The Legacy of Stargate

Are you fascinated with ancient Egyptian mythology and the mystery that surrounds it? Since the Victorian era, the macabre yet lustrous allure of this lost civilization has captivated people around the globe. One movie took this fascination and turned it into a sci-fi epic that still does not get the recognition it deserves. Below, we discuss the lasting legacy of Stargate.

The Original Movie

Released in 1994, Stargate had a stellar cast including Kurt Russell and James Spader. Yet even combined with its visual effects and unique premise, it garnered a tepid reception, grossing just over $71 million at the US box office. Even today, it gets mixed reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes, where it is ridiculed for its clunky plot.

The narrative centers around a stone circle found under the pyramids of Giza. Later, in the nineties, the hieroglyphics around it are translated and it is found to be a gate to other planets. When they activate a wormhole, the team is taken to an alien planet. This world bears many similarities to
ancient Egypt. However, it is ruled with an iron fist by the gods. This results in a fight between the earth travelers, who rally against the powers of Ra and Anubis.

The Legacy of Stargate

Stargate’s lasting impact was that it brought ancient Egypt into the realm of science fiction. Before, it had seldom been seen except in horror, with movies such as The Mummy. Ever since, Egyptology has been used across entertainment genres. It can even be found in online iGaming, with titles such as the Eye of Horus slot. These titles use the graphics of Egypt with the concept of a celestial link.

The movie had been imagined as the first one in a trilogy but its lackluster box office taking halted that idea. In 2006 it was noted that discussions had been made about bringing the rest of the concept to life, but that never came to be. Instead, the remaining ideas for the movies were fleshed out in a series of novels.

What it did have was a long-running spin-off on television. Once MGM had bought the rights, they commissioned Stargate SG-1. This would run from 1997 to 2007, enjoying much more success than the movie had ever done. This would be followed by Atlantis and Universe, two further spin-offs, and an animated series named Infinity.

Why Has It Remained So Popular?

The enduring appeal of Stargate lies in the concept it unearths. Looking back on the film, it does have a sloppy plot that leans heavily on bad effects, which have only gotten worse with age. However, it encapsulates what all of the best science fiction does and takes on a concept that most people think could be a pretty good theory, then builds on it.

Ever since the discovery of the pyramids, they have been shrouded in secrets. How were they made? Why did people build the same structures in South America at the same time? Stargate simply took what the rest of us were thinking and put a shiny Hollywood twist on it, and for that, it needs more recognition.