Sci-Fi Storm

David Hasselhoff (Baywatch) will trade his red swimming trunks for a chainsaw when he portrays Gilbert Sheperd, the father of Fin (Ian Ziering), in the eagerly anticipated Original Movie Sharknado 3, Syfy and The Asylum announced today.

Hasselhoff joins stars Ziering, Tara Reid (April) and Cassie Scerbo (Nova) in the newest installment of the global pop culture sensation.

Syfy and The Asylum previously announced that Bo Derek will play April’s mother, May, Ryan Newman will play April and Fin’s daughter Claudia Sheperd and Jack Griffo portrays Claudia’s friend, Billy.

Additional cameo roles include Mark Cuban as the President of the United States; Ann Coulter as the Vice President; Jerry Springer as Mr. White, a manic tourist; *NSYNC singer Chris Kirkpatrick as a pool lifeguard, and Chris Jericho, who will portray Bruce the roller coaster ride operator.

Sharknado 3 will premiere on Syfy in July, causing mass destruction in Washington, D.C., before roaring down the Eastern Seaboard and into Florida.

Anthony C. Ferrante will once again direct, based on an original screenplay by Thunder Levin. Sharknado 3 is a production of The Asylum.

When it aired last July 30, Sharknado 2: The Second One became Syfy’s most-watched original movie ever.

It may not have a name yet, but it’s got two seasons already on order…the companion series to The Walking Dead, which AMC ordered a pilot for last September, has already been picked up for two seasons – an initial 6-episode season which would likely lead into the mothership’s sixth season, and a second season of an indeterminate number of episodes to air in 2016.

The companion show will be set in Los Angeles and have all new characters. It stars Cliff Curtis, Kim Dickens, Frank Dillane and Alycia Debnam Carey. Co-creator/co-writer (with Robert Kirkman) Dave Erickson will executive produce and act as showrunner. The Walking Dead production gang of Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert will also executive produce.

Sony isn’t turning the Ghostbusters into an all-female franchise – that’s only happening for the upcoming movie.

As it turns out, Sony wants it’s own “cinematic universe” of linked movies, ala the highly successful “Marvel Cinematic Universe”, the upcoming DC Universe, and even the expanded Star Wars films. And it sees the Ghostbusters being the center of that universe.

Deadline reports that Sony has partnered to form Ghostcorps, which will include original Ghostbusters shepherds Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd, and will be developing branding opportunities that will include a second Ghostbusters movie with a male cast – one that may also include Channing Tatum (Magic Mike), who is tagged to produce with his partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan.

Also in the fold are directing duo brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and are currently working on Captain America: Civil War, and screenwriter Drew Pearce who wrote Iron Man 3 and Mission: Impossible 5 and who came up with the idea.

Syfy has not confirmed publicly or responded to requests on this, but actor Gil Bellows said in a tweet this weekend that Syfy has not picked up Ascension for any sort of continuation of the story. Syfy is likely silent as the show is currently airing in Canada, and wouldn’t want to potentially torpedo the ratings.

We are still trying to get official word on this, but if true it is very disappointing, as it was a very interesting premise with a very fun cast, and we were left with a really big question to be answered…

Sadly, fans of Star Trek remain in mourning…TV and movie producer Harve Bennett, who produced four of the original Star Trek movies and many TV shows including The Six Million Dollar Man, Salvage 1, The Invisible Man and Time Trax, passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

Bennett was brought in help rescue the Star Trek franchise after the first movie downplayed the characters and action for special effects, going as far as binge-watching the entire original series and settling on a particular episode named “Space Seed” to come up with a new story that resulted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which he produced along with the next three movies. Bennett also worked with Leonard Nimoy to develop the story for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Interesting fact: Bennett could be heard in the title narration on each episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, saying “Steve Austin, a man barely alive…” The rest of the dialog was recorded by actor Richard Anderson, who played Oscar, but when they wanted to add a line he wasn’t available, so Bennett said it himself.

