Endorsed by: Dirk Benedict • Richard Hatch• Jane Seymour • Stu Phillips • Jack Stauffer • Laurette Spang • Ronald D. Moore • Aaron Douglas • Hollywood North Report

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LARSON AND DESANTO AT GALACTICON '03

Tom DeSanto and Glen A. Larson attended the 25 Yahren reunion of Battlestar Galactica, entitled Galacticon. During their panel discussions, Glen Larson made a stunning announcement.  Mr. Larson stated that he went through great lengths to purchase the theatrical rights to Battlestar Galactica, and, depending on how much interest in the original series remains after the Ronald D. Moore mini series aired, he may pursue a creative collaboration with long time fan Tom DeSanto to produce a Continuation movie.

According to Tom DeSanto, the fate of a Continuation movie does not hinge on whether or not the Ronald D. Moore miniseries succeeds or fails.  For there to be a theatrical movie based on a Continuation of the original series, there must be interest in the original series, after the Moore miniseries airs.

But if DeSanto is to collaborate on a future Battlestar Galactica movie based on a continuation of the original series, what might we expect?  It may help to look at his own previous failed attempt to bring Battlestar Galactica back to life.

During Mr. DeSanto's panel discussion at Galacticon he showed previously unseen photographs of set's that had been built, actual Vipers that had been constructed.  The rebirth of the Galactica's bridge in all its glory was underway and the script was set.  The following is a summary of what was shown at Galacticon, taken from accounts some of the fans that attended Mr. DeSanto's panel.

Many of the images you see on this website are either from DeSanto's preproduction artwork, or from Richard Hatch's Battlestar Galactica: Second Coming effort.

Mr. DeSanto showed  a lot of preproduction artwork from his vision of Battlestar Galactica.  In fact, he showed that Foundation Imaging did a lot of CGI work in a trailer which he played for the convention.  One scene followed a trail of Cylon raiders as they attacked the Galactica.  The camera followed close behind the raiders as each one was picked off by the Galactica turrets until the last one rammed right below the Galactica nameplate on the port side.  There also a scene where a Viper was being chased by a raider as it flew past the Galactica.  The Viper performed an emergency 180 so that it was flying backwards and then fired upon the pursuing raider.  DeSanto the described a planned scene that would have had a raider ram into one of those "film can" ships, but one that was carrying water.  As the wet explosion froze it would create a million shards that would destroy the squadron chasing it.

Vincent Guastini Productions did some exciting new designs for DeSanto's BSG production, which they presented to Universal, to show them their options.  They also did work on new aliens, and updating some of the old beloved ones. At one point DeSanto had entertained the idea of a more organic biomechanical look for the Cylons, but opted instead to return to the robotic Cylons. As can be seen here:

Vincent Guastini

There was also a new design for the Cylon Basestars.  They look similar to the 1978 series Basestars, but there are no openings for hanger bays. Instead, the design was inspired by what Mr. DeSanto saw of bats in a cave. Thousands of Cylon ships would dock on the bottom saucer underneath it.  Since Cylons are machines plugged into their cockpits they didn't need to leave the ship.  When an alert claxon would sound they would all drop off the bottom of the Basestar, like when bats in a cave are disturbed. 

The Cylon raiders look the same, but the wings are more angular and reinforced to slice through Vipers. The Cylon pilots also have a lot of electronic and locking ports so when they sit they literally become part of the raider.

Most of the old fleet and ship designs are left intact in DeSanto's production. The Galactica had taken a beating over the years but her armament has been increased. The bridge was basically the same, but the ceiling was more impressive and looked strong with powerful radiating beams and struts.

And what of the storyline? DeSanto, and Bryan Singer who had signed on as director, wanted to bring back some of the original cast and characters.  Richard Hatch, who played Apollo, once stated he recalled having discussions with Mr. DeSanto regarding that possibilities.

The script DeSanto was producing was set some 20 yahrens after the original series left off.  He stated that in the period immediately following the series there was a great battle.  The Galactica and Pegasus had been reunited only to face the biggest battle since the destruction of the original Colonial Fleet.  During the battle the Pegasus is lost but the Cylons suffer an even worse defeat, but Apollo is also lost.  

