expressed his excitement about being back with the Stargate crew.
• "Shooting for the second Stargate movie, “Continuum”, began this week and it’s going strong. Martin Wood is directing this one, and Brad Wright has been on set almost everyday making sure everything is just how he likes it. Also Peter Woeste is the DOP (he was also the DOP for “The Ark of Truth”) and this guy is truly a talented photographer. We watched some dailies and I have to say, shooting those movies on film is going to make them look incredibly cool. Now I’m a film purist – ever since film school. I love the depth of field film creates, the contrasts between light and dark, and how forgiving film is in making the actors look… well, wunderbar… But no one can deny that HD is now the dominant medium for television. We’ve been shooting Stargate and Atlantis on HD for the last couple years, and the results have been great." — Alex Levine, scifi.com blog, May 31, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi published in his June 1 blog entry several more behind-the-scenes pictures that include Teal'c as Ba'al's First Prime and some interesting sets sure to spark fan speculation. — Solutions Spoiler Blog, June 2, 2007.
• "Afterward, production resumed in Vancouver from May 22nd to June 14th, during which time Richard returned to the set in late May and again in early June to shoot several more scenes. In the movie, SG-1 gathers to witness the execution of Ba'al, the last of the Goa'uld System Lords, but suddenly history is changed, and SG-1 must journey through several alternate timelines in an attempt to set things right. On June 4th and 5th, the cast and crew were shooting the pivotal scenes in which SG-1 confronts their nemesis, Ba'al, and the events are set into motion that will send them through time." — Richard Dean Anderson Web Site, June 4-5 Update.
• SCI FI WIRE Interview with Robert C. Cooper, June 13, 2007:

The second movie, Continuum, will be a stand-alone story conceived by Cooper's fellow executive producer Brad Wright. Wright, who co-created SG-1, leveraged the show's ties with the military for Continuum.

"In some respects, Brad's idea evolved out of the fact that the Navy had come to us and said, 'If you ever want to shoot in the Arctic, we'd love to take you up there,'" Cooper said. "'We have a couple of nuclear submarines you could shoot on.' So Brad said, 'Wow, I'm just going to write a movie around that.' We were the first production ever to shoot that far north. It was a pretty cool experience for everyone that went." Cooper paused, then added: "A very cold experience."

Stargate SG-1's warm relationship with the U.S. military began in season one, when the producers needed permission to use stock shots of the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, which is the home of Stargate Command in the show's fictional universe. Eventually, the military vetted scripts for accuracy, and two chiefs of staff had cameo roles as themselves. "As things progressed, we started to say, 'Hey, send us up a C-130 or a couple of F-18s,'" Cooper said. "There are two F-15s that are parked out at Vancouver airport now that we're shooting in [for Continuum]."

• "A second DVD, “Continuum,” coming next spring, will feature an alternate-timeline story in which O’Neill, Carter and Mitchell find themselves in the 1939 Arctic battling Nazis — and an old alien enemy — over the newly discovered Gate." — TV GUIDE, June 18-24, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi included eight pictures from the filming of scenes in a refrigerated boat set in his June 13 entry:

"They were shooting a scene from Continuum on stage 2 which had been refrigerated for the occasion. While Michael and Amanda were outside thawing out, Martin was setting up his next shot which required Ben to make his way through the dark and frozen ship with only a flashlight to lead him. I had goosebumps and I could barely keep my teeth from chattering. It was that creepy. And cold.

"Minutes later, Martin had his shot and called lunch. As the crew filed out, no doubt headed for warmer climes, Lawren and I hopped aboard and checked out the frosted boat."

