Glen's "Story"

[Darrell Lawrence]

So *if* Glen actually does follow through with his BG movie, I have an interesting question....

You'll have to take yourself out of the "fan box" for a moment, and think in "Hollywood Producer" mindset for this.

Even though by public appearences and such they get along, in reality Glen and Richard Hatch don't quite see eye to eye regarding BG.

Glen was upset with Richard for doing the second coming stuff (hence Glen's own 1999 failed attempt), but now Richard has a semi-regular role in the "re-imagined" version of BG.

If Glen was to be believed at Galacticon, he doesn't give a rats ass about the remake, etc, and went so far as o really put it down.

So... again, if Glen follows through with his movie project...

Will Apollo even be in it???

What's your thoughts?

Remember, try not to reply in a "fan mode".

[Eric Paddon]

For a next generation story set aboard the Galactica, the character of Apollo is IMO not essential to the making of a good storyline if personality conflicts would prevent Hatch from being a part of the effort (if, big if, there ever is such an effort). If I were told that I could only have a finite number of cast members in a next generation story, in which they would have only supporting roles, I would be more than happy with Dirk, Anne and Herb to provide continuity, have a few lines of dialogue that clear up some dangling plot threads (like establish whether Apollo and Sheba ever did get together; or have Starbuck make an aside about his father that tells us he did learn the truth about Chameleon) and recast the part of Baltar and then just plunge full speed ahead in next generation mode.

[Winemaster]

I concur with Eric's statement

[mikedx]

I disagree. Hatch is the most recognized character from TOS, and his appearance on the new series brings even more attention to him.

Since Greene has passed on, you need Hatch to step up and take the reins and be the father figure that everyone will follow. It's only natural for him to take the lead.

I think Larson would be making a mistake to let personal feelings get in the way to exclude him.

Speaking out of the box.

[Senmut]

EP for Executive Producer!

[Sept17th]

Excluding Hatch would be a mistake the core of the living cast should at least have an imporatnt cameo. Starbuck would be the most important of the orignal cast/characters to make this work.

I'd see it without a Hatch/Apollo but egos should be set a side. Think money, why alienate the "Hatchettes".

[Senmut]

Just say "$", and RH will be there. It worked for RDM.

[julix]

It may be hard for me to step out of my fanbox................

I do think that there are proabaly a bunch of ego/personality conflicts in Hollywood, but that is put aside if it is deemed better in the business sense........not all the time I am sure.

[Lara]

The core characters of Cassie and Starbuck could be a backbone perspective on a major plotline, and a lot of the fill could be done in flashback or plot exposition to answer some of the old hanging plotlines. neat wrap up, recognisable characters.

High visibility for Col Tigh, a grown up Boxey, and Baltar's personality in a cylon construction.

Keep the mystery of where's Apollo for a while, and have his story (and Shebas) told as a major subplot, with an open ending. Meaty part for Hatch, keeps the continuity, and surely him and Larson can keep it civil for that much involvement..
(if they can't, make it the plot on the video game )
I think its a mistake to either write Apollo off quickly as dead like they did in G80, or to ignore him. The character was too important in the original.

The trick is to balance new interest with a certain amount of closure, and avoid either a nostalgia-fest or a discontinuity.
Ensure the available originals are acknowledged and advanced, in a plot with plenty of opportunity for establishing new blood, and room to move for later on.

And add lots of hot new fx..
And a grand soundtrack..

Don't look or sound cheap , and non BSG fans will come for the film event. Everyone loves an epic..



Cheers,
Lara

[Sept17th]

Originally Posted by Lara

The trick is to balance new interest with a certain amount of closure, and avoid either a nostalgia-fest or a discontinuity.

And add lots of hot new fx..
And a grand soundtrack..

Don't look or sound cheap , and non BSG fans will come for the film event. Everyone loves an epic...

Stu has to do the score...I agree with the above.

A question should the film be shot after the demise of GINO. What GINO elements do you think will have to be in the Larson film? All of Ted's manifestations and the other twelve fans will be screaming for it.

