Roland Emmerich Planning Elaborate Reboot/Sequel Trilogy For ‘Stargate’

When it comes to the films of Roland Emmerich, the German director who has immigrated to Hollywood to become the premiere purveyor of large-scale destruction, it doesn’t get much better than 1994’s “Stargate.” A movie that combined ancient aliens theorizing with old-fashioned adventure, the film (that starred James Spader and Kurt Russell) spawned a series of successful television spin-offs and endless talk of a sequel. While the director confirmed that Will Smith might be in talks for “Independence Day 2,” he also let slip during the same interview that a “Stargate” reboot/sequel thingee is also in the cards.

“We went to MGM, who has the rights, and we proposed to them to do a sequel, but as a reboot… and a reboot it as a movie and then do three parts,” Emmerich explained. “Pretty soon we’ll have to look for a writer and start.” Emmerich co-wrote the original film with his longtime producing partner Dean Devlin. Before the “Independence Day” sequel began in earnest, the two hadn’t worked together since “The Patriot,” back in 2000.

The original film concerned the discovery of a gateway linking modern day earth to a distant planet that eerily resembled ancient Egypt (complete with gods and monsters). James Spader played the nerdy scientist who studied the stargate and Kurt Russell was the headstrong military type with mysterious ulterior motives. As far as storytelling goes, the first film is clean and effective; we wonder what prompted Emmerich and Devlin to investigate the property some more, and if they’re bringing to life plans that they had for the franchise the first time around.

While no timetable has been set for the sequel yet, considering he said that “Independence Day 2” won’t be out until 2015 or “probably 2016,” it’ll be a while before we return to the “Stargate.”