• "But there are mechanical aids to move the replica of a 1940s-era ship being used in the second of two Stargate SG-1 direct-to-video films. [...] The second movie, Stargate: Continuum, is a stand-alone story that includes time travel and was partially shot in the Arctic with the help of the U.S. Navy and one of its nuclear submarines. That location explains the necessity of refrigerating the Continuum set to accurately reproduce the actors' frosty breath." — From The Province: Stargate secrets revealed at last, June 17, 2007.
• "Continuum has wrapped and I’m sorry to report that, contrary to the recent TV Guide spoiler, our team will not be traveling back to 1939 to battle Nazis. Not that it wouldn’t be cool to see them battle Nazis, but just that the script never called for Nazis. I suggested we could call for some re-shoots and insert a Nazi or two in the big fight sequences, but Brad put the kibosh on my suggestion. So, to clarify, the team will not be traveling back in time to fight the Nazis, but will still be traveling back to do battle with the combined forces of the Abominable Snowman and starfaring ice pirates. Glad I could clear that up." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 18, 2007.
• Ben Browder shared a little with SCI FI WIRE about his experience in the Arctic in an interview posted June 19, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi included three pictures of the boat set from the last day of filming on Continuum in his June 20 blog entry.
• Amanda Tapping revealed how it is that Ba'al prevents the Stargate Program from ever forming in a Sneak Peek video at MGM's Official Stargate website: Ba'al intercepts the boat on which the Stargate is being transported from Egypt to the United States and causes it to wreck in the Arctic. When SG-1 returns to Earth, they end up on the frozen boat in the alternate timeline. Daniel stays behind on the boat, suffering from frostbite, while Carter and Mitchell don cold weather gear they find on the boat from the 1940s and step out on the ice. The two teammembers are rescued by the nuclear submarine — and Col. O'Neill — and Daniel is rescued as well, but we're not told how just yet. The team must convince the authorities that they need to fix the timeline so that Ba'al's changes are undone, but no one believes them.
• Gateworld reported that the movie will not be released in the fall of 2007, but rather following The Ark of Truth, which is now coming out "in the first half of 2008." — Gateworld, Ark of Truth will be released in 2008; June 24, 2007.
• "Brad [Wright] was at the studio cutting Continuum. He invited us to a special producer’s cut screening for this Thursday [June 28] morning." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 26, 2007.
• "I was treated to a double-feature today. Not one but two spanking new SG-1 movies. We started with Stargate SG-1: Continuum, written by Brad Wright and directed by Martin Wood, which is a throwback to Stargate of yore: Jack O’Neill, the Tok’ra, plenty o’ System Lords, and an absolutely mind-bending plot to stick it to Earth. This one is a lot of fun and moves very, VERY quickly." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, June 28, 2007.
• "Continuum is not a Vala-centric piece so both I and the Vala haters sigh with relief on that one. She is a high energy character to say the least and as much as I love to work and play her, it is great to sometimes add a flash of colour and go home. I also play another character in Continuum which was great fun. Short but also sweet. I loved Brad’s script and what he gave me to do. [...] [Filming for] Continuum, I was outta there in just over a week." — Claudia Black, Interview with Slice of SciFi, posted July 15, 2007.
• Today's Air Force did a segment on the two F-15s used in the movie and interviewed Brad Wright about their use: "Things go bad in Antarctica, so they have to turn around and try to get to Murmansk [the largest city in the Arctic in Russia]. We have in-flight refueling; we have two of the four F-15s dogfighting with gliders — the enemy’s, the alien’s, fighers, essentially — and they fend off the bad guys while we get to our destination, so it’s basically, they save the day." (posted in the Solutions Blog on July 23, 2007).
• "...Ba'al, played by Cliff Simon, is about to be executed, but he has one last trick in his bag that he decides to pull out. So he tries to mess with us, and the characters go on an interesting journey to stop him from reaching his ultimate agenda, which is making sure that the Stargate program on Earth never happened." — Michael Shanks in a Starlog interview, transcribed and posted by MSOL on July 21, 2007.
• "The Tok'ra was a great vehicle for a while, just like the NID was, but we don't hear much about them any more. Stories run their course and you can milk them dry. You don't ever want to get to the point where you are writing the last Tok'ra story. Although, in my [DVD] movie, the Tok'ra feature in the opening scene quite prominently." — Brad Wright, Official Stargate Magazine, July/August 2007 Special issue.
• Amanda Tapping's interview, Tapping on the Gate, with Dreamwatch's Total Sci Fi, posted July 27, 2007:

The story is that we are thrown into this alternate timeline where the Stargate didn’t exist. We have to race against time to prove that we can get it to work and there is a real threat to Earth. They dismiss us entirely and send us off to live our lives away from each other, and we’re not allowed to work in our chosen areas of expertise. We are kind of flying in the wind and they’ve left us there.

