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The Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming project was a proof-of-concept, professionally-created mock movie trailer created, produced, directed, and starred by Original Series star and Galactica spin-off author Richard Hatch. Under his production company, Su-Shann, Hatch leveraged the talent of many TOS stars, including the late John Colicos, in an effort to convince Universal Studios, the owners to the rights of the Battlestar Galactica franchise, to greenlight a new series or motion picture.
The elaborate trailer features new concepts, impressive acting, and very exciting special effects. Hatch visited many science-fiction conventions to show the trailer and it proved to be a hit among fans that viewed it.
However, Hatch never succeeded in getting Universal's attention. The BSG project revival would be first given to Tom DeSanto and X-Men director Bryan Singer in coordination with Fox Studios and USA Television in 2001. After that project dissolved primarily due to the withdrawal of Fox Studios as well as Singer's commitment to a second X-Men movie, USA Networks chose Ronald D. Moore and David Eick to create a new project, which would be a near-complete rewrite of the series, with familiar names, characters, and places, but with none of the original actors as their original characters, and with a much darker overtone.
Despite initial doubts about the series, Richard Hatch was happy to join the new Battlestar Galactica TV series cast as the recurring character of terrorist-turned-politician Tom Zarek.
Summary[edit]
The three minute trailer begins with a shot of outer space, and a voiceover by Hatch:
"It is the seventh millennium of time. Twenty yahrens have passed since the destruction. I must prepare my people for the second coming." (That's not exactly right, but it was something along those lines). We see the foot of a Cylon step onto the screen, and then a group of Cylons. They all looked great, very similar to the originals. The one in the center says, "It is done, Imperious Leader." Then we see the face of Baltar wearing a hood (which made him look cool). He says, "Hello." Moments later, he continues. "There has been a Cylon civil war and a new breed of Cylon has emerged. And only I can lead you to safety." We see shots of Colonial warriors battling Cylons, and an Imperious Leader with a new look. We then see Dr. Salik (played by George Murdock, the original actor) treating Apollo in the life station. Salik says something to the effect of, "Surely the Cylons have forgotten us by now," and Apollo answers, "No. They have evolved."
There are shots of Colonial Warriors training, doing one-arm pushups. Colonial Vipers hang above them. Bojay says to Apollo, "Your son, Troy, will make a fine warrior." And, of course, we see a close-up shot of Troy, who is not played by Noah Hathaway. The name of Troy was borrowed from Galactica 1980. Athena is played by someone new, and she looks similar to Maren Jensen. She tells Apollo he's leading everyone the wrong way. There is a shot of an entire planet exploding. There is a brief shot of Apollo standing next to Tigh, but no words are said. We see a Colonial city on a planet, so apparently the Colonials have settled.
There are space battle scenes with Colonial Vipers and Cylon raiders. There is a Super Cylon basestar, which is about six times larger than the regular Cylon basestar. The Vipers and Raiders look very close to the originals. We see a few upgraded Vipers.
A hologram of Adama is speaking to Apollo. He says, "We're in a life and death struggle for survival. We need heroes." (This is from "The Living Legend") There is a shot of Colonial Vipers shooting out of Galactica's launch tubes. The Gemini freighter is destroyed (which also happens in Galactica 1980), and there is a space battle between Vipers and Raiders among ships of the Fleet that we recognize.
Near the end, Baltar appears again and says, "I don't see Starbuck. Surely he must be dead by now." Apollo challenges Count Iblis who is played by Richard Lynch (the same actor who played Wolfe in "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" and the time-traveling villain Xavier in "Galactica Discovers Earth"). Apollo says, "You care about no one but yourself in your lust for power!" Moments later in another segment, Apollo tells Athena he believes Starbuck is alive, and she says that if he leaves, she will take command from him. There is a new version of the Ship of Lights. We see Colonial vipers launching toward a large phalanx of upgraded Cylon Raiders. One of the pilots says that they're going to save Starbuck. We see Galactica destroy a Cylon basestar. It all ends with close-up shots of the main characters, and then the words, "Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming."