"B5" DVD (and other) news from JMS (1 Viewer)

[Ric Easton]

Yeah, I'm still waiting for that mid-January announcement!

Ric

 

[Kevin Grey]

Harry, Jack and Albert are the Warner Bros. Not sure what the wrong side of the river indicates though...

 

[Sam Favate]

Not sure what the wrong side of the river indicates though...

New Jersey? A Sopranos-in-space take on Babylon 5?

I firmly believe JMS will be announcing a movie with most if not all of the B5 cast. Just my opinion; I have no inside info.

 

[Jimmy M]

Not sure what the wrong side of the river indicates though...

Well, if you're a fish, the wrong side of the river is the side with the net in it. So... watch the net?

Jimmy!

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I'm guessing the "wrong side of the river" from JMS's point of view either means the east bank of the Hudson (which means that the announcement will come from WB in New York) or Burbank, which is presumably on one side or another of the Los Angeles River, and which is the headquarters of Warner Bros. Studio. Harry, Albert and Jack are unquestionably the founding Warner Bros., and the reference is clearly to where the announcement will be coming from, so some of the exotic speculation I've seen about the Thames in London, obscure song lyrics from bands in Australia or New Zeeland and speculation about the place of the Tigris and Euphrates in either Babylonian creation myth or contemporary politics seem to me entirely off the mark. The reference can only be to the kind of Warner Bros. facility that could plausibly make an announcement about such an upcoming project, and that means New York or Los Angeles - and thus the river reference pretty much has to be to one or the other. JMS can be obscure, but not that obscure. He always plays fair with an audience (a hold over from his days as a mystery writer.) Any clues he puts out are ones he can reasonably expect large numbers of people to figure out - which eliminates about 98% of the "river theories" that I've seen.

Regards,

Joe

 

[DaveGTP]

Reviving and old thread for those that weren't watching their emails. I saw a discussion @ B5TV.com but not everyone on HTF frequents their site!

From JMS's last update:

Soon, I promise, all will be made clear. I don't like being Mr. Mysterioso on this, but if I say too much, the-powers-that-be will use my head to make a
2.35:1 sized hole in the wall

B5 Movie! Whoo hoo!


Plus, he's going to be signing autographs in New Jersey next weekend. I was seriously considering an 11-hour drive out to get a couple of signatures. I'm a little poor to be doing it, but it is very very tempting. Any thoughts? Should I go while I have the chance? Does jms ever come out towards the Michigan area? It sounds like he is rarely on the East coast.


Any thoughts on the movie news??

 

[PhilipG]

Holy crap, JMS is rarely that unsubtle!

It's good news for sure - but I'm curious at to where a theatrical movie would appear in the B5 timeline, and who they'd want (if anyone) from the original cast... I'd love the B5 movie to be a big success, simply to encourage more non-Star Wars/Trek sci-fi movies to be made. Plus it would help other SF shows, like Farscape, find more fans.

 

[Kevin Grey]

I'm certainly estatic about this news all though it is rather curious that WB decides to give the green light now, vice five years ago when they series was still hot.

I'll be interested in JMS's approach- I wonder how newbie friendly it will be (I'd bet on a largely new cast with some of the principals from the show in supporting roles but I'd love to be wrong). As the report on AICN noted, given what JMS squeezed out of a tiny television budget I can't wait to see what he does with a feature budget.

I certainly hope this goes before the cameras before the Firefly movie is released. I'd hate to have Warners hold on the B5 movie while Universal tests the waters with another sci-fi property from TV.

 

[CaptDS9E]

I think that b5 stuff is finally getting some new stuff because of DVD sales amoung other things, and a now bigger fan base . I didnt watch the show till it was rerun on Sci-Fi channel. there are many more out there like me so it has a lot more fans then it did when it aired

capt

 

[Ric Easton]

Dave,

Where in New Jersey is he gonna be? Is it part of a convention or is he alone? I live a few hours away and if I could fit it into next weekend, I'l love to get the chance to meet him.

Ric

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I know I've been absent for a while now, but there are reasons, especially in regards to B5:TMoS. In a project of this nature, and this size, there's stage one (let's do this) stage two (let's make everybody's deal) and stage three (making it). We're hip-deep in stage two just now, and it's taking a freaking long amount of time to get through it all. Stage two is also the most unnerving and nerve-wracking stage when there's a lot of money involved, as there is in this situation.

