Syfy orders new 'Battlestar' pilot

Syfy has given a two-hour pilot order to “Battlestar Gallactica: Blood & Chrome.”

Script puts the storyline directly between the events of “Battlestar Gallactica” and its prequel, “Caprica,” which currently airs on the net. The cabler’s “Battlestar” skein, which won the Television Critics Assn. Program of the Year honors in 2009, aired for four seasons before ending its run last year.

“Blood & Sand” will be exec produced by David Eick. Michael Taylor wrote the teleplay from a story by Eick, Bradley Thompson and David Weddle. Universal Cable Prods. will produce.

Pilot takes place in the 10th year of the first Cylon war and introduces auds to Edward James Olmos’ character, Ensign William Adama, as he finds himself assigned to the Gallactica, the newest battlestar in the Colonial fleet.

“The ‘Galactica’ universe as reimagined by Ron Moore and David Eick is rich with possibilities and backstory,” said Mark Stern, exec VP of original programming at Syfy. “We jumped at the chance to revisit the William Adama character and explore this exciting chapter in the BSG narrative.”

Added Eick: “While maintaining the themes of politics, social propaganda and the timeless question: What does it mean to be human? ‘Blood & Chrome’ will also return us to the authentic, relentless depiction of combat and the agony and ecstasy of human-Cylon war, which was the hallmark of ‘Battlestar Galactica’s’ early seasons.”