Peacock Cancels ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Reboot, Disappointing Fans

Recently, Peacock announced it was scrapping the highly anticipated Battlestar Galactica Reboot, upsetting fans who have patiently awaited its fruition.

Peacock’s decision to abandon the Battlestar Galactica Reboot came as a disappointment to many. The project was initially revealed in 2019 before the launch of Peacock’s streaming platform and was one of the prominent attractions when promoting the service’s “originals.” Despite the buzz, it never received the green light for episode development.

Originally, Battlestar Galactica aired for one season on ABC in 1978, followed by the short-lived Galactica 1980 on the SciFi Channel. However, the franchise gained significant traction in 2003 with a three-hour miniseries featuring Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell. The miniseries’ success led Syfy and Sky Television to commission a new series that ran for four seasons, ending in 2009 with two TV movies. Additionally, Syfy offered a prequel series called Caprica in 2010, though it lasted just one season.

Another prequel, Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome, was a 10-episode web series that had potential for continuation but wasn’t taken up by any network. The news of Peacock’s reboot reignited excitement among fans who cherished many of the series’ original characters.

Derek Simonds was brought on as the new showrunner and writer for the Battlestar Galactica Reboot in early 2024. The series revolves around a small community of surviving humans escaping the robot Cylons. As they traverse space, often jumping from one location to another, they hope to find the mythical planet “Earth.” Meanwhile, the Cylons become smarter, secretly infiltrating the human fleet as sleeper agents.

Sam Esmail was deeply invested in the reboot project following the success of the 2003 miniseries. He was set to executive produce alongside Derek Simonds. However, with Peacock’s withdrawal, the series now needs a new home. Peacock’s decision follows similar cancellations, such as LA Fire & Rescue and Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge in May. Despite this setback, Esmail remains determined to find another network for the project.

Following the announcement, fans expressed their disappointment on social media:

• “Peacock is sucking lately in programming! First Real Housewives of Miami and now this!”
• “I need to revisit this show. It was so good.”
• “Bummer. Such a good show.”
• “I want more Battlestar Galactica!”
• Someone else posted a photo of Dwight from The Office screaming, “No!!!” referencing Jim’s impersonation of Dwight stating, “Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica!”

However, some see the cancellation as a potential blessing. Given the success of the 2003 version, some fans believe the series shouldn’t be tampered with:

• “Not sure if I should be sad or happy.”
• “Don’t mess with perfection.”
• “Universal needs to quit trying to destroy things that were great with stupid reboots.”‘
• “To think we need a reboot of that masterpiece is insane.”
• “They probably couldn’t figure out a way to make the new cast diverse, gay, and transgender meaning it would have been well watched without that wokeness and thus canceled.”

What do you think about Peacock’s decision? Are you disappointed? Would you watch a reboot of Battlestar Galactica if it finds a new network? Do you think a reboot might tarnish the earlier series’ perfection? Feel free to share your thoughts.