Summary
A popular military science fiction television series was announced to have a reboot in 2019. The reboot was supposed to air in Peacock, but NBCUniversal’s streaming service had a change of heart and decided not to proceed with the project.
Science fiction experienced a rise in popularity in the 1950s due to the rapid pace of technological innovation and new inventions developed at the time, which has continued until today. Sci-fi movies and series have gained solid supporters, which is evident in the success ofStar Wars,Star TrekandJurassic Park. These sci-fi franchises have spawned several series and movies and continued to gain traction. Unfortunately, one anticipated sci-fi reboot has just been axed on Peacock.
Peacock decided not to push through with theBattlestar Galacticareboot,Varietyreported.The project was first announced in 2019, ahead of the video streaming service’s launch. It was part of Peacock’s initial slate of original programming but was never formally ordered to series. There were no details about the program, except that it would continue the 2003Battlestar Galacticaseries starring Edward Jones (Commanding Officer William Adama),Katee Sackhoff (Captain Kara “Starbuck” Thrace), Jamie Bamber (Captain Lee “Apollo” Adama) and Mary McDonell (President Laura Roslin). The most recent update was reported in January, announcing that Derek Simonds was attached to the project as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Michael Lesslie was originally tapped to write the reboot in 2020. However, he left the project a year later.
The reboot was a passion project for Sam Esmail, who was executive producing via Esmail Corp. under Universal Content Productions (UCP). Chad Hamilton of Esmail Corp. was also an executive producer. An insider with knowledge about the situation claimed that UCP would pitch the project to other outlets. The news about the reboot just happened days after Ronald D. Moore, a screenwriter and TV producer who re-imaginedBattlestar Galacticain the 2000s, gave an update about the project. Moore toldCinema Blendthat Esmail reached out to him about the reboot.
Moore shared:
It’s just like, godspeed, you know? Like you said, I rebooted and reinvented or whatever the term is we want to use so far. Far be it for me to begrudge anybody else from doing the same thing. And Sam Esmail called me personally to say, ‘Hey, you know, I want to do this. Are you ok with that?’ I was like, ‘You don’t really need my permission, but I appreciate it!’ It was a lovely call, and I wish them the best of luck with it.
Peacock axing theBattlestar Galacticarebootwas not a huge shocker, considering the slow development from the time it was first announced. It has been five years and there is little to no progress. There was no update about the casting or when production would start.BSGhas a solid and passionate fanbase, so many are waiting for the reboot. In fact, due to its popularity in the early 2000s, any show under theBSGbanner would have been successful.
However, the insider claimed that UCP is seeking a new home for theBattlestar Galacticareboot. Netflix is a potential home, and the streaming giant has rescued programs with similar genres likeManifestandLucifer. Netflix is also home to classics likeStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise and Legends of Tomorrow. The streaming giant also has great sci-fi originals both series and movies likeStranger Things, 3 Body Problem,Umbrella Academy,They Cloned Tyrone (2023), Spiderhead (2022), Don’t Look Up (2021), See You Yesterday (2019), Tau (2018), Anon (2018), Mute (2017), and iBoy (2017)to name a few. UCP can also pitch the project to Apple TV+. Esmail’s other sci-fi project with Apple’s streaming service,Metropolis, was canceled in 2023 so they could work on the BSG reboot instead. At present, the fate of the anticipatedBattlestar Galacticareboot is up in the air, so fans should wait for more updates from UCP.
