|
Post by Kestrel on Oct 8, 2021 17:55:56 GMT
So, I thought about putting this in one of the fandom threads, but since we have one for B5, might as well: so JMS has had to tell people not to send him ideas as that would create a legal nightmare.
One guy in the comments suggested he could make them sign a waiver and give away the ideas for free. May I just say, never ever ever ever ever ever EVER do this. Ever.
Yeah, it's pretty nuts. By and large the B5 fandom is pretty cool, but some people react very aggressively to JMS' unique accessibility. Apparently he was even (literally) stalked at one point by a dude trying to sell him a fan script. And reading back on the Usenet posts archived over at The Lurker's Guide JMS has been saying the exact same things to people for four decades. And even now there are folks pestering him on Twitter for "exceptions." It's crazy.
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 3, 2022 2:41:36 GMT
So I'm not confident it's very likely (there's a fair bit of wishful thinking involved) but JMS recently dropped some MAJOR news on Twitter: apparently there's a "secret project" in the works, involving all of the surviving cast! Given how frustrated JMS was (and, frankly, most fans, too) with the limited scope of The Lost Tales, I suspect it is not a live action thing. What's more, unlike the reboot, this isn't potential -- it's already up and finished, ready to release sometime next year.
So: audio drama? Babylon 5 on Big Finish!?!?
Well, like I said, wishful thinking.
To be honest I'm not sure how I feel about it. I love these characters, deeply and dearly, and would love to see (or hear!) them again, someday... but I fear that cannot happen without the heartache accompanying the absence of so many. Far, far too many.
|
|
|
Post by tuigirl on Sept 4, 2022 19:47:38 GMT
So I'm not confident it's very likely (there's a fair bit of wishful thinking involved) but JMS recently dropped some MAJOR news on Twitter: apparently there's a "secret project" in the works, involving all of the surviving cast! Given how frustrated JMS was (and, frankly, most fans, too) with the limited scope of The Lost Tales, I suspect it is not a live action thing. What's more, unlike the reboot, this isn't potential -- it's already up and finished, ready to release sometime next year. So: audio drama? Babylon 5 on Big Finish!?!?Well, like I said, wishful thinking. To be honest I'm not sure how I feel about it. I love these characters, deeply and dearly, and would love to see (or hear!) them again, someday... but I fear that cannot happen without the heartache accompanying the absence of so many. Far, far too many. Well, Bruce Boxleitner has read the Orville audiobook, so I would not completely rule out him doing other audio work....
|
|
|
Post by mark687 on Sept 12, 2022 22:26:04 GMT
Think this is the right place for this
You Learn something everyday
Regards
mark687
|
|
|
Post by The Brigadier on Sept 13, 2022 10:55:03 GMT
Think this is the right place for this You Learn something everyday Regards mark687 Blimey..he looks young. Babylon 5 couldn't have been that long ago surely? *checks Internet* Oh. Babylon 5 WAS that long ago..* ****. 😳 * It'll celebrate it's 29TH ANNIVERSARY in January..
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 14, 2022 10:21:36 GMT
I grew up on B5 reruns. That show had a greater impact on my life than any i5er piece of media. I literally would not be alive if not for B5.
Anyway, yeah. Bryan Cranston only has the tiniest of roles in a single short scene in one episode... but it is one of the most important scenes in the entire series. Most of Babylon 5 is constructed around the conflict between the First Ones, but the looming threat of cancellation forced that conflict to be resolved prematurely, soon after it had (finally, after much build-up) escalated into open, total war.
The whole war needed to be wrapped up quickly, and as a consequence the plot moves very quickly with very little time available to depict the sheer horror and brutality of the most destructive galactic conflict conceivable. Whole planets burnt to ash, entire civilizations undone. In his lone scene, Bryan Cranston had to shoulder all of that immense weight, to portray through very few lines of dialog just how horrific the war was, and just how high the cost of simple survival was. In the case of overwhelming, I possible odds.
One man. A few dozen seconds. His image distorted by a CRT screen.
And he sells it completely. In that one scene, we understand -- with perfect clarity -- just what the stakes are. The weight of a story four years in the making fell on Cranston's shoulders... and he carried it perfectly.
There's quite a lot of excellent acting in Babylon 5, even and especially when considering peripheral and one-off characters. Even among that company, Cranston's performance stands apart.
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 19, 2022 12:13:40 GMT
...Not sure what to make of this, but my gut tells me to expect bad news. Guess we'll find out soon.
|
|
|
Post by Digi on Sept 19, 2022 12:20:23 GMT
...Not sure what to make of this, but my gut tells me to expect bad news. Guess we'll find out soon. I had the same immediate 'uh oh' reaction, but then I took a gander at JMS's Twitter feed and see that it came a day after this: Which...makes me think there could be good news in the offing?
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 19, 2022 12:47:36 GMT
Maybe, but there are only so many ways fans can "step up," and only so many reasons why that would be necessary -- or even desirable. The best-case scenario (to my limited imagination at least) is that if CW execs are getting cold feet about the reboot, some sort of showing on social media might tip the scales. Especially if there's something -- like the confirmed side-project featuring the surviving actors -- that can be pre-ordered to gauge viability.
I dunno. I'm never gonna forget how Warner screwed JMS over season 5, and then like just a year later wound up cancelling Crusade before the first episode had even aired. Babylon 5 only exists thanks to a storm of serendipitous circumstances -- a genuine miracle -- so it's hard to imagine that same good fortune repeating.
|
|
|
Post by Digi on Sept 19, 2022 16:27:06 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Digi on Sept 19, 2022 16:27:20 GMT
I assume this means #2 trending thing:
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 20, 2022 20:37:01 GMT
Looks like it (briefly?) hit #1. Which is good? Maybe?
