Sci-Fi Storm

Disney is acquiring Marvel for about $4 billion in cash and stock. This will make for some very interesting interactions, as Universal Studios Theme Parks have rights to some of the characters…obviously those agreements will still be in place for the foreseeable future, but what happens when they expire is anyone’s guess.

As expected, Summer Glau will work with Joss Whedon again in a recurring role on Fox’s Dollhouse in a recurring role, along with other guests which include Jamie Bamber and Michael Hogan from Battlestar Galactica. Read More for the full press release. The series returns on September 25th.

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My daughter has been bugging me about this one, but finally the Cartoon Network has given Friday, October 2nd at 8pm as the second season premiere of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. On a separate note, the following was posted on the Disney D23 club site, about why Stormtroopers are apparently going to appear at the upcoming D23 Expo: “In response to inquiries from Star Wars fan sites about Storm Troopers at the D23 Expo, D23 issues the following statement: “We were contacted by the Galactic Empire and have been advised that Imperial dignitaries will be attending Disney’s D23 Expo,” said Steven Clark, head of D23. “As a result, a legion of Storm Troopers from the 501st Battalion will be patrolling the Anaheim Convention Center on Saturday, September 12.” We don’t know for certain why, but it is expected that an announcement of sorts will be made, and the leading contender among the possibilities is the long-awaited Star Tours 2.0 update to the attractions in California and Florida.

Mike writes “Combining elements of Alien Nation and Enemy Mine, District 9 adroitly balances political commentary on apartheid with Peter Jackson-ian levels of violence. The movie ends with more questions than answers and the certainty of a sequel. I can’t wait!
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No news isn’t good news when it comes to an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter Of Mars series. We last heard in June, so we are glad to hear of additional casting taking place. Samantha Morton (The Daisy Chain) will play Sola, the daughter of Tars Tarkas (Willem Defoe); Dominic West (300) is Sab Than, price of the Zondagans; and Polly Walker (Caprica) will play the Thark Sarjoka.

You can now view the teaser trailer for Avatar in various Quicktime resolutions.

Warner Bros. is now looking to remake the Sean Connery 1981 vehicle Outland, which was about a police officer who arrives on Jupiter’s moon Io at a mining colony and proceeds to clean up the place, much to the chagrin of some others, in what some describe as a Space Western. Newcomer Chad St. John will write and Michael Davis (Shoot ‘Em Up) will direct with an expanded vision of the original idea.

The Thunder Child writes “Steve Ihnat was devoured by plankton in Voyage To the Bottom of the Sea’s first ever “monster” episode. He played the mind-controlled Lt. Minns in The Outer Limits two-part episode of “The Inheritors” (1964), he co-starred in two SF films – In Like Flint opposite James Coburn and Countdown, opposite his “Iheritors” co-star Robert Duvall, and he was probably the only actor in the history of Star Trek who upstaged William Shatner, as Garth of Izar in “Whom Gods Destroy.” This article features an appreciation of his small, but choice, SF work.
http://thethunderchild.com/Television/1960s/StarTrek/InheritingtheMadness.html“

Small budgets and grass roots marketing does not necessarily mean a poor box office. District 9 came in 1st this past weekend to the tune of $37.4M, ahead of G.I. Joe ($22.3M) and much buzzed The Time Travellers Wife ($18.6M) – and over its budget of “just” $30M. This is leading to various comparisons to The Blair Witch Project on its marketing, themes and low budget (although not even close to the miniscule budget of BW). Bureau 42 has a review.

No, not that kind of comic. Comedian Patton Oswalt is joining the cast of Caprica as a popular talk show host named Baxter Sarno. Eventually the Greystones (Eric Stoltz and Paula Malcomson) appear on the show. It is not mentioned how often he will appear.