We shot this scene two days ago with Beau Bridges where he basically says, “You are on your own and we are going to give you new identities and lives.” That, for me, was probably the most telling scene of the movie. There is that element where we are left to our own devices and we can’t even contact each other. That is pretty scary - to be thrown into a world where you don’t know anybody and can’t even do what you love for a living. All the Arctic stuff, just being on that desolate, barren, we-may-die environment. That O’Neill comes back is a very cool thing. Beau is involved and General Hammond has a little cameo. There are a lot of tender hearty moments.

• Martin Wood, in an interview with Sci Fi Talk, called Stargate: Continuum "the best thing we've ever done" and says that they are already in talks to produce more movies. (See Solutions Blog article, Wood: "It's the best thing we've ever done", August 8, 2007.)
• Michael Shanks in an interview with Dreamwatch's Total Sci Fi, posted August 8, 2007:

In the last few seasons, Daniel had been killed, ascended, and turned into a Prior. Have you been put through the wringer again in the movies?

In the second one, Continuum, while I was doing 24, these guys went up to the Artic so I couldn’t come. Rats. As a result of that, the way the original script was written, that all the characters are walking through the Arctic, they couldn’t have that anymore. So Brad wrote something that justified Daniel not being there. The way he does that is there is water coming into this ship that they are in and it is sinking. Daniel steps in it, is going to lose a leg, and be without it for most of the film.

Brad asked me afterwards, “How do you feel about that?” and I went, “Oh, this is great. It gives me something very different to play with the character, where he’s thrust back into a changed reality with a missing leg and is forced to live his life as a normal civilian.” So we get to see more of a dark, bitter aspect of the character than we’ve seen before.

And it must have been a good opportunity to show a greater range…

Absolutely. And then the psychology of what goes into that…To be told to live your life missing a leg, as a normal civilian, can lead you down a dark path. The character has always been so idealistic and optimistic about things, so we see him go to a darker, bitterer place.

Did you have to do any research to realistically portray this alternate Daniel?

Yeah, my grandfather, who actually fought in World War II, had been missing a leg. He’s gone now, but as a kid, I remember thinking in terms of what he had to deal with on a daily basis. This was a really great opportunity to access those memories and bring some of that back.

Of course, I worked on the walk…It was a little bit tough, but we got through it. It was nice to play that realistic scenario as opposed to using your imagination and wrapping your mind around this possibility.

Was it hard to leave Daniel in such a dark place when he is usually so hopeful and optimistic?

Well, the good thing about that script is it is resolved. It doesn’t necessarily become an aspect of the character for a long term basis. That gets reset so it is a nice thing to play, and then you go back and play the character you’ve become attached to.

• Christopher Judge in an interview with Dreamwatch's Total Sci Fi (reported in the Solutions Blog on August 21, 2007):

What is it like being a Ba’al supporter? [Laughs] It was very interesting to revisit where Teal’c initially started from. That is the good thing about the alternative reality aspect of it. You can be in the same situation but your reality can be altered. I really took enjoyment in finding little moments where Teal’c, as we know him, would have reacted in certain ways but this Teal’c, who is in the same predicament of being a slave to the Gou’ald, reacts completely differently.

I really liked that entire concept and let me tell you, the stuff they did in Continuum like going to the Arctic, is incredible. It is incredible that we were able to do the amount of things we are doing in 18 days. I really think our next step is to do features. Certainly, their imaginations are limitless when it comes to different avenues to take the show.

