Tom DeSanto

Tom DeSanto, with X-Men director Bryan Singer, were asked by Studios USA to begin work on a revival of the Battlestar Galactica series in February, 2001. USA Television Production Group President David Kissinger gave the greenlight on the project. Galactica series creator Glen A. Larson was brought in to give his blessing to the venture, and later joined the project as a creative consultant. DeSanto evaded questions as to the nature of the series, including recasting of any of the original series' actors. It was believed that DeSanto's series concept would pick up where the series left off, although it is unclear whether the elements of the Galactica 1980 series would impact the project.

Pre-production was stilled after the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. This event, as well as Singer's committments to the X2: X-Men United movie placed the project in jeapardy. Several other notable directors and writers were reviewed to replace Singer. However, with the attraction that Singer brought to the project now gone, Fox Studios withdrew support of the project and turned its attention to the Joss Whedon Firefly TV project.

USA Television formed a new creative team of Ronald D. Moore and David Eick to develop a fully-revised story concept of the series. This project was completed and resulted in the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries in late 2003, the basis for the new series that appears on the USA Networks-owned Sci-Fi Channel.