Sam Esmail’s Battlestar Galactica Series Finds Its Showrunner

Drew Taylor |

May 5, 2020

The long talked about Battlestar Galactica series from executive producer Sam Esmail finally has its showrunner.

Michael Lesslie, whose credits include The Little Drummer Girl, Macbeth, and Assassin’s Creed, will write and executive produce the series.

According to Deadline, Lesslie is ready to hit the ground running.

He told the publication, “I am beyond excited to be taking on this iconic and inspirational show. As a lifelong devotee, I know that the possibilities of Battlestar Galactica’s world are infinite and that each iteration has raised the bar for epic and intelligent sci-fi storytelling.”

He added, “The teams at Esmail Corp, UCP, and Peacock are second to none, and I already know that we are going to honor Glen A. Larson and Ronald D. Moore’s landmark series and break new boundaries with our own vision. It’s a dream come true – one I just can’t wait to share with fans, new and old alike. So say we all.”

The addition of Lesslie gives some real legs to the project, especially in the midst of the pandemic.

Many productions have been suspended or canceled entirely due to COVID-19.

This news comes after Sam Esmail confirmed the show was still in the works back in mid April.

Working on it

— Sam Esmail (@samesmail) April 16, 2020

When Battlestar Galactica was announced back in September of 2019, Esmail assured fans that the new show will take place in the current BSG universe.

He specifically stated that the series would “NOT be a remake of the amazing series Ron Moore launched.”

He added their series would “explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar.”

BSG fans, this will NOT be a remake of the amazing series @RonDMoore launched because… why mess with perfection? Instead, we’ll explore a new story within the mythology while staying true to the spirit of Battlestar. So say we all!

— Sam Esmail (@samesmail) September 17, 2019

Lesslie’s comments seem to support this, yet they do leave the door open for a different vision entirely.

It remains to be seen how the show will fit into the current canon, but speculation is that it could document the Galactica’s adventures during the first Cylon war.

Cylon