Sci-Fi Storm

According to a news report on CBS Marketwatch, Disney CEO Michael Eisner told Merrill Lynch analysts that Disney is working on sequels to the Disney/Pixar sensations Monsters, Inc. and A Bug’s Life, despite the contentious split between the partners. Certainly the success of sequels of Toy Story and Shrek, and the general success of of CGI films in general, show that it makes financial sense. I believe that Pixar gets first refusal rights to the production as well.

John Hudgens, who has produced the music videos for conventions that JMS shows, has put together an excellent video tribute to the late Richard Biggs.

Ricky Claydon writes “Check out the latest issue of dreamwatch magazine: ALIEN VS PREDATOR director Paul W.S. Anderson offers dreamwatch an exclusive preview of the action-packed sci-fi crossover movie!

All this and much, much more in dreamwatch Issue #118!
ON SALE 27 MAY (UK) 15 JUNE (US)” I’d like some feedback on these – are these useful to people? I’m leery about just becoming a free advertisement service…

Ricky Claydon writes “ANGEL: JEFFREY BELL, DAVID FURY, DAVID BOREANAZ & SERIES FINALE SET VISIT!
Star David Boreanaz chats to Dreamwatch about the end of the heroic vampire?s crusade against evil, while executive producers Jeffrey Bell and David Fury reveal the truth behind the show?s controversial finale. Plus, dreamwatch visits the Angel set during the making of the show?s last-ever episode, Not Fade Away!

All this and much, much more in dreamwatch Issue #118!
ON SALE 27 MAY (UK) 15 JUNE (US)”

Two more actors for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire have been announced – Brendan Gleeson (Troy, The Village) will play Mad-Eye Moody, and Frances de la Tour (’70s British sitcom Rising Damp) will play Madame Maxine, the headmistress of the rival Beauxbatons school. Update: Bad cut-and-paste – corrected above – Brendan Gleeson is the actor – David Heyman is the producer.

As we all know, Shrek 2 is consuming the box office like swamp rat stew, so much so that even retailers are blaming slumping sales on the green guy. Even I got a chance to see it opening weekend (go see it!), and now Dreamworks has announced that they will move forward on two new Shrek films.

Note that this does not come through any official channel, but from JMS himself via a post on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated: Richard Biggs, who played Dr. Stephen Franklin on Babylon 5, apparently passed away this morning. More details when known. Update 5/25: three days later, but it is front page on CNN.com. No real additional info – all we know is it was sudden, shortly after he got up and said hello to his wife – and I believe his sons are real young. I believe JMS will work a fundraiser – I’ll let everyone know when I know more.

“…leaping from life to life…” I can’t believe I didn’t know about this, but the first (short) season of Quantum Leap arrives on DVD on June 8th. I’ve opened a Quantum Leap section in the Sci-Fi TV Store, and you can go to the official website complete with trailer.

British tablod The Sun cited a “Hollywood source” on the title of the last of the Star Wars movies, along with a note about the climactic battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan – on racks in a lava pool controlled “like surfboards.?

The former home of Buffy and Angel has announced its shows for the new season – and it doesn’t include Lost in Space or Dark Shadows, both shows the WB had ordered pilots for. Smallville and Charmed remain, plus a midseason replacement called Global Frequency, based on graphic novel, a remake of Stephen King’s It, and the broadcast premiere of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.