All 8 Stargate Movies & Shows, Ranked Worst To Best

Every movie and TV show in the Stargate franchise brings plenty of sci-fi action to audiences, but they aren’t all created equal. Getting its start in 1994 with the Stargate movie, the franchise grew to be so much more over the following decades. The idea of traveling from world to world through a ring-shaped gate, fighting alien races, and saving the innocent is nothing new, but Stargate did it with camp and style, introducing several fun concepts that make these stories a joy to watch. Ultimately, this and more is why these movies and TV shows have stood the test of time.

The 1994 movie Stargate, which starred James Spader and Kurt Russel, first introduced the idea that the ancient gods of Earth were actually an alien species that loved to dominate over humans. With the discovery of the titular Stargate and the Goa’uld came the spinoff series Stargate SG-1 (1997), which ran for 10 seasons. Of course, this wasn’t the end. Movie sequels like Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum (both released in 2008) continued the tale, and other series like Stargate: Atlantis approached new angles. But how do they rank?

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8 Stargate: Infinity

Animated Series Released In 2002

Stargate: Infinity is the franchise installment that is often overlooked and forgotten. The animated series follows a member of SGC, Gus Bonner, who was framed for opening the Stargate for alien invaders and was, therefore, forced to flee that planet until he could clear his name. Stargate: Infinity was already at a disadvantage compared to other series and movies in the Stargate franchise thanks to its animated medium, but somehow failed to bring anything new or interesting to the table. The series’ viewership was so small that it was canceled before the end of the first season.

7 Stargate Origins

Web Miniseries Released In 2018

The 2018 web miniseries Stargate Origins sought to dive further into the background story of Stargate’s initial discovery that 1994 Stargate touched on. Following a young Catherine Langford, it was interesting enough to see some of these events play out on screen, and the series was successful in adding more emotional weight to the character’s story. However, with a low budget, Stargate Origins couldn’t quite stack up to the other installments in the franchise, which was already notable for campy special effects.

6 Stargate: Universe

TV Series Released In 2009

Stargate: Universe is considered the third major TV series in the Stargate franchise, and though it only managed two seasons, it lived up to its predecessors in several significant ways. It took some time to get used to the new characters, especially Nicholas Rush, whose questionable morality made him a unique focus for the franchise. However, after a slow start, Stargate Universe began to feel similar to SG-1 and Atlantis, with plenty of action, well-delivered comedy, and some dramatic cliffhangers. Ultimately, this helped the series achieve a 70% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Stargate Universe

Stargate Universe (SGU), is one of the many TV shows in MGM’s Stargate franchise. Stargate Universe premiered in 2009 and follows a group of soldiers and civilians who are stuck billions of light-years from Earth on an ancient spaceship. Stargate Universe was canceled after two seasons due to poor ratings but continued in the form of a comic book.

Cast

Lou Diamond Phillips , David Blue , Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman , Ming-Na Wen , Peter Kelamis , Elyse Levesque , Julia Benson , Jamil Walker Smith , Brian J. Smith , Jennifer Spence , Robert Carlyle , Alaina Huffman , Louis Ferreira , Patrick Gilmore

Release Date

May 9, 2011

Seasons

2

Streaming Service(s)

Apple TV+

Franchise(s)

Stargate

Writers

Brad Wright

Directors

Brad Wright

Showrunner

Brad Wright

5 Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Straight-To-Video Film Released In 2008

This straight-to-video movie served as a sequel to Stargate SG-1 season 10, successfully continuing the story after the series was canceled. Stargate: The Ark of Truth can’t stand on its own, so it’s not a movie to recommend to a friend just getting started on the Stargate franchise. Still, it manages to be a well-rounded story, reviving the rise-and-fall structure of the original 1994 Stargate movie after over a decade of TV shows. Stargate: The Ark of Truth managed a 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that it managed all the charm of the original movie and series.

