Babylon 5: 5 Problems The New Movie Will Need to Overcome

5. Is The Original Series Too Cult?

With the recent success of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot, it could be reasonably assumed that a big screen Babylon 5 might be able to achieve the same success. After all, it is a highly imaginative and deeply thoughtful franchise with a dedicated following. Many would argue that it is perhaps even more intelligent than Star Trek, with more depth and subtlety in the way that it presents its characters and cultures. But, unlike Star Trek or even Doctor Who, Babylon 5 remains a resolutely cult interest. Science fiction fans adore it, but the average person on the street probably couldn€™t begin to tell you what a Vorlon is or what Spoo tastes like. The chances are, however, that they could easily describe a Klingon or maybe even have a guess at why Tribbles are so much trouble. For all the thought and care that went into the show, it never really broke out in the way that Star Trek did. Perhaps a movie could change all that. Or perhaps, as with Joss Whedon's superior Serenity motion picture, film-goers who are not already fans may be hesitant to pay for tickets to a pre-established, cult franchise. As good as the show is, and as dedicated as its fans are, are there really enough of them out there to make the kind of returns that a big screen film demands? If not, can Babylon 5 replicate the cultural cache of Star Trek? And would it really want to?
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R. M. McLean exists somewhere outside of time and space.