Here are a couple of new DVD release dates that you might want to mark on your calendar.

Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods

Re-cut and re-imagined version of the pilot film of the Stargate series that started it all.
Release: July 21, 2009
Extras:

• New Edit with Never-Viewed Scenes
• New and Enhanced Visual Effects
• Revoiced Performance by Christopher Judge
• Original Score by Joel Goldsmith
• Special Features includes: Commentary by Co-Creator Brad Wright and Actor Richard Dean Anderson and Back to the Beginning Featurette

Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
Release: October 6, 2009
Extras: commentary, documentary, outtakes, deleted scenes

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It’s that time of year again folks, time to reach into your wallet and bid on a cool scifi collectible in the name of charity. Stargate’s Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson) is the man behind this yearly effort and the auction always features some really amazing items, like this autographed cap (see below for the list of signers). Other auction items include:

* Michael Shanks’ signed, personal “SG-1″ scripts (with hand-written notations), plus scripts and call sheets from his appearances on the USA Network series “Burn Notice” and the Fox Network series “24″

* Stargate DVDs signed by the original movie’s stars, Kurt Russell, Mili Avatal, Erick Avari and Alexis Cruz.

* Photos, posters, DVDs and action figures signed by – among others – Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins (”Supernatural”), Jeffrey Donovan (”Burn Notice”),  Jamie Bamber and Katee Sackhoff (”Battlestar Galactica”), Joe Flanigan, David Hewlett and Paul McGillion (”Stargate: Atlantis”), Sean Astin (”The Lord Of The Rings”) and Gareth David Lloyd (”Torchwood”).

* “SG-1″ team and individual photos, DVDs, and more, signed by Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, Amanda Tapping, Beau Bridges, Ben Browder and Christopher Judge, among others.

The profits from this auction will be donated to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. The auction starts today and new items will be added daily for the next two to three weeks. You can go straight to the auction on ebay or visit Michael’s website for more detailed information.

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Anyone familiar with the Stargate franchise knows that its an “all in the family” kind of production company. It’s very common to see, not only actors, but characters repeated across the various incarnations and it’s about to happen again. With Stargate Universe well into production, SCI FI Channel has announced a list of Stargate guest stars along with three new editions to the family.

– Richard Dean Anderson (Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Anderson reprises his role as General O’Neil. O’Neil is the former leader of the elite military team SG-1.

– Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary, Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Reprises her role as Samantha Carter, an astrophysicist and United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.

– Michael Shanks (Stargate SG1, Stargate Continuum, Stargate Atlantis) Reprises his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson, Stargate’s archeologist and linguist.

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Didn’t buy the DVDs? Catch the second Stargate movie, Continuum, tonight at nine on SCI FI (April 3).

All your favorites are on board including Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks, and Richard Dean Anderson. Here’s the summary:

An adrenaline-driven, action adventure film, that has members of SG-1 returning to a world where their history has been dramatically altered. Continuum reunites Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O’Neill, with all the series favorite crewmembers. The most northern filmed movie production in history.

Stargate: Continuum features incredible visual effects, out-of-this-world battle sequences and breathtaking scenes shot on the Arctic ice. The film finds Ba’al as he travels back in time and tries to prevent the Stargate program from ever being started. The SG-1 team must somehow restore history and once again save the galaxy from oppressive domination.

Sounds good to me and come on, how cool is Ba’al there, sitting on his throne?

MGM Global Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved

If you never bought the DVD, you’ll now have a chance to see Stargate: The Ark of Truth on TV for free. Continuing where Stargate SG-1 left off, this feature film has the whole gang back and searching for an ancient weapon which could help them defeat the sinister Ori force. But hey, you know it can’t be that easy, right?

The new movie stars Amanda Tapping as Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, Christopher Judge as Teal’C, Ben Browder as Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran, and Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson. Also look for Firefly’s Morena Baccarin.

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STARGATE ATLANTIS — “The Lost Tribe” Episode 511 — Pictured: Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson — SCI FI Channel Photo: Eike Schroter

Law & Order did it.  CSI did it and now Stargate is doing it.  On the heels of announcing the end of Stargate Atlantis, SCI FI Channel has announced the arrival of “Stargate Universe,” a NEW weekly series based on the popular franchise.

