SCI FI PI

The US SCI FI Channel has announced that work will commence on Caprica, a two-hour Battlestar Galactica prequel.

It will be set 50 years before the Second Cylon War.

Says SCI FI US : "Caprica follows two rival families - -the Greystones and the Adamas -- as they grow, compete and thrive in the vibrant world of the 12 Colonies. Enmeshed in the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence and robotics that will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylons, the two houses go toe to toe."

Ron Moore, the writer/producer of the show, will work with David Eick in the usual BSG team-up.

"I'm thrilled with the chance to expand on the Galactica world and get deeper into the origins of the story we've been telling," said Moore. "It's also great to have a chance at doing a completely different kind of science fiction series, one that's even more character-oriented and doesn't rely on pyrotechnics to carry the story."

In his own statement, Eick said: "While Caprica will have its own personality, it will carry on Battlestar's commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre, and we're thrilled that SCI FI has seen fit to giving us another opportunity to tell character-driven stories in challenging ways."

Shooting will begin in Vancouver in a couple of months.

The fourth and final season of BSG will being airing in the US on March the 28th. Studio heads have nixed the idea of a BSG feature film franchise.