JMS: Adding to the legacy- Act big or go home.

[David of Mac]

JMS has posted the final word on the Lost Tales, and it isn't cheery.

One final note re: recent discussions on TMoS and more Lost Tales.

B5:TLT was commissioned at a $2 million budget to, yet one more time, "test the waters" for B5. We did what we could with that, and that was that. As we did with Rangers, which also suffered from not having a lot of money because of concerns about "is there really a B5 audience?" Which is, of course, a foolish question from a studio that has never really understood what it has in B5.

Of late, there have been more discussions from WB about doing more DVDs, again at a low cost, or a cable thing, again with minimal investment.

So for the last few months, I've been giving this whole subject a lot of quiet thought. And I've come to a conclusion.

B5 as a five year story stands beautifully on its own. If anything else is to be continued from that story, it should be something that adds to the legacy of B5, rather than subtracts from it.

As well intentioned as Rangers and TLT were, as enticing as it was to return to those familiar waters, in the end I think they did more to subtract from the legacy than add to it. I don't regret having made them, because I needed to go through that to get to the point where I am now psychologically, but from where I sit now, I wouldn't make them again.

So I've let everyone up here know that I'm not interested in doing any more low-budget DVDs. I'm not interested in doing any low-budget cable things or small computer games. The only thing I would be interested in doing regarding Babylon 5 from this point on is a full- featured, big-budget feature film.

It's that or nothing.

And if it's nothing, I'm totally cool with that because the original story stands on its own just fine. I'm not lobbying for it, I'm not asking fans to write in about it (nor should you) because such campaigns never really have much impact...that's simply the position I've taken up here. Lord knows I don't lack for other things to do these days. I'm busier on more prestige projects with terrific people and great film-makers than at any other time in my career.

At the end of the day, for me, it's not just a matter of getting more B5. It's a matter of getting more *good* B5 that respects what came before it and doesn't have to compromise visually or in terms of action. The original show deserves better than that, the surviving cast members deserve better than that, and the fans who have supported it over the years definitely deserve better than that. A lot better.

So I've drawn that line in the sand, and I'm happy living on whichever side of that line the universe puts me. Just thought you should know, 'cause it's your show too.

jms

[Biggles]

I'm inclined to agree. As fun as it would be to see Garibaldi, Londo, and co again, I'm quite happy for the story to be left alone and the good memories not to be trampled in the mad rush to Make More Money.

[WORF]

Same. I liked seeing The Lost Tales and returning to B5 but it didn't really add anything to the story.

It's a pity he's against a game though. There's potential there not just for a space combat game but something in the style of Mass Effect would work too.

Worf

[RedAssAg05]

I'm not lobbying for it, I'm not asking fans to write in about it (nor should you) because such campaigns never really have much impact

Not entirely true, as Jericho fans proved last year and Star Trek fans years ago...though in this case, with a decade behind us, I would agree.

Well, I guess all I can do is remain hopeful that something big-budget *will* happen...even if it won't.

Man, what a Monday morning downer!

[Freejack]

The best bet for B5 "related" material to be produced (which would be a movie as stated): Continued successful mainstream projects from JMS, like The Changeling. The more successfull movies and major projects he pens, the more likely he will be able to walk into a studio, plunk down a script and get financial backing.

The one thing Hollywood values above all else: A sure thing...

Jake

[RubberEagle]

Originally Posted by WORF

It's a pity he's against a game though. There's potential there not just for a space combat game but something in the style of Mass Effect would work too.

I dunno, i've interpreted his line

Originally Posted by jms

I'm not interested in doing any low-budget cable things or small computer games.

as beeing against small computer games like the BSG game.
A big AAA Title on the other hand... (not that i believe this is gonna happen...)

[HuntSmacker]

Shame..

[ShadowDancer]

I agree with his sentiments, although I do wish he'd decided this after doing a Garibaldi/Londo TLT

[DarthCaligula]

Really, I agree with him, and I'm glad that more B5 won't be made really. I think that perserving the mystery in the show is the best thing to do. I did like the B5 TV movies and Crusade though, Legend of the Rangers I thought was a decent idea that could have been done much better, and I was disappointed in The Lost Tales, but it wasn't as bad as I was afraid it would be, and I thought some parts of it were pretty good. I personally would have been totally satisfied if B5 had ended with Crusade.
So like I said, I don't really have a problem with this and am actually relieved.
Though a computer game I would just love. There's so much potential in that.

[Zoltan]

Better to leave a good thing alone... After all, if ain't broke - don't fix it!

I would HATE for Babylon 5 to turn into some kind of franchise.... YUCK! (Example: Star Trek: REBOOT.... WTF...? He should've stuck to making "LOST" -imo)

Didn't care much for the new SW movies either... (and I only saw bits and pieces of them haha)... and not even going to bother with the animated stuff..

In my opinion, when something so great and epic is created and finished, NOTHING that comes after, will ever be as great. Sequels are rarely as good as the original, and almost never out-do it (unless the original thing sucked to begin with lol). So, I say it should be left alone - in regards to any future movies / series.