In DeSanto's version the over the prior 20 yahren Cylons have evolved into a genetic/cyborg race.  The difference here is that Mr. DeSanto was to use Baltar in this manner to explain his disappearance from the Galactica universe.  The Cylon original plan was to have all the human's exterminated. DeSanto was going to include John Colicos as Baltar, who has been caught again by the Cylons. They have had enough of him and are going to exterminate him. Facing death he chooses what he sees as his only chance to survive at all, so he comes up with the plan to have humans become part of the Cylon machine race.  Unfortunately however, Colicos passed away before the production could begin, and DeSanto didn't want anyone else to be Baltar out of respect for Mr. Colicos.

With Apollo gone, Starbuck becomes the mentor to Boxey, who is now called Orin. 

What's left of the fleet continues on.  After years in space Adama passes.  Tigh gains the bridge of the Galactica.  The fleet continues on.  The council and the people grow weary and Tigh is basically pushed out as commander.  The Fleet stumbles across a huge asteroid field. It is abundant in natural resources.  The people vote to stop running and settle.  They beginning to build a society again but it turns ugly on them.  They begin to wallow in remembrance, food, drink and gambling.  After 25 yahren the people believe it's no longer necessary to have the Galactica since they believe that the Asteroid field has protected them.  The Cylon threat is now a distant, mostly forgotten memory.  

Orin (Boxey) now in command of the Galactica, fights to keep the ship going but he has no chance. The council and the people vote to decommission the Galactica. In all of this, there's a sense of not remembering. There is a scene of a classroom where young students are being taught history of the colonies and the fleet. Some are asking what exactly is a Cylon? The only remembering aspect for them is basic video game platforms that they use to play out games, the Cylons are the pretend enemy.

What the people do not realize this is that the Cylons have not gone anywhere.  There has been a Cylon civil war.  The whole sale killing of the colonists left alive in the original colonies has stopped.  The Cylons realized finally, after being defeated by the Pegasus and Galactica, that their thinking process must become more human.  After the civil war a more sinister and more intelligent Cylon is born.  Part organic, part machine.  The Cylons no longer killed the humans but instead transformed them into living, breathing machines.

The council and the rest of the Fleet are decommissioning the Galactica, she is virtually shut down.  It is at this time that the Cylons attack the colony. They rampage through the colony with nothing to stop them. Over the 25 yahren period they have been gone, the Cylons have developed new craft, faster and more maneuverable than the colonial vipers.  Things look grim for the Colonials, the Galactica is nearly destroyed but suddenly the attack stops.  All the Cylon forces disengage and leave the area, a move that stuns the Colonials.  Everyone is stunned that the attack stops.  On the bridge of Galactica they hear a message from the Council that is transmitted telling the people of the colony to move to any ship that will carry them and leave.  They are given coordinates of a destination where they will be met by a Cylon force.  (You see, they don't want to kill them, they want them alive to grow the Cylon race).  Orin, on the bridge of the Galactica, refuses.  The Cylon transmission tells him that if he does not comply they will all be destroyed.

Still refusing, Orin gears up the Galactica to maneuver out to take on the new Basestar.  The Galactica is no match for the new Basestar but Orin has been keeping a secret. He has hidden from the council a production of new Viper fighter craft.  They are launched and hold up very well against the new Raiders.  But they are too few and the Colonials are loosing badly.  In the attack a Cylon fighter hit's one of the fleet's water ships, ripping open the container.  When the water explodes out of the ship it forms huge barriers in space and immediately destroys a squadron of Vipers.

The colony is close to being destroyed.  According to Mr. DeSanto's story line, the Galactica then fires on the asteroid bearing the main colony.  The explosions breaks it apart and the pieces collide with the new Basestar, destroying it.  The colonials are once again confined to the ships of the fleet, protected only by the last Battlestar.

A final shot zooms through the clouds of the Cylon home world.  The audience gets to see a massive mechanized society.  You see crowds and crowds of people, and as the camera zooms in you see Apollo, and as he turns you see his eye is mechanical with a moving red glow inside.

And what happens after the pilot?  What did Mr. DeSanto have in store for the series? He did say that as the season progressed it would have been a bit of a father against son (and vice versa) thing because of Apollo's having been warped by the Cylons. How would they get Apollo back?  And how would Orin/Boxey deal with his father leading the Cylons against humanity.

