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'Battlestar Galactica' movie: Here's what we know so far

'Battlestar Galactica' will reportedly be adapted as a film, according to Variety. Two previous TV versions of 'Battlestar Galactica' ran in the 1970s and, after a miniseries reboot, from 2004 to 2009.

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Richard Lam/AP
'Battlestar Galactica' stars Jamie Bamber (l.) and Richard Hatch (r.).
  • By Aracell Roach Screen Rant

With all the criticism surrounding remakes and reboots these days (like the recent drama about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), sometimes it’s hard to remember there are quite a few new takes on old material that turn out to be successful. For instance, Christopher Nolan brought new life to Batman in three hugely popular films, and Amazing Spider-Man and Man of Steel each did very well at the box office, even if both films had their share of detractors.

Television is the same, too. A remake of British series The Office became one of NBC’s most beloved of all time, and CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 has some of the highest ratings on TV each week. While transitioning a reboot from TV to film may be a bit more difficult, both Star Trek and 21 Jump Street have managed to reestablish themselves for a whole new audience on the big screen. Now there’s another TV series hoping to make that same jump.

Variety reports that Universal is working with Transcendence writer Jack Paglen (who is also penning the Prometheus sequel for production this fall) to adapt a movie version of their Battlestar Galactica franchise. As with the 2003 reboot series, original creator Glen Larson will produce the new film. Bryan Singer was previously supposed to direct a film version, but he’s not mentioned in these new developments.

Battlestar Galactica first became a series during the 1978-1979 season with stars Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict playing part of the last remnants of humanity searching for Earth while in a war against a cybernetic race known as the Cylons. Star Trek writer Ron Moore then gave the franchise new life in 2003 when he created a reboot for Sci-Fi starring Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell.

Both Battlestar Galactica series maintained the same premise, yet differed widely in tone and theme. Moore’s newer series took on deeper aspects like politics and religion, preferring to create a more thought-provoking series for a new age. This new film is said to be yet another complete reimagining of the original story, so there’s no telling what we can expect. But if Transcendence and the Prometheus sequel are anything to go by, this version will probably also include a darker tone.

Still, it may be too early for audiences to wrap their heads around another Battlestar Galactica reboot, since Moore’s version has only been off the air for just five years, and its prequels, Caprica and Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, even less than that. Some fans may still be eager for more in the universe, but it’s hard to see what else can be done that the other series didn’t. Fortunately, the premise easily lends itself to either a television or movie format.

Aracell Roach blogs at Screen Rant.

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