Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Encyclopedia
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales is an anthology show
set in the Babylon 5
universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski
, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2006. Straczynski has described the stories as ones he had for the Babylon 5 television series, but never had the time to produce.
production containing two stories. On July 13, 2008, Straczynski announced he had no plans to further develop the series. Each story is worked around a single established character. The production uses cast members from the original television show. The show is shot in high-definition video
with digital HD cameras
. The visual effects
are handled by Atmosphere Visual Effects
, who previously have worked on other science fiction shows
such as the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica
and Stargate Atlantis
. The music is composed by Christopher Franke
, who also did the music for the original Babylon 5 series.
The show was shot in Vancouver, Canada. Concurrently with the DVD release, an HD version was released exclusively on the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Douglas Netter
and Straczynski executive produced the DVD.
and the work of Rod Serling
, saying of himself, "Rod is one of my icons, so believe me, I know his work far, far better than most people." The idea of doing his own science fiction anthology show is something that he has discussed in the past as a possibility and he first proposed the idea of a Tales from Babylon 5 anthology as the sixth season of the original show in 1997. He described it as, "an anthology series, to all intents and purposes, using our characters almost like a repertory
group."
Straczynski has stated that Warner Brothers initially asked him if he wanted to make a Babylon 5 feature film
(while most Babylon 5 related rights are held at the studio level, Straczynski owns the Babylon 5 movie rights). He declined, most importantly because he could not see the structure of a Babylon 5 movie
in 2006 after both Andreas Katsulas
and Richard Biggs
died in the years prior, and he couldn't see himself doing something big after these deaths, though he has stated he might feel up to it "in a year or two". As an alternative to a big project, he suggested the idea of doing a bunch of character focused short films, structured in an anthology format. In addition, he asked to be guaranteed complete creative freedom in writing, which he has stated he received from the studio.
While the show was envisioned as an anthology, Straczynski stated that he would like to have thematic links in episodes on each disk:
In addition to having connections on the thematic level, the first two episodes for Voices in the Dark have stronger connections in the form of intersecting key plot and thematic points, and are intended to overlap and complement each other while telling separate but simultaneous stories.
Straczynski had started writing the first of the Lost Tales scripts by August 26, 2006. He has stated that the exact nature of the stories is dependent on who exactly can be signed on, since original cast members are being used. In November he stated that the first three scripts were to feature the characters of John Sheridan
, Elizabeth Lochley
, Galen, and Michael Garibaldi
. He also stated that the increasing scale and ambition of the project necessitated delaying the story featuring Garibaldi (which was the most ambitious in terms of special effects and sets) to the planned second DVD, expanding the other two stories in length.
The initial production schedule given at Comic Con for the first DVD was to start shooting in September 2006, do post-production
in the fourth quarter of 2006, and release them in the second quarter of 2007. Due to certain members of crew and others not being available, this schedule got pushed back, first to October, and then to November. Production began on November 13, 2006. The DVD had been fully delivered to the studio by 2007-04-15.
Straczynski's role as director of this initial batch of two episodes comes after only having directed the Babylon 5 series finale "Sleeping in Light
" before. He has stated that, with new tools available and more room for experimentation in television directing now, six years after Babylon 5, he wants to slightly redesign how Babylon 5 is shot. "... nothing major, just the feeling of the shots and the CGI
and to set a tone for the films." After the tone had been set, he intends others to take over for future installments.
While the look of Babylon 5 is rethought for Voices in the Dark, there are things in the feel of the show that are to be the same, like the silhouettes and designs. To do this for the CGI, Atmosphere Visual Effects had to make use of fan created 3D models. The art assets of the original show were turned over to Warner Bros to be archived, with the studio mandating that no back ups be made, a request that was honored. The archives ended up being lost however, which required the usage of fan created materials for reference.
(formerly Captain during the series' run) Lochley on B5 awaiting Sheridan's arrival, who summons a priest from Earth space to help deal with a mysterious, seemingly supernatural problem. The second part, Voices in the Dark: Over There, follows ISA President John Sheridan
on his way to B5 for a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Interstellar Alliance
. During the journey he picks up the Centauri Prince Dius Vintari (third in line to the Centauri Imperial throne) on the edge of Centauri space, using a new Valen class cruiser
, and receives a warning from Galen the techno-mage about coming events. The story introduces the concept of quantum space.
