Battlestar Galactica "Caprica" Prequel Gets Green Light
March 19, 2008

A few months ago we reported that The SCI FI Channel was mulling over the possibility of spinning off a second Battlestar Galactica series from the Caprica world. Now, as the final season of Battlestar Galactica approaches, SCI FI has given Caprica the official green light for a two-hour backdoor Caprica pilot with a production start date for this coming Spring in Vancouver, B.C., the same location where Galactica was filmed at Vancouver Film Studios.

In a day and age where prequels are replacing the sequel, Caprica takes place 50 years before Battlestar Galactica and, according to the official SCI FI press release, will center on "... two rival families - the Greystones and the Adamas - as they grow, compete, and thrive in the vibrant world of the 12 Colonies. Enmeshed in the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence and robotics that will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylons, the two houses go toe-to-toe."

Produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick, the masters behind the reimagined Galactica, Caprica is set to push the genre and innovate in the same manner as BSG. As Moore reveals in the press release, the focus will rely more on character than special effects but still tap into the origins of the story, "I'm thrilled with the chance to expand on the Galactica world and get deeper into the origins of the story we've been telling... It's also great to have a chance at doing a completely different kind of science fiction series, one that's even more character-oriented and doesn't rely on pyrotechnics to carry the story. While Caprica will have its own personality, it will carry on Battlestar’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre, and we're thrilled that SCI FI has seen fit to giving us another opportunity to tell character-driven stories in challenging ways."

So there you have it BSG fans; the Galactica world will live on after the final season of the series. Although we can't wait for Caprica, let's hope we don't see flying rice-rockets like we did in Galactica 80.

For more on Battlestar Galactica, check out our recent review of the Battlestar Galactica Season 3 DVD.