• Michael Shanks talked with SCI FI WIRE about his filming for the Arctic scenes in a refrigerated soundstage and his time sitting in an F-15. Both these locations have emphasized the presence of Mitchell and Carter, but have not previously mentioned Daniel's participation. Additionally, the Air Force report also shows that Beau Bridges filmed a briefing scene with the three in the hangar for the F-15s. (Interview published September 24, 2007)
• "I was in LA this week, assisting Ivon Bartok, the Stargate Special Features producer and director with some interviews. We got to meet with some members of the armed forces who help us with the shows – specifically Captain Mary Danner. Mary has been so helpful over the years, giving notes on scripts, making sure uniforms and protocols are correct, and generally being a really pleasant person to work with. Ivon was doing the interviews for a special feature about Continuum, I believe. So look for her in the ‘making of’ documentary on that DVD when it comes out." — Alex Levine, script coordinator, in the Stargate blog at scifi.com, November 16, 2007.
• "Continuum is more like Stargate of old than it is going forward. It's a good 'ole Stargate story made as big as possible. And that, in part, is because Rick is in it. But it's also because it's a time-travel story. Therefore I was able to bring back a lot of very familiar faces who've been gone for some time. // The timeline has been changed at the end of Continuum in a subtle, but permanent way. And that is actually illustrated in the final frame of the picture. You'll see. It's cool. Keep in mind, too, in this time travel story, what makes this subtly different than other stories we've done is these guys remember the old timeline. // That's what makes Continuum different. That's what makes it the time-travel story I wanted to do. As the movie unfolds, and as Ba'al's plan unfolds, we try to get back to Earth and, granted, it's a conceit of mine that traveling through the wormhole keeps them immune from the effects of the timeline. // There's hundreds of shots. Hundreds of visual effects shots in both movies. I have a sequence over the Atlantic with F-15's and Goa'uld death gliders. That's just one of the many visual effects. I have a freighter in the ocean crossing the Atlantic that is a visual effect. I have a lot of visual effects, and it's going to take a significant amount of time to finish them." — Brad Wright, Gateworld interview The Wright Stuff, published November 21, 2007.
• "They're going to be released in March and in July." — Brad Wright on the release dates for the two movies, Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, respectively. (Gateworld interview cited above)
• "It was an absolute blast. Martin Wood was actually helping me put together my own project at the time, 'Centigrade'. He was kind of mentoring me through the process of directing. And so, when he called and said that he and John Smith has a little something for me, if I was willing to help them out, it was a no brainer. I owe many people over at Stargate a lot. I truly do. Deluise, Martin Wood, John Smith, Michael Greenburg, Brad Wright, all those guys. And when I needed help, they were there." — Colin Cunningham (Major Paul Davis), Stargate Planet interview, accessed February 22, 2008.
• "It wasn't persuasion [to get Richard Dean Anderson back]. I bribed him with a trip to the Arctic! He knew that he was always going to be welcome to come to the Arctic with us — the invite was always open, but I was loath to be standing at the side of Richard Dean Anderson, watching a scene being shot in the Arctic, with him not in it, and so there were actually versions of the script that had him just in those scenes in the Arctic. There's a version of the script without him at all, because the role I asked him to play was not the lead. In fact, something quite bizarre happens early on that will surprise everyone. But he liked the script and he loves coming up here, and playing with his on-set family." — Brad Wright, Official Stargate Magazine, March/April 2008.
• "We also had to build a wardroom for the submarine. When the guys went up to the Arctic, we shot some scenes on the sub, but not in the wardroom because Michael Shanks was unavailable at the time. So, during the off-season John Smith and Martin Wood flew down to San Diego and they got all these shots of the interior of the sub and the wardroom. Then from the photographs we were able to create a very convincing wardroom on the set. It married beautifully with the existing footage of Richard Dean Anderson in the real sub. He exits the set and we pick him up on the real sub from there. It's seamless, it really worked beautifully." — James Robbins, Production Designer, Official Stargate Magazine, March/April 2008.
• "He [Michael Shanks] thought it worked [Daniel's loss of his leg due to frostbite], and he understood. Actors love playing things. That man has been doing Daniel Jackson for over ten years and to have another side to the character, another facet he just grabbed on to, and he colored his performance quite expertly. When you're watching the movie, you are aware that he's had this loss, but of course it's a time-travel story, so you know..." — Brad Wright, Official Stargate Magazine, March/April 2008.
• "We were under such an amazing constraint of time -- it was 19 days. It was less than we shot 'Rising' in. There was no time to slow down. There was no time for extra shots. There was no time for extra things that were not going to make it into the movie. Brad and I sat together in the edit suite and did the director's cut. The two of us together sat down with [editor] Brad Rines, and over the course of a week were able to do a director's cut of the movie. When we finished it, Brad looked at me and said, 'Essentially, that's our movie' -- which is interesting, because you finish up a TV show as a director's cut and hand it over and [say], 'Man, that's not what's going to be on TV.' Because it's 11 minutes longer than it is supposed to be, or it's seven minutes longer than it is supposed to be. And in this case it was: 'That's essentially our movie.' And that is essentially what made it to the screen." — Martin Wood, Gateworld interview, April 2, 2008.