. According to Lost Tales producer Samm Barnes
, they couldn't be pulled together for this disc, but they can later pull from these unfilmed stories.
During the production of Voices in the Dark a series of behind-the-scenes video blogs were produced. Some of these were intended to be shown at conventions, specifically the New York Comic-Con
and Comic-Con International
conventions of 2007, some were released via the Internet, and some were released on the DVD. Straczynski has compared them to Peter Jackson
's production diaries for King Kong
or Bryan Singer's
video blogs for Superman Returns
.
A mini-comic is included with the DVD when purchased at Best Buy
, showing the adventures of G'Kar and Stephen Franklin
beyond the Rim.
had stated that he was contacted by Straczynski to reprise his role as Londo Mollari for a set of alien-centric stories after the initial batch centered around humans. He stated that he said yes to him: "if you [Straczynski] wrote it, I'd do it". The second installment was also set to include a story centered around the character Michael Garibaldi
, initially planned for the first installment. In September 2007, Straczynski stated that his preferences for a possible second disc were to definitely tell a Garibaldi-centric story, and probably a Londo-centric one.
One of the big events in the Babylon 5 universe that The Lost Tales was set to explore eventually was the Telepath War
. Straczynski reportedly stated at the New York Comic-Con
in February 2007 that he already had a concept for a possible direct-to-DVD Telepath War story in mind.
Any future installments were on hold due to the WGA Strike, 2007. Prior to the strike, Straczynski urged Warner Brothers to commission a new DVD as they were suitably impressed with the sales for the first DVD. However, Warner Bros. felt that the Writer's Guild would not go on strike and refused to speed up the bureaucratic process; in their words, "We don't want to be pressured in the process because we know there's not going to be a strike this year, we can handle the Guild". At the Emerald City Comic Convention in May 2008, after the strike, Straczynski briefly updated fans on the prospects for more releases. He noted that two divisions of Warner Bros. seemed to be "discussing" wanting a feature film or more Lost Tales but had come to an agreement and hadn't gotten to the point of guaranteeing Straczynski total creative control in the case of a feature film. The budget for the first disc was two million dollars.
On July 13, 2008, Straczynski revealed that he had no plans to continue The Lost Tales. He said that although the studio was interested in another disc, they wanted to budget the next installment similarly to the first. Citing his disappointment with the first release due to the low budget, Straczynski said he did not want to dilute Babylon 5s legacy with further sub-par stories. He stated that he would only return to the Babylon 5 universe if Warner Bros. wanted to do a large-budgeted cinema release.
Anthology television series
An anthology series is a radio or television series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each episode. These usually have a different cast each week, but several series in the past, such as Four Star Playhouse, employed a permanent troupe of character actors who...
set in the Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski
J. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...
, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2006. Straczynski has described the stories as ones he had for the Babylon 5 television series, but never had the time to produce.
Production
The project consists of one direct-to-DVDDirect-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
production containing two stories. On July 13, 2008, Straczynski announced he had no plans to further develop the series. Each story is worked around a single established character. The production uses cast members from the original television show. The show is shot in high-definition video
High-definition video
High-definition video or HD video refers to any video system of higher resolution than standard-definition video, and most commonly involves display resolutions of 1,280×720 pixels or 1,920×1,080 pixels...
with digital HD cameras
Digital cinematography
Digital cinematography is the process of capturing motion pictures as digital images, rather than on film. Digital capture may occur on video tape, hard disks, flash memory, or other media which can record digital data. As digital technology has improved, this practice has become increasingly common...
. The visual effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
are handled by Atmosphere Visual Effects
Atmosphere Visual Effects
Atmosphere Visual Effects is a Vancouver based visual effects company. It was founded in 2003 by Andrew Karr, Tom Archer, and Jeremy Hoey, ex-employees of Vancouver based visual effects company GVFX, after said company folded in that year...
, who previously have worked on other science fiction shows
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
such as the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
and Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
. The music is composed by Christopher Franke
Christopher Franke
Christopher Franke is a German musician and composer. From 1971 to 1988 he was a member of the electronic group Tangerine Dream. Initially a drummer with The Agitation, later renamed Agitation Free, his primary focus eventually shifted to keyboards and synthesizers as the group moved away from its...