I dunno. That this kind of publicity stunt was necessary seems to contradict what JMS was saying earlier, back when the reboot was first announced, about the CW being very confident/enthusiastic about the project. Still, you have to imagine that this level of enthusiasm on social media for an IP that's been dormant for a quarter-century is pretty damned impressive. And, I'd imagine, unprecedented.
|
|
|
Post by Digi on Sept 20, 2022 21:17:26 GMT
Looks like it (briefly?) hit #1. Which is good? Maybe? I dunno. That this kind of publicity stunt was necessary seems to contradict what JMS was saying earlier, back when the reboot was first announced, about the CW being very confident/enthusiastic about the project. Still, you have to imagine that this level of enthusiasm on social media for an IP that's been dormant for a quarter-century is pretty damned impressive. And, I'd imagine, unprecedented. I might have my timeline wrong, but I think that was back before Warner/CBS set about selling CW off. Likely that that'll be a huge factor in the change in optimism.
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 21, 2022 11:26:15 GMT
I don't know anything about entertainment news or the like. Just what JMS has said on Twitter, and the last time I remember him speaking about the reboot, he was full of optimism and saying that it at the full backing of an enthusiastic executive. I didn't see anything after that.
So was the CW sold, or is Warner trying to sell it? My understanding is that WB has the rights to B5, so if they sell the network, that'd scuttle the plans for the reboot.
|
|
|
Post by Digi on Sept 21, 2022 16:10:14 GMT
I don't know anything about entertainment news or the like. Just what JMS has said on Twitter, and the last time I remember him speaking about the reboot, he was full of optimism and saying that it at the full backing of an enthusiastic executive. I didn't see anything after that. So was the CW sold, or is Warner trying to sell it? My understanding is that WB has the rights to B5, so if they sell the network, that'd scuttle the plans for the reboot. Okay, had to hit up a few different websites to try to piece together the timeline, but this is how it's played out: Before - CW founded and co-owned by CBS and Warner Bros
Nov 2020 - a remastered version of the original series is released, apparently marking the end of the Warner 'roadblock' to any further B5 projects that JMS has been open about for many years
Jun 2021 - discussions with Warner begin for a new iteration of the series (JMS reveals this on 28 Sep 2021) 27 Sep 2021 - CW announces Babylon 5 reboot, JMS confirms on Twitter 5 Jan 2022 - WSJ reports that CBS & Warner are looking to sell CW, and that Nexstar is thought to be the likeliest buyer 6 Jan 2022 - CW CEO confirms to employees that a sale is being discussed 3 Feb 2022 - JMS says on his Patreon that the series is already in active development for a fall 2022 premiere, but with the potential CW sale is unsure whether a potential new owner would want to proceed with projects already in progress - Deadline publishes a list of pilot scripts picked up by CW, B5 is not on the list. Usually means a show isn't happening, but JMS says that he received a call from CW President confirming support for the reboot and rolling the pilot script over to the 2023 pilot season (fall 2023) 8 Apr 2022 - Discovery/AT&T announces they've closed their deal to buy Warner May 2022 - CW's fall schedule released, for the first time with more cancellations than renewals Jun 2022 - WSJ reports that Nexstar buyout of CW is close 15 Aug 2022 - Nexstar confirms they are buying a 75% stake in CW. CBS and Warner will retain 12.5% stakes each Aug 2022 - Nexstar holds a conference call, states they intend to convert CW into a network with broad appeal 30 Aug 2022 - JMS announces through his Patreon that a second, secret B5 project has been completed and will be released in 2023. "The great thing is that the secret B5 project isn't one of those "maybe it'll happen/maybe it won't"...it's done, it has a '23 release date, and it's the closest thing to the original B5 in tone of anything we've done since. As if no time has passed at all. 100% crescent fresh." 19 Sep 2022 - the big Twitter push that just happened. JMS says the fate of the B5 reboot pilot may be decided by the end of the month. The hashtag trends at #1 worldwide, just hours after the royal funeral 20 Sep 2022 - JMS tweets:
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Sept 22, 2022 10:39:13 GMT
Interesting... thank you for going to the trouble to find all that out. Maybe I ought to be more optimistic? Feels like B5R could (potentially) fit very well with a "rebranded" CW. I remember when the reboot was first announced, a good 95% of the skepticism was due to the CW's reputation for shows that skewed very young (and very white), the fear being it'd be oriented around teenagers rather than adults.
Still, reboots and remakes are very seldom better than the originals, or even as good (though it does happen...), so Im still much more interested in that secret project. Still holding out hope for an audio drama!
|
|
|
Post by mark687 on Jan 4, 2023 9:46:30 GMT
IF it came back they Wouldn't Dole out Licences to other companies
Regards
mark687
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on Apr 27, 2023 23:51:49 GMT
Now what would need a logo? Animated show? Audio drama? Video game? Comic? JMS also hinted at Boxleitner being involved, which leads me to suspect one of the former two... not that we'll have to wait lon to find out.
|
|
|
Post by Kestrel on May 2, 2023 17:04:31 GMT
So my understanding is that the specific announcement won't come until tomorrow, BUT:
AUDIO DRAMAS!!!!
|
|
|
Post by aussiedoctorwhofan on May 2, 2023 20:15:39 GMT
So my understanding is that the specific announcement won't come until tomorrow, BUT: AUDIO DRAMAS!!!!YES.. I got wind yesterday from a mate yesterday Australia time..
The creator of Babylon 5 is apparently a huge BF fan !
|
|