Sci-Fi Storm

Disney has finally taken the dust cover off Tron and announced that they have signed screenwriters Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal to pen a remake, to bring the storyline up to modern technology. The original was way ahead of its time (and helped lead me into a life of computers) and perhaps should be left as is (except for perhaps a sequel). I wonder if this will go anywhere since these two have done nothing else before except for the announced Warrior, about the female peasant Boudica who led the Britons against the Romans in the first century.

tchansen writes “According to an article on the ComingSoon! website, James Cameron is planning on bringing Battle Angel Alita to the movie theater with a new 3-D digital production process, planned for 2007. Battle Angel Alita is a Japanese manga about a cyborg with a wiped memory being restored in the bad part of town in the semi-distant future. The original manga is very well drawn and scripted; hopefully Mr. Cameron can approach the original with his adaptation.”

tchansen writes “A nice question and answer session on the Coming Soon! website with the director and producer for the HitchHiker’s Guide To The Galaxy movie, expected May 2005. Nothing too earth-shattering although I didn’t realize that it was a first time directing/producing team for the movie.”

Wil Wheaton, best know as Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, told SCI FI Wire hat he has come to terms with his former role, and regrets asking for a hasty exit. I actually remember when the UseNet group “alt.wesley.crusher.die.die.die” was created as a joke, yet grew to have a life of its own…

Tim Fleming writes in to inform us about an effort to remind Warner Bros. of the buying power fandom has, in the face of the possible recasting of roles for the upcoming production of The Memory of Shadows feature film. Read More for the details.

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Janet writes “Hi guys. I was sent this link www.sci-fi-london.com/2005web/warpvideo.htm today I thought you might be intrested. It is a star trek love song/music video or somthing from one of the films playing this year. It is just so hillarious and strange. My favorite line is “My Mission is to explore strange new worlds and I think i will start with your bum” This is the first I have heard of it do you know anything about it? janet” It’s no Nimoy, but it’s bizarre.

The DVD release of the [sfs=497]Battlestar Galactica miniseries[/sfs] came out end of December, giving a few weeks lead time to the series which starts this Friday, January 14th, at 9pm ET on the SCI FI Channel. As I never reviewed the miniseries, here is a combo review of the show and the DVD. Also, there are two specials airing in the coming week – at 8:30pm Friday before the series premiere will be Battlestar Galactica: The Series Lowedown. And 5:30am ET on Monday, 1/17 the SCI FI Channel will air something titled “Battlestar Galactica: Propaganda and War”, which appears to be a documentary about SF writers using war to disseminate propaganda and satire.

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Genndy Tartakovsky, who created the animated Star Wars: Clone Wars shorts for the Cartoon Network, says a third season will debut March 26th which will bring the story right to the beginning of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

11 time Hugo-winning SF artist Frank Kelly Freas, who created the images for numerous covers for magazines and books and even album covers and was an official NASA artist, passed away on Sunday at his home. More info can be found at his official site (slow due to load). Update: Shame on me – Freas is the man behind Mad Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman!!

Not many shows that get canceled after half a season will get a second life, but studios do know that SF audiences want what they can get. Firefly got a second life with the DVD release and now a feature film. Crusade may not enjoy the same followup, but at least we can get the DVDs.

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