, who also did the music for the original Babylon 5 series.
The show was shot in Vancouver, Canada. Concurrently with the DVD release, an HD version was released exclusively on the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Douglas Netter
Douglas Netter
Douglas Netter is a United States television industry executive, his credits largely being in the field of science fiction. He is first credited as associate producer of the 1967 Matt Helm movie The Ambushers which involved a US-government built flying saucer.Between 1970 and 1975 Netter was the...
and Straczynski executive produced the DVD.
Concept
Straczynski is a fan of The Twilight ZoneThe Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
and the work of Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
, saying of himself, "Rod is one of my icons, so believe me, I know his work far, far better than most people." The idea of doing his own science fiction anthology show is something that he has discussed in the past as a possibility and he first proposed the idea of a Tales from Babylon 5 anthology as the sixth season of the original show in 1997. He described it as, "an anthology series, to all intents and purposes, using our characters almost like a repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
group."
Straczynski has stated that Warner Brothers initially asked him if he wanted to make a Babylon 5 feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
(while most Babylon 5 related rights are held at the studio level, Straczynski owns the Babylon 5 movie rights). He declined, most importantly because he could not see the structure of a Babylon 5 movie
in 2006 after both Andreas Katsulas
Andreas Katsulas
Andrew "Andreas" Katsulas was a Greek-American actor known for his roles as Ambassador G'Kar in the science fiction television series Babylon 5, as the one-armed villain Sykes in the film The Fugitive , and as the Romulan Commander Tomalak on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
and Richard Biggs
Richard Biggs
Richard T. "Dick" Biggs was an American television and stage actor, best known for his roles on the television series Days of our Lives and Babylon 5.-Life:...
died in the years prior, and he couldn't see himself doing something big after these deaths, though he has stated he might feel up to it "in a year or two". As an alternative to a big project, he suggested the idea of doing a bunch of character focused short films, structured in an anthology format. In addition, he asked to be guaranteed complete creative freedom in writing, which he has stated he received from the studio.
While the show was envisioned as an anthology, Straczynski stated that he would like to have thematic links in episodes on each disk:
In addition to having connections on the thematic level, the first two episodes for Voices in the Dark have stronger connections in the form of intersecting key plot and thematic points, and are intended to overlap and complement each other while telling separate but simultaneous stories.
Voices in the Dark
Voices in the Dark is the title of the first Lost Tales DVD that was published. On July 24, 2006, Straczynski stated they were looking at a first DVD containing three half-hour episodes, with the project and its budgets greenlit. This was later brought back to two stories, both lengthened to make up for the one lost story. These would add up to around 75–90 minutes in total of story material. He also stated that there will be additional material, adding up to a two hour DVD. Straczynski wrote, produced, and directed them. The DVD was released on July 31, 2007 in the USA and on September 3, 2007 in the United Kingdom.Straczynski had started writing the first of the Lost Tales scripts by August 26, 2006. He has stated that the exact nature of the stories is dependent on who exactly can be signed on, since original cast members are being used. In November he stated that the first three scripts were to feature the characters of John Sheridan
John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
, Elizabeth Lochley
Elizabeth Lochley
Elizabeth Lochley is a lead fictional character from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 and Crusade, played by Tracy Scoggins....
, Galen, and Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi is a lead fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jerry Doyle.-Overview:...
. He also stated that the increasing scale and ambition of the project necessitated delaying the story featuring Garibaldi (which was the most ambitious in terms of special effects and sets) to the planned second DVD, expanding the other two stories in length.
The initial production schedule given at Comic Con for the first DVD was to start shooting in September 2006, do post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
in the fourth quarter of 2006, and release them in the second quarter of 2007. Due to certain members of crew and others not being available, this schedule got pushed back, first to October, and then to November. Production began on November 13, 2006. The DVD had been fully delivered to the studio by 2007-04-15.
Straczynski's role as director of this initial batch of two episodes comes after only having directed the Babylon 5 series finale "Sleeping in Light
Sleeping in Light
"Sleeping in Light" is the final episode of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. The episode was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.-Plot:...
" before. He has stated that, with new tools available and more room for experimentation in television directing now, six years after Babylon 5, he wants to slightly redesign how Babylon 5 is shot. "... nothing major, just the feeling of the shots and the CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
and to set a tone for the films." After the tone had been set, he intends others to take over for future installments.
