Exclusive: Stargate SG-1 creator Brad Wright on his pitch for a revival, hopes for the franchise

Stargate fans have been clamoring for a new series ever since the crew of Universe shut its doors and blasted off into space several years ago — especially since both Star Wars and Star Trek have had a massive resurgence in recent years. The former with a sequel trilogy and now a spate of new shows including The Mandalorian, and the latter kicking off with Discovery and eventually expanding into Picard and Lower Decks.

And while there was news about a potential franchise revival a while back, any recent plans appeared to have been put on hold with Amazon having acquired MGM, the studio that would have produced any potential series. 

However, Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis co-creator Brad Wright doesn't think fans should give up hope just yet, even if it means a long wait ahead. "Long before there were multiple Star Treks on the air at the same time, as there are right now, we had Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis on Friday night at the same time. That's something that has become a bit of a big deal in science fiction television," Wright tells SYFY WIRE. "I can't imagine Amazon not doing something with the franchise, or empowering MGM to do something with the franchise for [them]." 

One potential pitch for an upcoming revival — which Wright has written a pilot for, though he's not sure it will be the one that might eventually be produced — would see the return of a few familiar faces from the popular franchise, including Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks, Altered Carbon), Sam Carter (Amanda Tapping, Travelers), and Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson).

"My goal was to create something that was new that also honored the existing universe, that lived in the canon of SG-1, Atlantis, and Universe, and therefore included some of those characters." explains Wright. "Bring in a new guard? Absolutely. But not at the expense of the pre-existing characters, who I think would still be very much on their game and still firing on all cylinders." 

He goes on to add, "Of course there would be a General Carter, why wouldn't there be? Who else would run the whole shebang other than her?" 

But just because Wright wants to feature existing characters from the larger Stargate universe in the new series, it doesn't mean he'll also be bringing back old storylines. "I don't think that's as important as something new that lives in the same universe. Because there's so much mythology that we covered but there's so many stories yet to be told and so many new places yet to be visited. And I think it would be fun to do that." 

Wright feels that one of the reasons Stargate in particular has endured as long as it has is because it was so quintessentially human in a way none of the other science fiction franchises are. 

"It was something that took place in the here and now," he explains. "It was us going out into space with our idioms and idiosyncrasies and points of view about the universe and the world in general. It was this secret that could be happening right now, to the point where in NORAD in Cheyenne Mountain, there is a broom closet that says 'Stargate Command.' It's a part of our culture, our here and now, and that's what makes it different. It allows us to bring our humor to the show, not some more antiseptic futuristic person's view of humor." 

He goes on to add, "Also our level of technology. Stargate grew from people walking through a Stargate with guns and ended up winning anyway because sometimes old tech, old school is the way to go. It was that simple. Stargate still owns that. The fact that if it ever happens again, it should be still in the here and now. That's what would make it unique."

However, the world has changed quite a bit since Stargate was on the air, especially in terms of technology, and it's something Wright says he addresses in his new script.

"I think the trick to anything would be that it's high time the world found out about the Stargate program, for better or for worse," he says. "Keeping all of that technology from the world at a time when we could really use it, at a time when climate change is a genuine threat, at a time when there was a pandemic that we sure could have used a fix for, for example. The world needs to find out. The secret needs to get out especially since we have come so far and will have come so far after another 11 or 12 years."

Looking for more new Stargate content? Don't forget to check out the recent Stargate AI reunion read-through video that's available on The Companion from November 23rd. You can sign up for a membership here.