Movie Or Tv Series

[Maxx Blackwell]

Your comment about having the four "essential" characters works well if they want to return. Only Lance and Carter have expressed interest in continuing. I have never read where O'Quinn, Klea Scott or any of the other expressed same interest...yes it would be nice to "gather 'round the bar-b-que for a reunion", but to say that all of the former characters would remain interested is a bit pollyanic...

Have you read anything to state that they wouldn't be interested in resuming those roles for a movie?

Maxx

[4th Horseman]

Have you read anything to state that they wouldn't be interested in resuming those roles for a movie?

Maxx

my point exactly, since no one has seen or heard of any such interviews, it is baseless to assume pro or con...guess we will have to wait and see

[Guest Sanitarium]

I think if they were to bring it back to TV they'd have to do something like have it take place before the events of the original show, when Frank was an FBI profiler. It would give it a fresh start and the writers could do pretty much anything they wanted since only a few shows had something to do with his past with the FBI.

If they were to do a movie it would have to be a stand alone story as 95% of people going to see it wouldn't have a clue about what the Millennium Group was/is and it's hard to get the audience up to speed in two hours and still have a new story to tell.

I think TV would be the way to go, but I think Lance has stated that he doesn't want to do TV again. If they don't have him onboard there's really nowhere to go.

[Guest chrisnu]

Definitely a feature film. While it may be initially frustrating to not have the show's mythology continued in a film, it's really far too labyrinthine a mess to salvage, as with The X-Files. There can still be progress for Frank's character within a more stand-alone story. The subject matter and content would also be less restricted by film. There are moments where the show was screaming to get into R-rated territory, but could not do so due to network restrictions.

[Guest Frank L.]

The subject matter and content would also be less restricted by film. There are moments where the show was screaming to get into R-rated territory, but could not do so due to network restrictions.

Yes, exactly. That's what David Lynch did with Twin Peaks too. The series weren't THAT dark, but the movie was much darker than the series and was R-rated for nudity etc... You can just do so much more with film. Lance Henriksen once said that he'd love to swear on-screen as Frank Black. But isn't it true they also had to be careful with Franks visions, because of the censors?

Wouldn't it be fantastic if they made a movie like the Pilot, but then with a running time of 2 hours?

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Zeus, in my opinion, we (MillenniuM fans) are at a crossroads. There is continued rumor about a movie, but does anybody think its possible to consider, given the above issues?

The Fourth Horseman

Fourth, I think you and I are in agreement that in an ideal world we would love a piece of fiction in some format to revive all the old issues and plotlines and characters etcetera. Wouldn't it be lovely if that were possible? From a fans point of view, it's easy t get carried away with how much we would enjoy that and how, from a fiction point of view and an excitement point of view, it seems the perfect thing to do.

But I think what we need to do is step out of our fan-shoes and look at the business for what it really is. Let's be honest, the FOX network will never renew a show that they cancelled over seven years ago. It's just not financially viable or practicle in any sense, and is completely unprecedented in the television industry. It's not just a matter of assembling the same cast, but the same crew, the same sets, etcetera etcetera. You can have all the fan faith and hope in the world that one day the universe will see sense and give MM an instant fourth season that magically picks up where everything left off, but it will never ever happen. Cancelled shows are exactly that: cancelled. Over and done.

Now, a movie, I think that is unlikely at the moment too, but it is a least a possibility. It's a logical option that wouldn't defy the history of the industry if it happened. Again, in a fan dream world, it would be great to have one movie or more that addressed all the loose ends of the show, covered all the major characters, answered questions and resolved plotlines. But like you say, in a 2 hour movie in theatres for a wide audience, that's never going to happen. If a MM movie was made, it would be something like Se7en or Saw, only with Frank Black as the lead character investigator. That would be the only real way to access a wide, theatre-going audience. Again, we as fans may not find it ideal, but we have to face the nature of the beast, the realities of the industry.

