The cast is coming together for Stargate Universe, and it's notably populated by a couple of fairly familiar faces outside the genre TV world than other Stargate series had when they began – Richard Dean Anderson aside.

Joining the already announced Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty / Trainspotting), are Lou Diamond Phillips and Ming-Na. Phillips is probably still best known for La Bamba, and other hit films from the late 80s and early 90s, such as Young Guns, while Ming-Na is familiar to ER fans for her two stints on that show.

The cast also includes Justin Louis, David Blue, Jamil Walker, Brian J. Smith, and two other new additions – Elyse Levesque and Alaina Huffman, both of whom will be familiar to Smallville fans – Levesque played the Brainiac-infected Casey Brock on the CW series, while Huffman plays Black Canary.

SCI FI Channel describes Stargate Universe as "Edgier and younger in tone." The series follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth. Faced with meeting the most basic needs of food, water and air, the group must unlock the secrets of the ship's Stargate to survive. The danger, adventure and hope they find on board the Destiny will reveal the heroes and villains among them.

Stargate Universe is now in production for a summer debut.