Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming

Geekyfanboy · December 30, 2010, 02:09:29 PM

I just saw this video for the first time today.. I've never heard of this or read about it or anything.. but man this would have been AWESOME!!!!

here's some info I found on Wiki about it.

Created, executive produced and co-directed by Richard Hatch who starred in the original series as Captain Apollo, the pilot film was conceived to convince Universal Studios, the owner of the Battlestar Galactica franchise rights, to greenlight a new project based on this concept. The pilot film was co-directed by Jay Woelfel and produced by Johnnie J. Young.

Richard Hatch was able to get many stars from the original series including Richard Lynch (in place of Patrick Macnee as Count Iblis), John Colicos (Count Baltar), and Terry Carter (Colonel Tigh, now President of the Quorum of Twelve) to appear in the film. Hatch himself also reprised his own role of Apollo (now Commander of the Fleet).

Filming on the project began in the summer of 1998 and lasted through late 1999. Some of the filming was done in conjunction with the Battlestar Galactica 20th Yahren Reunion which was held at the Los Angeles Hilton in September 1998.

The finished edit of Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming had a running time of thirty minutes in length. A four minute trailer was later assembled from this thirty minute version and state of the art computer generated special effects were added. The rare thirty minute version of the pilot film has never been shown publicly.

The partially complete Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming trailer was first shown at DragonCon in Atlanta on July 3, 1999 and received rave reviews from fans. Once it was complete, Hatch traveled to a series of science fiction conventions to show the trailer and it proved to be very popular at these events.

However, Hatch never succeeded in getting Universal's attention, and a different project, the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica conceived by Ronald D. Moore was ultimately pursued.

Later, Richard Hatch joined the new Battlestar Galactica series cast as the recurring character Tom Zarek. However, Hatch continues to push for a revival/continuation of his own vision of the original series (he writes original novels based on it).

There are no plans to release Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming on DVD.

Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming (1999 Su-Shann Productions)

Dangelus · December 30, 2010, 03:39:03 PM

Yeah I heard about this a while back.

Would have been interesting if it had come to fruition.

Rico · December 30, 2010, 04:34:03 PM

Yeah, Richard Hatch would show some of this footage back several years ago at cons and tried to stir interest up in it. There were a few magazine articles on it around that time too. Hatch was pretty bitter for a long time when they went with Ron Moore's version but at some point got over it enough to appear on the Moore BSG show.

Feathers · December 30, 2010, 04:49:21 PM

Done properly, that could have worked so well. Original cylons, original vipers, original blasters... I'd have watched in a heartbeat.

moyer777 · December 30, 2010, 07:29:32 PM

me too

billybob476 · December 30, 2010, 08:49:43 PM

I guess the operative words are "done properly". I really love original BSG but this has got NOTHING on RDM's BSG. The effects looked bad (even for 10 years ago), the acting looked bad (except maybe John Colicos), the Cylons look horrible!

Geekyfanboy · December 30, 2010, 09:59:56 PM

Quote from: billybob476 on December 30, 2010, 08:49:43 PM
I guess the operative words are "done properly". I really love original BSG but this has got NOTHING on RDM's BSG. The effects looked bad (even for 10 years ago), the acting looked bad (except maybe John Colicos), the Cylons look horrible!

Well you have to understand this was done with little to no money.. this isn't an official pilot.. it was made to show Universal that it was viable to bring back BSG..

M-5 · December 31, 2010, 01:00:47 AM

I love the original Battlestar Galactica. I would have loved to see this movie happen. The original series was cancelled too soon. It always left me wanting more.

Feathers · December 31, 2010, 04:47:39 AM

Quote from: Geekyfanboy on December 30, 2010, 09:59:56 PM
Quote from: billybob476 on December 30, 2010, 08:49:43 PM
I guess the operative words are "done properly". I really love original BSG but this has got NOTHING on RDM's BSG. The effects looked bad (even for 10 years ago), the acting looked bad (except maybe John Colicos), the Cylons look horrible!

Well you have to understand this was done with little to no money.. this isn't an official pilot.. it was made to show Universal that it was viable to bring back BSG..

Yes, that was what I meant by 'doe properly'. If it were actually commissioned with a full series budget then I think it could have been a viable proposition.

billybob476 · December 31, 2010, 05:19:22 AM

Ah I see, didn't realize that.

Bryancd · December 31, 2010, 05:34:51 AM

Looks like Ron Moore borrowed a few ideas from that pilot. ;)

X · December 31, 2010, 08:29:06 AM

Quote from: Bryancd on December 31, 2010, 05:34:51 AM
Looks like Ron Moore borrowed a few ideas from that pilot. ;)

Nah ... human Cylons were from BSG 1980 ... I tortured my self watching on netflix and was shocked to see them there first. He was pretty true to stealing the stuff from BSG and BSG 1980.

Bryancd · December 31, 2010, 08:40:00 AM

Quote from: X on December 31, 2010, 08:29:06 AM
Quote from: Bryancd on December 31, 2010, 05:34:51 AM
Looks like Ron Moore borrowed a few ideas from that pilot. ;)
Nah ... human Cylons were from BSG 1980 ... I tortured my self watching on netflix and was shocked to see them there first. He was pretty true to stealing the stuff from BSG and BSG 1980.

Actually, I was referring to the Raiders with the seeping eye.

Bromptonboy · December 31, 2010, 09:15:09 AM

Wow!
"For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: "It might have been!""

Meds · December 31, 2010, 09:57:24 AM

I love Tbe old cylons especially in the credits if the A Team ;)