Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming

Lore & Background

The project was co-written by Richard Hatch and his then-girlfriend Sophie LaPorte, co-directed by Hatch and Jay Woelfel, and produced by Johnnie J. Young and Sophie LaPorte. Hatch, who had played Captain Apollo in the original series, reprised his role as Apollo, now Commander of the Fleet. Many original cast members returned, including Richard Lynch (replacing Patrick Macnee as Count Iblis), John Colicos (Lord Baltar), and Terry Carter (Colonel Tigh, now President of the Quorum of Twelve). The character Starbuck was not recast; instead, a new character was created as his daughter, a bold Viper pilot.

Reader's Guide

Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming represents a key fan-driven effort to revive the original series continuity, led by its star Richard Hatch. Despite positive fan reception at conventions, Hatch failed to secure Universal's attention. The project was one of several competing revival attempts, including a sequel series by Bryan Singer (halted after the September 11 attacks) and a feature film proposal by Glen A. Larson consistent with Galactica 1980. Ultimately, the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica by Ronald D. Moore was greenlit as a miniseries in 2003. Hatch later joined that series as Tom Zarek. The Second Coming remains unreleased, with no plans for DVD or Blu-ray, but it is remembered as a passionate continuation attempt that influenced fan expectations.

Did You Know?

• The thirty-minute version of the pilot film has never been shown publicly.
• The partially complete trailer was first shown at DragonCon in Atlanta on July 3, 1999.
• Richard Hatch later joined the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series as Tom Zarek.