So every day is a case of "Are we there yet?" and being told yes...almost.

I swear, it's the kind of thing that could lead a monk to murder.

Thing of it is... there's a LOT happening right now in the B5 universe, on a multitude of fronts, some of it in response to TMoS, some of it coming up completely on its own. All I can say at this moment is that if you've been waiting for new stuff in the B5 universe, you may be getting your wish in spades very soon.

Soon, I promise, all will be made clear. I don't like being Mr. Mysterioso on this, but if I say too much, the-powers-that be will use my head to make a 2.35:1 sized hole in the wall.

The post has been exposed to the usual obessive over-analysis that such things get. (One fan predicted the subject matter of the film as a remake of "Passing through Gethsemane" and another predicted a post-"Great Burn" story, both based on JMS's figure of speech about monks and murder. I think both notions, and the idea that the phrase was intended as a clue, absurd. OTOH many people dismissed the obvious clue: 2.35:1 saying as clearly as JMS feels he can that B5:TMoS is a theatrical film. The least informed seem to think this is a widescreen TV ratio, while at least one fan called it "the DVD ratio". )

To my eye the most striking thing is the reference to other new developments in the B5 universe, some unrelated to B5:TMoS.

All of this news is so encouraging that I'm inclined to overlook an obvious error that JMS made: Everyone knows that stage one is "steal underpants" and stage three is "profit".

(And thanks, Dave, for reviving this topic. I had posted the news to another thread discussing the DVDs, but had forgotten about this thread and decided against starting a new one. With luck folks who haven't been following the other thread will learn the good news here.)

Regards,

Joe

 

[todd s]

I know Jerry Doyle (Garibaldi) would love to do another B5 movie/show. He has been pushing for it for a while. I am also sure they could get most of the cast, with the exception of Claudia Christian. But, maybe they can work it out. I am sure Joseph has more info.

 

[Kevin Grey]

I have no doubt they could get Claudia back if they want to. She left to pursue other offers but a significant movie or television career hasn't really materialized.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I am also sure they could get most of the cast, with the exception of Claudia Christian.

I don't see why Claudia wouldn't want to participate. She is featured on the DVD extras, and JMS has spoken highly of her in all the interview segments and commentaries included on the disk. (And avoided rehashing any of the controversy over her departure, merely noting the fact that she didn't return for the fifth season without going into details or placing blame.)

The regulars who almost couldn't be in the film are Andrea Thompson and Michael O'Hare, both primarily for story reasons. (O'Hare could only appear in flashback. ) Thompson left under circumstances that led JMS to foreclose the possibility of her character's ever returning, and the Psi Corps novels (based on an outline he wrote) make it clear that Garibaldi was never able to find out what ultimately became of Talia Winters.

But Andrea also participated in the DVD extras, so if they were both of a mind, she and JMS could probably arrange to have her reprise the role in the movie (since it does seem likely to be about the Telepath War) and simply keep her away from Garibaldi. (Who is played by her ex-husband, Jerry Doyle, so the two apart is probably a good anyway. )

We'll have to see what we'll see. I wouldn't rule anything out at this point. It will be a matter of story, money and scheduling, and when it comes down to it whether or not JMS will recast a critical role if the original actor is unavailable to him for some reason. (Something he went through all sorts of contortions to avoid on the series, but went ahead and did when he had no other choice.)

I haven't listened to the S5 cast commentary yet, but I'm told that there is some wistful talk about getting back together for some kind of reunion movie (something that may have already been in the air at WB when they taped the track.) And I'm told that Bruce Boxleitner and Jerry Doyle both recently cancelled SF convention appearances, reportedly because of negotiations for movie roles.

And me? I haven't stopped smiling since Friday.