• "The Stargate [was] at its most vulnerable in history -- or at least since it was dug up -- was when it was being transported from Africa to North America at the outbreak of World War II. So the Stargate is on its way across, Baal is going to sink the ship, [and] somehow an heroic act has to take place to stop the ship from being sunk. [And] what if the captain of that boat, by cosmic coincidence, happened to be the grandfather of Mitchell?" — Brad Wright, Gateworld interview, April 4, 2008.
• "It was so much fun. And the visual effects are among the best we have ever done. ... Craig, who used to be at Image Engine, his team did the F-16 flying sequences, and they're feature [film] quality. ... It's the big movie I always wanted to make, and it's not a hell of a lot smaller in scope than the one I would have put as a theatrical release. It feels like it could have been a theatrical release in many ways." — Brad Wright, Gateworld interview, April 4, 2008.
• "Stargate Continuum is fantastic. Not only is it a treat for long-time fans, but it’s a great jumping-on point for anyone interested in checking out Stargate for the first time. Funny, touching, exciting, and chock full of surprises, it’s going to thrill a lot of people." — Joseph Mallozzi in his personal blog, April 6, 2008.
• "The inhabitants of this altered Earth are not under immediate threat, and like their lives the way they are, thank you very much. When Daniel tries to use his personal knowledge of Jack O'Neill's life to win him over, for example, he is in for a shock." — Gateworld: Early Look at Stargate: Continuum, April 10, 2008.
• "Most noteworthy is the effect of an active Stargate on a 1939 cargo freighter at sea, and aerial combat between F-15s, Russian Migs, and Goa'uld Death Gliders." — Gateworld: Early Look at Stargate: Continuum, April 10, 2008.
• "In addition to action and adventure, Stargate: Continuum is filled with heart and emotion. There are small character moments that just keep coming, and for those of us who have known and loved these characters for so many years, they are deeply touching. As the problem unfolds in the early minutes of the film, there is a palpable sense that this is the greatest problem SG-1 has ever faced -- and they may not be able to overcome it. They may not all survive. ... Whether you tune in to Stargate for character drama, for space battles, for action sequences, or for classic sci-fi storytelling (like time travel and altered timelines), Stargate: Continuum is the biggest event of the year. It has everything that has brought back viewers for a decade. As a science fiction film it is nearly flawless; as a new installment in the Stargate franchise, it simply does not get any better." — Gateworld: Early Look at Stargate: Continuum, April 10, 2008.
• "You're going to see six or seven of the top Goa'ulds come back, and it's the first time you see us all together, and you see the animosity and things going on between us, which is really great. ... First of all you're going to see the real Baal, and you're going to know it's the real Baal. He is a lot more tough. He comes across as how a System Lord should be, I think. There have been times in the series where it's been very humorous, which works, but in the movie you actually see Baal come across as pretty serious and tough. ... There are a couple of clones involved. We're going right back in time, right to when the Stargate was first discovered, before SG-1 even got their hands on [the] Stargate. That's the whole story, is that Baal travels back in time. Because he knows what's going on the future he goes back in time to change history. From even being known. Completely. But it backfires. ... I can't really say [if this is the end for Ba'al]. It could be, but not the end of me. There's a twist right at the end of the movie, the last scene of the movie, that's going to be like 'Wow, OK, let's see Continuum 2.' ... Yeah, and I think obviously it's specially written like that. So there is a whole other story. Even some of the dialogue, people will be able to see, 'Wow, OK, now we want to see what happens.' This was kind of like the beginning of a new story. It could be. ... The writers are brilliant, and they leave it open. It could develop into a Continuum series. It could be anything." — Cliff Simon, Gateworld interview, April 2008.
• "Oh, and by the way, Brad sent me a copy of Continuum, and I must shout and tout the relative genius of both Mr. Wright and Mr. Wood. The darn thing looks, SOUNDS, and behaves like a feature film. I am soooo frickin’ proud of those guys. Talented and genuinely GOOD guys." — Richard Dean Anderson, homepage, April 21, 2008.
• "Still haven't got my hands on a copy of "Ark of Truth", but I did get myself a copy of "Continuum"...and how sweet it is! Incredible action sequences and lots of your SG1 favourites. Thumbs up from Hewlett and congrats to Brad Wright and Martin Wood on a fantastic job! Now how about an Atlantis Movie...what am I thinking?!...I mean McKay - The Movie!? ;-)" — David Hewlett in his blog, April 28, 2008.
• "It was massive. The scale of the shoot was massive. And it’s a really nice, standalone piece. So if you’re not a fan of SG-1 or you’ve never seen it, the show will still make sense to you. But for fans of the show we bring back Richard Dean Anderson, and we bring back Cliff Simon and all these great characters from the past. General Hammond—Don Davis—is back. It has a nice [familial] sense to it." — Amanda Tapping, Den of Geek interview, May 1, 2008.
• Excerpt from John Sullivan's SCI FI WIRE report, Continuum Expands SG-1, May 15, 2008:

