Summary

• The Babylon 5 reboot has faced multiple delays due to various obstacles like ownership changes and the writers strike.
• J. Michael Straczynski confirms the project is no longer moving forward at The CW, but is being shopped to potential buyers.
• Despite setbacks, the Babylon 5 reboot has garnered interest from multiple potential buyers.

The Babylon 5 reboot receives an encouraging update from creator J. Michael Straczynski after losing The CW. Premiered in 1994 and running for five seasons, the space opera series followed the humans and aliens aboard the titular space station which acts as a neutral hub for galactic diplomacy and commerce. In September 2021, it was announced that a reboot was in development at The CW with Straczynski returning. However, the project has faced multiple delays and failed to make much progress since then.

During a recent interview with Babylon 5 reboot. The creator reveals that, even though the show is no longer moving forward at The CW after facing multiple delays, the project is currently being shopped around to potential buyers. Read his full update below:

It’s just been a matter of time and obstacles. We were going to go with the CW originally, then Warner got it back. Then, we were going to take it out to the market, but then the Discovery purchase happened and that put us on ice for a while. Then, okay, that got all cleared up. And then the strike hits. After that, right as they were literally prepared to send it out the door, the rumor about a merger between Warner and Paramount happened. So, finally, it went out to buyers about two weeks ago. We’re waiting on word from those who have been sent the pilot script. One has said no, but the rest are all still in process. There’s interest from the rest of them. So, we will see where it goes.

The Babylon 5 Reboot Has Faced Multiple Delays

The Babylon 5 reboot from The CW was first announced in September 2021, though much has transpired within the realm of television since that has stalled development. Shortly after its announcement, the Babylon 5 reboot was delayed an entire at The CW as the network changed owners, with AT&T becoming the new co-owner alongside CBS. Then, the Warner Bros. Discovery merger happened in April 2022, which Straczynski says put the project "on ice for a while" and prevented them from making much progress.

In October 2022, the company Nexstar also acquired a majority 75% ownership stake in The CW, and under its new leadership, many original scripted series have been canceled as the network shifts its focus to sports and other low-cost content. In fact, many of the programs approved under previous CW head Mark Pedowitz have been axed, which the Babylon 5 reboot falls under. The writers strike, which lasted from May to September 2023, also prevented the Babylon 5 reboot from being shopped around.

Straczynski's latest update seems to confirm that the Babylon 5 reboot is finally dead at The CW. However, the encouraging part of the update is that this has finally allowed them to shop the series around to potential buyers, and they are currently awaiting word from several suitors who have seen the pilot script. Only one potential buyer has declined, Straczynski says, though there are several remaining interested parties, suggesting that there is still significant interest in the market for the Babylon 5 reboot.

Babylon 5 is streaming for free on The Roku Channel and Tubi.

Source: Inverse