Summary
Few franchises are as gargantuan asStar Trek. Following the success ofThe Original Series, space exploration within the Trek universe has continued in various television series, novels, comic books, and films. This is an exciting time forStar Trekfans, as new entries are being developed at a rate like never before. Part of the renewed interest in all thingsTrekcan be traced to theKelvin timeline films, the first of which was released in 2009. These films featured new cast members taking over classic roles and allowed for an entry point for new adventures. Now that there’s no dearth ofStar Trekandother stories in a galaxy far, far away, perhaps studios would be interested in a film adaptation of one of the great, if lesser known, science fiction franchises.
Stargatefirst debuted as a film in 1994. Co-written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich and directed by Emmerich, it introduced the concept of the titular Stargate, a portal that opens up a wormhole to another planet. When one of these Stargates is discovered in Egypt, the United States Army takes possession of it, leading to the discovery of an Ancient Egypt-like planet. The residents of said world live under the tyranny of the powerful alien Ra. When Earth is threatened, the residents and the team from Earth join forces to take Ra down.
This film was so popular that it spawned one of the longest-running science fiction television shows,Stargate SG-1, which focused on first contact. There have been novels, and comic books, as well as other television spin-offs (GameRant has audiences covered for thebest viewing order), but now would be the perfect time forStargateto come back to the big screen.
A Reboot Would Introduce the Franchise to Younger Fans
As much as fans loveStargate, general audience members are far less familiar with its characters and lore than they are withStar Trek.Even the Kelvin timeline movies took the opportunity to start over with a fresh cast. However, the slate was not completely clean, given that the Kelvin movies chose the characters that audience members were most familiar with. A potentialStargatemovie should follow the same path.
In order to do that,a reboot should center on new actors playing versions of the characters fromStargate SG-1.Seeing actors with new takes on how to play Lieutenant Jack O’Neill, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Colonel Samantha Carter, and Teal’c of Chulak would give a modern entry point for new viewers. It would also offer a way for audiences to experience these characters in new ways, including some of theseries' best friendships,such as the one between O’Neill and Jackson. Of course, there would also be room forcameos from the original cast as well.
A Reboot Could Expand the Mythology of Stargate
One of the great things about theStargatetelevision series is that it expanded the mythology. While the original film introduced the concept that the pyramids were constructed by aliens,Stargate SG-1,which picked up after the events of the first film, stretches this further. The Asgards, another alien race, are noted for inspiring Norse mythology, and are allies to the Tau’ri (humans). They also protect those that are in danger of being enslaved by the Goa’uld, a parasitic alien race. Not only is Ra a member of this species, but Goa’uld queen Hathor, who takes inspiration from Aztec mythology, is as well. There are also the Jaffa, humanoid aliens that were implanted with the Goa’uld.Stargate: Atlantis, naturally, revolves around the discovery of Atlantis, created by the Ancients (Merlin, from King Arthur’s court, isone of these in disguisein the series), as well as the new antagonist, the hive-based Wraith.
A film has the opportunity to expand the scope of the inspiration of theStargateuniverse. Perhaps the team discovers that there arealiens that have inspired Japanese yokai. African and Hindu mythology are other potential areas to explore. Of course, any of these possibilities would require a consultant who knows the culture, helping to present these ideas in an entertaining way that avoids any unintentional disrespect towards the cultures in question. Expanding the mythologies that these aliens are based on not only could make theStargateuniverse richer, but also give viewers some insight into other mythologies they might be less familiar with.
The current film and TV age is all about making what was once old new again. The fact of the matter is that franchises are more reliable moneymakers. At the time of writing,Star Trekhad over a dozen feature films, with the Kelvin films taking the franchise in a new, bold direction.Stargate, which has the same spirit of exploration and excitement about what’s out in the universe, deserves the same treatment. (And of course, bonus points if the originalO’Neill, Kurt Russell, makes an appearance in aStargatereboot.)