But perhaps the biggest difference is the chance to take a deeper look into the personalities of the main characters, made possible by the more luxurious running time. Even amid all the action, one of the film's highlights is a sequence in which Mitchell (Ben Browder), Carter (Amanda Tapping) and Jackson (Michael Shanks) return to an Earth where the entire Stargate project never happened.

In this timeline, Jackson's still a lone crank writing about pyramids, Carter was an astronaut who died in a shuttle accident and Mitchell never existed at all. The current government doesn't want to hear about restoring the timeline, as they're quite happy with the one they've got. And so the remaining members of SG-1 are retired and must struggle to adjust to new lives in a world that isn't their own.

The film includes a scene in which Carter goes shopping and Mitchell returns to a farm he visited as a boy. Wright said he couldn't have gotten away with such character drama in an SG-1 episode.

Note that all spoilers are subject to change.

Cast

In Stargate Wiki Character Order:

• Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O'Neill
• Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson
• Amanda Tapping as Lt. Col. Samantha Carter
• Christopher Judge as Teal'c
• Ben Browder as Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell
• Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran
• Don S. Davis as Lt. Gen. George Hammond
• Beau Bridges as Gen. Hank Landry
• Cliff Simon as Ba'al
• William Devane as Henry Hayes (Source: Movie Still; see Gallery section for link to Gateworld Forum post)
• Steve Bacic as Camulus (Source: IMDb)
• Jacqueline Samuda as Nirrti (Source: Samuda's Official Website)
• Colin Cunningham as Maj. Paul Davis (Source: Stargate Planet interview)
• Dan Shea as Sgt. Siler (Source: Joseph Mallozzi)
• Jay Williams as Ra (Movie Still Caption at GW)
• Peter Williams as Apophis (Movie Still)
• Ron Halder as Cronus (Movie Still)
• Vince Crestejo as Yu (Movie Still)

Arctic Shoot: USS Alexandria and U.S. Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory:

• Electronics Technician 2nd Class Courtney D. Miler, a longtime Stargate fan, played an extra.
• Barry L. Campbell, head of operations at the San Diego-based U.S. Navy Arctic Submarine Laboratory, presented the idea to Executive Producer N. John Smith at a Stargate convention in Vancouver, British Columbia, and has a speaking role in the film.

