Crusade: New Date [11/22/98]

As many know and probably just as many don't know; with the end of Babylon 5 near (finale airs 11/25/98) comes the end of a great of project so another must began for its writer, JMS as we come to call him. This new project comes in the form of a spin-off, called Crusade. It was originally scheduled to premier in early January. But since a late notice change episode order came, the date was pushed to March. But since B5 resides on the TNT network and TNT will be showing the NBA playoffs at around that time, they decided to push the date back to June 2, 1999.

B5 MOVIE! [11/4/98]

1st and Foremost: Don't forget there is a new B5 ep tonight!
2nd but not least: River of Souls airs this Sunday, Nov. 8, 1998 around 8pm EST.

B5 on TNT [5/22/98]

Babylon 5 will be back for TNT viewers on Wednesday: May 27, 1998. Also remember that the B5 movie Thirdspace will air July 19, 1998.

B5 in Montreal [5/22/98]

Babylon 5 will come back in June 2nd on CFCF-12.

More on Crusade and Movies [4/20/98]

Crusade will launch with the spectacular two-hour TNT original film A Call To Arms. In addition, an ancient vault filled with relics believed to hold the secret to eternal life is the centerpiece of the previously announced two- hour film, Babylon 5: The River of Souls. Martin Sheen (The American President, Apocalypse Now), Ian McShane and series stars Tracy Scoggins, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs and Jeff Conaway will headline TNT's third Babylon 5 full-length movie.

"River of Souls and A Call to Arms both help to set the tone for this new series by presenting first takes on a new form of science fiction for television: archaeological SF, in which ancient secrets have an impact on current situations, and a more action-oriented tone, with greater humor and more emphasis on characterization. These are for fun, a chance to break out and go nuts. I've been doing angst for five years now; these films are going to be a hoot." -- JMS

As for the second Babylon 5 movie, Thirdspace, it will air on TNT on July 19, 1998.

The third Babylon 5 movie, The River of Souls, will air on TNT on November 23, 1998.

The fourth Babylon 5 movie, A Call to Arms, will air on TNT on January 3, 1998.

Movie Information [4/12/98]

Already said that the second B5 Movie would be Thirdspace and the third movie would be The River of Souls. But I didn't tell you that the fourth movie would be called A Call To Arms.

Thirdspace will air July 19.

River of Souls is supposed to premiere in November sometime. It takes up story of the Soul Hunters and a search for immortality.

- Julie Weitz, executive vice president of original programming for TNT, today confirmed that series stars Tracy Scoggins, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs and Jeff Conaway will headline TNT's next BABYLON 5 full-length movie. Douglas Netter and series creator J. Michael Straczynski will executive-produce the two-hour film from the script by Straczynski.

The fourth movie, A Call To Arms, is supposed to premiere in January 1999. It is rumored to involve Anna and Morden, to involve David, or to be the set-up for Crusade.

Crusade is Official [4/12/98]

The word is in that Crusade is official. Production will begin in a few months, July 27. The premiere date is Jan. 6, 1999 on TNT. The show takes the premise of a Shadow plague left on Earth that would wipe out all life within five years. The show does have an ARC (set story line) and so far no set limit, probably five years. It will emphasize an archeaological type atmosphere as they search through ancient civilizations in search of the cure.

One rumor, it appears Jeff Conway and Tracy Scoggins will carry over from Babylon 5 to Crusade. They are bringing in a new design staff. Technically this is a spin-off but they don't want it to look like another Babylon 5.

2 More B5 Movies [4/6/98]

First there was In the Beggining. Soon there will be Thirdspace, and in the future will be two more Babylon 5 movis made for TV ...TNT specifically. The third movie will probably be called The River of Souls. So that will be 4 B5 movies, so look for them. Will give you info as it comes.

Its Hard to Say Goodbye [4/6/98]

It has been stated from day 1 that Babylon 5 will only be 5 years. It would not go beyond that. Many didn't see Babylon 5 going past season 1, but it did. Now the show has become successful enough to give its actors hope of a sixth season. But JMS has said it would only go 5 years. Bruce Boxleitner (Sheridan), was one thought B5 just might go on. So he is taking the ending of the show personally. He has stopped all publicity shots for the show, and any other publicity stunts for Babylon 5. He will still go to conventions because he says they are for the fans and not Warner Bros.

JMS says it is perfectly understandable behavior:

I know that a lot of the cast have been in denial about this for a long time, many of them said in interviews, "Yeah, well, Joe's said it's a five year arc, but I don't see why it couldn't go longer." But if you live in that notion, then when the reality hits, it hits hard.

So the reaction is perfectly understandable on an emotional level. When a show is over, everyone's gone. In this town, that usually means "you're fired, the network doesn't like you or the show." It's a personal rejection. Here it was my decision, from the git-go, that this series would go five years and no more. That's kind of a new thing, and takes some getting used to. You can only interpret it by what you've experienced before.

One or two cast members may transition over into Crusade, assuming it goes ahead, but that show *has* to be its own show, it can't be just a repackaged B5. (And I'm referring to regulars here, there's plenty of room for guest-starring roles for nearly all of our characters at one point or another, plus the likelihood of more B5 TV movies, plus the real possibility of a B5 feature.)

Babylon 5 has been a great show, Bruce isn't the only one sad to see it go.

Crusade a Go [4/6/98]

Sorry it has taken so long. The Babylon 5 spin-off, Crusade is a go. It has unofficially been approved. Crusade is supposed to take place after the Babylon 5 story finishes. But it is not a continuation, it is its own seperate story line. It focuses on a plague that threatens to wipe out the Earth population. It also has a set storyline, not sure if it is 5 year arc like Babylon 5 but it does have an arc. JMS (the writer of B5 and Crusade) says that one or two of the current B5 cast transition over to Crusade. But there will also be times for guest appearences from other B5 actors. More info as it becomes available.

Montreal's B5 Schedule [2/15/98]

From now on, CFCF-12 will air B5 on Thusdays at midnight instead of 1 p.m. (so one hour earlier). Thanks Nic, for that piece of news.

Totaling Things Up [1/22/98]

JMS said he would write less of Season 5 as compared to previous seasons but since a couple freelance scripts didn't work out he ended up writing 21 of the 22 season episodes. The guy needs a break.

After Babylon 5 is all said and done with out of the 5 seasons, which amounts to 110 episodes, he will have written 91.

"If you put all the episodes, the pilot, and the 3 movies together, it's equal to 50 full-length feature films in 5 years" - JMS

Season 5 Has Begun [1/21/98]

Just in case you were not aware of this, season 5 has begun for U.S. viewers on TNT.

Season 5:

• 10:00pm ET Wednesday
• Repeat Showing Sat. 6 or 7pm ET

Seasons 1-4:

• Mon. - Fri. 7pm ET

Thank Nic for this piece of news... Babylon 5 will start its 5th season in Montreal, Canada on January 27 and not Jan. 6.

A New Year [1/21/98]

I know I'm a tad late with this but I was gone for winter vacation and our vacation our 5 weeks long. I use the school's computers and you would be right if you assumed the computer pods were closed during the holidays.

Quite few things happened last year concerning Babylon 5 like getting renewed. Many didn't think it would survive past one year and yet it made it all the way through. Claudia Christian left leaving many fans agitated. Babylon 5 won its 2nd Hugo. Well its all in that1997 Archive if wish to read it.

Page Top
Back to the Babylon 5 Archive

8846