Sci-Fi Storm

Simon Pegg isn’t just a comedian and an actor with a penchant for playing zombie chased and starship engineer Scotsmen…he’s also written a number of screenplays. Now he may be co-writing the biggest one of his career – he is teaming up with Doug Jung, the creator of series Dark Blue, to write the script for Star Trek 3 for director Justin Lin, who himself took over from Roberto Orci.

Not much else is know as they are reportedly just getting started. But perhaps we’ll see even more Scotty this time?

I did resist saying that he was “pegged” to co-write the script… 🙂

Syfy today announced the appointment of Andie Beckerman to the position of Vice President, Alternative Development and Production.

Beckerman, who developed and oversaw current programming on a wide range of successful unscripted series such as Talking Dead, Comic Book Men and Game of Arms, will be based in the channel’s Los Angeles office.

She will report to Heather Olander, Senior Vice President, Alternative Development and Production, Syfy.

Among her responsibilities, Beckerman will develop and oversee unscripted alternative programming to build upon existing Syfy unscripted hits like Face Off.

In making the announcement, Olander said: “With Andie’s passion for the genre and her keen creative instincts, she’s a tremendous addition to our programming team and to the future growth of the Syfy brand.”

Beckerman joins Syfy from AMC, where she was most recently Director of Development, Unscripted Original Programming. She began her television career at the channel in 2004.

Beckerman graduated from the University of New Orleans with a M.F.A in film production and a B.S. in journalism from Ohio University.

Syfy’s critically acclaimed 12 Monkeys shattered channel records for a series premiere, soaring 85 percent among Adults 18-49, the highest lift ever based on L+3 data.

12 Monkeys delivered 1.0 million Adults 18-49, 1.1 million Adults 25-54 (+73 percent) and 2.3 million total viewers (+73 percent) from its Live+SD deliveries on Friday, January 16.

12 Monkeys also scored the highest Men 18-34 delivery for a Syfy series premiere since Helix in January 2014.

The series, which airs Fridays at 9PM (ET/PT), ranked as a top 10 cable telecast in prime among Adults 18-49, Adults 25-54 and total viewers.

Inspired by the classic blockbuster film, which commemorates its 20th anniversary next year, 12 Monkeys explores the provocative story of a time traveler from a decimated future in a high-stakes race against the clock. Utilizing a dangerous and untested method of time travel, he journeys from 2043 to the present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will all but annihilate the human race. The series is produced by Universal Cable Productions in association with Atlas Entertainment, producer of the original theatrical film.

12 Monkeys stars Aaron Stanford (as time-traveler Cole), Amanda Schull (Dr. Cassandra Railly), Kirk Acevedo (Ramse), Barbara Sukowa (Jones) and Noah Bean (Aaron Marker). Additional key recurring roles include Tom Noonan (Damages, Hell on Wheels) as a mysterious villain and Emily Hampshire (Rookie Blue) as mental patient Jennifer Goines.

X-Philes rejoice! Fox is reported to be considering bringing back the supernatural drama created by Chris Carter and starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson that ran on the network for 9 seasons between 1993-2002. Fox TV Co-Chairman Gary Newman confirmed that they were in talks and were hopeful.

Although what format the return would take (the word “reboot” was used, but that means too many things these days), the talks also related to the recent 24 limited series. In addition, Co-Chairman Dana Walden said they were working on logistics involving Duchovny, Anderson and Carter and windows of availability, so it certainly would seem to involve the return of the primary characters if they can pull off a schedule that works; Anderson is currently involved with Hannibal, which makes working on a full series difficult, and thus a more limited series seems likely.

One last preview ahead of tonight’s premiere of 12 Monkeys! Tune in at 9/8c on Syfy!
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Syfy announced today that Jim Uhls (Fight Club, Semper Fi, Jumper) has signed on to adapt Robert Charles Wilson’s Hugo Award novel, [asin=076534825X]Spin[/asin], into a six hour miniseries. The widely acclaimed novel centers on a young scientist trying to save humanity from the impending apocalypse of a mysterious, impenetrable cloud that has enveloped the entire Earth, blacking out the stars.

Spin, originally published in 2005, is the first of a trilogy in the best-selling series that also includes [asin=0765348268]Axis[/asin] and [asin=0765363208]Vortex[/asin].

Universal Cable Productions will produce the project, along with Rob Morrow’s Bits and Pieces Picture Company and Olympus Picture’s Leslie Urdang. Jim is represented by Paradigm, Anonymous Content and Bloom, Hergot, Diemer.

Bits and Pieces Picture Company produces and develops film/tv/digital content. Currently they are working with The Weinstein Company on a new half hour cable series.

Leslie Urdang and Olympus Pictures are best known for feature work including the Nicole Kidman starrer and Oscar nominated Rabbit Hole, the Oscar winning Beginners, Thanks for Sharing with with Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad and Adam with Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne. OP’s most recent projects are Stockholm, PA, to premiere at Sundance in 2015 starring Saoirse Ronan and the soon to be released Family Fang starring Jason Bateman and Nicole Kidman and directed by Bateman. OP has recently started working in television. In addition to Spin, it has set up a scripted drama called Broad Street at Bravo and an adaptation of the book Peony, described as a Downton Abby set in China, to be written and directed by Michael Hoffman.

Can’t wait for 12 Monkeys? Here are three preview clips! 12 Monkeys premieres at 9/8c tomorrow night on Syfy!
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Here is the trailer for the Syfy series The Expanse…oh my…

Check here for more information on the show…a premiere date has not yet been set.

Here’s another sneak peek at Season 2 of Helix, which returns this Friday at 10/9c on Syfy! Especially check out the last 10 seconds to see who comes back…
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Eureka‘s Salli Richardson-Whitfield and Warehouse 13‘s Allison Scagliotti have joined the production of Stitchers, an hour-long crime procedural drama with a bit of science fiction thrown in. The two were among three roles recast from the show’s pilot, with Ritesh Rajan (The Last Airbender, Campus Life) also joining existing cast members Emma Ishta (Manhattan Love Story) and Kyle Harris (The Carrie Diaries).

Stitchers follows Kirsten (Ishta), a young woman who is recruited into a secret government agency to be “stitched” into the minds of the recently deceased, using their memories to investigate murders and help solve mysteries before they go to the grave.

Working alongside Kirsten is Cameron (Harris), neuroscientist; Linus (Rajan), bioelectrical engineer and communications technician; Maggie (Richardson-Whitfield), who heads the program; and Kirsten’s roommate, Camille (Scagliotti), a computer science grad student recruited into the agency for her hacking skills.

Production began today in Los Angeles.

Stitchers was created by Jeffrey A. Schechter (Beethoven’s 3rd), who write the pilot and will executive produce with Jonathan Baruch and Rob Wolken. Todd Holland (The Larry Sanders Show, Malcolm in the Middle) will direct the premiere.