A small single-engine two-seater vintage trainer plane being piloted by actor Harrison Ford crashed on a golf course near the Santa Monica airport after he reported engine trouble and was attempting to perform an emergency landing.

Ford reportedly walked away from the crash after being helped by a couple of physicians that were at the scene, and later by paramedics. It appears that he sustained some serious injuries but is apparently OK. His son Ben later tweeted, Dad is ok. Battered, but ok! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man.”

Ford is an experienced aviator, and has crashed before without serious injury.

A special tribute issue to the late Leonard Nimoy, most famous for his role of Mr. Spock on Star Trek, will be released by CBS Watch! Magazine today, on newsstands nationwide and via [asin=B00U6FAMW0]Amazon[/asin].

Through photos and exclusive editorial content, the 100-page memorial issue celebrates every aspect of the man the world came to know and love as Spock, including his roles of director, photographer, poet and author.

Retailing for $9.99, the publication will be available for purchase on newsstands through June 16th. For more information, go to CBSWATCHMAGAZINE.com

Previously released special issues include CBS Watch! NCIS, The Wizard of Oz, George Strait, Star Trek and Survivor, as well as CBS Health Guide: Your Body.

On Fridays Helix, the CDC team, Alan and Sister Amy see the fallout of Michael’s wrath. Watch “Vade in Peace” Friday at 10/9c.
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On this sneak peek for Friday’s new 12 Monkeys, Ramse and Whitley visit Operation Spearhead. And don’t forget to watch the recap of last week’s episode! Tune in for “Yesterday” Friday night at 9/8c on Syfy!
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Industry veteran Katherine Nelson has been named Senior Vice President, Communications for Syfy and Chiller, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, Syfy and Chiller, to whom Nelson will report.

In her new role, Nelson is responsible for overall communications strategy for Syfy and Chiller, including corporate communications, program publicity and talent relations. New originals on Syfy for 2015 which she will oversee include the scripted drama The Expanse starring Thomas Jane, and event miniseries Childhood’s End, starring Charles Dance. Based in New York, Nelson will oversee the networks’ communications teams in both New York and Los Angeles.

Nelson joins Syfy and Chiller from Esquire Network, a sister network within NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, where she had served as Senior Vice President, Communications since January 2013.

In making the announcement, Howe said: “Katherine is an accomplished communications veteran with a truly unique background and deep experience in promoting high quality, smart, provocative entertainment. She has proven herself to be strategic, creative and collaborative during her tenure at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, and I know she will take Syfy and Chiller’s pioneering press efforts to new heights.”

At Esquire Network, Nelson developed and executed the communications strategy for the network’s debut in September 2013. A member of the core executive team, she contributed to the overall strategic direction of the network and oversaw all publicity and talent relations for its ambitious slate of original series and specials.

Nelson joined Esquire Network and NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment in January 2013 from SpaceX, the pioneering space transport company founded by Elon Musk. As Vice President, Marketing and Communications, she served as chief spokesperson for the company, and oversaw all areas of strategic communications and marketing, including corporate and internal communications, digital and social media, advertising, creative, events and commerce.

Prior to SpaceX, Nelson spent more than 20 years in the television industry. As Vice President of Communications for Discovery Communications’ flagship U.S. network, Discovery Channel, she was the leading strategist in communications planning, media outreach and award campaigns for many of the network’s highest-profile series and specials, including “MythBusters,” “Dirty Jobs” and the groundbreaking “Planet Earth.” Additionally, for more than 15 years, she led the network’s publicity campaign for the iconic “Shark Week” franchise. An acclaimed and award-winning digital strategist, Nelson launched award-winning Twitter brands @Discovery and @MythBusters. Also during her tenure at Discovery Communications, she launched multiple brands including TLC, Animal Planet and Science Channel, and managed communications for several additional networks and initiatives within the Discovery portfolio.