This article is about a fictional universe based on a 1994 film. See Stargate (disambiguation) for more uses of the word "Stargate".

Stargate collectively refers to the fictional universe started with the 1994 science fiction film Stargate, and afterwards continued in two live-action television series and other derivative works, such as an animated series. One series, Stargate SG-1, is currently tied with The X-Files as the longest running science fiction series in the United States at nine seasons. It is based on the premise of a Stargate, a device that allows for instant teleportation, by creating a wormhole to a complementary device on another planet. Discovered at Giza, Egypt, in 1928, it was not until the late 1990s that its purpose was discovered and a top-secret military-led program was created to explore the galaxy through it, interacting with aliens, and with humans who were transported from Earth in the distant past.

In the Stargate universe, most Earth mythologies are based on events and personalities of aliens who visited Earth in the past through these gates, so many of the prominent alien characters on the show closely correspond to the gods recorded in Egyptian, Norse, and other mythologies.

Some other races refer to Earth's humans as the Tau'ri, meaning "those of the first world." It was from the abundant life found on prehistoric Earth that an alien race, the Goa'uld, took humans and seeded thousands of other planets. Initially, all humans who traveled through the Stargate were transported by the Goa'uld, a parasitic race that uses humans as hosts and slaves. More recent developments in the television series indicate that the story may have been much more complicated, involving an advanced race known as the Ancients whose exact relationship to modern Earth humans is unknown.

Stargate, the film, was released on 1994 and was originally intended as the start of a film franchise, but creators Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin moved on to create Independence Day and Godzilla. Emmerich and Devlin had nothing to do with Stargate SG-1 and do not consider it a valid continuation of the film's story, although MGM owns the rights to the franchise. As a result, some fans of the movie reject the series, though whether or not it is canon is debatable.

The movie set the grounds of the Stargate universe. Dr. Daniel Jackson (played by James Spader), a brilliant Egyptologist shunned from the academic world due to his farfetched theories, is hired to decipher the symbols on a ancient ring-shaped artifact made of an exotic material, which had been found at Giza in 1928. Jackson discovers the true purpose of the ring and opens the door to the first interplanetary travel. USAF Colonel Jack O'Neil (Kurt Russell) leads an expedition to planet Abydos, where they come into conflict with an alien "god" called Ra.

There are two live television series that continue the story of the original movie and an animated series that is not currently considered canon.

Stargate SG-1 debuted on Showtime on July 27, 1997 but moved to the Sci-fi Channel after its fifth season. The series is currently on its ninth season. Created by Jonathan Glassner and Brad Wright, it starred Richard Dean Anderson (as O'Neill), Michael Shanks (as Jackson), Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge and Don S. Davis. Anderson moved to the background in the ninth season, which added new regulars Ben Browder and Beau Bridges. Actor Corin Nemec was a regular during the sixth season.

Starting one year after the original film, it tells the tale of SG-1, the first exploratory team of the newly-formed Stargate Command (the "SGC"). The series expanded on the movie, created a full and rich mythology and a cast of recurring characters.

The original Stargate film made it seem like Ra was the last of his race, but in SG1, the main threat to Earth is from other beings like him, alien Goa'uld's that pose as Gods. They have massive armies of footsoldiers and colonies on other enslaved planets, as well as fleets of attack-ships. In SG1, the teams must visit other worlds through the Stargate so as to find new technology capable of defending Earth from the Goa'uld.

Stargate Atlantis debuted on the Sci-fi Channel on July 16, 2004, starring Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, Rainbow Sun Francks, David Hewlett, and Rachel Luttrell. The series is currently on its second season, adding Paul McGillion and Jason Momoa as series regulars.

Atlantis was originally intended to succeed Stargate SG-1, after its seventh season and a second feature movie. When SG-1 was renewed for an eighth season, the intended movie became the episode "Lost City", a two-part season finale. The setting of Stargate Atlantis was moved to the Pegasus galaxy. It follows the adventures of the Atlantis expedition, a combined military and civilian exploratory expedition that travel to the Pegasus galaxy in search of the lost city of Atlantis, left behind by the powerful aliens known as the Ancients. The series introduces a new enemy, called "the Wraith".

Stargate Infinity is an animated series that ran from September, 2002 to June, 2003. Even though the series was produced by MGM with DiC Entertainment, none of the writers and producers of Stargate SG-1 or other live-action Stargate projects were involved with Infinity. According to SG-1 co-creator Brad Wright, "the animated series should not be considered official Stargate canon."

Set about 30 to 40 years in the future, Infinity tells the story of a team of young recruits led by a veteran member of the SGC that are framed for a crime they didn't commit and must travel from world to world trying to find a way to clear their name.

There are two series of novels based on the Stargate franchise, and various comics.

A series of books written by Bill McCay were published from 1996 to 1999 that were sequels to the film. However, the subsequent TV series was an entirely different development and there was no attempt to reconcile the plot lines of the books and television show.

• Stargate: Rebellion
• Stargate: Retaliation
• Stargate: Retribution
• Stargate: Reconnaissance
• Stargate: Resistance

Since 1999, several novels have been released based on the Stargate SG-1 series. These books were written by Ashley McConnell.

• Stargate SG-1 (novelization of the series' pilot, "Children of the Gods")
• The Price You Pay
• The First Amendment
• The Morpheus Factor

A series of comic books was based on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis which began to be published by Avatar Press in 2003.

• A Stargate Role-Playing Game was produced by Alderac Entertainment; however, they lost the licence to produce Stargate RPG products following Sony buying MGM, and the RPG licence is currently unassigned.
• Various computer-games have been based on the Stargate concept.
• There are two simulator-style amusement park rides named Stargate SG-3000 located at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom and Six Flags Great America.

• MGM: Stargate SG-1
• SCIFI.COM | Stargate SG-1
• GateWorld | Your Complete Guide to Stargate!
• Stargate at IMDb
• Stargate SG-1 at IMDb
• Stargate Atlantis at IMDb
• Pegasus Galaxy | The Online Scifi Resource (Includes SG1, Atlantis and Battlestar Gallactica
• Stargate SG-1 Archive
• Stargate Wiki
• Stargate Links
• Sg-One-Stargate.com Toute l'actualité Francophone sur Stargate (French)
• SG1_Spoilme - spoiler/news list
• Scifigate.net
• The Straight Dope
• Alderac Entertainment's SG-1 RPG site