Prime Video’s Scrapped Stargate Show Reveals a Bigger Problem Facing Sci-Fi TV

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Michael Shanks as Daniel Jackson in the series 'Stargate SG-1'

Published Jun 7, 2026, 8:56 AM EDT

Collier Jennings is an entertainment journalist with a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Collier, or "CJ" to his friends and family, is a dedicated fan of genre films - particularly science fiction, fantasy and comic book adaptations, not to mention all forms of animation animation. This stems from a close bond with his father, who introduced him to these genres via copies of X-Men comics and reruns of the original Ultraman series. Using his near-encyclopedic knowledge and bottomless love of genre, he's been able to tackle a wide variety of articles.

When Prime Video announced that it was developing a new Stargate series, Stargate fans went wild with joy. After all, while Stargate wasn't a franchise on the same level as Star Wars or Star Trek, the original Stargate movie by Roland Emmerich remains a cult classic, while Stargate SG-1 lasted for a decade and spawned a fleet of spinoffs. On top of that, the new Stargate series would also have a longtime creator working behind the scenes: Martin Gero, who served as a writer on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. The stage was set for a revival that fans had been waiting for, but those fans were hit by a massive curveball when Amazon announced that the new Stargate series was being shelved.

This was a major blow, and it wasn't made any better when the reasoning for the cancellation came to light. Apparently, Gero was constructing a Stargate show that would build on the legacy of Stargate SG-1 and its spin-offs while also telling a new story. This apparently was what caused Amazon to pull the plug, as the tech giant feared that Gero's take would only appeal to hardcore fans. Former Stargate writer Joseph Mallozzi took to Twitter to express his displeasure with Amazon's decision, and to assure fans that Gero's vision would have been something that everyone loved. "Martin spent over two years developing a bold, exciting new take on Stargate that would have welcomed new viewers while rewarding longtime fans," Mallozi wrote. While fans might not know exactly what Gero's vision for a new Stargate series would be, its shelving points to a larger issue surrounding long-running science fiction franchises.

The 'Stargate' Cancellation Highlights A Major Issue With Reviving Iconic Science Fiction Franchises

While Stargate might not have reached the pop culture heights of other science fiction franchises, it's still got quite the history. When you factor in the original movie, SG-1 and its multiple spin-offs, and other media like the short-lived Stargate Infinity, this is a franchise that's lasted for over 30 years. That is a lot of history to take in, especially considering that SG-1 is also a continuation of the Stargate movie. While Martin Gero should be commended for constructing a series that built on such a rich legacy, Stargate is a series that requires quite a bit of catch up. It's something that has also befallen other iconic sci-fi franchises, particularly Star Wars. The Mandalorian and Grogu is built on three seasons of a popular TV show, which could serve as a roadblock to audience members who haven't watched said show.

Another thing that Stargate fans have to consider is that most genre shows are fighting for attention, even the ones that are tied to beloved franchises. Take Gen V, for example: while many considered it to be a worthwhile extension of The Boys, viewership for the second season decreased dramatically from Season 1's numbers. The Acolyte, despite illustrating a new corner of the Star Wars universe, suffered a similar fate. It's not enough to be a show that's built "for the fans"; most audiences are looking for a story that they haven't seen before. Luckily, Stargate has a built-in advantage under its sleeve that Prime Video should utilize.

There's A Perfect Way For Prime Video's 'Stargate' Series To Draw In Fans Old & New

Stargate SG-1 might have been the official launching point of the Stargate franchise, but if Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin had their way, the original movie would have led to a trilogy exploring different parts of the galaxy. Devlin expanded upon these plans when he appeared on the Stargate podcast Dial the Gate, revealing that the chyrons on the Stargate were tied to different alien races who inspired the mythologies throughout human culture.

"The original plan of the movie was to do three movies, and so to there was going to be three major addresses...And that's why we needed the nine [chevrons]...And one was an Egyptian, and our second was going to be a Mayan culture. And then the third was going to tie in almost every mystery that we've ever had on Earth! Whether it was Bigfoot, or the Yeti — we were going to tie everything together into a larger mythology. And it was going to be so much fun. It was going to be so wild. But we never got to go there. We never got to explore it."

If Prime Video wants a fresh start for the Stargate franchise, it should embrace Emmerich and Devlin's original plans. Exploring different mythologies through the lens of science fiction could let creators go wild. What is the story behind the Mayan god Quetzalcoatl? Is Bigfoot an alien escapee? By delving into these answers, you have a link to the established Stargate franchise while also getting the opportunity to deliver a story that isn't tied to 30 years' worth of continuity. Prime Video apparently is remaining committed to a new Stargate show, but it has a lot of work to do if it wants to win its desired audience.

Release Date 1997 - 2007-00-00

Showrunner Brad Wright

Directors Martin Wood, Andy Mikita, William Waring, Bill Gereghty, David Warry-Smith, Brad Turner, Mario Philip Azzopardi, William Gereghty, Peter F. Woeste, Dennis Berry, Ken Girotti, Charles Correll, Jonathan Glassner, Robert C. Cooper, Allan Eastman, Bill Corcoran, Jeff Woolnough, Jim Kaufman, Allan Lee, amanda tapping

Writers Dean Devlin, Damian Kindler, Katharyn Powers, Alan McCullough, Jeff King, Christopher Judge, Terry Curtis Fox, Martin Gero, Carl Binder, Hart Hanson, James Tichenor, Jarrad Paul, Tom J. Astle, Ben Browder, Corin Nemec, David Rich, Jacqueline Samuda, John Sanborn, Michael Shanks, Sam Egan, Alex Levine, James Taylor Phillips

Franchise(s) Stargate