: Flanigan secured a group of investors and obtained a verbal commitment from then-MGM CEO to lease the franchise for 10 years.

Joe Flanigan , known for his role as Lt. Colonel John Sheppard in Stargate Atlantis , has made several high-profile attempts to purchase or lease the franchise from MGM to prevent it from lying dormant. While these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, they are well-documented through fan conventions and recent interviews. Overview of Attempted Purchase

: MGM filed for bankruptcy in November 2010 before the deal could be finalized in writing. When the company reemerged under new management (Spyglass Entertainment), the new executives were not interested in leasing the rights and preferred focusing on a feature film reboot by the original creators, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. Recent Developments (2025–2026)

: Shortly before the official 2025 announcement, Flanigan reportedly pitched a plan to Jason Momoa (Ronon Dex in Atlantis ) to join forces and attempt to regain control or produce a series with Amazon, but the official greenlight for the Gero project rendered the effort too late.