Sci-Fi Storm

The third and fourth episodes of Gemini Division, “Love Costs” and “In Deep”, are now live on the official web site. In addition, you can check out a special bonus video here.

Production on the third series of Torchwood as begun, according to the BBC. This series is given a title of Torchwood: Children of Earth, and “sees the team embarking on a single action-packed adventure as they battle for the future of the human race against the fiercest force they have encountered.” According to the article, this is a 5-part series comprising of one story arc, not the normal 13 individual episodes, so I’m not sure if there is more to be done, or if these are double-length episodes, or what. It will air sometime in 2009 in the U.K., and will probably follow in the U.S. shortly. Don’t forget – Torchwood – The Complete Second Season is release in the U.S. September 16th.

Just a reminder: Heroes: Season 2 was release on both DVD and Blu-Ray, along with the Blu-Ray release of Season 1.

It has been a while since we heard anything, but star Vin Diesel believes that there WILL be two more sequels of the Riddick franchise (started with Pitch Black, and continued in The Chronicles of Riddick). According to him, writer/director David Twohy is writing the two scripts, and they have to decide whether they will film back-to-back.

I hadn’t head of this before, but apparently there is a proposed “reinvention” of the Highlander franchise, and it may star Kevin McKidd (Journeyman). Apparently McKidd said on a Dublin radio interview that he’d been approached by the producers about starring in it…but there are no other details.

I just caught wind of a couple of articles where new show-runner Steven Moffat talks about the possibility of a big screen effort for Doctor Who. The articles seem a bit more hopeful than his quotes suggest, but Moffat said, “It would be good to see it in the cinema so long as it is great and fantastic,” but cautioned, “…so long as it never gets in the way of the TV show. If it got in the way of the show that would be appalling.” The Doctor did get two big screen treatments before in the 60s, starring Peter Cushing in the title role. However, these movies were essentially remakes of the Hartnell episodes “The Daleks” and “The Dalek Invasion of Earth”, but the Doctor was merely a human who invented a time machine, and neither movie is really considered canon.

All is right in the universe again. After yesterday’s announcement of the end of Stargate Atlantis, the SCI FI Channel has given the green light to a third series, called Stargate Universe. “After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate’s ninth chevron, a team of explorers travels to an unmanned starship called the Destiny, launched by the Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment set in motion but never completed. What starts as a simple reconnaissance turns into a never-ending mission as the Stargate Universe crew discovers that the ship is unable to return to Earth and that they must now fend for themselves aboard the Destiny.” Uh oh…sounds a bit Voyager-ish…a longer article is here.

The SCI FI Channel has given the green light to a currently unnamed two-hour TV and DVD movie, which will follow the fifth and final (?!? did I miss a press release?!?) season currently airing. It will air on SFC first before being released on DVD. Update: Gateworld confirms the end. Apparently I’m not on the press release list yet…

The upcoming Warner Brothers release of Watchmen, scheduled for March 6th, could face a delay – not due to production, however, but due to the courts. Fox is asserting that it still has rights to the film from a 1991 quit claim between the distributor and producer Larry Gordon of Largo Entertainment. In 1994 Gordon negotiated a buyout formula with Fox, but claims Fox did not follow the agreement. Speed up to 2006, when Warner Brothers acquired the distribution rights. Fox claims it still as the rights as Gordon didn’t but them out. A judge has denied Warner’s motion to dismiss, so it looks like this will end up in the courts, and I’m sure the first volley will be to file an injunction on the movie’s release.

Now that all the deals are done, writing has begun on the upcoming The Hobbit (and its unnamed, unplotted sequel). The writing team from The Lord Of The Rings trilogy – Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens – will work with director Guillermo del Toro to flesh out the script. Filming will not begin until Fall 2009 at least, again in New Zealand.