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Interviews: Ask J. Michael Straczynski What You Will
J. Michael Straczynski has written Thor, World War Z, and Changeling among many other films. He created Babylon 5 and has worked on numerous comic book titles including Superman and The Amazing Spider-Man. Most recently, he has teamed up with the Wachowskis for an original Netflix sci-fi series, Sense8 . He's agreed to take a break from his busy schedule in order to answer any questions you may have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.
Can we PLEEEEEASE have HD Bab5? if you crowd-fund it, we will pay.
Why did you make a movie and then name it World War Z when it had nothing in common with the source material except for a title?
What would have been different with the last two seasons of Babylon 5 had you known for sure you had a full 5 seasons?
Have you ever considered revisiting the Babylon 5 universe? Perhaps in animated form?
I've often noticed that if an actor played a speaking character in one scifi series, while looking mostly humanish, any other series they are in they have a pretty concealing costume. For Instance Mr Katsulas played a rather humanish Tomalok on Startrek, whereas his G'Kar had a pretty intense costume.
Is this done intentionally, or just coincidence?
You don't have to be a Michael Straczynski to know that B5 had a "beginning of the story" and an "end of the story". One of the best decisions that Mr. Straczynski ever made was to allow the story to end (and end grandly I also have to say).
Too many cheap crap-hounds (*cough*couch*abrams*cough*) try to extend a story as long as they are able to squeeze money out of it and are eventually revealed to have no idea what they were doing or where they were going with it. Straczynski told a really great story that ended i a really great way. Live and art have to move on.
----- In Your Cubicle No One Can Hear You Scream...
For me, you are the father or grandfather of social TV, meaning the way you promoted Bab 5 (before, during and after) the series is more or less the methodology that many TV shows and movies have adapted. You maybe have been using NNTP (Network News) instead of Facebook or Twitter, but for me you are the first.
My question: in that context: What are show producers/runners not doing today with Social Media that they could or should be doing to engage and interact with fans?
http://www.hawknest.com/
When you look back at how you used tools like NNTP to engage with your audience regarding Bab 5, is there anything you would have done differently today?
http://www.hawknest.com/
I consider your use of online technology for Bab5 to have been both Evolutionary and Revolutionary.
My question: Which if any other shows, writers, producers and show runners did you emulate or follow or get inspired by when you took to the Internet to promote Bab 5.
http://www.hawknest.com/
Years ago, you mentioned that you signed on with Ron Howard to write a screenplay for a movie based on E. E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series. Is that project still in the works?
Sense 8 brings together one of my favorite creators of worlds, with one of my favorite authors, and one of my favorite companies....
What has it been like to work with the Wachowski siblings and Netflix? Has working with Netflix provided a freer avenue for creativity than a traditional television network experience offers?
Many on here are no doubt wanting a sequel of some sort. Honestly, I'd like to know where Lennier ended up, and did he ever redeem himself?
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In the immortal words of Socrates, who said; 'I drank what?'
How about doing a spin-off from Babylon 5 involving a Vorlon game-show? I'm thinking of something like Takeshi's Castle.
You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
At the moment there is not a single TV show in space? Since the ending of the BSG reboot and Stargate: Universe cancellation, TV has been essentially "spaceless".
Why do you feel that is?
And what do you feel it would take to bring "space" back to television?
& kick JJ Abrams in the balls next time you see him?
See how many lens flares you get.
Who are you?
What do you want?
So, what is the story with Jeremiah? I only saw the first season and haven't been able to track down the 2nd, but I rather enjoyed what I saw of the show.
I read an interview you did http://www.republibot.com/cont... where you mention that you finished the 2nd season and wrapped up what you could as best as you could and then ran like hell. What happened?
In Babylon 5 you took on the concept of the Nightwatch. What are your thoughts regarding the current global monitoring by the NSA? What actions do you feel Americans could be taking to voice their opposition and stand against our present "Nightwatch"?
Babylon 5 ended at the finale of season 4. Not sure what you're talking about :)
Slashdot: Where people pretend to be twice as smart as they really are by behaving like children.
I know that there are a few things in B5 that were mentioned, maybe touched briefly, that were hinted at and that did eventually not get the attention that I felt they were supposed to get, either because of time constraints, because actors decided to jump ship or because of reasons that I (or even we, as a whole) don't know about.
Are there any plot ideas that you were quite fond of that you could not flesh out the way you wanted them to? Any "loose ends" that you really wanted to tie up and give closure but couldn't during the series run? And, of course, why couldn't you?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.