Sci-Fi Storm

BBC Radio 4 has pulled together most of the original cast of the radio version of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and is producing more – with the late author Douglas Adams in a role. 25 years after the original production all of the other books will be done. Douglas Adams plays Agrajag, who he always intended on playing, and had recorded the role in some prepatory sessions. The first part will air Sept. 21st, 2004, with the second in Spring 2005. No word how us Yanks will be able to enjoy it with out towels.

In a UseNet post, JMS has given us a glimpse of his workaholic world as it stands today. The new B5 project, TMoS (which JMS let slip in a previous posting stands for The Memory of Shadows) is still moving (although affected by Richard Biggs’ passing), and possibly a new set of B5 novels. There is a medieval play he has been working on for years, and may finally finish, and he’s been offered the exec producer position on an unspecified network series, but said that “…when I heard what this project was, I had to get on board.”

Updated 6/21: In another post, JMS mentions that he was asked to helm the fourth season of Enterprise – this is NOT the same show he mentioned above, as he turned the Trek gig down. However, he DID pitch a treatment for a new Trek series to Paramount with Bryce Zabel (creator of Dark Skies) which would “…restore the series in a big way.”

Zach Turner writes “Award-winning director Jim Jenkins has created four new spots for The Discovery Channel’s new “Know More Than You Should” campaign. Inventive and downright hilarious, The Discovery Channel is hosting a poll for viewers to pick their favorite commercial. (The current winner is “Milk Truck, ” featuring a girl gifed with ESP who predicts a flurry of cats are about to invade downtown Manhattan.) Please check them out at http://media.dsc.discovery.com/knowmore/ and show your support of The Discovery Channel’s exciting and inspired marketing endeavor.”

Just a few updates in the Sci Fi TV Store: New sections for The Dead Zone and Earth: Final Conflict; Babylon 5 fans can look forward to the TV Movie Set; Doctor Who, which is slow at releases, gives us Pyramids of Mars and Earthshock; Farscape: Season 4 Collection 5; and Andromeda: Season 3 Volume 5 is released tomorrow.

Harlan Ellison and America Online have agreed to settle Ellison’s long-standing suit against the internet company, which was filed in 2000. The suit stemmed from iilegal copies of Ellison’s work being distributed via the UseNet newsgroup alt.binaries.e-book, which was carried by AOL’s news servers, among thousands of others. AOL had removed the newsgroup when the suit was filed, but the suit went on anyways. 2 years ago AOL won a summary judgement, but that was partially overturned later. No details of the settlement were given.

Nick Pollotta writes “”That Darn Squid God” by Nick Pollotta and James Clay.
“Set in Victorian England in the year 1881, That Darn Squid God is an hilarious parody of the otherworldly mythos of H. P. Lovecraft, strewn with delightful trappings of mystery and magic. Two British explorers must race against time before a prehistoric squid god rises again to destroy the world, which would after all be a ghastly inconvenience. Tongue-and-cheek humor and a fresh and fast-paced narrative style set apart That Darn Squid God as a fantastically funny end-of-the-world ride.” – Midwest Book Review, June 2004″

John Hudgens, who has produced the music videos for conventions that JMS shows, has put together an excellent video tribute to the late Richard Biggs.

Ricky Claydon writes “Check out the latest issue of dreamwatch magazine: ALIEN VS PREDATOR director Paul W.S. Anderson offers dreamwatch an exclusive preview of the action-packed sci-fi crossover movie!

All this and much, much more in dreamwatch Issue #118!
ON SALE 27 MAY (UK) 15 JUNE (US)” I’d like some feedback on these – are these useful to people? I’m leery about just becoming a free advertisement service…

Ricky Claydon writes “ANGEL: JEFFREY BELL, DAVID FURY, DAVID BOREANAZ & SERIES FINALE SET VISIT!
Star David Boreanaz chats to Dreamwatch about the end of the heroic vampire?s crusade against evil, while executive producers Jeffrey Bell and David Fury reveal the truth behind the show?s controversial finale. Plus, dreamwatch visits the Angel set during the making of the show?s last-ever episode, Not Fade Away!

All this and much, much more in dreamwatch Issue #118!
ON SALE 27 MAY (UK) 15 JUNE (US)”

Two more actors for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire have been announced – Brendan Gleeson (Troy, The Village) will play Mad-Eye Moody, and Frances de la Tour (’70s British sitcom Rising Damp) will play Madame Maxine, the headmistress of the rival Beauxbatons school. Update: Bad cut-and-paste – corrected above – Brendan Gleeson is the actor – David Heyman is the producer.