The Latest On ‘BSG: Blood & Chrome’
Whatever happened to Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome? Information about the prequel/sequel seems to come out in dribs and drabs.
Here’s the latest from Patrick Munn at TVWise.com:
“I’ve been told that the CGI/VFX for Syfy’s two hour Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome pilot was completed and delivered in October last year,” Munn said. “Sources at Syfy have told me that a number of executives have seen the rough cut (sans CGI) and have all been ‘very impressed’ with it. And it would seem that the huge amount of costly CGI the pilot (and in turn the series) requires, is something of a concern, but not necessarily a prohibitive one. One insider commented that ‘we knew that going in, if that was a real concern Mark [Stern] would never have ordered it to pilot. It’s just a case of can we get that to work on a week-to-week basis, both financially and technically?’”
So, now what?
“True Battlestar fans will recall that in the very early stages, before a script was even turned in, the project was conceived of as a limited web series,” said Munn. “It was only after Mark Stern, President of Original Content for Syfy and co-President of Original Content for Universal Cable Productions, read the script written by Michael Taylor that he decided to upgrade the series to a two-hour TV movie. At the time that this was announced in late 2010, the plan was to air the TV movie on Syfy as a backdoor pilot, in a move very similar to what the network did with Red Faction: Origins. There were then further reports that the project would be a ‘proper pilot’ and that rather than air it, the network would decide on ordering a regular series after viewing the finished product. Since then, there has been even more reports that those at the network who had viewed the rough cut were not impressed and the project would, in fact, air online as originally intended instead of as a TV movie that would serve as a backdoor pilot.”
Well, don’t believe everything you hear!
“The manner in which Blood & Chrome will air will depend on whether or not Mark Stern and company decide to order a weekly series,” according to the site. “If they do green-light production on a series, the two-hour pilot will apparently be held in reserve as the first episode of the show’s first season.”
If it doesn’t get approved, the network will likely air it as a stand-alone TV movie, probably on a Saturday night, apparently.
But that’s not all.
“A third scenario is possible in which the series is not ordered at this stage and the pilot is aired as a TV movie and backdoor pilot, at which time a decision regarding a series pickup will be based on the ratings and fan reaction to the young Adama project,” said Munn.
Like everything in show business, money will be the deciding factor.
“It comes down to money or to quote a source ‘the economics of the situation,’” said Munn. “The project would, apparently, be shot (as the pilot was) almost entirely on green screen. The network already has one costly series that takes a similar approach, Damian Kindler’s Sanctuary and as such they are keen to ensure that the money is there before pulling the trigger on the series.”
Stern’s office is looking into how interested the markets outside the U.S. would be in running the show. Expect a decision to be made within the next six weeks.
“Regardless, I’m being told that Battlestar fans will get to see the two hour project in one form or another,” concludes Munn.
Stay tuned for more as it becomes available!
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