Posted at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22; Updated at 1:30 p.m. Friday

The crew of "Stargate Atlantis" is getting a two-hour movie.

As one “Stargate” portal closes, two more open.

Sci Fi Channel confirmed Thursday that “Stargate Atlantis” will close shop In January 2009 at the end of its current fifth season. The network also announced that it has greenlit a two-hour movie based on “Atlantis.”

An airdate hasn’t been set, but plan on seeing it sometime after January before it goes to DVD, a strategy that has worked for the franchise in the past. There have been two “Stargate SG-1” movies released in that way, “The Ark of Truth” and “Continuum.”

The network also is set to announce the order a third series in the franchise from MGM Television, "Stargate: Universe." The franchise has been on TV in some form since 1997, when “SG-1” debuted on Showtime.

“Universe” will premiere as a two-hour movie in early 2009 and become a hourly series in the summer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It will follow a team of explorers who find an unmanned ship called Destiny. The crew is stuck on the ship, which has a preprogrammed mission exploring the far reaches of space.

One might add to that last line, “where no man has gone before.” It sounds more like “Star Trek” than "Stargate." But hey, I don’t have a problem with that. There hasn’t been a “Star Trek” show on TV since 2005, and “Battlestar Galactica” ends its run early next year.

"This is an opportunity to reinvent this franchise and make it relevant to a new generation," Sci Fi president Dave Howe said. "We really don't want to be more of the same. It's going to build clearly off the existing franchise but with a cast that gives it a younger vibe."

Sci Fi sent this description of the new "Stargate: Universe" on Friday with its release officially announcing that the new series will begin filming in early 2009 with a target debut in the summer. Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, co-creators of "SG-1" and "Atlantis," will serve as executive producers and writers on the new series.

After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron, a team of explorers travels to an unmanned starship called the Destiny, launched by The Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment set in motion, but never completed.

What starts as a simple reconnaissance turns into a never ending mission, as the Stargate Universe crew discovers the ship is unable to return to Earth, and they must now fend for themselves aboard the Destiny.

The crew will travel to the far reaches of the universe, connecting with each of the previously launched Stargates, thus fulfilling the Destiny's original mission. Challenges will arise though as the ship comes into range of Stargates placed centuries ahead of the Destiny and the crew is unable to control the ship's navigational schedule. If someone is left behind, there is no way to go back for them, adding to the drama of encountering new races, enemies and adventures.

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Sounds like ST: Voyager to me.

Any scifi is better than no scifi, though.

Curt's reply: True that, SJU.

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