Stargate's Chris Judge, 24's Brad Turner Partner for Rage of Angels (2)
Aside from Turner’s association, Judge said several times that another key selling point for the project is the participation of Michael Shanks (Stargate SG-1’s Dr. Daniel Jackson) as Lucifer. “We’re walking into a network with two guys from the longest running scifi show in history whose show is still making product,” he pointed out.
[You are reading part two of this post. PART ONE IS HERE. CLICK TO READ Don’t shoot the messenger, please. I’m dealing with character limits on my blog.]
According to Judge, SG-1 still has several more seasons to air in some of those aforementioned 140 countries, "But now,” he said, “we’re bringing in a new product with two actors that already have recognition in those countries, so our only burden is to be good.”
(Although dumped by SCI FI Channel after a record-breaking ten seasons - Stargate SG-1 remains the longest running made-for-cable drama - the series always did a brisk business in iTunes and DVD sales. According to MGM’s Senior Executive Vice President Finance and Corporate Development Charlie Cohen, season ten boxed set sales are “already 50% better than the last season sold.” MGM is keeping the SG-1 series humming by producing at least two direct-to-DVD films penciling out at around $7 million each.)
Judge’s knows what he wants and he’s clear about his approach - it’s Touched by An Angel Meets 300. “We’re going to recreate the war of the heavens and it will probably be one of the bloodiest battles that’s ever been shown on television. I thought it needed to be shot very much the way 300 was shot,” said Judge, although he acknowledged that the undertaking is ambitious. “That’s never been attempted on TV. The perception is: it’s too costly, too time consuming.”
Judge credits Turner for moving the project forward and helping him realize his vision. “We sat down and did a rewrite and it’s basically a shooting script. He had specific ideas to tweak things,” Judge revealed, “And Brad walked into MGM and said this is what we want to do and here’s how we’re going to afford it. He dotted every i, crossed ever t. "
Gabriel will be no feel-good, tobacco-spitting Saving Grace angel. Judge grinned at the comparison. “There’s not going to be a lot of humor where Gabriel is involved,” he said.
Judge described the character as a "conflicted and tormented - very different from what a lot of people think that Gabriel should be."
"When you think about what Gabriel’s issues are," he elaborated, "he’s the wrath of god. Lucifer was God’s beloved, God’s favorite angel. Lucifer wanted to be a god himself, so he was cast out of heaven. Gabriel has to do all the dirty work knowing that God loves another more than him."
(Shanks joked in a recent interview that his Lucifer has "daddy issues.")
Judge said he’s always been “interested in the things that torment us as humans.”
"If you think about why humans want to be good people,” he continued, “it’s because many believe their souls go somewhere else after their bodies are done. But angels don’t have souls. So I asked myself, what motivates them? It’s choice."
"Whether they succumb to the pleasures of the flesh, or not - it’s a choice.” Then he said with a grin and a bit of a devil glint in his eye, “the behavior of the fallen angels or demons will really have people talking…”
Judge said he hopes the pilot will go into production “this fall after Stargate Atlantis wraps.”
Looking beyond to where the pilot might possibly touch down as a television series, Charlie Cohen sounded a cautionary note. "There’s one person we’re trying get attached who’s very interested as director who could also then become showrunner on a series,” said Cohen, “this person is our first choice and we’re trying to get this person involved but he has to deal with a certain network first. If he’s on board then that will determine where we’re likely to go."
Although Cohen declined to name names, it’s apparent that the person in question is Brad Turner.
Judge seems optimistic. He said the process so far has been “easy. It’s been enjoyable. For everything to come together in this business, this quickly - I’ve been blessed.”
mary mcnamara commented:
Hi Mon - oh - link away! We love links. :) Debi - per the Charlie interview - I think most of the details have been posted, scattered here and there - in my feature story about Comic-Con for the book, the Dead LIke Me post etc. The feature is posted here on-line and there are a few tidbits to be found at the end of the article. I think everything of substance has been covered but I'll check the transcript and see if there's anything I missed.
mon commented:
Mary, thanks for sharing the extra bit re: the conversation with Charlie Cohen about Michael in 24... I hope you don't mind - I've mentioned it on the latest news update for Michael Shanks Online (www.michaelshanks-online.com), with another link back to your article.
T commented:
Interesting interview but disappointing to see Michael Shanks once again relegated to a supporting role for his ability to sell product and provide eye candy. I keep hoping he will get his chance at the leading role he so deserves.
Debi commented:
Mary, will you be printing more of the Cohen interview?
Ceres commented:
MM wrote: "smorgasbord of shmaltz - lol! well, I think RoA is a lot closer to 300 on the continuum. touched by an angel meets 300 was kind of tongue in cheek since I honestly can't imagine how the two would ever meet but...I think my humor on that one kinda fizzled. :) " No, not at all. I enjoyed the image. : ) Thank you for relating your conversation with Cohen about Shanks. Fans like myself just lap up this stuff. Since he's so 'cut' these days, I hope we get to see a few 'rippling abs' from him in RoA, 300- style. I'd definitely tune in for that. : )
mary mcnamara commented:
thanks for the kind words, Morjana. to Ceres - smorgasbord of shmaltz - lol! well, I think RoA is a lot closer to 300 on the continuum. touched by an angel meets 300 was kind of tongue in cheek since I honestly can't imagine how the two would ever meet but...I think my humor on that one kinda fizzled. :) rippling abs in sepia. :) I could go for that... yeah - $7 million. pricey. and Charlie said: "it's a big movie. we're spending a lot more money on music than we usually would..a full orchestral score." He mentioned "lots of action scenes, a lot of effects... " and said firmly that the studio hopes to do more direct-to-DVD Stargate films. "Our hope is, of course, is that these things are very popular. Our desire is to keep making them. We've already started thinking about numbers three and four. " speaking of abs etc...a snippet of banter during my Charlie conversation. The conversation turned to Continuum and the limited time frame for the Arctic shoot due to the Navy's schedule. Charlie said Michael couldn't make it. / Me: I was under the impression that he was busy shooting 24 at the time. / Charlie: Didn't he look amazing in that? / Me: yeah - nice eye candy. / Charlie: I was telling him..."I knew you were on it...and I watched the first episode...and it was over and I thought, he wasn't on!....I said 'that can't be Michael. That guy looks amazing...he so cut!'" I think of him as Daniel Jackson. / Me: always weighted down in ammo & camo? / Charlie: yeah, exactly - he looked amazing!
Morjana commented:
Thank you again, Mary, for a very delightful read. "Rage of Angels" sounds interesting -- especially knowing that TPTB with the project are familiar faces and voices! Best wishes, Morjana
Ceres commented:
Touched By An Angel meets 300? I hope they don't get too friendly -- TBAA was a smorgasbord of schmaltz. The screenplay for 300 was uninspired but its look was stunning and quite beautiful. All those rippling abs in sepia! I wonder what Michael Shanks will bring to the table for RoA? In the early seasons of Stargate, when giving his own spin on Daniel but strongly based on the James Spader original, he was utterly compelling and the best thing in the show. But in season 7 and after, when he'd dropped that impersonation, his Daniel became far less interesting. $7 million for each of the direct-to-DVDs? So much? Momma! Thank you, Ms McNamara, for this riveting read.
Sue commented:
Agree with Mon thanks for an interesting interview Mary. Can't wait to see where the show goes with Michael and Chris.
mon commented:
Many thanks for an interesting interview, Mary. Much as I loved Stargate SG-1, and particularly Michael's character, I'm very much looking forward to seeing Michael and Chris in other roles, and it's good to hear it's looking good for a "go".