While the look of Babylon 5 is rethought for Voices in the Dark, there are things in the feel of the show that are to be the same, like the silhouettes and designs. To do this for the CGI, Atmosphere Visual Effects had to make use of fan created 3D models. The art assets of the original show were turned over to Warner Bros to be archived, with the studio mandating that no back ups be made, a request that was honored. The archives ended up being lost however, which required the usage of fan created materials for reference.
Plot outline
Voices in the Dark is set in 2271. It features two linked plotlines viewed separately one after the other but covering the same 72-hour timespan: The first part called Voices in the Dark: Over Here features ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
(formerly Captain during the series' run) Lochley on B5 awaiting Sheridan's arrival, who summons a priest from Earth space to help deal with a mysterious, seemingly supernatural problem. The second part, Voices in the Dark: Over There, follows ISA President John Sheridan
John Sheridan (Babylon 5)
John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar...
on his way to B5 for a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Interstellar Alliance
Interstellar Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Interstellar Alliance is a fictional interstellar government of civilizations in the Babylon 5 universe.Formed in 2261 AD in the aftermath of the liberation of Earth and the Shadow War, the Interstellar Alliance was formed between the Minbari, Narn, Centauri, the Earth Alliance and the...
. During the journey he picks up the Centauri Prince Dius Vintari (third in line to the Centauri Imperial throne) on the edge of Centauri space, using a new Valen class cruiser
Valen class cruiser
The Valen class cruiser is a class of starship in the fictional universe of the TV series Babylon 5. The class is used by the Interstellar Alliance, a confederation-type affiliation of races including humanity and the Minbari, among others. There is some ambiguity concerning the use of this name in...
, and receives a warning from Galen the techno-mage about coming events. The story introduces the concept of quantum space.
Cast
- Bruce BoxleitnerBruce BoxleitnerBruce William Boxleitner is an American actor, and science fiction and suspense writer. He is known for his leading roles in the television series How the West Was Won, Bring 'Em Back Alive, Scarecrow and Mrs. King , and Babylon 5...
as President John SheridanJohn Sheridan (Babylon 5)John J. Sheridan is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bruce Boxleitner. For most of the series, he is the commander of the Babylon 5 station; during the series' final season he is the President of the Interstellar... - Tracy ScogginsTracy ScogginsTracy Dawn Scoggins is an American actress known for her roles as Cat Grant in the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Monica Colby in the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty, and its spin-off series The Colbys...
as Colonel Elizabeth LochleyElizabeth LochleyElizabeth Lochley is a lead fictional character from the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 and Crusade, played by Tracy Scoggins.... - Peter WoodwardPeter WoodwardPeter Woodward is an English actor, stuntman and screenwriter. He is probably best known for his role as Galen in the Babylon 5 spin-offs Babylon 5: A Call to Arms, Crusade and Babylon 5: The Lost Tales....
as Galen - Alan ScarfeAlan ScarfeAlan John Scarfe is a British-born Genie Award winning Canadian actor. He is a former Associate Director of the Stratford Festival and the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool...
as Father Cassidy - Bruce RamsayBruce RamsayBruce Ramsay is a Canadian film, television and stage actor.-Early life:Ramsay was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
as Simon Burke - Teryl RotheryTeryl RotheryTeryl Rothery is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her role as Dr. Janet Fraiser on Stargate SG-1.-Life and career:Rothery was born in Vancouver, British Columbia...
as ISN reporter Ms. Chambers - Keegan Macintosh as Prince Vintari
- Craig VeroniCraig Veroni-Biography:He was born in Cape Town, South Africa. His family immigrated to Canada when Veroni was eight. Veroni first acted in school plays at Port Moody Secondary School, and later trained at Vancouver's Studio 58....
as Guard
Extras
The Voices in the Dark DVD contains a certain number of extras, including behind-the-scenes pieces. There also was supposed to be "a number of original short pieces" to be shot in February 2007. There were six "promosodes" written, featuring, among other characters, LennierLennier
Lennier is a character in the fictional universe of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Bill Mumy. He is Minbari and acts as ambassadorial aide to Delenn throughout most of the series.-Background and career:...
