Sci-Fi Storm

Note that this does not come through any official channel, but from JMS himself via a post on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated: Richard Biggs, who played Dr. Stephen Franklin on Babylon 5, apparently passed away this morning. More details when known. Update 5/25: three days later, but it is front page on CNN.com. No real additional info – all we know is it was sudden, shortly after he got up and said hello to his wife – and I believe his sons are real young. I believe JMS will work a fundraiser – I’ll let everyone know when I know more.

“…leaping from life to life…” I can’t believe I didn’t know about this, but the first (short) season of Quantum Leap arrives on DVD on June 8th. I’ve opened a Quantum Leap section in the Sci-Fi TV Store, and you can go to the official website complete with trailer.

British tablod The Sun cited a “Hollywood source” on the title of the last of the Star Wars movies, along with a note about the climactic battle between Anakin and Obi-Wan – on racks in a lava pool controlled “like surfboards.?

The former home of Buffy and Angel has announced its shows for the new season – and it doesn’t include Lost in Space or Dark Shadows, both shows the WB had ordered pilots for. Smallville and Charmed remain, plus a midseason replacement called Global Frequency, based on graphic novel, a remake of Stephen King’s It, and the broadcast premiere of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

According to the official Star Trek website, James Doohan will bid farewell to fans with what is supposed to be his last convention appearance, being billed as “Beam Me Up Scotty … One Last Time”, and will be held August 28-30th at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. James Doohan is the only convention guest I ever met that greeted the fans outside the convention in line while waiting for it to open…

According to TrekToday, Star Trek: Enterprise has been renewed for a fourth season. The official announcement is expected Thursday. Update 5/19: SCI FI Wire says that Variety is reporting on the renewal, adding that it is likely to move to Fridays. Hope they are smart enough not to place it directly against the Stargate shows, but UPN isn’t known for being smart…

The official website for The Hitchhiker’s Guide ot the Galaxy movie has gone live, with a few different flash animations and even a blog (albeit with only one entry so far).

UPN announces its Fall lineup next week – and lots of eyes and ears are tuned in to find out if Trek may live – but SCI FI Wire paints a bleak picture, and points out that if Enterprise ends, it will be the first time in 17 years that a first-run Trek was not in production. And even if it goes on, exec producer Rick Berman says, “I think, eventually, Star Trek will be taking a breather.”

Executive producer Joseph Malozzi tols SCI FI Wire that changes are coming to Stargate SG-1, including a major character leaving (long rumored to be Gen. Hammond, played by Don S. Davis, who is not contracted to appear), and a big change for Col. O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson, who has been reducing his schedule). Plus an old villain will return (Apophis again?) and villain vs. villain (not sure, other than Gou’uld infighting which isn’t new). Season 8 starts July 9th, with Stargate: Atlantis spinning off on July 16th.

SCI FI Wire is full of news on movies being made or considered: James Cameron will begin shooting a new unnamed SF movie, using his 3-D highdef camera process. He’s also working on an update to the classic Fantastic Voyage; Production on Serenity begins in three weeks; Polar Express will be released in IMAX on the same date as traditional theaters (Nov. 19th); Arnold Vosloo thinks there will be a Mummy 3; and X-Men 3 will begin shooting in 2005.