Devlin Develops New StargatesDean Devlin, co-writer and producer of the original Stargate movie, told SCI FI Wire that he has struck a production deal with MGM and is developing the long-delayed sequel feature films that will pick up the story from the 1994 original—but not the mythology subsequently elaborated on in the SCI FI Channel original series Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Devlin added that he hopes to enlist original stars Kurt Russell (Jack O'Neill) and James Spader (Dr. Daniel Jackson), who have expressed an interest.
"When we created the original Stargate, we always envisioned it as a trilogy, and, unfortunately, the way in which the movie got made, we didn't really have control over [it]," Devlin (The Triangle) said in an interview at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 20. "We didn't have the ability to do two and three. MGM had then made a big commitment to doing the [SG-1] series, and they were worried that the movie could interfere with the series. Well, now that the series has run so successfully for so long and spawned a second series, and there's a whole new regime at MGM, they're not really worried about [it]. The series is running great on its own. And they think there is an audience out there who would like to see what parts two and ... three were intended to be. Because there was a larger story arc that we had in mind, and we never got to explore it so I think it will be very exciting to actually get to go do parts two and three."
Both Russell and Spader have expressed interest, Devlin added. "They've always said they wanted to do it. ... The irony is actually because it was 12 years ago that we made Stargate, [and] part two was actually supposed to take place about 12 years later. We were just going to kind of age them up as actors. So it actually works out really nicely."
The sequels would steer clear of the TV show mythologies, Devlin added. "That's right," he said. "We would just continue the mythology of the movie and finish that out. I think the series could still live at the end of the third sequel. So we're going to try to not tread on their stories."
Roland Emmerich directed the first film. "Roland wants to be involved in the development of it, and he wants the first opportunity to decide if he gets to direct it," Devlin said. "I think a lot of it will depend on what it costs to make. Roland now, he's making some pretty big pictures, so a lot of it will depend upon how much money I can raise to [do] parts two and three. But he definitely is interested in it. He's always loved the story arc, and the second and third parts are really interesting, and so it would be fun, it would be fun to explore."
Devlin was at Comic-Con to promote his upcoming World War I drama Flyboys, starring James Franco, a movie based on the famed Lafayette Escadrille of fighter pilots. It opens Sept. 29. —Patrick Lee, News
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