Assuming that the SCI FI Channel eventually picks up ‘Stargate Universe’ as a television series, executive producer Brad Wright told GateWorld that the Stargate franchise will be stronger than ever with four “brand” legs to stand on: ‘Stargate SG-1′ and ‘Atlantis’ in the movie format, Universe on television, and the upcoming video game ‘Stargate Worlds’ reaching into yet another medium.

The SCI FI Channel is calling it quits with ‘Stargate Atlantis’ — or at least in its current format — the network confirmed today. The ‘Stargate SG-1′ spin-off series, which began in 2004, will conclude in January with the current, fifth season, finale. It will be closely followed by a 2-hour Atlantis movie, to be aired on SCI FI and released on DVD by MGM.

Although ‘Stargate Atlantis’ has been a solid ratings performer for the SCI FI Channel — and was its highest-rated original program ever when it premiered in July 2004 — in recent years series like ‘Eureka’ have supplanted it in the “Live” ratings. The show will go on, though, with a 2-hour movie written by executive producers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie that will air on SCI FI in 2009, and then be released on DVD by MGM.

After four full seasons of stories, enemies and changes in the main cast, David Nykl (”Dr. Radek Zelenka”) remains a phone call away in supporting the mantle of technobabble carried by McKay and his science team.

The ‘Stargate SG-1′ and ‘Stargate Atlantis’ director is up for recognition for his work on the Atlantis Season Four episode “Trio.” Wood also directed the recent direct-to-DVD release of ‘Stargate: Continuum’, which featured unprecedented Arctic footage, as well as the raising of a Los Angeles-class submarine.

GateWorld recently spoke to ‘Stargate: Atlantis’ writer Carl Binder about how the production team is raising the bar to best Season Four, which was praised by many fans for its willingness to take more risks.

Picardo’s character, bureaucrat Richard Woolsey, will be presented a little differently than in his numerous appearances on both “Stargate: SG-1″ and “Atlantis,” especially as the writers have now been able to define Woolsey more clearly.

Creatively, Stargate is in a state of decline and disrepair with “Stargate: Atlantis” — which is essentially carrying the torch — relying more and more heavily on recycled “SG-1” stories or dumbed-down adventures with Wraith hybrids and clones.