The cultural meaning of “Stargate SG-1” cannot be overestimated. Roland Emmerich’s “Stargate” could have laid the foundations for the eponymous franchise, but “SG-1” helped consolidate his premises rich in mythology and his construction of the world. In addition, the scope and function of the Stargate system are only secondary in “SG-1” because the show lives more on narrow camaraderie among the central crew. Although the high octane action often has priority during subsequent seasons, “SG-1” is generally considered focused on the characters, enriched with an evolving tradition which is never afraid to take eccentric oscillations.
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The cancellation of “Stargate SG-1” after 10 seasons could look like the end of an era, but it was certainly not the end of the road for the franchise. After all, spin-offs like “Stargate Atlantis” and “Stargate Universe” worked hard to keep her heritage alive, doing commendable work to introduce new elements in a familiar setting. However, fans aspired more than “SG-1” and the specific atmosphere that it brought to the table.
Enter “Stargate: The Ark of Truth” from 2008 and “Stargate: Continuum”, two direct-video films which serve as a consequences for “SG-1”. The two films borrow in scenarios already established in the parent series and rely on them to deliver increased issues, allowing “SG-1” to end on a note that feels a little less steep than its tenth and last season.
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But if I told you that we could have had another Continuation of “SG-1” film which was supposed to break a tacit rule cooked in the DNA of the franchise? Let’s talk about the following film “Stargate: Revolution”, a film immediately from Stargate “which has never been taken due to a wave of unexpected problems, delays in production to a radical commercial decision taken by MGM.
The Stargate film: Revolution could really have changed everything
“Ark of Truth” and “Continuum” aroused sufficient interest to justify a third film, which prompted the writer-producer Brad Wright to bring history into evolution in unexplored territory. You see, the franchise as a whole has often played with the idea of revealing the existence of Stargates to the general public, but it has always moved from the last minute.
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However, “Stargate: Revolution” was supposed to cross this major line, which also meant that each canonical story after that should treat this development as a fact. In addition, this narrative-no-return point has raised relevant questions, in particular which can control these intergalactic systems and if the population should also inquire about extraterrestrial civilizations wishing to invade the land. As the repercussions of such a revelation are massive, the film was supposed to locate General Jack O’Neill by Richard Dean Anderson in the center of this chaotic disorder.
Each aspect of the continuation was in place, in particular the involvement of Martin Wood as a director, with Wright and the writer Carl Binder (who came on board “Stargate Atlantis” after his first season) responsible for writing the script (via Gateworld). After writing the script, it was just a matter of time before the start of filming, because MGM seemed happy to Greenlight a third film “SG-1”. The fans were also excited, especially in the middle of rumors that Sam (Amanda Tapping) and Jack would end up together in “Stargate: Revolution”, which A Large. However, things did not seem too hot on the financial front. MGM lost money and the DVD market was not as lucrative as before, causing a delay after a delay for reasons why the showrunners have little control.
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As “Stargate Universe” was released in 2009, the series had received positive criticisms but had to face the drop in television ratings. With MGM who seeks to put the franchise at gradual stop, the chances of a series of DVD “SG-1” seemed thinner per minute. Finally, “Stargate: Revolution” was completely abandoned, as well as new plans to maintain the franchise. Although the streaming services like Netflix barely started to capitalize on the video on demand trend, MGM was unable to take financial risks, because he filed a protection against bankruptcy in November 2010. In the end, “Stargate Universe” was canceled after two seasons, definitively buried the idea of a nascent project associated with the “Stargate” franchise.
While “Stargate: Revolution” was put aside for life, this following film could have made an astonishing turning point in the franchise. Alas, some things are never supposed to be, and we will have to live with that.