However, I'm all for PC Games / sims... etc. Not really into consoles - tho not against them making a Console version of a B5 game, provided there's a quality PC version of it as well (and it is NOT A console-port, but rather 'made-for-pc' title).

[Seafroggys]

The SW prequals HAD to be done though....I mean, everybody wanted them, even if they admit otherwise nowadays, ever since 1983 EVERYBODY wanted to know what Ep 1-3 were about. Even if they disowned the franchise and hated the prequels, those are the same people that were clamoring Lucas to actually do it.

Plus the SW prequels were actually pretty good. Even Episode I was decent although it does have notable flaws.

As for sequels being worse....well, that's the case a lot of the time, although there are many notable exceptions.....gotta be funny and say Empire Strikes Back and Wrath of Khan being two examples that you yourself inferred at in your support of YOUR claim. Also Terminator II and arguably Aliens (although I think it is just as good as Alien, just a different type of film). From Russia With Love (and many other Bond films for that matter were better than Dr. No). I could go on.

[Freejack]

The most notable sequel the improved upon the original:

Godfather II

Jake

[WORF]

Darkness Saga

A Galaxy in Darkness is better than Darkness Unleashed which is better than The Darkness Consumes which is better than Falling into Darkness

Worf

[RubberEagle]

Star Wars: Episode II was vastly better than Episode I

[Karyyk]

Has there been any word on the more recent B5 developments? I remember hearing that JMS has finally received some calls from WB about possibly moving forward on something more in-line with what he had in mind at the tail-end of last year. Has anything further come of this?

[RubberEagle]

Lately, JMS' comment on the matter has been "Ask me again after April".

[Sanfam]

So we'll ask him 'round that time and see what comes to the surface!

[Biggles]

Probably not much. Him becoming a popular script writer doesn't mean he will be able to get any movie he likes (i.e. B5) made. How many times have you seen "From the writer of..." when that person wasn't also the director?

[WORF]

Not again...

[SpiritOne]

If there is a B5 movie at some point in the future, I think it will be after JMS is gone, and it will just be another reboot.

[JanMSchroeder]

Regarding any potential movie, it should be mentioned that JMS owns the movie rights to B5. That means that if he comes up with a story he really wants to tell, he can take it anywhere to get made and distributed; He wouldn't have to rely on WB. Theoretically, WB can do anything it wants with B5, with or without JMS *except* a feature film.

Jan

[Biggles]

That was a smart move on his part, but unfortunately, it doesn't mean that someone's going to be willing to take the risk and put up the money, which is a shame.

[Seafroggys]

Kinda on the same subject, there was some new info put up on wikipedia recently....apparently WB doesn't want to syndicate anything that was on PTEN. For whatever reason, which explains why B5 hasn't been aired in a good 8 years....or any other show that was on PTEN, for that matter.

[DarthCaligula]

Really? I just assumed that it just stopped getting as good ratings after being repeated a bunch, and then the Sci Fi Channel was also more interested in airing stuff like Sharktopus Vs. Dickosaurus.

[Seafroggys]

I'm sure that was the case, but WB could have given the syndication rights to someone else....anyone else.

[Biggles]

There seems to be a weird disconnect at WB. All the information (unverified, true) that we have says that the DVDs have performed superbly, but they don't appear to want to invest anything into the series, not even the time to sell syndication rights.

[JanMSchroeder]

Originally Posted by Seafroggys

Kinda on the same subject, there was some new info put up on wikipedia recently....apparently WB doesn't want to syndicate anything that was on PTEN. For whatever reason, which explains why B5 hasn't been aired in a good 8 years....or any other show that was on PTEN, for that matter.

To clarify a bit, this is what JMS posted to his Facebook page yesterday about syndicating B5:

Originally Posted by JMS

To answer a question upstream, WB has deliberately kept B5 out of on-air syndication for lo these many years because they have been using it to drive their new tech and revenue platforms: putting it on AOL, on DVDs, through their own net se...rvice, itunes, hulu, netflix and other services. The B5 fan base gives them a way to drive the new technologies that they would (at least in part) lose if B5 were available in syndication. To me this is foolish because it precludes the fan base from actually growing: established fans will seek it out wherever it is (which is what WB counts on to drive their tech growth), but average viewers can't stumble across the show in open syndication, which is where shows like Trek established their real audience. The only way to sample the show is to buy something, and that seems to mitigate against people sampling it.

[DarthCaligula]

What? I own the DVDs. Why would I want to use all these other things to watch the show as well? What's the point? How do they think they're going to make more money off me by putting it on these other things? Am I missing something here?

[WORF]

I would buy the series from iTunes if they would let me download the episodes as many times as I want, instead of just once. I don't want to download and store the entire series but the ability to access any episode would be nice.

Worf

[Falcon1]

Late reply to this one but CBS Action on Freesat in the UK had B5 on earlier this year. Think its finished its run.