When Stargate SG-1 ended its run in March 2007, fans of the franchise could take solace that they’d still have weekly Stargate adventures courtesy of spin-off Stargate Atlantis. Now, Atlantis is being cancelled as well.
Stargate Atlantis debuted on July 16, 2004 on Sci Fi. The series follows the adventures of a human expedition to the lost city of Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy. While Atlantis generally hasn’t been as popular as the SG-1 series, it still has a lot of fans. After five seasons on the air, Sci Fi Channel has announced that the series is ending.
The cancellation didn’t come as a complete surprise to the producers. On his blog, showrunner Joseph Mallozzi cites rising production costs and the decline of the US dollar as contributors. He and showrunner Paul Mullie broke the news to the cast and crew themselves. Thankfully it seems like the adventure isn’t over quite yet.
The second half of season five will air as expected on Sci Fi beginning in January. The 100th episode, titled “Enemy At the Gate,” will be the show’s last. The Atlantis story will then continue in a two-hour movie. The as-yet-untitled movie will run on Sci Fi and soonafter be released on DVD.
Mallozzi and Mullie will write the movie script. It’s not yet known who will direct the project. Mallozzi writes, “Obviously, I can’t say much about it at this point but suffice it to say that it should include the entire cast in addition to a certain gaunt and pallid flowing-locked guest star.” A release date should be forthcoming soon.
Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper, the SG-1 and Atlantis co-creators, are upbeat about the news. In a statement, they said, “We’re excited to tell Atlantis stories on a bigger canvas. The successes of the two original Stargate DTV movies The Ark of Truth and Continuum have shown us the opportunities that the movie format offers. We have plans for both SG-1 and Atlantis to remain vital as we expand the franchise.”
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“We share in the producers’ enthusiasm to move forward in this direction and we look forward to a strong and continued relationship on Stargate Atlantis in this new format,” said Thomas Vitale, Sci Fi’s Senior Vice President of Programming & Original Movies.
The network has indicated that “the show will live on as a network franchise.” What the statement actually means is unclear. Sci Fi may be planning additional Atlantis movies, or it could be a general indication that the Stargate franchise will continue, likely as a third series.
In late 2007, Cooper and Wright pitched Stargate Universe to the channel. Earlier this year, Wright told Gateworld, “The idea of Stargate Universe is that it is set on a ship that was part of an Ancient experiment that was set in motion probably millions of years ago — one that they never saw to fruition, but that we can.” He went on to say that the ship’s mission would be to help seed the galaxies with Stargates. Universe hasn’t been given a greenlight yet but, now that Atlantis has been cancelled, Sci Fi may have the funds to do it.
Though the Atlantis cancellation is surely a disappointment to fans, Mallozzi is confident the story isn’t over. He writes, “And, if [the Atlantis movie] proves anywhere as successful as the first two SG-1 direct-to-video features, you can be assured that this will be the first in a long, long line of Stargate Atlantis movies.” Stay tuned! 
Photo courtesy SciFi Channel/Joe Pugliese.
I sure wish you would have kept the two shows going. I’m an older fan and still like Si-Fi but I am having a real problem with the replacement. Not sure I’ll watch much more of it. Not much to the show so far. The others something was always going on and the casts in both were excellent. I miss them. I will for sure watch the new one you mentioned above on on Stargate Atlantis and I’m glad we will be able to watch them once in awhile. Not just a couple of minutes here and their. Others out… Read more »
BRING IT BACK!!! WE WANT SG ATLANTIS
It would be great if they continued this show, it’s great and it reached an equal value to SG-1. I would really like to see some action on Earth, with people knowing all about SGC.
joe
Romania
Bring back SGA!! I’ve just started watching it from the beginning again, it’s incredible. What on earth did they think going from SGA to SGU … seriously, it’s enough with one boring battlestar galactica show. No need to copy the slow concept over and ruin the SG universe. I’ve watched 6 episodes in the hopes that it will pick up some “speed” but it’s just plain boring 🙁 I hope they will realize their mistakes and get back to producing the 6th season of SGA. Follow-up movies are great, but your left with kind of an empty feeling when they… Read more »
Hi fellow SGA.fans..
So pissed off that their not continuing SGA,You cant stop there are too many people who love this show,WE WANT IT BACK NOW !!!!! BRING IT BACK>BRING IT BACK>BRING IT BACK etc. etc.
Hello there,
We loved to watch all of adventures of the characters of Stargate and Stargate Atlantis. So we hope there is will be a continuation of this great story because there are lot of undiscovered things and so many ways to continue the plot.
All the best
Valeriya and Ross
I too am having a hard time missing SGA! SGU is SOOOOOO S – L – O – W! If you are going to make SGU a success, you’d better get it going into the meat of whatever you are offering or you will soon lose more fans. Better yet, bring back SGA! The movies are always a great idea but we want more and have them released more often.
I have just read through a number of the posts on this site and it seems to me that the conscience of the vast majority of the fans is that the Co- creators of the stargate world Mr’s Cooper & Wright are complete and utter MORONS for canceling SGA. They sited the decline in popularity for the show and the falling US dollar as reasons for the cancellation. They then reveal that they are planing a new series for the Stargate World called “Stargate Universe”. This in my opinion now makes them not only morons but also idiots. I mean… Read more »
I am glade you are making a movie to complete
The show off . It would have been bad like so
Many show in the pass .
I think both SG1 and Atlantis were just so great. I will really miss watching the show. As far as Star gate Universe is concern I thing the first 2 episodes where every cheap and the actors are quite annoying and just don’t seem to fit together on the stage not to mention more of my bad impression. I think is just a failure but of course this is only my opinion. I hope it will get better.
Hello,
I love Stargate Atlantis! I hope that you keep on making shows. I have benn watching SGU I am not as big of a fan and I hope SGA comes back.
Thanks
Evan Davis
Well I read what everyone had to say and I feel the same my wife and I, yes a married Syfy geek, watched SGA since it started and had been wondering what happened. to the show. We seen the new SGU and I didn’t care for it, really a gamer for a top SG scientist that is rediculus. Needless to say I am protesting the canceling of SGA by boycotting the new SGU, I think to get the message accross everyone should do the same. BOYCOTT SGU do not watch it ever, maybe they’ll relize their mistake and bring it… Read more »
This serie should not been cancelled, i was looking around to find out when season 6 would start and find this. Hell no. i wount accept it. The end of season 5 cant be the end with atlantis on earth, the wraith are still there, not defeated yet and so on. Much left in Atlantis series to un discover.
NOT FINISHING THE FRACKIN SGA SERIES ??? FARGIN BASTAGES
Really sad to hear this. Seems like TV is being taken over by the worst programming possible. I loved SGA and its cast of characters and the story line. It seemed to reach both male and female viewers and I for one looked forward to watching it every week. Guess this is one more reason not to watch TV.