Carlyle to headline new 'Stargate' series

NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Scottish actor Robert Carlyle has been cast as the lead in the new series "Stargate Universe," Sci Fi Channel announced Monday.

The show is the latest adventure in the "Stargate" franchise produced by MGM television. Production is to begin in Vancouver, Canada, in February for a tentative summer 2009 premiere.

Additional casting is currently under way, the channel said.

"We couldn't be more excited to set Robert Carlyle for 'Stargate Universe.' He brings a depth, intelligence, and complexity to his roles, which will fit perfectly with the fresh, new reinvention of this franchise," Mark Stern, executive vice president of original programming for Sci Fi and co-head of original content for Universal Cable Productions, said in a statement.

Carlyle is best known for his roles in "Trainspotting," "The Full Monty," "Angela's Ashes," "28 Weeks Later" and "Ravenous."