23 years of this site still chugging along...
Eccleston appears in Heroes next week
by Doc on Jan.20, 2007, under Television
Monday marks the return of Heroes. It also marks the return of Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who) to U.S. TV, as he makes his first of several appearances on Heroes as an invisible man named Claude (after the star of The Invisible Man, Claude Rains) who becomes a mentor to Peter.
Disney invades Mars, while Paltrow turns to Iron
by Doc on Jan.17, 2007, under Movies
Remember the John Carter of Mars project being developed by Jon Favreau for Paramount? Well, after the studio shelved it and put Favreau on Iron Man instead, they let the option expire and Disney has now optioned it instead, hoping to turn out a new family-friendly franchise. Speaking of Favreau and the Ferrous One, Gwyneth Paltrow will join Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man as Virginia “Pepper” Pots, Tony Stark’s personal assistant. This one is getting some star power, and is due in May 2008.
Sunshine trailer available here
by Doc on Jan.17, 2007, under Movies
Be among the first to view the trailer right here for the upcoming SF movie Sunshine, due to be released this Spring. Click on Read More to see the trailer. Sunshine is directed by Danny Boyle and produced by Andrew MacDonald (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) and written by Alex Garland (28 Days Later) and features Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, Cillian Murphy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, and Michelle Yeoh. “Fifty years from now, the sun is dying, and mankind is dying with it. Our last hope: a spaceship and a crew of eight men and women. They carry a device which will breathe new life into the star. But deep into their voyage, out of radio contact with Earth, their mission is starting to unravel. There is an accident, a fatal mistake, and a distress beacon from a spaceship that disappeared seven years earlier. Soon the crew is fighting not only for their lives, but their sanity.”
Doctor Who – The Complete Second Series DVD review
by Doc on Jan.17, 2007, under General News
Doctor Who – The Complete Second Series came out today on DVD in the U.S., following closely on the heels of the conclusion airing on the SCI FI Channel. At the end of the first series, people were dealing with the sudden shock of the man who led the return of the show, Christopher Eccleston, who proved to be extremely popular, suddenly leaving and being left with a new actor in David Tennant. Could the show survive such a sudden massive change? Well, just like the original series, the show not only survives, but the new Doctor is, to borrow a word, “Brilliant.” Read More for the series and DVD review.
Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures web comic rocks
by Doc on Jan.16, 2007, under General News
TheThunderChild writes “GAAK (Groovy Ass Alien Kreatures) is a weekly webcomic written and drawn by Darryl Hughes and Monique MacNaughton. They tell the fantastic adventures of a group of “Goonies”-like kids who stumble into sci-fi adventures unimaginable. (Yes, sci-fi, as in the classic 1950s movie offerings that we all know and love.) The Thunder Child tooncasts the comic at GAAK. Check it out. You, too, will become hooked!”
View Damon Dark, Australia’s Answer to The X-Files
by Doc on Jan.16, 2007, under Interviews
TheThunderChild writes “The Thunder Child Science Fiction Webzine and Sourcebooks has interviewed Australian actor and independent film-maker Adrian Sherlock, and the interview is at Adrian Sherlock Interview. Got big dreams? Check out how one individual brought his dreams to life.
For the past several years Sherlock has filmed episodes of a series similar to the X-Files, with a protagonist named Damon Dark whom he plays himself. YouTube has taken off like a rocket with people around the world uploading videos of all kinds. Sherlock has placed all of the Damon Dark episodes there, and is currently working towards getting a deal with a major TV studio. (In addition to the interview, you can view episodes of Damon Dark on The Thunder Child page.)”
Stargate SG-1 DVD movie details released
by Doc on Jan.16, 2007, under General News
As previously reported, instead of an 11th season of Stargate SG-1, MGM is planning two direct-to-DVD movies. Details released include titles and plots: Stargate: The Ark of Truth, with SG-1 searching for the device to defeat the Ori and ending up in a distant galaxy; and Stargate: Continuum, where someone changes the timeline so that the Stargate program never existed, and Earth faces domination by Baal. More details at GateWorld.
Reminder: Doctor Who Series 2 on DVD tomorrow!
by Doc on Jan.15, 2007, under General News
Just a reminder: Doctor Who Series 2 hits the streets in the US tomorrow, Jan. 16th. If you haven’t already, please order it now and help this site out! Expect a review in a couple of days (my review copy arrived today and I’m checking it out now).
SCI FI Channel gets busy
by Doc on Jan.13, 2007, under Television
The SCI FI Channel has made a lot of announcements for upcoming productions, so let me summarize – full text available at SCI FI Wire: Alan Cumming (X2) joins the cast of Tin Man, a twist on the Oz tale; Flash Gordon series gets green light; and the following are in development: Diamond Age, based on Neal Stephenson’s best seller, is a six-hour miniseries from George Clooney; Avery House, from Mark Burnett, a bed-and-breakfast where thoughts become real; Revolution, about colonists under siege from Earth; Middletown, a small town that becomes a battleground with aliens; Johnny Midnight, about a slacker with powers to save the world; Witch School, about a school for aspiring conjurors (sound familiar?); and Starcrossed, a half-hour comedy behind the scenes of a space opera program. That last one sounds suspiciously like a book by Ben Bova with the same name, which satirizes the experience with the short-lived Canadian SF series The Starlost.
Author Robert Anton Wilson, 1932-2007
by Doc on Jan.12, 2007, under General News
Science fiction author Robert Anton Wilson, perhaps best known for The Illuminatus! Trilogy, passed away January 11th. He apparently had been bed-bound due to complications from Post-Polio syndrome since last summer. More details can be found here. Fnord.