Regards,

Joe

 

[DaveGTP]

jms's details about the visit to NJ:

Finally...for those who want to support a worthy cause...recently I heard about a high school in Hawthorne, New Jersey (not far from Paterson, where I was
born) which was having a small comic convention to raise funds for its art
program. The high school arts program for the coming year had to be cut
entirely due to lack of funds, to the point where this past year people
literally had to scrounge in junk yards for wire for sculpture classes.
a high school in Hawthorne, New Jersey (not far from Paterson, where I was
born) which was having a small comic convention to raise funds for its art
program. The high school arts program for the coming year had to be cut
entirely due to lack of funds, to the point where this past year people
literally had to scrounge in junk yards for wire for sculpture classes.
Initially, I was going to just donate to the cause, but the more I looked into
this, the more it became clear that I had to kind of do something. So I'm
going to be flying out for the day to be at the fund-raiser convention for the
school. (I know, I know...I pass all the big conventions that pay big bucks
and I do this instead...I'm not wired up right, I admit it, but...sometimes you
just gotta do what's right, you know?) It's not an alma mater for me or
anything, but in hailing from Paterson (also Newark and Matawan) when I was a
kid I probably got in fights with kids from Hawthorne, so I figure I owe
something, right?

I got my real start as a writer in high school, through teachers who saw in me
something more than a kid from the streets. Those teachers -- specifically
Rochelle Terry and Joanne Massie at Chula Vista High -- gave me the support I
needed to start following my dreams, so it's a crucial time for others as well,
a time that needs our support, particularly at a time when so many schools are
suffering from similar cuts.

The convention is May 8th, Saturday, and I'll be there to talk, answer
questions, and sign autographs. Now, we usually try to limit signatures to 5
or so per person, but I'm taking the cap off...and in another break with
tradition, in which I never ask for a fee to sign stuff, this time I'll be
charging one buck per autograph, with all of the money going to the high
school. So for those of you in the area with twenty copies of various comics
or books or whatever...this is your chance to stock up. There will also be an
auction to further help raise funds.

Details about the fund-raiser and the other fine guests can be found at:

http://www.newsarama.com/forums/show...threadid=12223

This is the first appearance I've made at any kind of East Coast convention in
years, and the first time I've been in New Jersey in over 30 years, so there's
no way to know how long it'll be before I get into town again. And admission
is only $3, so how can you go wrong?

 

[Rob T]

I don't see why Claudia wouldn't want to participate. She is featured on the DVD extras, and JMS has spoken highly of her in all the interview segments and commentaries included on the disk. (And avoided rehashing any of the controversy over her departure, merely noting the fact that she didn't return for the fifth season without going into details or placing blame.)

He has said in the past that he doesn't want to work with her again. Hopefully, he's not going to stick to that.

 

[Ric Easton]

Damn! JMS will only be 2 hours away from me. I'd love him to sign my new B5 covers, but my God-daughter is having her dang two year old B'day party on Saturday! I don't think I'm gonna be able to get out of that one. I'd love to meet him.

Ric

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

He has said in the past that he doesn't want to work with her again.

I don't remember him saying that in so many words about Claudia (as he pretty much did about Andrea at the time she left, although he seems to have chilled since.) On the contrary, he always seemed to think that Claudia wouldn't want to work with him again, and that there might be some lingering annoyance on the part of some of the other cast members, who felt a bit betrayed when she bolted at the last minute after telling folks she'd be back. But the evidence of the DVD sets is that hatchets have been buried.

You also have to realize that there's a difference between asking an actor who has burned you (or whom you just don't like) to return to an on-going cable TV series where nobody is making much money and everyone has to live with one another through long days for months and years on end, and asking that same actor to join you for a one-off big screen movie where everyone will be making a lot more money and getting a lot more exposure and working for a lot less time.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Kevin Grey]

Yeah, David Duchovny's disputes with X-Files creator Chris Carter were much harsher than the JMS-Claudia thing and that hasn't stopped Duchovny from talking recently about how excited he would be to do another X-Files film.

If there was any lingering bad blood with any B5 cast members, I would think it would be between Jerry Doyle and JMS after their somewhat recent public back and forth but I wouldn't expect that to stand in the way of Garibaldi appearing in a feature film.

 

[Rob T]

I don't remember him saying that in so many words about Claudia (as he pretty much did about Andrea at the time she left, although he seems to have chilled since.) On the contrary, he always seemed to think that Claudia wouldn't want to work with him again, and that there might be some lingering annoyance on the part of some of the other cast members, who felt a bit betrayed when she bolted at the last minute after telling folks she'd be back. But the evidence of the DVD sets is that hatchets have been buried.

I remember her saying in an interview that she wouldn't mind putting the uniform back on so I think she'd gladly do it.