Sci-Fi Storm

Well, the long simmering rumors that David Tennant will join the cast of The hobbit have taken a hit again, with Peter Jackson announcing on Facebook that Lee Pace (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn) will take the role of King Thranduil. Simultaneously he announced that Kiwi actor Dean O’Gorman (Young Hercules) will take over the role of Fili after Rob Kazinsky dropped out of the role.

Mind you, they still haven’t said Tennant hasn’t been given a different role, so I’m sure rumors will still run…

First learned this from a tweet from Wende Doohan, Jimmy Doohan’s widow – William Campbell, best known to Star Trek fans for his fanciful Liberace-like performance of Trelane in “The Squire of Gothos” as well as Klingon captain Koloth in “The Trouble With Tribbles” (a role he reprised on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s episode, “Blood Oath”), passed away peacefully yesterday evening after a long illness.

Looks like [asin=0812550706]Ender’s Game[/asin], the short story that became a novel that became a series by Orson Scott Card, last seen at Warner Bros. as a potential movie, is now headed to Summit Entertainment and appears to be on the fast track to begin production early next year. Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) is set to direct, with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (via their K/O Paper Products company) and Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough (Odd Lot), along with Card and Lynn Hendee (The Tempest) as producers.

It appears that they are eying this to be the next Harry Potter-esque franchise with an epic story aimed at the younger audience.

Dimension Films has preemptively purchased a spec script entitled The Greys from writer Adam Cohen and from producing partners Sean and Bryan Furst (Daybreakers) , and F. Javier Gutierrez (Before The Fall) is attached to direct. It is being billed as a SF thriller – but the plot is being kept as mysterious as the Greys themselves so far.

Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company (TWC), made the announcement. “We are thrilled to be collaborating on this exciting script with Adam Cohen, Radar Pictures and The Fursts,” said Weinstein. “As a fan, I have wanted to work with F. Javier Gutierrez for some time and am happy to join forces on his English language directorial debut.”

Sean and Bryan Furst are producing in partnership with Radar Pictures’ Ted Field and Mike Weber. Overseeing for Dimension Films are SVP of Production, Matthew Stein and VP of Production and Creative Affairs, Matthew Signer.

“We’re energized by the incredible level of passion Bob Weinstein and Dimension have shown for Adam Cohen’s thrilling script and for the talented F. Javier Gutierrez, and we all feel it’s that kind of passion that makes for an ideal filmmaking partner,” said the producers.

You’ll hear more about Falling Skies by the end of the weekend, but a very interesting package arrived today. Inside was a satchel…and inside that was a newspaper – well, the front page of the “Boston News”, proclaiming that “WE ARE NOT ALONE!” and that massive ships have appeared over major cities. Sounds like the beginning of many movies – but this is just the very beginning for the upcoming Falling Skies series on TNT, from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg. Also inside was a DVD case that looks like what I’d expect from an “ultimate platinum collector’s edition” DVD release with the pilot and another episode, and even a guide to the characters.

On the satchel was also a placard, which on the back reads, “If you had to start over, what would you bring?”

Falling Skies will air over 8 weeks, starting with the two-hour premiere on June 19th at 9PM ET/PT.

Expect some insight into the series soon…but no spoilers. Update: You can now read our First Look at Falling Skies article.