. According to Lost Tales producer Samm Barnes
Samm Barnes
Sara "Samm" Barnes is a television and comics writer, as well as a television producer.-Biography:Though born in Great Britain to Michael and Bridget Barnes, Barnes was raised in Canada, first in Ottawa, then Toronto and finally Vancouver....
, they couldn't be pulled together for this disc, but they can later pull from these unfilmed stories.
During the production of Voices in the Dark a series of behind-the-scenes video blogs were produced. Some of these were intended to be shown at conventions, specifically the New York Comic-Con
New York Comic-Con
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television.-History:The first event was held in 2006 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center...
and Comic-Con International
Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
conventions of 2007, some were released via the Internet, and some were released on the DVD. Straczynski has compared them to Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's production diaries for King Kong
King Kong (2005 film)
King Kong is a 2005 fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson. It is a remake of the 1933 film of the same name and stars Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody. Andy Serkis, through performance capture, portrays Kong....
or Bryan Singer's
Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
video blogs for Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
.
A mini-comic is included with the DVD when purchased at Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, showing the adventures of G'Kar and Stephen Franklin
Stephen Franklin
Stephen Franklin is a lead character in the fictional universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by the late Richard Biggs. He serves as the chief medical officer on the Babylon 5 space station.-Personality:...
beyond the Rim.
Future installments
Straczynski initially stated that predicated on the success of Voices in the Dark a second installment could be released in early 2008 "at the earliest". Peter JurasikPeter Jurasik
Peter Jurasik is an American actor known for his television roles as Londo Mollari in the 1990s science fiction series Babylon 5 and Sid the Snitch on the 1980s series Hill Street Blues and its short-lived spinoff Beverly Hills Buntz.-Career:Among Jurasik's guest appearances are an entomologist in...
had stated that he was contacted by Straczynski to reprise his role as Londo Mollari for a set of alien-centric stories after the initial batch centered around humans. He stated that he said yes to him: "if you [Straczynski] wrote it, I'd do it". The second installment was also set to include a story centered around the character Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi
Michael Garibaldi is a lead fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television series Babylon 5, played by Jerry Doyle.-Overview:...
, initially planned for the first installment. In September 2007, Straczynski stated that his preferences for a possible second disc were to definitely tell a Garibaldi-centric story, and probably a Londo-centric one.
One of the big events in the Babylon 5 universe that The Lost Tales was set to explore eventually was the Telepath War
Telepath War
The Telepath War is a conflict in the fictional Babylon 5 universe. This conflict occurs a few years after the events of the television series, and before the events of the Crusade television series...
. Straczynski reportedly stated at the New York Comic-Con
New York Comic-Con
The New York Comic Con is an annual New York City fan convention dedicated to comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television.-History:The first event was held in 2006 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center...
in February 2007 that he already had a concept for a possible direct-to-DVD Telepath War story in mind.
Any future installments were on hold due to the WGA Strike, 2007. Prior to the strike, Straczynski urged Warner Brothers to commission a new DVD as they were suitably impressed with the sales for the first DVD. However, Warner Bros. felt that the Writer's Guild would not go on strike and refused to speed up the bureaucratic process; in their words, "We don't want to be pressured in the process because we know there's not going to be a strike this year, we can handle the Guild". At the Emerald City Comic Convention in May 2008, after the strike, Straczynski briefly updated fans on the prospects for more releases. He noted that two divisions of Warner Bros. seemed to be "discussing" wanting a feature film or more Lost Tales but had come to an agreement and hadn't gotten to the point of guaranteeing Straczynski total creative control in the case of a feature film. The budget for the first disc was two million dollars.
On July 13, 2008, Straczynski revealed that he had no plans to continue The Lost Tales. He said that although the studio was interested in another disc, they wanted to budget the next installment similarly to the first. Citing his disappointment with the first release due to the low budget, Straczynski said he did not want to dilute Babylon 5s legacy with further sub-par stories. He stated that he would only return to the Babylon 5 universe if Warner Bros. wanted to do a large-budgeted cinema release.
External links
- B5:TLT Pre-Production - Babylon5scripts.com Contains personal set photos and update letters by J. Michael Straczynski
- Guide page: "Voices in the Dark" on The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 TLT page
- Official Babylon 5 Website contains TLT section, including trailer and behind the scenes diaries