Production

• Written by Brad Wright
• Directed by Martin Wood
• Filming: March 23-29, 2007 in the Arctic; May 22-June 14, 2007 in Vancouver.
• International DVD Release Schedule:
  • July 29, 2008: North America (also Blu-ray HD)
  • August 6, 2008: Australia
  • August 2008: UK

Gallery

• Click on thumbnails to see larger versions:

Similar poster seen at San Diego Comic Con 2007	DVD Cover Art (May 2, 2008)
Revised DVD Cover Art (May 5, 2008)	'Final' DVD Cover Art (May 13, 2008)

• Visit Richard Dean Anderson Web Site for Arctic shoot photo gallery.
• Visit Official MGM Stargate Site for "Stargate Continuum - Sneak Peek!" video.
• Visit Official MGM Stargate Site for "Exclusive! Stargate SG-1: Continuum Featurette" video.
• Visit Solutions LJ Community: Movies for stills and news links.
• Visit Andreas of LJ for Stargate promo images and movie stills.
• Visit Set Tour of the Achilles, the ship that carries the Stargate from Egypt to the United States. The site is in German. Click on "Ton An" for audio. The tour is in English.

Related Articles

Keywords

• Time Travel
• Goa'uld
• Qetesh (Katesh)
• Stargate
• Stargate Program
• System Lord

Other

• Episode Guides
• Transcripts
• Previous: Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Related Links

Official

• MGM Stargate SG-1
• IMDB

Fan

• Stargate SG-1 Solutions
• Solutions On-Site Forum Discussion Board
• Solutions LJ Community: Movies

