Universal in talks for 'Battlestar' movie

THR's Borys Kit has the scoop, my comments below:

Just as the acclaimed Sci Fi Channel series "Battlestar Galactica" enters its final episodes, Universal has quietly entered into negotiations with Glen A. Larson to write and produce a big-screen version of the property he created.

"Battlestar," which originally aired on ABC in 1978, was produced in the wake of the success of "Star Wars," which caused a sci-fi revival in popular culture. The premise involved a human civilization living on a series of 12 planets that are decimated from an attack by intelligent robots known as Cylons. The survivors are led by a starship called Galactica in their attempt to find a mythic 13th planet named Earth.

The Sci Fi series, under the direction of executive producer Ronald Moore, took the premise and ran with it, incorporating the politics of war, religion, torture and destiny, becoming the channel's signature series.

Moore is not involved in the movie.

The movie effort would have no connection to the series and would relaunch the story in a new medium. However, staples such as the characters Adama, Starbuck, and Baltar will remain.

Larson was one of the biggest names in 1970s and '80s TV and creator of shows like "Switch" and "Magnum P.I." Universal had no comment.

Comment: This is, obviously, potentially huge news for fans of the original "Battlestar" that have objected to Moore's realistic and operatic re-imagining on Sci Fi Channel. Moore's post-9/11 take has wowed critics and created a legion of new fans, while the Larson camp has longed for a return to the lighter, adventures-in-space post-"Star Wars" spirit of the original. But would Larson opt to re-tell the apocalyptic origin story yet again? Or go with something entirely different?

source: THR.com