Battlestar Galactica Reboot: Release Date Estimation, News & More

A Battlestar Galactica reboot is in the works! Here is what we can expect | © Microsoft

If you're a fan of sci-fi shows like The Expanse or Stargate and haven't watched Ronald D. Moore's Battlestar Galactica (BSG), it's definitely worth your time. Despite what the title might suggest about concentrating only on space battles, the series delivers much more: it boasts an excellent plot and outstanding storytelling, making it arguably the best sci-fi series of the century so far. Even if you have another favorite, Battlestar Galactica deserves a place in everyone's top three sci-fi shows.

The series, which is a reboot of the original Battlestar Galactica show from 1978, ended in late 2009 after four seasons, so almost 15 years ago.

BSG was so popular that in addition to the series, two movies ("Razor" and "The Plan"), an online miniseries ("The Face of the Enemy"), a spin-off ("Caprica"), and a prequel film, which was originally intended to be the pilot for another spin-off ("Blood & Chrome"), were produced.

Since then, numerous BSG fans have been eagerly awaiting the franchise's return, and their wishes have been granted: Peacock officially announced another reboot in 2019.

However, we haven't heard much about the BSG reboot for a long time since then, probably because of the pandemic and the Writer's Strike - but lately, there has been some interesting news, which proves the reboot is very much alive.

Latest News About The Battlestar Galactica Reboot

BSG Reboot Gets New Showrunner

It has been known for some time that Sam Esmail will be producing the BSG reboot. Esmail is well-known for his acclaimed series Mr. Robot, and if you have a current Netflix subscription, you may have seen his latest movie, Leave the World Behind.

It was expected that Esmail would also become the showrunner, but at the beginning of the year it turned out (via Deadline) that Derek Simonds will run the show instead, besides his work as author and executive producer. Derek Simonds created The Sinner, a quite popular Netflix crime series.

BSG Reboot: First Plot Details And Theories

We're apparently still several months away from getting concrete details about the reboot's story and characters, but at least we have some hints about the show's direction. According to Esmail (via The Hollywood Reporter), Artificial Intelligence will have a big influence on the reboot's story, which indicates that the conflict between humanity and Cylons will be a lot more complex than the generic humans vs. robots narrative.

Apart from that, we expect the BSG reboot to pick up on the "Cycle of Time" which is so iconic for the franchise. Because as it has always been said "All of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again", it makes a lot of sense that the BSG reboot will find itself in such an iteration.

Battlestar Galactica Reboot: Release Date Estimation

While an official release date has not been confirmed, we can estimate the timeline based on a remark from Esmail. In late 2023, he stated that they would "probably go to pilot soon." Assuming filming starts a few months later and factoring in post-production time, we expect the BSG reboot to debut in early 2025.

About Battlestar Galactica From Ronald D. Moore

Battlestar Galactica is a space opera television series that aired from 2004 to 2009, starting with a miniseries that premiered in 2003. The show follows a space fleet consisting of about 50,000 humans who are fleeing from their twelve home planets after a genocide by a race of robots called the Cylons – robots that humanity created in the first place. The survivors are led by the last remaining warship, the Battlestar Galactica, on a quest to find a new home called Earth.

Throughout the four seasons of Battlestar Galactica, humans and Cylons engage in a tense struggle for survival, and the lines between friend and foe as well as between being human and being artificial become increasingly blurred as characters are forced to make difficult moral choices. The show explores themes of faith, politics, and humanity's relationship with technology, while also incorporating action-packed space battles and complex character relationships.

Battlestar Galactica: Similar Shows

If you're looking for a sci-fi series with similarities to Battlestar Galactica, we recommend giving these two shows a try:

Stargate Universe

Stargate Universe is about a group of soldiers, scientists, and civilians stranded on an ancient spaceship named the Destiny, billions of light years away from Earth. The Destiny's limited energy capabilities make it impossible for the team to return home. As they grapple with survival aboard the ship, the protagonists confront numerous challenges, such as limited resources, malfunctioning technology, and hostile aliens.

With its dark setting and character-driven focus, Stargate Universe is obviously inspired by BSG. The story itself might also remind you a bit of Star Trek: Voyager.

The Expanse

The Expanse is set hundreds of years in the future. Mankind has successfully in colonized Mars and various parts of the solar system, yet tensions remain high, with different planets constantly on the brink of war.

The Expanse is often called "Game of Thrones in space," so if you enjoyed GoT and like science fiction, this series should be right up your alley.

You can stream all seasons of both The Expanse and Stargate Universe on Prime Video with an Amazon Prime membership, in the US.

Do you agree that BSG is the best sci-fi show out there, and what are your hopes and expectations on the reboot? Let us know in the comments!