Further Reading

• Solutions Blog: TV Guide: 'Gate Expectations: SG-1 OK'd for Two Films
• Michael Shanks Online: "Skating Past The Gate" Interview, October 2006
• Solutions Features: Burbank Creation Con Report by Michelle, November 2006.
• Gateworld Interview with Joel Goldsmith: "Gate Harmonics", Part 1 of 2, December 2006.
• IGN Interviews Michael Shanks (page 3), published December 18, 2006.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, January 10, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: Cooper, Wright Talk Stargate's Future, January 14, 2007.
• Business Wire: MGM Greenlights New Stargate Movies: Studio Continues Record Breaking Franchise by Releasing “Stargate: The Ark of Truth” and “Stargate: Continuum”, January 15, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, February 21, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, February 27, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, March 4, 2007.
• ComingSoon.net: Stargate: Continuum to Film Scenes in the Arctic, March 14, 2007.
• USS Alexandria SSN 757
• Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station (APLIS)
• Playback Magazine, "Stargate goes nuclear", March 17, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: SG-1 Spoilers: Wright and Anderson on Continuum, March 21, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: SG-1 Spoilers: Tapping on Filming Continuum, March 21, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, March 21, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: SG-1 Spoilers: Browder on Continuum, March 26, 2007.
• SG-1 Spoilers: Continuum Locations and Sets, March 28, 2007.
• SG-1 Spoilers: Martin Wood on Continuum Location (includes link to Reuters article, "Stargate" filmmakers risk lives in Arctic Circle), March 28, 2007.
• StargateAtlantis.com: SG-1 cast to film in the Arctic, March 14, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, April 11, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: Navy Lab Chronicles Stargate Filming, April 11, 2007.
• Navy Newsstand: Stargate Stars Film Movie Aboard USS Alexandria at the Polar Ice Pack, April 18, 2007.
• Michael Shanks interview (video) at SciFi.com, May 2007.
• Jacqueline Samuda's Official Website, Jacqueline appears in Stargate movie as evil Nirrti!, May 15, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: SG-1 Spoilers: "Continuum" Resumes Filming May 22 (article dated May 16, 2007)
• Michael Shanks's TVGuide.com Blog, May 17, 2007
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, May 21, 2007 and companion article at Solutions Blog
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, May 22, 2007 and companion article at Solutions Blog
• Interview with Lexa Doig on the set of Killer Eyes, published May 27, 2007.
• Alex Levine's blog at scifi.com, May 31, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, June 1, 2007 and companion article at Solutions Blog
• Richard Dean Anderson Web Site, June 4-5, 2007 Update.
• SCI FI WIRE: SG-1 Ends, Begins on DVD, Interview with Robert C. Cooper, June 13, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, June 13, 2007
• Solutions Blog: TV Guide, Mallozzi Give Spoilers for Movies, June 14, 2007.
• The Province: Stargate secrets revealed at last, June 17, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, June 18, 2007
• SCI FI WIRE: Browder Froze in Continuum, June 19, 2007
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, June 20, 2007
• MGM Behind-the-Scenes Video Library: Sneak Peek at Continuum with Amanda Tapping and Ben Browder, posted in June 2007 and companion article at Solutions Blog
• Gateworld: Ark of Truth will be released in 2008; June 24, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, June 26, 2007.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, June 28, 2007.
• Slice of SciFi: Interview with Claudia Black, posted July 15, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: SG-1 Spoilers: 'Today's Air Force' Features Continuum, posted July 23, 2007.
• MSOL: Transcript of Starlog #358 interview with Michael Shanks, July 21, 2007.
• Official Stargate Magazine, Titan, Issue #17, July/August 2007.
• Dreamwatch's Total Sci Fi: Tapping on the Gate, July 27, 2007.
• Solutions Blog: Wood: "It's the best thing we've ever done", August 8, 2007.
• Dreamwatch's Total Sci Fi: "Shanks for the memories" interview with Michael Shanks, posted August 8, 2007.
• Solutions: Judge on the Movies and Beyond, August 21, 2007.
• Solutions: SCI FI WIRE: Shanks Talks Stargate Movies, September 24, 2007.
• SciFi.com: Alex Levine's Stargate Blog, "Special Features and Story Arcs", November 16, 2007.
• Gateworld: The Wright Stuff, interview with Brad Wright, published November 21, 2007.
• Solutions: Cool Photo Gallery from "Continuum" Location Shoot, December 6, 2007.
• Solutions: SG-1 Movie Releases Start to Get Press Attention, December 21, 2007.
• Solutions: "Continuum" Movie Stills Released, January 4, 2008.
• Solutions: Check Out Some Recent Cast Interviews, February 18, 2008.
• Solutions: Producers Screen "Stargate: Continuum", February 20, 2008.
• Stargate Planet interview with Colin Cunningham, February 2008.
• Titan Magazines, publisher of the Official Stargate Magazine, March/April 2008.
• Solutions: Browder on Continuum, Farscape, and Other Projects, March 14, 2008.
• Solutions: Claudia Black on Filming and Motherhood, March 20, 2008.
• Gateworld: Wood: Continuum Is Big, April 2, 2008.
• Solutions: July's a Big Month for Stargate Fans, April 3, 2008.
• Gateworld: Stargate: Continuum on DVD July 29 (Interview with Brad Wright), April 4, 2008.
• Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, April 6, 2008.
• Solutions: Wright in the Middle of Stargate Projects, April 6, 2008.
• Solutions: SCI FI: Goldsmith Talks Stargate DVD Scores, April 8, 2008.
• Gateworld: Early Look at Stargate: Continuum, April 10, 2008.
• Solutions: "Continuum" Trailer on YouTube, April 10, 2008.
• Solutions: Sci Fi Pi Interviews Tapping, Bridges, April 11, 2008.
• Solutions: "Stargate: Continuum" Now Available for Pre-Order, April 11, 2008.
• Gateworld: Game of Baal (interview with Cliff Simon), April 2008.
• Solutions: TV Shows On DVD: "Continuum" on DVD and Blu-Ray, April 17, 2008.
• Solutions: Anderson: "Continuum" Like a Feature Film (links to RDA website), April 23, 2008.
• David Hewlett's Blog, April 28, 2008.
• Solutions: Den of Geek Interviews Amanda Tapping, May 1, 2008.
• Solutions: Amazon.com Features "Continuum" Cover Art, May 2, 2008.
• Solutions: TV Shows on DVD: Revised "Continuum" Cover Art, May 6, 2008.
• Solutions: TV Shows On DVD Reveals "Final" "Continuum" Cover Art, May 13, 2008.
• SCI FI WIRE: Continuum Expands SG-1, May 15, 2008 and companion article at Solutions
• SCI FI WIRE: Continuum Made Character Suffer, May 23, 2008 and companion article at Solutions

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--DeeKayP 13:20, 11 October 2006 (PDT)