Fans would actually get to see a tear from the space ace at the end of that episode as Starbuck really does say 'goodbye' to Cassiopeia.  In this story, Starbuck has a daughter.  She's a Viper pilot like her Dad.  His daughter (in Tom's production) was likely the product of a fling.

Cassie's return would have likely been towards the end of the first season as she and Starbuck reunite, although she is happily married and raising children.  Tom didn't plan to have Cassiopeia as a regular character.  At one point, it had been discussed that she had died, fueling Starbuck's angst and growing loner status (esp. after Apollo went missing, Adama passed away, Sheba was lost in action with the Pegasus, etc.).  Instead, this was Tom's way of bringing Cassiopeia back and adding to the depth of the Starbuck character: Starbuck's true regrets, his late wake-up call, and perhaps a new start for the character to stop being so self-centered.

Tom announced during his panel session that in his vision, much of "The Return of Starbuck" (Galactica 1980 episode) had happened... and that offspring which Starbuck and Angela sent into space is actually Starbuck's daughter.

He also stated that Serina's appearance (Jane Seymour contacted Tom, telling him that if he wanted to work out a way for Serina to appear, she was more than interested in reprising the role) would have been the catalyst that would bring Apollo back to the Colonials.

Tom wanted Patrick Macnee back as Count Iblis, and yes, his son would soon assume his father's mantle in the mythological way: By killing him.

The Pegasus would have reappeared and remained with the fleet either briefly in season two, or have been lost again, but not destroyed.  Sheba would have returned as Commander of the Pegasus.  As others have mentioned here, Tom had episode arcs mapped out, ranging from a few episodes, to 1 year to 3 year to 5-year arcs that included the Pegasus.

It's the end of the first season of a new Tom DeSanto-produced Battlestar Galactica series.  The Colonials are on the run from the Cylons and seemingly doomed to destruction by Cylon forces.  The Cylons have terrorized the fleet from time to time, demonstrating advanced technologies, which the Colonials have barely overcome.  All seems lost, especially with a Cylonized Apollo (devoid of "free will") in the background as one of the Cylon antagonists...

So what happened to Mr. Desanto's initial effort? September 11th happened that's what.  One of the fans asked Tom why, when it looked so damn good, it failed 8 weeks prior to shooting?  His exact words, "September 11th." You see a lot of the set production was based in Canada.  The bridge, Vipers and multiple sets were being constructed in Vancouver because it is cheaper to do shooting in Canada due to a favorable exchange rate.  Tom's offices were actually on the Universal lots.  He also expressed that he pressed Universal to do Galactica at home, at Universal, and bring Galactica once again from within Universals lot. But he was turned down because of cost.  Tom stated that the overall publicity that Universal would get would be astounding and he would help push it.  If Universal had allowed Tom to make Galactica in the states we would be seeing a continuation here and now!  With the airlines grounded in the latter days after September 11th there was no way to travel between the production site and the production offices, pushing back production nearly 30 days following the disaster.  After the smoke had cleared it was time for DeSanto to move onto the X-Men.  DeSanto, the man that he is, committed 100% to see Galactica to it's end but Fox got cold feet.

With Galactica falling behind schedule and principal photography for X2 rapidly approaching, Singer had no choice but to abandon the project and begin work on X2. Hoping to save Galactica, DeSanto attempted to attach a director to the project.  Several, including Stephen Hopkins, Gary Fleder and Brian Henson, were brought in.  Without Singer, however, Fox withdrew support and the production was shut down.

Although still contractually attached to the new Galactica as a consulting producer, DeSanto has no direct involvement in it. "Studios USA had approached me and said they'd like to continue. Then they decided to go in a different direction, which wasn't a Continuation. It was something that wasn't in sync with the vision I had for the show."

So now we came back to where we started.  Will the Galactica rise again with this level of vision?  If Mr. Larson's announcement at Galacticon is any indication, we may have the real Battlestar Galactica yet.

So the Colonial Fan Force was born, to bring this vision, or one like it, into reality.  That is our sole purpose and cause.  To inform Mr. Larson, and Mr. DeSanto that interest in a Continuation movie does in fact remain.And that's where you come in.  You can help us bring your heroes back.  Please write to Glen A. Larson and Tom DeSanto, let them know that you want to see your heroes returned to you.  Let them know what you want in a Continuation.

You can make a difference!

For more information, see these sites:

Pre-Production Art and Photos from the DeSanto effort

Information on the DeSanto effort

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