jmsatb5{at}aol.com wrote:
[snip]

> One final note re: recent discussions on TMoS and more Lost Tales.
> 
> B5:TLT was commissioned at a $2 million budget to, yet one more time,
> "test the waters" for B5.  We did what we could with that, and that
> was that.  As we did with Rangers, which also suffered from not having
> a lot of money because of concerns about "is there really a B5
> audience?"  Which is, of course, a foolish question from a studio that
> has never really understood what it has in B5.
> 
> Of late, there have been more discussions from WB about doing more
> DVDs, again at a low cost, or a cable thing, again with minimal
> investment.
> 
> So for the last few months, I've been giving this whole subject a lot
> of quiet thought.  And I've come to a conclusion.
> 
> B5 as a five year story stands beautifully on its own.  If anything
> else is to be continued from that story, it should be something that
> adds to the legacy of B5, rather than subtracts from it.
> 
> As well intentioned as Rangers and TLT were, as enticing as it was to
> return to those familiar waters, in the end I think they did more to
> subtract from the legacy than add to it.  I don't regret having made
> them, because I needed to go through that to get to the point where I
> am now psychologically, but from where I sit now, I wouldn't make them
> again.
> 
> So I've let everyone up here know that I'm not interested in doing any
> more low-budget DVDs.  I'm not interested in doing any low-budget
> cable things or small computer games.  The only thing I would be
> interested in doing regarding Babylon 5 from this point on is a full-
> featured, big-budget feature film.
> 
> It's that or nothing.
> 
> And if it's nothing, I'm totally cool with that because the original
> story stands on its own just fine.  I'm not lobbying for it, I'm not
> asking fans to write in about it (nor should you) because such
> campaigns never really have much impact...that's simply the position
> I've taken up here.  Lord knows I don't lack for other things to do
> these days.  I'm busier on more prestige projects with terrific people
> and great film-makers than at any other time in my career.
> 
> At the end of the day, for me, it's not just a matter of getting more
> B5.  It's a matter of getting more *good* B5 that respects what came
> before it and doesn't have to compromise visually or in terms of
> action.  The original show deserves better than that, the surviving
> cast members deserve better than that, and the fans who have supported
> it over the years definitely deserve better than that.  A lot better.
> 
> So I've drawn that line in the sand, and I'm happy living on whichever
> side of that line the universe puts me.  Just thought you should know,
> 'cause it's your show too.
> 
> jms
> 

A great pity.  I was looking forward to watching some more Babylon 5
videos.

Andrew Swallow
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