The fans of the cult classic sci-fi series Babylon 5 have a reason to celebrate, as the creator of the show, J. Michael Straczynski, has announced a new animated film that will continue the story of the Babylon 5 space station and its inhabitants. The film, titled Babylon 5: The Road Home, will be released on August 15, 2023, and will be available to purchase digitally and on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment.
A Journey Through Time and Space
The plot of Babylon 5: The Road Home follows John Sheridan, the former commander of Babylon 5 and the president of the Interstellar Alliance, as he unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Along the way, he reunites with some familiar faces, while discovering cosmic new revelations about the history, purpose, and meaning of the universe.
The film is written and executive produced by Straczynski, who created the original series and wrote most of its episodes. The film is directed by Matt Peters, who previously worked on another animated film for Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, titled Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons. The film is also produced by Sam Register and Rick Morales.
A Reunion of Old Friends
One of the most exciting aspects of Babylon 5: The Road Home is that it brings back most of the original cast members to voice their characters from the series. Bruce Boxleitner returns as John Sheridan, Claudia Christian as Susan Ivanova, Peter Jurasik as Londo Mollari, Bill Mumy as Lennier, Tracy Scoggins as Elizabeth Lochley, and Patricia Tallman as Lyta Alexander.
The film also features new voice actors for some of the characters who were played by actors who have sadly passed away over the years. Paul Guyet voices Zathras and Jeffrey Sinclair, Anthony Hansen voices Michael Garibaldi, Mara Junot voices Reporter and Computer Voice, Phil LaMarr voices Dr. Stephen Franklin, Piotr Michael voices David Sheridan, Andrew Morgado voices G’Kar, and Rebecca Riedy voices Delenn.
A Love Letter to the Fans
Straczynski has described Babylon 5: The Road Home as a “love letter to the fans” and a “raucous”, “heartfelt”, and “nonstop” adventure that feels “the most B5-ish of anything we’ve done since the original show”. He has also teased that the film will explore quantum mechanics and parallel timelines, and that it will set up potential future projects for the franchise.
Babylon 5 is widely regarded as one of the most influential sci-fi series of all time, with its complex story arcs, rich mythology, memorable characters, and groundbreaking visual effects. The series ran for five seasons from 1994 to 1998, and spawned several TV movies, novels, comics, and a spin-off series called Crusade. The series celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.
Babylon 5: The Road Home will be available on August 15 to purchase digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD and Blu-Ray discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.