Sci-Fi Storm

At least one program from Syfy’s Spring development slate has made it to pilot…Syfy announced today that it has ordered a pilot for The Magicians, an adaptation of Lev Grossman’s best-selling fantasy book series which has been published in 22 countries.

From Universal Cable Productions, the pilot script was written by John McNamara (Prime Suspect) and Sera Gamble (Supernatural). Michael London (Milk) and Janice Williams (All Good Girls) are set to produce.

The one-hour drama follows 20-somethings who, while studying magic in New York, discover that the magical fantasy world they read about as children is all too real and poses a grave danger to humanity.

In making the announcement, Dave Howe, President, Syfy, said: “Lev Grossman’s dazzling blend of magic and realism will capture the imagination of a new generation of viewers and further strengthen Syfy’s ownership of premium quality sci-fi fantasy drama.”

It’s Emmy season, and the 2014 Emmy nominations are out – and we’re getting at least a little love in genre-related programming.

Among the major nominations (see the complete list here):

Game of Thrones picked up a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, along with Peter Dinklage getting a Supporting Actor nod for his role as Tyrion Lannister and Lena Headey getting a Supporting Actress nod for playing his sister Cersei Lannister. Headey will square off against former Robin Hood actress Joanne Froggatt and Professor McGonagall herself Maggie Smith, both nominated from Downton Abbey. Avengers star Diana Rigg also picked up an Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Lady Olenna Tyrell.

Game of Thrones also picked up Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series.

Big Bang Theory again puts up Jim Parsons for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, with Mayim Bialik again nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress, and Bob Newhart will defend his Guest Actor win from last year. The show also was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson will face each other in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Mini-series/Movie for American Horror Story: Coven, while Frances Conroy, Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett all represent in the Supporting actress category. The show also garnered the Outstanding Writing and Outstanding Directing nominations.

Notably absent was any nominations for Orphan Black, where by all accounts star Tatiana Maslany should have warranted a nomination.

Sony Picture Television and Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that David Slade will direct the first two episodes of their first series for the Playstation Network, Powers.

Slade directed Twilight Saga: Eclipse, and most recently directed several episodes of Hannibal, on which he also serves as executive producer.

Based on the graphic novel, Powers is an edgy dramatic series that follows the lives of two homicide detectives, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, who are assigned to investigate cases involving people with superhuman abilities, referred to as Powers. Set amidst today’s paparazzi culture, Powers asks the questions, what if the world was full of superheroes who aren’t actually heroic at all? What if all that power was just one more excuse for mischief, mayhem, murder, and endorsement deals? Enter the men and women of the Powers Division, the brave people in charge of protecting humans like us and keeping the peace with these over-paid, commercialized, god-like men and women who glide through the sky imposing their power over the mortals who both worship and fear them.

The first two episodes are written by executive producer Charlie Huston, adapted from the best-selling graphic novel series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming. Powers is produced by Jinxworld and Circle of Confusion in association with Sony Pictures Television. Brian Michael Bendis, Charlie Huston, Remi Aubuchon, Michael Avon Oeming, Michael Dinner, and David Engel serve as executive producers.

All PlayStation owners will get to watch the debut episode for free, with PlayStation Plus subscribers able to watch the whole series for free.

At its Television Critics Association presentation today, BBC America announced that it has renewed its successful original series Orphan Black, along with acquired Kudos/ITV series Broadchurch which stars former Doctor David Tennant. No other details are available at the moment.

Robbie Amell is landing on his feet back on CW after the cancellation of his series The Tomorrow People, as it was announced today that he will join the Arrow spinoff series The Flash.

Amell, whose brother Stephen stars in the parent series, will reportedly play Ronnie Raymond, a maintenance worker at S.T.A.R. Labs and fiance to Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker, Shark). Raymond is known to DC Comics fans as one half of the superhero known as Firestorm, after he and a another person experience a nuclear accident that allows them to fuse together in to the superhero.

The CW is pulling together its own little section of the DC multiverse…

Syfy’s Ascension, a six-hour event series premiering in November, has commenced production in Montreal, QC. Written and created by executive producer and showrunner Philip Levens (Smallville), Ascension is an ambitious original drama following a covert U.S. space mission launched in the 1960’s that sent hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Half way into their journey, as they approach the point of no return, the mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.

Produced by Lionsgate Television and Sea To Sky Studios in association with Blumhouse Productions, the series stars Brandon P. Bell (Hollywood Heights) as the confident and capable First Officer Oren Gault, Brian Van Holt (Cougar Town, The Bridge) as the eponymous ship’s captain William Denninger and Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) as Viondra Denniger, the Captain’s beautiful, manipulative and dangerous wife (who also serves as the ship’s Chief Steward).

Joining Bell, Van Holt and Helfer are Tiffany Lonsdale (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as Chief Astronomer Emily Vanderhaus, Andrea Roth (Rescue Me) as the ship’s head doctor Juliet Bryce, Jacqueline Byers as her daughter Nora Bryce, PJ Boudousque (Coldwater) as Nora’s love interest, James Toback and Ryan Robbins (Sanctuary, Continuum) as Safety Officer (and Emily’s husband) Duke Vanderhaus.

Ascension is executive produced by Jason Blum (The Normal Heart, Stranded, The River, film franchises Paranormal Activity and The Purge) along with Ivan Fecan, Tim Gamble and Brett Burlock on behalf of Sea To Sky Studios. The event series will be co-financed and distributed by Universal Cable Productions and Lionsgate Television.

Ascension is slated to launch in November 2014 and air through December.

Hmm…that voice seems familiar…and not quite Dalek…
(continue reading…)

Brandon Routh, who donned the Man of Steel’s cape in Bryan Singer’s 2006 film Superman Returns, may be a super again…he’s joined the CW’s Arrow and will play Ray Palmer, a scientist who takes over Queen Consolidated. DC Comics fans will recognize that name as the “Silver Age” Atom, a superhero with the ability to shrink himself down as far as subatomic size while retaining his strength.

Routh is reportedly signed for up to 14 episodes in the upcoming season.

It’s really no surprise that Disney is going to fold in it’s hugely popular Frozen into the crossover fantasy would of the ABC series Once Upon A Time, especially given the tease at the very end of the season finale. It’s now official, as they’ve cast their Elsa, Anna and Kristoff. Australian actress Georgina Haig, who previously appeared on Fringe, will play Elsa. Her younger sister Anna will be played by newcomer Elizabeth Lail, while Anna’s love interest Kristoff will be Scott Michael Foster (Greek, Halt and Catch Fire).

It is uncertain how many episodes the characters or the storyline will appear in, but given the seemingly insatiable appetite of Frozen fans, I’m going to predict “as long as it keeps merchandise sales going…”