Sci-Fi Storm

A few casting additions were made today. First up, Syfy and Universal Cable Productions have cast Stella Maeve (Chicago PD), Hale Appleman (Teeth) and Arjun Gupta (Nurse Jackie) in key roles for the upcoming pilot The Magicians, an adaptation of Lev Grossman’s beloved #1 New York Times best-selling book series, which begins production in New Orleans this December. Acclaimed independent film producer Mike Cahill (I Origins, Another Earth) is signed on to direct.

Stella Maeve will play the beautiful and confident Julia, a wealthy and brilliant Ivy-Leaguer who seems destined for success. But Julia’s future plans are forever altered after she is denied admittance to the mysterious Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. Unaccustomed to failure, Julia finds life meaningless now that the possibilities of a previously unseen magical world have been denied to her. But she may get another chance to pursue a career in magic when she’s recruited by a secret society. Maeve can currently be seen in a recurring role on the NBC series Chicago PD. She most recently starred in the independent features Dark Summer opposite Keir Gilchrist, All Together Now, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival, and Independent Spirit Award-winner Starlet. Previously, Maeve co-starred with Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart in The Runaways. Maeve is repped by Paradigm Agency and Principato-Young Entertainment.

Hale Appleman will portray Eliot, a student at the Brakebills who is an odd combination of a preppy with intrinsic coolness. Effortlessly hip, with his air of self-possession, Eliot is accustomed to commanding any clique, and he’s a natural leader of his fellow magical students. He will prove a sometimes frustrating ally in Quentin’s fortunes — and may soon factor into a series of perilous adventures. Appleman played Tobey Cobb in the 2007 film Teeth. He made his film debut in Chad Lowe’s feature Beautiful Ohio, and portrayed cartoonist Judd Winick in Pedro, Nick Oceano’s 2008 film dramatizing the life of AIDS educator Pedro Zamora. He also recurred on NBC’s Smash. His theater credits include Alex Timbers’ The Last Goodbye, which was at the Old Globe in San Diego, and Streamers on Broadway. He is represented by Innovative Artists and D2 Management.

Arjun Gupta will portray Penny, a young man with an edgy look and attitude. He’s deliberately intimidating to Quentin, his new roommate and fellow magic student at Brakebills. A reluctant telepath, he is bedeviled by voices that hint at pathways to other worlds. Gupta played Sam in the first three seasons of Nurse Jackie opposite Edie Falco, and currently recurs on ABC’s How to Get Away With Murder. Gupta is repped by Gersh and Untitled Entertainment.

Also announced is that Bridget Regan, who we loved in Legend of the Seeker and has also appeared in Beauty and the Beast, White Collar and most recently in Jane the Virgin, is joining Marvel’s Agent Carter in a recurring role as Dottie, a small town Iowan girl who will have a big impact on Agent Carter.

Opens December 17th…

When Audrey and other residents are overcome by a mysterious illness, the truth about the Troubles could be exposed to the outside world. Check out the preview below, and tune in for “Morbidity” Friday at 7/6c on Syfy!

As a side note, Syfy announced that WWE Smackdown, which has owned Friday nights for a long time, will move to Thursdays starting January 15th. This will free up the 8-10pm slot on Friday, which could allow Haven to move up to a better slot – it was moved to Friday due to the competition from NFL Thursday night games, but because Smackdown wasn’t going to budge from its slot (it is after all regularly beating all other cable programming), and Z Nation was hitting it big at 10pm, it only left 7pm for Haven. So let’s hope it moves up to 9pm with the switch and Syfy gives it a boost with a catch-up marathon or something.
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Yes, you read that title right – the official title of Episode 7 is now Star Wars: The Force Awakens! That announcement came today along with word that principal photography on it has been completed – which means we might see a teaser sometime soon…

Does the title give us a hint at the plot? Some post-Empire Jedi rebuilding by Luke with a new foe?

On Fridays new episode of Z Nation, Mack and Abby struggle to make it out on their own after leaving the other survivors behind. Tune in for “Die Zombie Die…Again” on Syfy at 10/9c!
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ABC has announced some of it’s mid-season programming slots, including when Marvel’s Agent Carter will fill in for the mid-season break of sibling show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Starting Tuesday, January 6th, the Hayley Atwell-led Carter will take over the 9pm timeslot from S.H.I.E.L.D., which will return from hiatus on March 3rd. Similarly, the dramedy musical Galavant from Dan Fogelman (Crazy, Stupid, Love.) with music by composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid) and lyricist Glenn Slater (Tangled), will fill in for <>i>Once Upon A Time starting January 4th at 8pm, with Once returning March 1st.

The latest from District 9 and Elysium director Neill Blomkamp. In theaters March 6th, 2015.
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Just because Minions are awesome! In theaters July 10, 2015.

Syfy announced today that it is working with Scott Free Productions and Warner Horizon Television to adapt the Arthur C. Clarke novel 3001: The Final Odyssey into a miniseries. Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean, Collateral) will write the adaptation and serve as executive producer along with Scott Free’s Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker. Clayton Krueger will serve as co-executive producer.

An epic story of a man lost in time, Arthur C. Clarke’s final “Odyssey” book resolves the tale that was begun in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Beginning with the discovery of Frank Poole’s frozen body, floating in space, 3001: The Final Odyssey offers an extraordinary range of complex characters with conflicting agendas, stunning visuals, and dark thematic meditations on the final fate of all Humankind.

Arthur C. Clarke’s “Odyssey” series spanned over 30 years, with the initial publication of “2001” in 1968, and the final “3001” 1997. The original film, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is an Academy Award winning classic, and “2010” was the only other of the novels to be filmed. The estates of both Kubrick and Clarke have offered their full support for “3001: The Final Odyssey.”

“I have always been a fan of Clarke’s extraordinary ‘Odyssey’ series, and certainly Kubrick’s adaptation of 2001. I am thrilled to be part of bringing that legacy to audiences and continuing the great cinematic tradition that this story and its creators deserve,” said Ridley Scott.

“Arthur C. Clarke is the father of modern science fiction,” said Syfy President Dave Howe. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working with Scott Free and Warner Horizon Television to bring to the screen, for the very first time, the final chapter of this extraordinary masterpiece.”

The announcement comes on the heels of Syfy announcing the greenlight of another Arthur C. Clarke novel, Childhood’s End, which begins production later this year.