Sci-Fi Storm

David Twohy, who wrote and directed The Chronicles of Riddick which opens this week, is also writing a spinoff TV movie for the SCI FI Channel focusing on the character of Kyra, who also appeared in the first film, Pitch Black – the girl who masqueraded as a boy. This movie would fill in the 5 years between the theatrical films. The Kyra spinoff would also serve as a pilot for a potential series.

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…

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.

According to IGN FilmForce, both Mutant X and Andromeda are being cancelled as the production company, Fireworks, is to be closed down by parent CanWest. This is very bizarre, considering the SCI FI Channel announced in January that the show was being picked up for a new season, moving to its Sci Friday lineup from syndication. Although it is possible production could go to another house, its not likely. We’ll see what SFC says later…

Karen Cliche, the actress who plays Lexa Pierce on the syndicated show Mutant X, has posted on the message board on her official website that the show has been cancelled.

SCI FI has officially announced its upcoming programming, which includes Farscape: Peacekeeper War and Earthsea, mentioned previously, as well as Dresden Files, a two-hour back-door pilot based on the Jim Butcher novels; History of the Devil, a six-hour mini with the Devil trying to get back into heaven via the courts; Witchhunter Robin, a live action version of the Japanese anime series; Amazing Screw-On Head, a half-hour comedy based on the comic book; and Monster Smash, a monster-vs-monster “reality” show from Stan Winston. Cinescape is also reporting a four-hour mini based on Larry Niven’s Ringworld, but this seems to be missing from the official announcement, and I haven’t heard from Larry yet…

Anonymous writes: I found this tidbit at the Save Farscape site.

Farscape will be returning as a 4-hour mini-series. The mini-series is in production now, back in Sydney, Australia. Claudia Black, Ben Browder, Gigi Edgley, Anthony Simcoe, and Raelee Hill are all reported to be signed up. The mini-series was written by series creator Rockne S. O’Bannon and executive producer David Kemper, and is being directed by Brian Henson. Filming began December 15th, 2003 and is expected to run until mid-March 2004. Update 4/5: SCI FI has confirmed the miniseries, and it is to be called Farscape: Peacekeeper War

In contrast to previous statements, Richard Hatch (Apollo on the original) has confirmed he is in final negotiations to appear on a guest spot of the new Battlestar Galactica (also confirmed by Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore). The character will be a prisonor on a prison ship in a kind of Nelson Mandela role, and may be a recurring character. Hatch had previously stated that he was not interested in cameos have having mounted his own 5 year revival campaign.

BaronMoritani writes “Sunday April 11
Landsraad Chat Event
Watch Dune and Children of Dune Marathon on Scifi …

…and Chat On The Landsraad Dune Website as You View.

More details here:

http://groups.msn.com/TheLandsraad/_whatsnew.msnw

Membership is needed and you never know who may show up, as we’ve had several members of the F/X crew who were kind enough to visit past chat events.

We’ll see …

BaronMoritani
Landsraad Manager”