[kingfish]

If I were in hollywood I would include the surviving cast members as well as add a few big names to the list. Tom DeSanto was on the right track. Sir Ian as Adama would have worked.

[Titon]

I agree with Eric on this one. Richard is very expendable.

A bridge to the past with a trio of the old actors is a perfect scenario. Terry Carter said at Galacticon he was ready to go whenever Glen called. Of all the actors at Galacticon he was the most cordial of them all.

[Sept17th]

Originally Posted by Titon

I agree with Eric on this one. Richard is very expendable...

I can’t buy off on that one. Very Expendable We Purist types, those small few on the net and the greater number who peaked at GINO then thought “no thanks” have already been through enough disappointment. Apollo is huge element of Battlestar Galactica and Hatch is alive and well. Every effort should be made for him to be onboard. I believe that even though I still feel a sting every time I hear or read Tom Zarek.

Expendable…yes just not very expendable.

[peter noble]

Dirk's the most widely known actor worldwide for BSG and the A-Team, if Glen was thinking of a movie that was a bridge between the old and the new I think Dirk would be a cert. Plus Glen and Dirk have always got on well through the years.

[Darrell Lawrence]

Originally Posted by Senmut

Just say "$", and RH will be there. It worked for RDM.

Richard wouldn't be the problem.

It's Glen wanting or not wanting Richard in the movie that's the problem.

[Darrell Lawrence]

Originally Posted by Sept17th

We Purist types

Well... we Continuist types think a bit differently than you Purist type

[Titon]

Ok, i agree. Maybe very expendable was the wrong thing to say. Of course it would be a valued thing if Hatch were a part of a new Larson movie but my thinking is along the lines of Next Generation.

Richard already believes Battlestar is back with GINO. He's already stated that in interviews. It maybe time to move on without conflict. He gave DeSanto alot of static over his purposed role in Tom's continuation effort.

[repcisg]

I would like to add my two cents to this. As much as anyone I too would like to see a continuation, in fact I would love to see a continuation. But I fear it will not happen.

Why? Simple it just isn’t in the cards. Way back in the beginning, when Galactica was being discussed, Star Wars was burning up the big screen, making tens of millions of dollars. If something like that could be brought to the small screen and big screen the potential for profit could be limitless, or so everyone thought. So Galactia was sliced and diced into small pieces, everyone associated with it wanted their share.

When Living Legend was written Glen cut a sweetheart deal, giving him full rights to that story. The studio felt Pegasus was a one shot deal and would not be seen again, so far they have been proven correct.

Now fast forward to today. Universal/NBC owns the TV, DVD, literary and Merchandising rights to Galactica, Glen owns the movie rights. If Glen were to do a movie he would need Universal/NBC’s permission to do it (it uses the Galactica universe), he could not show it on TV (with out paying Universal/NBC a hefty license fee) and most likely be unable to distribute it on DVD, unless he paid a hefty fee to Universal/NBC.

Now with Pegasus these restrictions do not exist with the exception of Universal/NBC owning the rights to the Galactia universe, Glen will still need to get their permission to do the film. But Universal/NBC or any other network would pay him for displaying the movie and he owns the merchandising rights.

So for Glen the money is in Pegasus, not Galactica.

[Sept17th]

Well perhaps as long been expected Poppa Larson already cashed that cow. RDM has Nova Cain and the Pegasus coming this summer. The future of TOS is in fan films for the foreseeable future.

[repcisg]

I deed, perhaps podcasts are the way to go.

[Eric Paddon]

If the only story Glen could do would be Pegasus oriented then I would have only two words to say: FORGET IT!

[kingfish]

Richard needs to be in a continuation and not as a cylon agent. Tom did that to work him into the story.

[kingfish]

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

If the only story Glen could do would be Pegasus oriented then I would have only two words to say: FORGET IT!

On this point, the only successful Pegasus story would need to include Jeff Bridges as Commander Cain since there is a striking resemblance between him and his father the great Lloyd Bridges.

[repcisg]

Because of the passage of time Glen could go for an entirely new cast. All the notable cast had moved to the Galactica leaving Cain and an unknown number of crew when last seen.

