NBCUniversal Announces “Battlestar Galactica” Reboot for Their Streaming Service

NBCUniversal is getting into the streaming service game, just like every other major studio. Just this morning, they announced their plans for Peacock, a streaming service which will house several NBCUniversal titles, including a reboot of “Battlestar Galactica.”

So, this is where that planning reboot film ended up. Last we’d heard on that front, “The Girl In The Spider’s Web” scribe Jay Basu was reportedly tapped to write a new version of the script for the film, taking over the position from “Westworld” co-creator Lisa Joy. Sounds like Francis Lawrence (Hunger Games) is still on board as director.

According to NBCUniversal, this reboot will be from Golden Globe® winner and Emmy-nominated “Mr. Robot,” “Homecoming” EP Sam Esmail.

Esmail tweeted shortly after we published our story, commenting that his version will NOT be a reboot of Ronald D. Moore‘s masterful reimagining of the series, but rather a different take in the world.

BSG fans, this will NOT be a remake of the amazing series @RonDMoore launched because… why mess with perfection? Instead, we’ll explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar. So say we all!

— Sam Esmail (@samesmail) September 17, 2019

We’ll let you know what else we hear about “Battlestar Galactica.”

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The official press release from NBCUniversal as released this morning:

Bold, original dramas include “Battlestar Galactica” reboot from Sam Esmail; “Dr. Death” Starring Alec Baldwin, Jamie Dornan and Christian Slater; “Brave New World” Featuring Demi Moore ; “Armas de Mujer” from Team Behind Telemundo’s Hit “La Reina del Sur”

Classic comedies include “Parks and Recreation” and “The Office” to run exclusively on Peacock. Additionally, “30 Rock,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Cheers,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Frasier,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Will & Grace,” “King Of Queens’ and “Married With … Children.”

New, original comedies from Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, Mike Schur, Ed Helms, Jada Pinkett Smith, Rashida Jones and Tracey Wigfield. In addition, Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation to create original movies for Peacock.
Peacock is a nod to NBC’s iconic logo and NBCUniversal’s rich legacy of creating beloved films, TV series, characters and franchises that have been at the epicenter of pop culture and will continue to define the future of entertainment.

Peacock will deliver a world-class slate of originals while also offering treasured hits from the vaults of NBC, including “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” two of the most-watched streaming series. The service will also feature blockbusters and critically-acclaimed films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination and Hollywood’s biggest studios. In addition, Peacock will tap into NBCUniversal’s unmatched ability to deliver a broad range of compelling topical content across news, sports, late-night and reality.

Peacock will be the go-to place for both the timely and timeless – from can’t-miss Olympic moments and the 2020 election, to classic fan favorites like ‘The Office’.

BONNIE HAMMER

Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises

Peacock rolls out in April of 2020 with over 15,000 hours of content and takes center stage at the end of July during the 2020 Summer Olympics. As previously announced, Peacock will be both advertising and subscription supported. Details on pricing and distribution will be announced closer to launch.

“The name Peacock pays homage to the quality content that audiences have come to expect from NBCUniversal – whether it’s culture-defining dramas from innovative creators like Sam Esmail, laugh-out-loud comedies from legends like Lorne Michaels and Mike Schur, blockbusters from Universal Pictures, or buzzy unscripted programming from the people who do it best at Bravo and E!,” said Bonnie Hammer, Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises. “Peacock will be the go-to place for both the timely and timeless – from can’t-miss Olympic moments and the 2020 election, to classic fan favorites like ‘The Office’.”

Drama

Peacock will offer a broad slate of original dramas, including “Dr. Death,” based on the true-crime podcast starring Jamie Dornan, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Alec Baldwin and Golden Globe winner Christian Slater; a reboot of the critically acclaimed and award-winning “Battlestar Galactica,” from Golden Globe® winner and Emmy-nominated “Mr. Robot” and “Homecoming” EP Sam Esmail; “Brave New World,” based on the dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley and starring Alden Ehrenreich (“Solo: A Star Wars Story”) and Golden Globe® Award nominee Demi Moore; “Angelyne,” a limited series from Golden Globe® Award nominee Emmy Rossum; and “One of Us Is Lying,”  based on the New York Times best-selling young adult mystery-thriller.

Comedy

The platform’s new original comedies include “Rutherford Falls,” co-created by Emmy and Peabody Award-winner Mike Schur, Ed Helms, and Sierra Teller Ornelas, and starring Ed Helms; “Straight Talk,” from Emmy® Award nominee Rashida Jones and NAACP Image Award® winner Jada Pinkett Smith; reboots of two beloved series  – “Saved By the Bell,” from Emmy® Award winner Tracey Wigfield (“30 Rock”), featuring original cast members including Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez, and “Punky Brewster,” starring Soleil Moon Frye as a grown-up version of her former character; an all-new season of “A.P.Bio,” starring Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt; and the second movie spinoff from the long-running series “Psych.”

Unscripted

Peacock will feature a broad array of the most-talked-about unscripted programming, including a new “Saturday Night Live” docuseries, “Who Wrote That,” from creator Lorne Michaels, exploring the famous personalities in front of and behind the camera; an original talk show series from Jimmy Fallon, in collaboration with Matador Content and Universal Television Alternative Studio; a weekly late night show starring Amber Ruffin and executive produced by Seth Meyers; and a spinoff of Bravo’s successful “The Real Housewives” franchise.

Timeless Titles

In addition to the exclusive streaming rights to the beloved NBC sitcoms “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” some of the most popular NBC and classic TV series of all time will be available on Peacock, including “30 Rock,” “Bates Motel,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “Cheers,” “Chrisley Knows Best,” “Covert Affairs,” “Downton Abbey,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Frasier,” “Friday Night Lights,” “House,” “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “King Of Queens,” “Married…With Children,”“Monk,” “Parenthood,” “Psych,” “Royal Pains,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Superstore,” “The Real Housewives,” “Top Chef,” and “Will & Grace.”

Film

Universal Pictures is developing premium original films and animated series to debut on Peacock with prominent talent and filmmakers. Additionally, DreamWorks Animation, the beloved kids and family brand and the studio behind animated hits “Shrek,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” will create original animated content for Peacock, making the platform a must-have offering for the entire family.

Peacock will also offer a robust slate of critically-acclaimed films and box-office hits from Universal Pictures and Focus Features. These titles range from laugh-out-loud comedies like “American Pie,” “Bridesmaids,” “Knocked Up,” “Meet the Parents,” and “Meet the Fockers,” to award-winning classics such as “A Beautiful Mind,” “Back to the Future,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Casino,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Erin Brockovich,” “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,” “Field of Dreams,” “Jaws,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Shrek,” and “The Breakfast Club.” Peacock will also feature films from the franchises: “Bourne,” “Despicable Me,” and “Fast & Furious.”

Spanish Language

Peacock is uniquely positioned to offer the U.S. Hispanic audience premium programming from the #1 Spanish-language network, Telemundo. The platform will feature more than 3,000 hours of Telemundo’s content, including an original dramedy “Armas de Mujer,” a new hit series from the makers of “La Reina del Sur,” and popular library titles “100 Dias Para Volver,” “Betty in NY,” “El Barón” and “Preso No. 1.”