from jms re: tmos
jms...@aol.com
get written, only a few dozen get into development, and out of those,
only one will ever get made...if that.
A little over a year ago, I was approached by a company that wanted to
make a Babylon 5 movie. They optioned the rights, and commissioned a
script. (It's worth mentioning that I, not WB, own the rights to a B5
movie. When we were negotiating the original B5 deal -- by whose terms
I will never see a dime in profit -- the one thing they did let me have
were the movie rights, figuring they'd never be worth anything in the
long run.)
Anyway...on December 27th of 2003, the script for "The Memory of
Shadows" was turned in, and the process began of trying to make the
deal work with all the various forces involved. It is, to say the
least, a very difficult process on any movie where the studio does not
directly take the financial reins. In terms of B5, Warner's position
was esssentially, "We only do big-budget movies with big names, so
you're on your own." If there were big-name movie actors in the film,
they'd get behind it; without that, things become very problematic,
especially as far as the financing was concerned. You much have to put
together a consortium of international interests and business plans
rivaled in complexity only by the Allied invasion of Normandy Beach.
Nonetheless, every attempt was made by the people involved to get this
deal in place. This was not being done by Doug or myself, but rather
by the company/individuals who approached us and optioned the rights.
At times, it seemed we were inches away from a deal...stages were
reserved at Elstree, actors were contacted, a director was in place,
the script went through many revisions, a few key staff were hired,
again not by me...it was really a year-long roller coaster ride.
During that time, the people involved, with every good intention, tried
very hard to pull the necessary pieces together on the deal. The
option expired in late December 2004, but I renewed it without cost, to
give those involved more time to try and make things work.
In the end, however, the deal could be put together, and it did not
look as if that was going to change at any point in the foreseeable
future. So the option has reverted, and to all intents and purposes,
the project has dead ended. Nor do I think this particular incarnation
will arise again at any point in the future, though prognostication has
always been a tricky art, especially if you have to do it without the
benefit of hindsight.
This was not the first time someone's taken a run at a B5 feature film,
and it will not be the last. Eventually it will happen, because such
things are simply inevitable. If they can do a Brady Bunch movie, you
can be sure that sooner or later, somebody's going to do a B5 movie.
The only thing I can say without equivocation is that when that day
comes, as the rights-holder, I will make darned sure that it's done
right, because I'd rather have no B5 movie than one that doesn't live
up to what fans and I myself would want to see.
To that end...I can wait.
Anyway, just thought you should know the story.
jms
(message content (c) 2005
by Synthetic Worlds, Ltd.
Rights to reprint specifically
denied to SFX Magazine)
Gunnar René Øie
> Anyway, just thought you should know the story.
>
> jms
>
> (message content (c) 2005
> by Synthetic Worlds, Ltd.
> Rights to reprint specifically
> denied to SFX Magazine)
Much appreciated.
Does this mean that somebody (hint, hint) can give feedback on the effect
of the anti-recasting stage of the keepB5alive campaign? Would be nice or
usefull to have a reality check on wether or not it had any effect. I did
catch some kind of validation of letter-writing when called on the Trek
fans to write Paramount about the new Trek Bryce Zabel.
And if the script isn't covered by option, I guess it's time the fans
started their own movie company and got a share in the profits. If it can
be made to work, and work well, time-wise with the TV show that you're
going to run.
--
Regards , Vennlig hilsen
Gunnar René Øie, EtterOljen.no
PGP public key available
tony....@seattle.gov
GREAT B5 movie than one of the "Just do it to get it done" type movies
that seem to be getting done now (rumors are abound that there will be
ANOTHER Rocky and Rambo movie coming to a theater near you..)
Question though... Is there the chance that we might see a book or
graphic novel detailing the timeframe between when Crusade ended and
Sleeping in Light took place?
Just a wondering mind here in drier than normal Seattle, WA
Richard Pertwee
Were we wrong? Because, your post indicates there was never a problem
with casting...
--
Richard
Eliyahu Rooff
<jms...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1109316258.4...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> The rule of thumb in Hollywood is that for every thousand scripts that
> get written, only a few dozen get into development, and out of those,
> only one will ever get made...if that.
>
Any chance of you publishing it as a novel?
Eliyahu
Jeremy Pope
> To that end...I can wait.
>
> Anyway, just thought you should know the story.
>
> jms
>
>
>
>
> (message content (c) 2005
> by Synthetic Worlds, Ltd.
> Rights to reprint specifically
> denied to SFX Magazine)
>
Thanks for sharing the sad news. I just hope you don't have to wait as long
to bring your vision to the big screen as Douglas Adams did.
Jeremy.
Gunnar René Øie
Perhaps in this way: WB only wanted to do it with "big names". If the
producers wanted to sell it back to WB for WB to do it themselves, that
would mean re-casting with "name" actors. So the re-casting rumors might
still be correct.
ljg701
> This was not the first time someone's taken a run at a B5 feature
film,
> and it will not be the last. Eventually it will happen, because such
> things are simply inevitable. If they can do a Brady Bunch movie,
you
> can be sure that sooner or later, somebody's going to do a B5 movie.
> The only thing I can say without equivocation is that when that day
> comes, as the rights-holder, I will make darned sure that it's done
> right, because I'd rather have no B5 movie than one that doesn't live
> up to what fans and I myself would want to see.
Joe,
Is there anything at all the fans can do to increase the chances of a
B5 movie being made?
It's been so frustrating being a B5 fan over the last year waiting for
TMOS news, but I'm sure we're not ready to give up just yet!
kind regards,
les
Mike
to whatever your next project will be.
Joseph DeMartino
Eliyahu Rooff wrote:
> <jms...@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1109316258.4...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Any chance of you publishing it as a novel?
No. JMS noted in his earlier message that the would-be producers own
the production, novelization and other rights *to the "TMoS" script*.
The only the only thing he retains is the right to reproduce and sell
copies of the script itself and to publish the screenplay in book form.
All screenwriters have that ability under the WGA separation of rights
agreement with the studios. But he could not write (or commission) a
novelization without the permission of whoever owns the other rights to
the "TMoS" script.
Confusing, isn't it? <g>
Regards,
Joe