Sci-Fi Storm

Andy Serkis is really getting around – although you may still not see his face. Andy told Sci-Fi Now that his motion-capture company Imaginarium is involved in all the upcoming Star Wars projects, and he himself will have a role in Episode VII – but he isn’t say who – or what.

And now, in an interview with Variety, he said, “The Imaginarium is the performance capture consultant, and I’m playing a role (in both films [In reference to Star Wars as well]). On ‘The Avengers,’ I’ve been working closely with Mark Ruffalo.”

He’s working with Ruffalo to help further develop his mo-cap performance as The Hulk. “Performance capture was used on the previous ‘Hulk,’ but not to the same extent Mark is using it now,” he said. “There are tools and ways of working with an actor that makes them feel that they own the character. And a character the size of the Hulk needs ownership, which Mark has now.”

The 8th series of Doctor Who returns with new Doctor Peter Capaldi starting on August 23rd, on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US! Airtimes to be announced later.
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Check out the launch trailer for The Almighty Johnsons, the New Zealand-produced series Syfy acquired last year.

The Johnson brothers are four typical guys – with the power of Norse Gods. But with great power, comes great action-packed comedy drama…The Almighty Johnsons premieres Friday, July 11 at 10/9c on Syfy.
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On the next episode of Defiance, Nolan and Irisa get a warm Defiance welcome from the occupying E-Rep. Alak rights wrongs he didn’t commit. No one is safe in Season 2 of Defiance! Check out “In My Secret Life”, and tune in Thursday at 8/7c!
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In the next Dominion, a flashback ambush with the Chosen One paints angels in a terrifying new light! Check out this sneak peek of “Godspeed”, and tune in Thursday at 9/8c on Syfy!
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Do you remember the story of Katie, the girl who was bullied for liking Star Wars when the entire universe rose up in support? Well, she’s passing the torch, so to speak, to another girl facing a similar challenge.

Allison, a girl who loves Spider-Man in addition to Star Wars, faced relentless bullying after her older sister moved up to the middle school. The school was of little help.

Enter the 501st Legion.

The 501st Legion helped out Katie by getting together and building her a full in-spec set of Stormtrooper armor in 2012. Brian Troyan, a member of the 501st, contacted Katie’s mother Carrie Goldman, to see if Katie might be willing to pass it on. Carrie posted:

I sat on the edge of Katie’s bed Thursday night and told her about Allison. She asked me questions. “Do the other kids hit her? Does she have any friends? Did she tell her parents? Why didn’t the teachers make the other kids stop?” And then, after I answered to the best of my ability, she simply said, “That is terrible.”

“So,” I said, “Would you be willing to give Allison your Stormtrooper armor?”

“Yes! Of course,” she answered immediately. “That’s a great idea!” I emailed Brian Troyan to let him know Operation Armor Transfer was a go.

And so the armor was passed. Not only that, but Katie, her sister and their friends wrote to Allison in support and friendship. And with the help of Brian and the others in the 501st, Allison took part in an Autism Speaks event with other members.

I’m telling you, Stormtroopers may not be able to hit the side of a bantha, but when they band together, they are unstoppable.

Major props to Katie, Allison and the 501st Legion! I’m a father two two sci-fi loving girls, I’ve been fearful but fortunate that they do not face bullying for the things they like…quite the opposite – their friends ask us about when the next Doctor Who is on!

Not bad for a show that was technically canceled over a year ago…Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which had 13 more episodes released on Netflix after completing the already-in-progress work when the announcement was made, won two Daytime Emmy awards! Christopher Voy won an Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation award for his color work, and the show itself won Outstanding Special Class Animated Program! Congrats to our friends involved in the show, Dave Filoni, George Lucas and all the rest!

We didn’t know a lot about the upcoming Netflix series Sense8, from Andy and Lana Wachowski with J. Michael Straczynski, but now we know who will be in it, and a bit more on what it is about.

According to Deadline, the international cast includes U.S. actors Daryl Hannah (Splash, Kill Bill Vols. I and II), Brian J. Smith (Stargate Universe) and Terrence Mann (The Dresden Files); British actors Naveen Andrews (Lost, Sinbad, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who, Torchwood), Tuppence Middleton (Sinbad, Trance), and Aml Ameen (Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Harry’s Law); Mexican actors Alfonso Herrera and Erendira Ibarra; Indian actress Tena Desae (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel); South Korean actress Doona Bae (Cloud Atlas); and German actor Max Riemelt (The Wave), along with Jamie Clayton and Miguel Silvestri.

“The series follows eight characters around the world who, in the aftermath of a tragic death, find themselves linked to each other mentally and emotionally,” co-showrunner J. Michael Straczynski told Deadline. “They can not only see and talk to each other as though they were in the same place, they have access to each other’s deepest secrets. Not only must they figure out what happened and why and what it means for the future of humanity, they must do so netflix-logowhile being hunted by an organization out to capture, kill or vivisect them.”

Apparently J.J. Abrams will be satisfied with just getting Star Wars off the ground – he’ll be handing over the lightsaber to another when Episode VII is complete.

According to Deadline, Lucasfilm is negotiating with Looper writer-director Rian Johnson to take over the core “epic” stories, writing the scripts for Episodes VIII and IX, but also reportedly taking the director’s chair for both as well.

Talk about the job of a lifetime for the relative newcomer!

Update: The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Johnson will write and direct Episode VIII, but is currently set to only write a treatment for IX.