So in other words, let’s dump the characters we already know and love and start all over again, again. And doesn’t the premise sound strangely familiar?

After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate’s ninth chevron, a team of explorers travels to an unmanned starship called the Destiny, launched by The Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment set in motion, but never completed. 

What starts as a simple reconnaissance turns into a never ending mission, as the Stargate Universe crew discovers the ship is unable to return to Earth, and they must now fend for themselves aboard the Destiny. 

The crew will travel to the far reaches of the universe, connecting with each of the previously launched Stargates, thus fulfilling the Destiny’s original mission.  Challenges will arise though as the ship comes into range of Stargates placed centuries ahead of the Destiny and the crew is unable to control the ship’s navigational schedule.  If someone is left behind, there is no way to go back for them, adding to the drama of encountering new races, enemies and adventures.

Didn’t we just see that on Atlantis? “The Daedalus Variations?” Trapped on a ship with no way to go home, never knowing when you’re going to jump to a new place? On the upside, it does open up a whole realm of possibilities since they won’t be grounded in one place, but for me it will be the casting that will make or break it.

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The Stargate journey continues with Stargate: Continuum and we’ve got three copies to give away.

This straight-to-DVD movie reunites Richard Dean Anderson as Jack O’Neill, with series favorites Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black, Beau Bridges and Michael Shanks as Daniel Jackson.

Synopsis: While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba’al, the last of the Goa’uld System Lords, Teal’c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. The remaining SG-1 members must find the Stargate and set things right before they world is enslaved by the Goa’uld.

DVD special features include:

• Audio Commentary with  Executive Producer/Writer Brad Wright and Director Martin Wood
• The Making of  Stargate: Continuum featurette
• Stargate Goes to the Arctic featurette
• The Layman’s Guide to Time Travel featurette

To win your copy just leave a comment here and you’ll be entered in the drawing. 

Limit one entry per person. This contest will close on August 11, 2008 at midnight PST. Restricted to US & Canada only.

Box art and prizing courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment

It’s time for the 4th Annual Michael Shanks Online auction to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada.

This year Michael has some fabulous items donated by his friends and co-workers on Stargate, Stargate Atlantis and other Canadian-based TV shows.  You’ll find autographed scripts, schedules, photos and other memorabilia including a rare Stargate 10th Anniversary cap!

For the Supernatural fans, there’s an autographed poster signed by Jensen, Jared, Fredric and Samantha and a new autographed photo from Jim Beaver.

There’s plenty to see but the auctions are already starting to come to a close, so don’t hesitate, click and bid right now.  You’ll be supporting a great cause and you can win some pretty nifty Sci Fi goodies.

A generation after the SGC first stepped through the alien device known as the Stargate, the universe has become a much different place. The war with the evil parasitic Goa’uld is won. The once top-secret Stargate Command and its work have been declassified, and beings from other worlds are living and working among us.

But now there’s a new threat from a warrior race known as the Tlak’kahn, and when SGC veteran Major Gus Bonner is convicted of a war crime he didn’t commit, he must lead a group of young SGC cadets through the Stargate to protect the life of an Ancient from their hostile new enemies. Along the way, the team visits unknown worlds and cultures, learning that life—no matter where you are in the universe—may never be easy, but should always be cherished.

Inspired by the blockbuster feature film and its two popular television spinoffs (Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis), Stargate: Infinity is a 26 episode animated series that further explores the universe through the eyes of those few who are brave enough to venture through the mysterious Stargate. 

Shout Factory is getting ready to release this final piece of the Stargate puzzle and it can be yours on May 13.

The 4 DVD box set includes:

Animated Stargate Effects Test

Never-Before-Seen Animated Character Walking Models

Original Concept Art

And the full series, all 26 episodes

Think of it as a Stargate starter set for the kids in the family.  That way they can grow into your series box sets with a Stargate of their very own.