Sci-Fi Storm

I started hearing rumors over the weekend, but they appear to be true: The pilot of Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, a prequel to Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica which did not get picked up as a series, will be released online as 10 “webisodes” to 7-12 minutes each via Machinima’s MachinimaPrime YouTube channel. The first episode will be released this Friday, with the remaining episodes following over the next 4 weeks.

Syfy still plans to air the entire two-hour pilot sometime in early 2013.

Check out the trailer below, along with the press release!

UNIVERSAL CABLE PRODUCTIONS’ HIGHLY ANTICIPATED

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD & CHROME

TO PREMIERE NOVEMBER 9 EXCLUSIVELY ON MACHINIMA,

LAUNCHING A THREE-TIERED WINDOWING STRATEGY

INCORPORATING ONLINE, TELEVISION AND HOME ENTERTAINMENT

FROM THE AWARD-WINNING PRODUCERS AND VFX TEAM BEHIND

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

EVENT STARS LUKE PASQUALINO (“THE BORGIAS”) AND BEN COTTON (“ALCATRAZ”)

LOS ANGELES – November 5, 2012 – Universal Cable Productions (UCP) will launch for the first time a three-tiered windowing strategy including online, TV and home entertainment, for Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, a spinoff of the blockbuster Battlestar Galactica series franchise. Fans will first view Blood & Chrome when it premieres exclusively on Machinima’s premium channel, Machinima Prime (YouTube.com/MachinimaPrime), beginning November 9. The initial online debut introduces the latest segment of the revered TV series franchise to a new generation of fans while also launching the multi-platform strategy.

This highly anticipated chapter in the Battlestar Galactica saga takes place in the midst of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and their creation, the sentient robotic Cylons, rages across the 12 colonial worlds, gifted fighter pilot, William Adama (Luke Pasqualino, The Borgias), finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful battlestars in the Colonial fleet: the Galactica. Full of ambition and hungry for action, Adama quickly finds himself at odds with his co-pilot, the battle-weary officer Coker (Ben Cotton, Alcatraz). With only 47 days left in his tour of duty, Coker desires an end to battle as much as Adama craves its onset. Lili Bordán (Silent Witness) also stars.

Universal Cable Productions’ partner in the launch is Machinima, the next-generation video entertainment network for young males, and the number one entertainment network on YouTube. Each Blood & Chrome chapter will premiere exclusively on Machinima Prime (http://www.youtube.com/MachinimaPrime), Machinima’s premium channel, which has garnered over half a million subscribers in 3 months, and among other young male centric content, features original series in the sci-fi, drama, comedy, sports and animation genres.

Leveraging cutting edge CGI and virtual set technology, Blood & Chrome is produced by Universal Cable Productions, a division of NBCUniversal, and the award-winning producing team of Battlestar Galactica. David Eick (Battlestar Galactica, Caprica) is executive producer along with Michael Taylor (Battlestar Galactica, Caprica), who wrote the teleplay from a story by Eick, Bradley Thompson (Battlestar Galactica, Falling Skies) and David Weddle (Battlestar Galactica, Falling Skies).  Blood & Chrome was directed by Jonas Pate (Prime Suspect, Caprica).

“With its top-notch storytelling, pulse-pounding action, and cutting-edge visual effects, Blood & Chrome is the perfect extension of the Battlestar Galactica universe,” said Mark Stern, President, Original Content, Syfy and Co-Head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. “We are thrilled to see this hotly-anticipated event premiere on Machinima, an online network that is unparalleled in its delivery of high-class digital content to millions of viewers.”

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome will be presented as ten, 7-12 minute episode chapters available exclusively on Machinima Prime until February 2013, followed by its premiere as a 2-hour movie on Syfy (airdate TBA), and finishing with the release of an unrated version on Blu-ray, DVD, digital download, PPV and VOD.  The series will remain on Machinima through April 2013.

“The storied Battlestar Galactica franchise has a huge following and resonates perfectly with our audience,” said Allen DeBevoise, Chairman, Co-Founder, and CEO of Machinima, Inc. “We are thrilled to be the exclusive distributor for Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome. Series fans have been anticipating this chapter of the Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome story and we are proud to deliver it to them, as a whole new audience on Machinima, reinforcing Battlestar Galactica’s status as a pop culture icon.”

About Universal Cable Productions

Universal Cable Productions creates innovative and critically acclaimed original scripted and digital content across multiple media platforms and outlets for domestic and international distribution. UCP produces Covert Affairs, Psych, Royal Pains and Suits for USA and Alphas, Defiance and Warehouse 13 for Syfy. Universal Cable Productions is a division of NBCUniversal.

About Machinima                                                                  

Machinima is the dominant global video entertainment network for young males. The number one entertainment channel on YouTube, Machinima serves over 2.25 billion video views a month, and reaches over 210 million viewers monthly. Machinima’s global content network is the best place for gaming content. The network features official publisher content, gameplay videos, scripted series, and original content, including original weekly shows, all aimed at the coveted 18-34 year old male demographic. Machinima is fast-becoming a global phenomenon with an ability to capture a cultural sensibility and awareness among a next generation of entertainment consumers and marketers alike. The company is backed by MK Capital, and Redpoint Ventures, and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

For more information, please visit www.Machinima.com