While Christopher Judge may be known to the present generation as the God of War Kratos, he was a fierce warrior before it too. The star, who is known for his signature voice, was once part of a sci-fi franchise that had a fanbase that could rival Star Wars. And no, it is not Star Trek.
The Rolland Emmerich and Dean Devlin created Stargate was panned by critics upon release but soon gained a cult status among fans. It prompted the beginning of a franchise that spanned three television series, an animated series, and two more direct-to-video films. After a hiatus, Amazon Studios who recently acquired MGM, has announced that they would reboot the beloved franchise.
The Origins Of Stargate
Before he made it a habit to keep destroying the world in his films, Rolland Emmerich made Stargate in 1994. The director of popular blockbusters such as Independence Day, 2012, and The Day After Tomorrow created the sci-fi tale of a wormhole on Earth that acted as a gateway for interstellar travel. He created it along with producer Dean Devlin. While the film received mixed to negative reviews upon release, it created a strong fanbase known as the ‘Gaters’.
Despite its critical response, the film earned $196 million at the global box office over a $55 million budget. This prompted the makers to create a TV series named Stargate SG-1. The series enhanced the fandom of the franchise, with many conventions dedicated to the series taking place across the world. The fandom also attracted many female fans due to its exploration of feminist themes.
The TV show ran for ten seasons and also spawned two more shows namely Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe. Christopher Judge played the role of Teal’c, a genetically modified warrior from the planet of Chulak. He appeared in the original Stargate SG-1 series, making an appearance in a total of 214 episodes. His character makes the most appearances in the show, appearing in all except one episode. Christopher Judge also makes an appearance in the series’ follow-up DVD films Stargate The Ark Of The Truth and Stargate Continuum. He also makes a cameo in Stargate Atlantis. Judge received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Television series for his role as Teal’c.
After the shows, an animated series, and two direct-to-video films, the franchise underwent a hiatus until 2017, when Stargate Origins, a prequel web series consisting of short ten-minute episodes was streamed. The franchise underwent another hiatus until recently when Amazon Studios started considering a reboot of the beloved franchise.
The Return Of Stargate
When Amazon Studios acquired legacy studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, it inherited its library of assets. Many titles such as Robocop, Legally Blonde, Barbershop, and The Pink Panther were being considered for a reboot. One of those is Stargate.
Deadline reported that the makers were considering at least two live-action films and a TV show based on the popular sci-fi franchise. It was also rumored to be debuting at this year’s Comic Con. However, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes prompted them to cancel the event.
According to Popcast, Amazon Prime Video has plans to make a two-part film as well as a limited series. The films would serve to connect Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis to the limited series. A small teaser was also reported to be revealed at Comic-Con. The teaser would show an activated Stargate inside the Pacific Ocean near the Golden Gate Bridge, a direct continuation of the ending of Stargate Atlantis. However, due to the ongoing strikes, the plans may not come to fruition anytime soon.
Source: Deadline
