Sci-Fi Storm

Man, what a weird few days. First our hopes are up that they may have recovered a ton of old BBC programming, including many of the remaining “lost” episodes of Doctor Who. Then it seems like the story was a hoax. We even waited a couple of days before reporting the original story, and still got burned.

But wait…maybe it’s not a hoax after all. Doctor Who superfan Ian Levine, who got the BBC to stop their practice of wiping the archives to preserve Doctor Who, said yesterday that he was certain the story was false, and talked to three people who should know and was told point blank there was nothing recovered:

Answering SKMDC on GB, I spoke at length to 3 people last Saturday, separately, and all three told me that nothing had been seen or returned

— Ian Levine (@IanLevine) June 17, 2013

But today, a sudden change:

@keefybabe I've just been given proof that backs up the entire story,from 2011. So yes I now really believe he has found 90 missing episodes

— Ian Levine (@IanLevine) June 18, 2013

From what is being said today, a full THREE TONS of film canisters were recovered in 2011, and Ian has seen proof. This reportedly includes 90 episodes of Doctor Who, which is most of the 106 lost episodes. And some details are circulating as to which have been found – but it would be easier to list what has not been found:

Mission to the Unknown (1 out of 1 episodes)
The Daleks’ Master Plan (9 of 12, none recovered)
The Ice Warriors (2 of 6, none recovered)
The Wheel in Space (2 of 6, 2 recovered)
The Invasion (2 of 8, none recovered)

Recovery of the first two on that list is considered unlikely, as they were never screened outside the UK, and were among the first to be wiped from the archives.

So Whovians, there is still hope…

Every couple of years, we get teased…but the Logan’s Run remake, long in development hell, is showing life once more.

Ken Levine, who was once a screenwriter before moving to video games and creating he massively successful Bioshock franchise, is set to work on a script for Jon Berg at Warner Bros. At last report, Andrew Baldwin was working on a script for Nicolas Winding Refn (with Green Lantern‘s Ryan Gosling attached), and there were several writers and directors with their hands on it before that, mostly under the auspices of Joel Silver. So until they start filming, I don’t have my hopes up.

Logan’s Run is a 1967 novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson, about a dystopian future society where population is strictly controlled, and everyone must willingly submit to euthanasia on the day they turn 21. Logan, a “Sandman”, is responsible for tracking down those evading their fates, called “runners”, who attempt to escape the society and find the legendary Sanctuary – but in turn becomes one himself.

The novel was adapted in to a film in 1976 starring Michael York and Jenny Agutter, but the plot was modified placing them within a domed city after some unspecified apocalypse, and the age limit is raised to 30.

[The original subject said tonight, which was an error on my part]

Will Anthony Head make make Warehouse 13 his own?

Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Merlin) turns the tables on the Warehouse team with his deadly mastery of artifacts – leading to a shattering confrontation – when he guest stars as the Machiavellian alchemist Paracelsus on Syfy’s popular series Warehouse 13.

Head’s three-episode story arc begins Monday, June 24 at 10PM (ET/PT), culminating in the Season 4.5 finale on July 8.

In the episode, “Lost and Found,” Claudia (Allison Scagliotti) and Steve (Aaron Ashmore) get an intruder alert, which leads them to the shocking reveal that Paracelsus (Anthony Head) is alive and in the Warehouse. Meanwhile, Pete (Eddie McClintock), Myka (Joanne Kelly) and Artie (Saul Rubinek) hunt down artifacts stolen by pirates centuries ago. To find the cache, they team up with the mysterious Charlotte Dupres (Polly Walker) whose agenda puts all their lives in danger.

[Alas…it looks more and more like this was a hoax being perpetrated by the so-called “eccentric engineer”, as some sort of negotiating ploy with the BBC…sad. Still remains to be seen what the ultimate result is, though.]

Fans of the classic Doctor Who episodes know the story well…in accordance with standard BBC practices at the time, many episodes of Doctor Who were destroyed or erased to make room in the BBC Archives – mainly because no one ever though that the material was worth keeping for long term rebroadcasting, until 1978 when they stopped the practice. Many of the serials were lost entirely. Some were lost in parts.

When the show became hugely popular, demand for the old episodes increased – but many weren’t in the archives. Over time, some episodes were discovered at other broadcasters, or in attics, saved by engineers, recorded from broadcasts, etc. It’s been a long and slow process – all episodes of the Third Doctor have been recovered. But still many remain missing. 10 whole serials still remain missing, and many more parts of serials.

That may be about to change.

Bleeding Cool reports on a reliable rumor that the BBC may have secured a large cache of videotapes/films, apparently kept by an eccentric TV engineer in Africa. Lots and lots of tapes, in fact. Possibly everything from the Hartnell years, and the entire “Evil of the Daleks” serial, where only the second of seven episodes had previously been found.

Word is that we’ll hear about it – and maybe see it – as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration.

Keep your fingers crossed!

In the next Warehosue 13, Pete and Myka go undercover in the suburbs, while Claudia and Artie must help a young savant. Guest stars: Polly Walker, Cynthia Watros, Kelly Hu, Chris Ellis and Josh Blaylock. Catch the preview below and then tune in Monday at 10/9c on Syfy for “What Matters Most”. And also below find some of the best lines from last week’s episode, “Runaway”!
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In next Monday’s Defiance, the plague that has been affecting the game comes to the show, carried by Irathients, but affecting only humans. Fear and paranoia cause the Irathients to be sent into quarantine in the mines. Watch the first four minutes of “If I Ever Leave This World Alive”, then tune in Monday at 9/8c on Syfy!

And don’t forget to catch the bonus interview with Mia Kirschner below!
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It looks like a new Terminator movie will finally get made, with the man who was central to the franchise set to return.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been attached to the project for a while, and Megan Ellison (daughter of Oracle founder and CEO Larry Ellison) recently purchased the right to the franchise. Now Megan and brother David have agreed to each put up one third of the costs of a new movie, with Paramount picking up the final third.

However, the film still doesn’t have a director yet, with Fast and Furious 6‘s Justin Lin passing on a script being developed by Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island) and Patrick Lussier (Dracula 2000), but plans are to start filming in January.

In the next episode of Primeval: New World, the team faces a creature that seems to have First Nations origins, while Dylan Weir is offered a place on the team. Watch “Sisiuti” Saturday at 10 on Syfy!
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We know there was at least some measure of completed footage for episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars left in limbo after the announced cancellation in March – including the first signs of the infamous “Order 66” being programmed into the clones.

But just how much almost-finished material was there? According to composer Kevin Kiner, who has done all the music for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, they may in fact have 10 episodes near completion. In an interview with the Full of Sith Podcast, Kiner said, “We have about 10 shows that we’re still working on that are going to be part of the special material. And even hopefully there’s going to be a soundtrack record as a part of this special material, we’ll see…they’re in negotiations about that so we’re not positive that’s going to happen.”

In addition, during the recent Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, during one of her “Behind The Force” shows, Ashley Eckstein also mentioned new episodes. So it seems we may not have seen the last – but we’re still not sure how and when we might see the rest.

In Saturday’s episode of Sinbad, captured by blood-thirsty water thieves, Sinbad must outsmart their cruel queen, Razia. Watch the preview below plus a bonus interview and tune in at 9/8c on Syfy Saturday!
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