One of the most influential and yet still underappreciated sci-fi shows of the past several decades is about to see new life. Babylon 5, which many consider a tragically underrated series, appears to be gearing up for a triumphant return. But its new form may be a bit unexpected even for long-time fans.Babylon 5, which feels oddly like a TV show set on the Citadel from Mass Effect, looks like it's getting a second wind over 25 years after the show's initial run ended in 1998. But unlike similar revivals of fellow cult classics like Willow and The Dark Crystal, this one will forego the live-action format and instead opt for animation. Interestingly, while those aforementioned shows were series continuations of movies, the upcoming Babylon 5 project will actually be an animated film. But who will be involved?Well, at the very least, the man who started it all is on board. Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski posted the news on his Twitter with a peek at the script's title page, strategically redacting the film's subtitle. "BABYLON 5 ANIMATED MOVIE coming from Warner Bros. Animation & WB Home Entertainment!" he proudly wrote in the post. "Classic B5: raucous, heartfelt, nonstop, a ton of fun through time and space & a love letter to the fans. Movie title, release date and other details coming one week from today." Luckily, fans won't have to wait long after the official announcement either. "And just to be clear," Straczynski added, "this brand new original animated movie is already finished and in the can. So it's 100% real, happening, and coming out very soon."
Babylon 5 was a relatively lesser-known series compared to its contemporaries like the character-driven Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which featured a similar setting. But its mature subject matter and setting set it apart. The series focused on the human military personnel and alien diplomats on the titular space station, established as a neutral ground for the different species to conduct business and diplomacy. While much of the overarching focus revolved around the political ties between the various races, personal stories were what kept the fans coming back as they got to observe all these aliens living together. Personal relationships were the glue that kept fans stuck to the show, and the stellar cast members were a big part of why they continued coming back.
The series notably starred Bruce Boxleitner of beloved video game movie Tron fame as Captain (and later President) John Sheridan. He took over for Michael O'Hare's Commander Jeffrey Sinclair in Babylon 5's 2nd season while most of the other cast members stuck around. Among the humans, this included Claudia Christian as Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova, Jerry Doyle as opinionated Security Chief Michael Garibaldi, and Richard Biggs as Doctor Stephen Franklin. As for the aliens, Mira Furlan starred as Minbari ambassador Dalenn, Andreas Katsulas as Narn ambassador G'Kar, and Peter Jurasik (who also coincidentally appeared in Tron) as Centauri ambassador Londo.
While no details have been given just yet, it's likely given that many of the surviving cast members will return in some capacity. But either way, it will be nice to be back in that universe again. As a series that inspired sci-fi movies and games for years to come, Babylon 5 set its own standard for science fiction stories that draw in viewers with engaging characters and intriguing politics rather than focusing more on space dogfights and lasers. Here's hoping the upcoming film is as satisfying as the fans deserve after such a long wait.
Source: J. Michael Straczynski/Twitter