Sci-Fi Storm

It’s time for the networks to clean house, and aside from the overnight announcement of SYFY canceling The Expanse, Fox made their announcements, giving the axe to both The Exorcist and Lucifer. And the cast and crew of Lucifer are not happy, taking to social media…

Woke up this morning to the news – SYFY has elected not to pick up The Expanse for a fourth season – but that doesn’t mean it is dead just yet.

We are hearing that the decision may have been due to the deal the network had for the series, only allowing first run linear rights in the U.S., as opposed to complete streaming rights as well. This makes live viewers more important, and Season 3 thus far is running around 1 million total viewers, of which 40% of that is in the 18-49 demographic, and sits it below SYFY’s other show.

However, producers Alcon Entertainment are hopeful the show will go on. “We respect Syfy’s decision to end this partnership but given the commercial and critical success of the show,” said Alcon’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson in a statement. “We fully plan to pursue other opportunities for this terrific and original IP.” While this is traditionally a huge longshot for any show, my gut feeling is that they might have a better chance than most.

This chops yet another space-based show from the lineup. Killjoys I believe is the sole show with Nighflyers coming up.

It’s been a while since we said anything about the Mark Wahlberg starrer Six Billion Dollar Man project, but it was ready to go in front of cameras in a couple months and be released next May, or so we thought. Now it appears that scriptwriter and director Damian Szifron is off the project, apparently due to creative differences over his script and possibly a “language barrier” – Szifron (Wild Takes) is Argentinian, and this appears to be his first major English language project.

12 Monkeys will air its fourth and final season next month on SYFY, and the network will air the 11-episode season over four weeks, with a 3-episode premiere on Friday, June 15th from 8-11pm ET, and the final two episodes on June 6th from 9-11pm. Check out the teaser…

Fiona Dourif is set to join SYFY’s upcoming The Purge, based on the movie franchise of the same name. Dourif will play Good Leader Tavis, described as a “cool and offbeat” charismatic cult leader. Considering her wonderfully bizarre turn as Bart Curlish on Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, I’m looking forward to “offbeat”…

The CW picked up The 100 for a sixth season, just two weeks after season 5 started airing. The show was left behind when the network renewed the bulk of its lineup last month, but it received the renewal yesterday after showing decent ratings on its return.

SYFY and Universal Cable Productions (UCP) today announced Channel Zero’s fourth installment will be titled Channel Zero: The Dream Door. Nick Antosca, who has an overall deal with UCP, will return as executive producer, writer and showrunner for the upcoming installment. It will be directed by Evan Katz (Small Crimes, Cheap Thrills), who will also co-executive produce. The installment will star Brandon Scott (Grey’s Anatomy), Maria Sten (Straight Outta Compton), Steven Robertson (Elementary) and Steven Weber (Wings) and will premiere on SYFY later this year.

Based on the “creepypasta” short story “Hidden Door” by Charlotte Bywater, Channel Zero: The Dream Door follows newlyweds Jillian and Tom, who have each brought secrets into their marriage. When they discover a strange door in their basement, those secrets start to threaten their relationship — and their lives.

Brandon Scott will star as “Tom Hodgson,” Jillian’s husband (and childhood best friend), a capable and thoughtful man who is deeply in love with his wife. But he’s troubled when secrets from their past threaten the marriage.

Scott previously appeared in the third installment of the series, Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block. His other television credits include Guerrilla, Grey’s Anatomy, The Middle, Masters Of Sex, and Stitchers, as well as a recurring role on Loosely Exactly Nicole. Scott recently wrapped a lead role in the indie film Village People, and also appeared in Stand-Up Guys and Wreck It Ralph. He is represented by Sweeney Entertainment and Innovative Artists.

Maria Sten will star as “Jillian Hope Hodgson,” a landscape designer who has just married her childhood best friend. They’ve just moved into the house where he grew up — a house they hope to transform, through their combined skills, into their dream home.

Danish American actress Maria Sten recently appeared in Straight Outta Compton and the digital series Persuasion. Sten debuted her first short film When It Burns — which she wrote, directed, produced and starred in — at Uptown Short Film Festival and LA Shorts Fest 2016. She is represented by Grandview and CAA.

Steven Robertson will play “Ian,” Tom and Jillian’s next door neighbor, an open-minded psychology grad student who becomes involved in Tom and Jillian’s bizarre experience with the mysterious door in their basement.

Robertson is a recent graduate of The Juilliard School’s prestigious drama division. He recently guest starred on CBS’ hit series Elementary and just wrapped production on the independent feature film Auggie. He is also the front man for NY-based rock band Red Jetty. He is represented by Gersh and Echo Lake Entertainment.