He has an almost clean slate to work with.

[Darrell Lawrence]

Originally Posted by kingfish

Richard needs to be in a continuation and not as a cylon agent. Tom did that to work him into the story.

"The Second Coming" trailer had no Starbuck in it.

Kinda funny, actually...

In "The Second Coming" trailer, Apollo says "Starbucks alive. I know it!" etc etc and decides to go and try to rescue him from the Cylons.

In DeSanto's version, it's Apollo that's missing and gets rescued from the Cylons.

[BST]

Originally Posted by Eric Paddon

If the only story Glen could do would be Pegasus oriented then I would have only two words to say: FORGET IT!

At this particular point in time, it appears that this may be the case. Too much expense to run with a TOS Galactica only storyline and this would probably making financing very difficult, i.e., limited return on investment.

On the other hand, Glen's hands wouldn't be tied, so to speak, with a Pegasus storyline. There would be less upfront expenses which may make financing a bit easier to secure since lower expenses increase profit. Also, since financiers are not likely to be die-hard fans like us and don't know the differences in the 2 universes, they will probably look at TNS as actually proving that there is an audience for a potential Pegasus movie which, according to many of the TNS folks' very own words, would be true.

Now, if Pegasus were to be wildly successful at the box office, the TOS universe could find itself in a driver's seat for the first time since 1978. Universal may find itself re-negotiating some of the Galactica contract terms with Larson and who knows what that outcome could be.

I realize that this line of reasoning is full of "what-if's" and "maybe's" but, we need to think outside the box and not put too many constraints on what might be.

We could very well get TOS Galactica back, through Pegasus, and with a little help from TNS.

Wouldn't that be sweet?

For me, as long as ANY Battlestar held to the themes, concept, and ideals of the TOS universe, I'd be happy.

[Eric Paddon]

A Pegasus project or story just doesn't interest me. If it were made I'd just get restless waiting for whatever obscure throwaway reference to the Galactica and its crew happened to be made in the course of the story and wouldn't have any reason to pay attention to the story itself, and *then* I'd have to cross my fingers and wait patiently for something good to happen to get TOS continuation for real for more years?

After 25 years of showing more patience than I cared to, to see a project done that could genuinely interest me, I personally have no intention of cutting any slack for a project that I know will not excite me just as Hatch's novels and GINO don't excite me. And a Pegasus story falls square into that category for me.

[BST]

Eric,

Apparently, you have certain standards for what you would consider a return to the TOS Galactica universe. I can respect that, even if I feel that you are severely limiting your options.

As I mentioned, earlier, I really don't care HOW we get TOS Galactica back in the limelight, as long as we do. Whether we would use Pegasus as a vehicle for that ultimate goal, it matters not, as long as the ultimate goal is achieved.

We have waited 26 years, on hope, on something intangible. If Larson is able to run with a Pegasus movie and, in the long term, prove the viability of a show based on the ideals, etc of TOS then, he's got my support. Period. I don't view that as forgetting my original wants and desires, just using a different path to get there, that's all. I'd hitch my wagon to something tangible, over something intangible, any day of the week.

[Titon]

Pete to be honest i really wish we could expand on the Warthog version of the 2003 BG game. What they did as far as a storyline and overall look of the game sent chills down my spine. They stayed true to the Galactica universe. Although it was animation it to me was the first tangible Galactica product since the original.

And i mean that sincerely. In fact i stood next to the designer of the game at Galacticon and he was severly perturbed at Universal and scifi when it came to the design of the game. Originally there was nothing to do with the new mini series, it was strictly TOS. They made him change aspects of the game to fit with the new series. He was not a happy camper.

[Eric Paddon]

I've been too immersed in the realm of fanfic for too many years to ever have limited options in terms of what I can enjoy. But for the medium of what gets professionally done, whether film, comics or novels, I feel I have to raise the standard of why I should regard what emerges from there as more special than the average fanfic, and so far I've seen nothing that could ever excite me or make me think it will be more worth my time than what the amateur writer can craft.