However, in all realism, we can't really expect to see 20th Century Fox signing off on this project if they wont even sign off on the less financially risky The X-Files 2. Sure, people like Chris Carter and Lance Henriksen would be perfectly willing to do it tomorrow if 20th gave them a budget, but I just don't think that's going to happen any time soon. If the studio finally pulls their finger out and gives the go ahead for TXF2, and then if it is a financial success, then the future would look a whole lot brighter for MM: The Movie.

But that's a lot of ifs and buts....

[Guest Frank L.]

You are absolutely right. The XF cast and crew say there will definately be a second X-Files movie, the only question is WHEN it's going to happen. If we'll see it in, say, the end of 2006, or beginning 2007, we will have to wait very long for a MM movie. But I'd be happy if 20th Century Fox gave the green light to the MM movie project, so we fans have at least something to look forward to.

[Guest ZeusFaber]

Yes, the cast and crew of TXF all want to do another movie, but that doesn't mean it will definitely happen. Again, it is 20th who need convincing.

Latest indications are that TXF2 wouldn't start shooting until summer 2006 at the EARLIEST, if at all.

Will it ever happen or wont it? I decline to speculate one way or the other.

In either case, that puts any potential MM movie even further off.

[4th Horseman]

Yes, the cast and crew of TXF all want to do another movie, but that doesn't mean it will definitely happen. Again, it is 20th who need convincing.

Latest indications are that TXF2 wouldn't start shooting until summer 2006 at the EARLIEST, if at all.

Will it ever happen or wont it? I decline to speculate one way or the other.

In either case, that puts any potential MM movie even further off.

ZF - very salient points indeed. Time has a way of eroding perspectives. Carter wont have much of a choice should 20th Century give the green light for TXF2. And if you are correct that it wouldn't even start shooting until next summer, if at all is correct, given the origional popularity of the x-files, then it is a very foreboding harbinger for the continuation of MillenniuM. We can do all those things that fans do, call, write, send pictures of ourselves in an orobouros (a great idea), but even if everyone here did, thats less than 1500 contacts. Realistically, we should know that any such contacts, even though well-intended usually never make it to those to whom they were directed.

e.g. - i wont reveal where i work, however, suffice to say, its known worldwide as a leader in telecommunications. I have a relative who works in a department that deals with "executive" complaints, those customers who either write or call in wanting/demanding to "speak to the president of the company". Of every 100 inquiries that department gets, less than 2% ever make it to their intended destination, often being handeled or resolved at a much lower level. Fox/20th is no different. Think of the enormous amounts of mail/phone calls each receive on a given day wanting to talk to "someone important", wanting/demanding to bring back a show, like MillenniuM. I would hedge bets that on any given day, that various shows are addressed in the myriad of letters/calls received by well meaning fans, in the hopes of being resurrected.

What it boils down to, is will 20th/Fox receive a return on their investment. Obviously, up to now, it appears that the answer is no, or else we would have already had a movie/series or there would be whispers of a date set for production.

What is frustrating to me is that my brother in law works as a set designer for shows that by all intents and purposes, defy logic by still being on the air, but then again, they pander to the masses, never taking chances. Pollyana is alive and well and being broadcast directly into your living room on a nightly basis...

We have a very, very long and daunting task ahead of us. True, the worst thing we can do is to do nothing, but one must also temper ones hopes with reality. We may, even through all our best efforts, never get to taste the sweet MillenniuM nectar, but there is always hope...and that springs eternal...agree or disagree, i dont care, in my world, this is the reality of the situation..

The Fourth Horseman

[Guest chrisnu]

Yes, exactly. That's what David Lynch did with Twin Peaks too. The series weren't THAT dark, but the movie was much darker than the series and was R-rated for nudity etc... You can just do so much more with film. Lance Henriksen once said that he'd love to swear on-screen as Frank Black. But isn't it true they also had to be careful with Franks visions, because of the censors?

Wouldn't it be fantastic if they made a movie like the Pilot, but then with a running time of 2 hours?

Yes, the shots in the visions could not linger. There's some pretty graphic stuff in there, for TV standards. I think that the fleetingness of the visions actually helped, artistically. Yes, there are moments were Frank definitely looked like he was going to cuss someone out. The big argument with Peter Watts in "Owls" comes to mind.