Prime Video Abruptly Axes Long-Awaited Stargate Reboot Before Liftoff
Stargate’s comeback is getting an overhaul, as the streamer retools its revival plan to hook a new generation.
Not every streaming giant’s reboot plan actually makes it off the launch pad, and if you’re a Stargate fan hoping for Prime Video to revive the franchise, well, you’ll want to sit down for this one.
Right then: back in the mid ‘90s, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin basically carved out the template for modern popcorn blockbusters with Independence Day – that mix of big spectacle and slightly goofy heart. But before Will Smith punched his first alien, the pair gave us Stargate in 1994: ancient portals, wormholes, lavish production for its day, and genre-mashing all over the place. It was largely slept on at release but quietly spawned a whole universe of TV spin-offs, nerdy lore, and enough mythos to keep convention panels full for a lifetime.
Flash forward to the streaming era, and Amazon’s Prime Video (now parent to MGM, and therefore gatekeeper of the Stargate franchise) has been itching for a sci-fi epic to sit on the shelf next to The Rings of Power. For a while, it looked like Martin Gero—the chap who worked on Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis—was lining up to captain a shiny new series.
What Went Wrong With The New Stargate?
According to Variety, Gero’s version has just been quietly nixed. Prime Video apparently didn’t fancy his pitch, reckoning it was a bit too tuned-in to the long-term fans and wasn’t really going to hook the uninitiated. Given Gero’s CV is basically stitched to the classic TV iterations, you can sort of see the streamer’s point—though after 17-odd seasons of TV across several shows, there’s quite a labyrinth of lore that comes with Stargate.
For those not neck-deep in the mythos: the series all revolve around the ‘Stargate’ itself, a wormhole device letting you nip around the universe collecting tech, facing off with aliens, and doing the odd resource grab for the folks back on Earth. It’s a clever idea that, over time, has mutated into a pretty sprawling sci-fi sandbox.
What Happens Next?
The silver lining here (if you’re an optimist): Prime Video isn’t completely shutting the door on Stargate. There’s just going to be a rethink, apparently. Variety’s report says Amazon is still mulling fresh approaches to get the franchise back onscreen; they just want something that’s a bit more welcoming for newcomers, rather than a monument solely for the diehard crowd.
It’s worth noting Amazon snapped up the Stargate rights in the big MGM deal, so you can expect this to get another shot down the line. Back in 2022, Nick Pepper (he’s Amazon MGM’s US SVOD TV boss) put it like this:
'Stargate is an enduring, iconic franchise that has captivated audiences for decades with its bold exploration of humanity's place in the cosmos. We're honored to open this next gate to bring a visionary new chapter of this beloved franchise to our global Prime Video audience, one that honors the series' rich legacy while propelling it into an ambitious and emotionally resonant future.'
- Stargate’s last run at a new series, from Martin Gero, is officially not moving forward at Prime Video
- Prime Video still holds the rights and is looking for another route back to the screen
- Amazon wants a new entry that appeals beyond the existing fanbase
- The streamer snapped up Stargate as part of its MGM takeover
- No production timeline or concrete replacement project announced yet
For now, we wait to see what shape Stargate’s next iteration actually takes.