Sci-Fi Storm

The CW has been cleaning up it’s schedule today for the next season to make room for the pilot pickups, and some genre shows have felt the axe. The Tomorrow People and Star-Crossed were not renewed, with the former not finding a foothold with the CW’s primary demographics, and the latter’s mid-season start possibly falling victim to the weak lead-in.

On the other side, The 100, which looks to be a surprise hit, gained renewal along with the rebooted Beauty and the Beast, but the number of episodes has not been decided – some believe they may get less than the full 22 episodes. The 100 will also say goodbye to two of the co-runners of the show, Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, who were there to help shepherd executive producer and creator Jason Rothenberg for it’s freshman run, but he will go solo going forward.

On Friday’s Continuum, struggling and infected, Kiera is in a grave state hoping for an antidote! Check out this sneak peek at “Wasted Minutes”, and tune in at 10/9c on Syfy!
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Here is the first full official trailer for the upcoming Star Wars Rebels – stylistically the same as The Clone Wars but fast forwarded a few years to a more familiar time to those who love the original trilogy.

A debut date for the series has not yet been announced, but a prequel book, [asin=0553392867]Star Wars: A New Dawn[/asin], debuts September 2nd, 2014, and sets the stage for the time between Episodes III and VI.

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With the expansion of Digital Media distribution as a source for first-run series led by Netflix, Microsoft envisioned their new XBox One not only as a gaming platform, but a content platform as well – and a series based on their extremely successful Halo franchise led by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment seemed like it would be the flagship to lead their banner into the battle…but now it seems that there has been a shift.

Variety is reporting that Xbox Studios, who has been working with Amblin for over a year on the series and is closing in on signing on someone to run the show, is close to a deal with premium cable network Showtime to air the show first, with each episode to debut on XBox shortly after. Some form of interactive component would be added to the XBox version, but there are no details on it…probably not something to the level of Defiance, necessarily.

The show itself has not yet been picked up for production, nor has it been determined if it will be straight-to-series or at least have a traditional pilot first.

On Monday’s new Metal Hurlant Chronicles on Syfy, first a King realizes he is responsible for the troubles his subjects and daughter face. Then watch out…this isn’t Wall-E…

Check out these previews for “Loyal Khondor” and “Second Son”, and tune in Monday at 10/9c
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On the next Warehouse 13, Pete and Artie are sucked into the world of Telenovela…check out “Savage Seduction”, the episode that the cast couldn’t stop talking about…and then also check out the best lines from last week, and tune in Monday at 9/8c on Syfy!
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Congrats to our friends at Lucasfilm and Star Wars: The Clone Wars! After it’s fifth and sort-of-final season (more episodes were completed and are available on Netflix), it received for nominations for the Daytime Emmy awards, which will be awarded on June 22nd.

The nominations are for: Outstanding Special Class Animated Program, Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing – Animation, Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Animation, and Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation. The latter is a juried award that has already been announced, with Christopher Voy winning for Color work on Clone Wars.

Syfy today announced their latest development slate for scripted programming. They give us more insight than most networks, but at the same time keep in mind that these are not greenlit productions – few if any in development will make it to air.

Clone – Based on the [asin=1607066831]best-selling graphic novel[/asin]. When retired soldier Luke Taylor investigates a break-in at his house, he never expected who the burglar would be: A clone of himself. Drawn into a vast government conspiracy when his wife is kidnapped, Luke must use all his combat skills and network of military contacts to get to the bottom of the secret biotech program that is responsible and the hidden agenda that goes all the way to the top levels of power. Writer/Executive Producer: David Schulner (Dracula, Ironside). Executive Producers: Robert Kirkman of Skybound Entertainment (Creator, EP, Writer of The Walking Dead) and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion (The Walking Dead). Studio: Universal Television.

Letter 44 – Based on the [asin=1620101335]graphic novels[/asin] of the same name. It is tradition for the preceding President to leave a letter for the newly elected President on the desk of the Oval Office. In this letter, new President Stephen Blades learns this stunning secret: seven years earlier, NASA discovered an alien construction project in the asteroid belt. A crew of heroic astronauts was sent to investigate and they’re nearing the conclusion of their epic journey.

Executive Producer/Writer/Director: Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3). Executive Producers: Eric Gitter (Scott Pilgrim vs the World) and Peter Schwerin (The Flock, Scary Movie 2) from Closed on Mondays. Executive Producer: Renee Echevarria (4400, Terra Nova). Studio: A co-production of Universal Television and Universal Cable Productions.

Magicians – Based on the book series, [asin=0452296293]The Magicians[/asin], by Lev Grossman, the one-hour drama follows a group of 20-somethings in New York who study magic and discover that the magical fantasy world they read about as children is real and poses a grave danger to Earth.

Executive Producers/Writers: Sera Gamble (Supernatural) and John McNamara (Common Law, In Plain Sight). Executive Producer: Michael London (Lola Versus, Milk). Studio: Universal Cable Productions.

[Busy day for Syfy announcements :)]

Syfy today announced that it will develop as longform programming Pax Romana, Jonathan Hickman’s graphic novel about a time traveling clash of ages and arms, and Ronin, based on Frank Miller’s (300) comic book series, about an avenging samurai.

[asin=1582408734]Pax Romana[/asin] is about a Special Forces team that travels back in time on the eve of World War III to “fix” the future by altering the past. Their destination: Ancient Rome. Roman legions battle modern day attack helicopters, tanks and soldiers, while thought-provoking themes are explored as the leaders of the expedition fight over their vision for civilization. Writers: Matthew Federman & Stephen Scaia (Jericho, Warehouse 13, Human Target). Co-executive producer: Jonathan Hickman. Executive producers: David Alpert of Circle of Confusion (The Walking Dead), Federman and Scaia. A production of Universal Cable Productions.

In Ronin, published by DC Entertainment, eight centuries after a Japanese Ronin samurai failed to protect his master from a demon, he awakens in a futuristic, nihilistic New York in the body of Billy, a medical experiment. Now Billy/Ronin is chasing the demon, which has reawakened. Both parties want control of a sword with magical properties and will stop at nothing to get it back. Studio: Warner Horizon.

Continuing a major expansion of its scripted primetime programming schedule, Syfy today announced a new 10-episode space adventure drama series, Killjoys, which will premiere in 2015.

From the producers of Orphan Black (Temple Street Productions) and the creator of Lost Girl (Michelle Lovretta), Killjoys follows a fun-loving, hard living trio of interplanetary bounty hunters sworn to remain impartial as they chase deadly warrants throughout the Quad, a distant system on the brink of a bloody, multiplanetary class war.

Killjoys will join Syfy’s existing hits Defiance, Helix and Haven, and the upcoming series Dominion, Ascension, The Expanse and 12 Monkeys.

Said Dave Howe, President, Syfy: “With its explosive action, smartly-drawn characters, and fun and provocative story-lines, Killjoys has all the ingredients to make it the perfect complement to our expanding slate of quality science fiction drama series.”

Said Killjoys executive producers: David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg: “We are delighted to have Killjoys on Syfy in the U.S. It is our first project with them and the perfect home for this compelling, futuristic series packed with suspense and provocative storylines.”

Creator/executive producer/showrunner: Michelle Lovretta (Lost Girl, The Secret Circle). Killjoys is produced by Temple Street Productions (Orphan Black, Being Erica) in association with Syfy and Bell Media/Space. Executive producers: David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg/Temple Street Productions. International distribution via Universal Cable Productions.

Bell Media/Space originally ordered the series and will air Killjoys in Canada.