Merrick here...

Dean Devlin is returning to his “big picture” roots with a bevy of recently announced projects.

A while back, Devlin sledge hammered Geekdom with the releases of STARGATE and INDEPENDENCE DAY, but ultimately hit rough waters when his “Americanized” GODZILLA film was drawn and quartered by both Kaiju fans and general audiences.

Despite this…complication…he recently produced THE TRIANGLE miniseries (alongside Bryan Singer and FARSCAPE’s Rockne S. O’Bannon) for Sci Fi Channel, and feature films like THE PATRIOT, EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS, and CELLULAR. A World War I opus called FLYBOYS will soon hit screens September 28, and he’s even Exec Produced a documentary about the death of the electric car. Called, appropriately enough, WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?

But, what Devlin is most known for are his spectacle films…films like STARGATE and INDEPENDENCE DAY. Which, super-mega-uber longtime readers may recall, are the very films AICN was built around. In fact, the original (and recently revived) wallpaper for this site is the big ship blowing up the White House in INDEPENDENCE DAY. And, it seems, some of it may be coming around again.

SciFi Wire is reporting that Devlin is currently in negotiations with MGM regarding the development of two STARGATE theatrical sequels. These would complete the trilogy originally planned by Devlin and then-partner (but still friend) Roland Emmerich – and would stand independently of television spin-offs STARGATE SG-1 and STARGATE ATLANTIS. Devlin indicates that original leads Kurt Russell and James Spader have already expressed interest in returning.

If memory serves, Devlin once suggested that STARGATE sequels would be different in tone and setting than the original film -- each continuing an arcing storyline of humankind –VS- alien opportunists/overlords, but in divergent locals. Could be interesting to see where this goes...especially if issues like cultural connection are played upon as they were in first film. Wonder how the conceit might feel in today's splintered world?

And, for the love of god, bring back David Arnold, Volker Engel, and Karl Walter Lindenlaub!!! They’re a part of the brand…

You can read the complete article HERE!

Also from Sci Fi Wire, Devlin indicates that a long gestating science fiction project called ISOBAR is finally being resurrected :

"Isobar is the film that originally brought Roland Emmerich [Independence Day] from Germany to the U.S. back in 1990," Devlin said in an interview at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 20. "And at the time it was going to be a $90 million movie. ... It was going to star Sylvester Stallone and Kim Basinger. Joel Silver was the producer, and the executive producer was Mario Kassar."

The project disintegrated… you can find out why in the article…but its now being resussitated as a vehicle for director Peter Winther, a long time Devlin associate who was also, ironically, Roland Emmerich’s assistant at one point.

ISOBAR involves an Earth with no atmosphere, where humanity has taken up residence underground – living off forced air and circulation.

It’s intriguing that Devlin is heading these directions…guess you can’t keep a good Geek down. More information as more becomes available. Until then, CHECK OUT QUINT'S COVERAGE OF DEVLIN'S COMIC-CON PANEL!