4 Stargate: Continuum

Straight-To-Video Film Released In 2008

Released in tandem with Stargate: The Ark of Truth, Stargate: Continuum is the direct sequel and the definitive end to the story of Stargate: SG-1. For this reason, it’s a bittersweet installment in the sci-fi franchise. Like its sister film, Continuum won’t stand well on its own, but it brings about a satisfying resolution to the original series and sends off the beloved characters in style. The movie might not hold much value to casual fans, but those who dedicated years of viewership to Stargate SG-1 can appreciate it as not just a final film but a heartwarming tribute.

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3 Stargate

Movie Released In 1994

The original Stargate film only managed a 73% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is lower than some of the installments that weren’t ranked as high in this list. However, as the movie that started it all, this movie’s importance can’t be overstated. Though it lacks many of the beloved cast members that would make the franchise iconic, Spader and Russel were the perfect duo to get the ball rolling, perfectly setting up Jack O’Neill and Daniel Jackon’s characters. Additionally, the Stargate movie has great rewatchability value since going back to the franchise’s bare bones is highly refreshing.

Stargate

Stargate is a 1994 film from Independence Day director Roland Emmerich. Starring Kurt Russell and James Spader, Stargate focuses on an extraterrestrial device called a “Stargate” that can create a wormhole, allowing users to travel to another place in the universe. The film led to a spinoff TV show in 1997 called Stargate SG-1, which lasted for ten seasons.

Release Date

October 28, 1994

Studio(s)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Distributor(s)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Cast

Viveca Lindfors , French Stewart , Leon Rippy , Kurt Russell , Jaye Davidson , Erick Avari , Mili Avital , Derek Webster , James Spader , Carlos Lauchu , Alexis Cruz , Christopher John Fields , Djimon Hounsou , John Diehl

Runtime

2h 10m

Franchise(s)

Stargate

Budget

55 million

2 Stargate: Atlantis

TV Series Started In 2004

Stargate: Atlantis was the first spinoff series from Stargate SG-1, and it was the most successful sequel at duplicating the charm of the original series. The comedy was present, with several long-running Stargate gags brought back from Stargate SG-1 (and several new ones added along the way). Atlantis even brought a few of the characters along from one series to the other, which meant a relatively seamless transition. Still, the series’ greatest asset was its ability to stand on its own, which allowed new audiences to enjoy Stargate: Atlantis as well.

Stargate Atlantis

Part of the Stargate franchise, Stargate Atlantis is a Sci-Fi series created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper. Starring Joe Flanigan, Rachel Luttrell, Rainbow Sun Francks, and Torri Higginson, the plot follows a group stationed at a previously discovered outpost crafted by ancient aliens.

Cast

Chuck Campbell , David Hewlett , David Nykl , Rachel Luttrell , Paul McGillion , Joe Flanigan , Jason Momoa , Torri Higginson

Release Date

July 16, 2004

Seasons

5

Writers

Brad Wright

Directors

Brad Wright

Showrunner

Brad Wright

1 Stargate SG-1

TV Series Started In 1997

Typically, if someone mentions Stargate, they are talking about Stargate SG-1. Though not the first in the franchise, the TV series is what expanded this science fiction world and drew the majority of the fanbase in. With 10 seasons, Stargate SG-1 is also the longest of its counterparts, which means a wide variety of stories and plotlines for everyone to love. The series is campy, funny, outrageous, emotional, and full of great characters—all contributing to Stargate SG-1‘s 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. In all, it’s just the pinnacle of excellent sci-fi.

Stargate SG-1

Stargate SG-1 is a sci-fi adventure television series spin-off set in the Stargate Universe, initially created by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. Set roughly a year after the film’s events; the story takes place after it becomes known that the Stargate technology allows those who use it to travel across different planets. With several teams dispatched to perform recon and defend the Earth from potential extraterrestrial threats, the series follows the titular team SG-1 of the U.S. Air Force as they face several alien threats. 

Cast

amanda tapping , Richard Dean Anderson , Michael Shanks

Release Date

July 27, 1997

Seasons

10

Franchise(s)

Stargate

Writers

Brad Wright

Directors

Peter DeLuise

Showrunner

Brad Wright