Steven Weber will recur as “Abel Carnacki,” Jillian’s therapist. He has been listening to Jillian long enough to know about her trust issues and where they stem from. His quiet, controlled, almost hard to read tone is sometimes infuriating for Jillian, especially when she tries to talk to him about what — or who — was behind the door in their basement.

Weber soared to national attention for his role on Wings, which he starred on for seven seasons. He is also known for his roles in the television version of The Shining and in The Kennedys of Massachusetts. In film, Weber can be seen in Single White Female and The Temp, as well as the title character in the gay romantic comedy, Jeffrey. Most recently, Weber can be seen in the recurring role of Councilman Douglas Hamilton on NCIS: New Orleans. He also appears in Thirteen Reasons Why as Principal Gary Bolan and will make appearances on the upcoming season of Ballers. He has also performed on Broadway in The Real Thing, The Producers and The Philanthropist. Weber is represented by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

I’m still getting caught up after some personal travel and a variety of various things related to the end of the school year, musicals, plays, etc. – so, so busy! So here is a quick recap of notables this past week!

Star Wars will get animated again, but this time it will have an anime-inspired style. Disney has ordered up and production started on Star Wars Resistance, which is set in the period preceding Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The show will follow young Kazuda Xiono, a pilot recruited to spy on the growing First Order. Familiar and new characters will be featured, including BB-8, Poe Dameron (voiced by Oscar Isaac) and Captain Phasma (voiced by Gwendoline Christie). It will premiere this Fall on the Disney Channel in the U.S., followed by regular airings on Disney XD worldwide.

YouTube has cast two familiar Harry Potter alums in its upcoming SF thriller series Origin. Tom Felton and Natalia Tena will join newcomer Sen Mitsuji to star in the series which follows a group of strangers who are stranded on a spacecraft bound for a distant planet and must work together to survive.

SYFY has elected not to pick up the Tremors series, which would have brought back Kevin Bacon. Bacon posted on Instagram, “#Tremors Sad to report that my dream of revisiting the world of Perfection will not become a reality. Although we made a fantastic pilot (IMHO) the network has decided not to move forward. Thanks to our killer cast and everyone behind the scenes who worked so hard. And always keep one eye out for GRABOIDS!”

Paramount apparently plans to move forward with two separate Star Trek films simultaneously. We already knew about the Tarantino-helmed R-rated production, but now it appears that Tarantino’s project is in some way independent of the current Kelvin-timeline movies, but it is very hazy what that means yet. It could be a different ship and crew, or it could be yet another timeline. Instead, a new Kelvin-timeline movie to follow up Star Trek Beyond is now getting started, with female British director S.J. Clarkson in negotiations to take point – which would make her the first female to head a film in the frachise’s history. This film would also bring back Chris Hemsworth as George Kirk, James Kirk’s father, who appeared in a cameo in 2009’s Star Trek.

Last but not least, Battlestar Galactica and Longmire star Katee Sackhoff will launch back into space aboard the Netflix series Another Life, about astronaut Niko Breckinridge (Sackhoff) on a mission to search for extraterrestrial intelligence and explore an alien artifact.

For the first time Nielsen is releasing viewer data on a streaming program – and for it they’ve chosen Netflix’s Lost In Space, released April 13th.

An estimated 6.3 million viewers watched the premiere within the first three days of release. In addition, since Netflix releases all episodes simultaneously, they reported that 1.2 million viewers watched the tenth and final episode in those same three days, showing the level of binge-watching. I’m sure that number will grow.

I can’t give a review yet as I was traveling when it was released and I’m only about 2.5 episodes in…but it is intriguing so far.

It appears to be the end of the road for Ash Williams after three movies (and a cameo in the 2013 soft remake/continuation, plus a prototype film), comics, video games and now three seasons on TV. Starz has elected not to renew Ash vs. Evil Dead, and as such the third season finale on April 29th will serve as the series finale.

The gory horror-comedy franchise was created by Sam Raimi, with longtime partner Rob Tapert producing. It follows Ash (played like no one else could by Bruce Campbell) as he encounters the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, a Sumerian book which unleashes the undead upon the inhabitants of a cabin in the woods, and later transports him to middle-ages England to fight the forces of the dead again.

Campbell tweeted:

Ash Vs Evil Dead has been the ride of a lifetime. Ash Williams was the role of a lifetime.

I will always be grateful to Starz, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and our tireless fans for the opportunity to revisit the franchise that launched our careers. Thank you! 😎 pic.twitter.com/oNmTopS1Ab

— Bruce Campbell (@GroovyBruce) April 20, 2018

Actor Tim O’Connor, best known for playing the role of Elliott Carson on the original primetime soap opera Peyton Place, but also around here would be known for his role of Dr. Elias Huer in the first season of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, passed away on April 5th in his sleep at home in Nevada City. He was 90.

