> A little over a year ago, I was approached by a company that wanted
to
> make a Babylon 5 movie.  They optioned the rights, and commissioned a
> script.  (It's worth mentioning that I, not WB, own the rights to a
B5
> movie.  When we were negotiating the original B5 deal -- by whose
terms
> I will never see a dime in profit -- the one thing they did let me
have
> were the movie rights, figuring they'd never be worth anything in the
> long run.)

> Anyway...on December 27th of 2003, the script for "The Memory of
> Shadows" was turned in, and the process began of trying to make the
> deal work with all the various forces involved.  It is, to say the
> least, a very difficult process on any movie where the studio does
not
> directly take the financial reins.  In terms of B5, Warner's position
> was esssentially, "We only do big-budget movies with big names, so
> you're on your own."  If there were big-name movie actors in the
film,
> they'd get behind it; without that, things become very problematic,
> especially as far as the financing was concerned.  You much have to
put
> together a consortium of international interests and business plans
> rivaled in complexity only by the Allied invasion of Normandy Beach.

> Nonetheless, every attempt was made by the people involved to get
this
> deal in place.  This was not being done by Doug or myself, but rather
> by the company/individuals who approached us and optioned the rights.
> At times, it seemed we were inches away from a deal...stages were
> reserved at Elstree, actors were contacted, a director was in place,
> the script went through many revisions, a few key staff were hired,
> again not by me...it was really a year-long roller coaster ride.
> During that time, the people involved, with every good intention,
tried
> very hard to pull the necessary pieces together on the deal.  The
> option expired in late December 2004, but I renewed it without cost,
to
> give those involved more time to try and make things work.

> In the end, however, the deal could be put together, and it did not
> look as if that was going to change at any point in the foreseeable
> future.  So the option has reverted, and to all intents and purposes,
> the project has dead ended.  Nor do I think this particular
incarnation
> will arise again at any point in the future, though prognostication
has
> always been a tricky art, especially if you have to do it without the
> benefit of hindsight.

> This was not the first time someone's taken a run at a B5 feature
film,
> and it will not be the last.  Eventually it will happen, because such
> things are simply inevitable.  If they can do a Brady Bunch movie,
you
> can be sure that sooner or later, somebody's going to do a B5 movie.
> The only thing I can say without equivocation is that when that day
> comes, as the rights-holder, I will make darned sure that it's done
> right, because I'd rather have no B5 movie than one that doesn't live
> up to what fans and I myself would want to see.

> To that end...I can wait.

> Anyway, just thought you should know the story.

> jms

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