via NBCU press release:
Series Slated for 2010 Premiere
Stars Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Paula Malcomson and Polly Walker
NEW YORK, NY – December 2, 2008 – SCI FI Channel has greenlit production on the new original series Caprica, ordering 20 hours of the drama including the two-hour pilot, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, SCI FI. Caprica is the prequel to SCI FI’s hit original series Battlestar Galactica and stars Eric Stoltz (Milk, Chicago Hope), Esai Morales (Jericho, NYPD Blue), Paula Malcomson (Deadwood, ER) and Golden Globe nominee Polly Walker (Cane, Rome).
Set 50 years before Battlestar Galactica, Caprica follows two rival families – the Graystones and the Adamas – as they grow, compete, and thrive in the vibrant world of the 12 Colonies, a society recognizably close to our own. Enmeshed in the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence and robotics that will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylons, the two houses go toe-to-toe blending action with corporate conspiracy and sexual politics. Caprica will deliver all of the passion, intrigue, political backbiting and family conflict in television’s first science fiction family saga. Production on the series is slated to begin summer ‘09 in Vancouver for a 2010 premiere. Jeffrey Reiner (Friday Night Lights) directed the pilot.
“Caprica will build on Battlestar Galactica’s acclaimed legacy of gripping drama and extraordinary characters,” says Dave Howe in making the announcement. “It’s the beginning of a brand new epic saga that will appeal to both new viewers, totally unfamiliar with the Battlestar franchise, as well as existing loyal and passionate Battlestar fans.”
“Ron, David and Remi have created an amazing series with thought-provoking storytelling that deals with a world very similar to our own. It’s definitely not as dark as Battlestar, but like that show, this series has smart, dimensional characters who grapple with issues of love, sex and politics from a world in transition,” says Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Original Programming for SCI FI & Co-Head Original Content, Universal Cable Productions.
As the series begins, a startling development is about to occur – the creation of the first cybernetic life-form node or “Cylon” – the ability to marry artificial intelligence with mechanical bodies. Joseph Adama (Esai Morales) – father of future Battlestar commander William Adama (Sina Najafi) – a renowned civil liberties lawyer, becomes an opponent of the experiments undertaken by the Graystones (Eric Stoltz), owners of a large computer corporation that is spearheading the development of these living robots: the Cylons.
Caprica is produced by Universal Cable Productions and executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) and Remi Aubuchon (24). It is co-written by Aubuchon and Moore and directed by Jeffrey Reiner (Friday Night Lights).
Images are available at http://nbcumv.com/scifi.
This one sounds like a sci-fi version of DALLAS or some other cheesy 80s prime time soap with a splash of Terminator: Sarah Conner Chronicles.
No way it will be anywhere near as good as BSG. Did they learn nothing from Star Trek: Enterprise? At least Scott Bakula isnt in it. He isnt… is he? LOL!
A Sci-Fi Soap Opera…Hope its Good!!!
I think I’m done with “Battlestar Galactica” and all its incarnations once this final season is over. I love “BG” but I can’t imagine getting involved with “Caprica” after the shoddy treatment of both BG and it’s fans, by SciFi over the past 5 years.
They could have just kept the actual “Battlestar Galactica” on if they wanted to have a version of “BG” on SciFi. Also, what is the motivation to watch a prequel series. We know it ends with *****spoiler alert***** the destruction of Caprica and the other colonies. I just don’t get their line of thinking. They treated the show with such contempt while it was actually on and now they want to do a spinoff. It’s like a woman saying to a guy, “I hate everything about you, but I want to have your baby!”
I can’t understand why some people are already writing it off even though they haven’t seen it yet. Caprica has managed to rope in a terrific cast, that should be proof enough that the pilot script is good. Eric Stoltz was raving about it in an interview a couple months back, saying it was one of the best and most complex he’s ever read. This is going to be much more than a cheesy soap opera.
Yeah, I can’t wait to see Caprica. Somewhat takes the negative edge off of knowing that BG will finish soon which is one of the few shows I would consider to be *the best*. Moore is a true visionary.
Heck, now that I read the press release… 2010?! My first impression when I heard about it was that it’d definitely air next year. Makes me think that perhaps they moved it because of WAREHOUSE 13. Oh well, I suppose at least there’s something good to wait for now…
Joe Cool,
Scott Bakula is not in Caprica…but I see they will have the wonderful Esai Morales! And I hear Skeet Ulrich has a recurring role too
I heard that Skeet is on a bender and spends most of his days tanked up on booze. Someone saw him all strung out looking like hell chain smoking Lucky Strikes in an alley.
Skeet was in a couple of low budget movies that will likely end up going direct to video. One is bank robbery movie and another is some kind of low budget horror flick.
I saw the TMZ fodder on Skeet too. I take TMZ seriously about as much as Weekly World News. Now if Mr. Ulrich shows up on the Smoking Gun website, then you’ll have a story
Back to the topic at hand – I never cared for BSG, but I might DVR this Caprica thing to check it out. It might be like watching Star Wars Episode I for someone who’s never seen Episodes IV, V, or VI!