The Chicago-born O’Connor’s long career spanned stage and screen. His first on-screen appearance was an uncredited role in 1949’s Master Minds. Over his career he made many guest appearances, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, M*A*S*H, The Streets of San Francisco,Wonder Woman, Dynasty, All in the Family and more.

USA Network’s Colony has added four cast members for the upcoming third season, which starts May 2nd.

Peyton List (Gotham) will play Amy Leonard, a doctor and member of the San Fernando cell, who embarks on a dangerous journey with Eric Broussard (Tory Kittles) to deliver valuable secrets to Resistance fighters combating the Occupation.

A Boston native, List studied at the School of American Ballet in New York City and began her career as a model and actress at the age of eight. Since then, she had various modeling jobs for Dooney & Bourke, as well as Clean & Clear, and belongs to the Eileen Ford modeling agency in New York. At the start of her acting career, List played the role of Lucy Montgomery on As the World Turns and went on to guest star on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Sex and the City and Smallville. List can also be seen in films including The Greatest Game Ever Played and Conjuring Aurora.

Graham McTavish (Preacher) will play Andrew MacGregor, the leader of the most successful Resistance camp in what used to be the western United States. He’s held the camp together through a combination of discipline and charisma but is forced to adjust his plans once Will and Katie Bowman (Josh Holloway and Sarah Wayne Callies) arrive with vital information that could forever change the Resistance’s outlook.

Originally a Scottish television and film actor, McTavish is best known for his roles in Outlander, The Hobbit trilogy for Peter Jackson and Preacher, based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s cult comic book series. McTavish has also starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rambo and Creed, making him the only actor to perform opposite Rocky and Rambo. Additional credits include Red Dwarf, 24, Rome, The Finest Hour and Colombiana. McTavish has also lent his voice work to games and animated TV, including Uncharted 2, 3 and 4, Call of Duty, Dante’s Inferno, Hulk v Thor, The Avengers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Kung Fu Panda.

Wayne Brady (Sofia The First) will play Everett Kynes, a highly successful tech entrepreneur who has risen in this new world to become the head of the rebuilt Seattle Colony. Kynes’ technology was used – and misused – by the human collaborators before the Arrival, leaving him with a chip on his shoulder… and a unique relationship with the invaders. Kynes is both brilliant and has a messianic belief in his own vision for the future.

Born in Columbus, Georgia, Brady began his career performing in numerous stage productions including A Chorus Line, Fences, A Raisin in the Sun, Jesus Christ Superstar and I’m Not Rappaport. Upon moving to Los Angeles in 1996, he performed at the prestigious Mark Taper Forum in its production of Blade to the Heat and garnered guest starring roles on television series as I’ll Fly Away, The Home Court and In the Heat of the Night. Brady has since lent his voice to multiple TV series including TripTank, Phineas and Ferb and, most recently, Sofia The First. Additional credits include The Loud House, Real Husbands of Hollywood, How I Met Your Mother and American Dad!

Waleed Zuwaiter (Altered Carbon) will play Vincent, a moral man who finds himself caught in an impossible position while working for a powerful Resistance group. He will ultimately have to choose between supporting the Bowmans and holding on to old loyalties.

Currently starring alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in the indie Unfollow The Rules, as well as The Angel, Zuwaiter recently wrapped the indie Saint Judy and Altered Carbon. He will next be seen in William, directed by Tim Disney, and Billionaire Boys Club. Additional credits include 20th Century Woman, The Free World and Prison Break. TV guest star roles include Masters of Sex, The Blacklist, House of Cards, Homeland, Madam Secretary and The Good Wife.

In the wake of a mysterious alien invasion, a family fights to stay together in a new world order. The third season of COLONY begins six months after the Bowmans’ escape from the Los Angeles bloc as Will (Josh Holloway) and Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies) struggle to rebuild their family in the world beyond the walls. When their peaceful existence is shattered, they are sent on an odyssey that will finally reveal the horrifying truth behind Earth’s mysterious occupiers and once again force our heroes to choose sides.

Created by executive producers Carlton Cuse (The Strain, Bates Motel, Lost) and Ryan Condal (Rampage), the critically acclaimed drama is co-produced by Legendary Television and Universal Cable Productions. Colony also stars Holloway, Callies, Tory Kittles, Peter Jacobson and Alex Neustaedter.

Starting to get excited…but am I the only one sensing this could just as easily be a prequel to Guardians of the Galaxy if you just swapped some characters around?

In Theaters May 25th!