23 years of this site still chugging along...
Time After Time being developed as a series for ABC
by Doc on Sep.14, 2015, under Movies, Television
The 1979 movie Time After Time by Nicholas Meyer, based on and concurrently written with the novel of the same name by Karl Alexander, is set to become a series from Kevin Williamson, the creator of The Following and Stalker.
The movie followed science fiction (or so we thought) author Herbert George “H.G.” Wells (Malcolm McDowell) after he builds a time machine, which is subsequently used by his surgeon friend Leslie John Stephenson (David Warner), who turns out to be Jack the Ripper, and he’s just escaped to 1979. H.G. pursues him in the time machine, where he is befriended by and falls in love with Amy Robbins (Mary Steenburgen).
ABC has purchased the project with a script commitment from Warner Bros. TV under a deal Williamson has with the studio.
Doctor Who Season 9 prologue
by Doc on Sep.12, 2015, under Television
Thanks to reader Chris for pointing out that the BBC has released a prologue mini-episode for Season 9! It’s just two minutes long but with greater implications. The Doctor is seen speaking with Ohila, the High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn, who we last saw in the “Night of the Doctor”, where she convinced the Doctor he needed to join and fight in the Time War…
British Royal Mail issues Star Wars stamps to celebrate The Force Awakens
by Doc on Sep.12, 2015, under Movies
The Royal Mail of the United Kingdom is issuing a commemorative set of stamps for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens on October 20th:
The stamps not only include the classic characters including Boba Fett and the Emeror/Darth Sidious, but also Rey, Finn, and Kylo Ren from The Force Awakens.
Pre-orders are being accepted for stamp sheets as well as framed versions.
Haven: The Complete Fifth Season, Volume 1 out today!
by Doc on Sep.08, 2015, under Television
The Troubles are returning to Haven like never before in HAVEN: SEASON FIVE, VOLUME ONE, arriving on extras-loaded [sfs=1498]blu-ray[/sfs] and [sfs=1499]DVD[/sfs] on September 8 from Entertainment One.
Season 5 picks up with the aftermath of our heroes’ victory over William. After having successfully banished him into the Void, Nathan and Duke are devastated to discover that the Audrey Parker they know and love has disappeared. In her place stands Mara, the unflinchingly malevolent “original” person responsible for creating the troubles many centuries ago. Finally freed from the confines of her do-gooder husks (Audrey, Lucy, Sarah, etc.), Mara proceeds to unleash a wave of chaos over Haven.
And don’t forget, Haven returns for the second half of the fifth season on Syfy on October 8th!
In the meantime, to celebrate both, check out this episode of Inside Haven, with 13 Inside Haven episodes included on the Blu-ray/DVD, along with Haven: Origins: “Witches Are Born”, Haven: Origins: “Native Breaks Free” and audio commentary!
Based on the novella “The Colorado Kid” from Stephen King, the hit Syfy series follows former FBI agent Audrey Parker (Emily Rose), who became a cop in the small town of Haven, Maine, and quickly found herself involved in the return of “the Troubles,” a series of supernatural afflictions that have plagued the seaside village for generations. Partnered with local residents Nathan Wuornos (Lucas Bryant) and Duke Crocker (Eric Balfour), Audrey began to realize that Haven’s fate was linked to her own, and only she can save the town and the people she loves from the weight of their curses.
Arrow Season 4 Sizzle Reel from DragonCon
by Doc on Sep.05, 2015, under Television
Seems that the team is getting a bigger workout this season…
Hello Sweetie…River Song to return in Doctor Who Christmas Special
by Doc on Sep.02, 2015, under Television
The time traveling teaser is returning – River Song, played by Alex Kingston, will appear in the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas episode, for the first time opposite Peter Capaldi, and the third incarnation of the Doctor that she’s appeared with.
River’s appearances in the Doctor’s timeline is very twisted. The two encountered each other in opposite directions. In her very first appearance in “Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead” (with David Tennant), it was the first time he met her – but in her case, it would be her last (sort of). They then successively encounter each other in reverse order – as the Doctor sees her more and more, it is earlier in her timeline, but we learn more about her mysterious past, such as that she’s been in prison for killing a “good man”, which we later learn is the Doctor himself. Finally we learn the meaning behind her name and who she really is.
When we last saw her, her “ghost” self from the Library speaks to the Doctor via a telepathic connection, as he himself approaches his own ending.
Is she still a memory? A ghost? Who knows. Time travel is involved and we know she has knowledge of some of the Doctor’s incarnations. We could encounter her somewhere in between previous appearances. Even showrunner Steven Moffat says, “So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time…”
Alex Kingston is scheduled to appear at Rhode Island Comic-Con in November…I hope I have the chance to interview her…
Syfy orders second seasons of Killjoys and Dark Matter
by Doc on Sep.01, 2015, under Television
Syfy has just announced that it has renewed freshman series Killjoys and Dark Matter. Both will return in 2016, with Killjoys getting 10 episodes and Dark Matter getting 13. No word on a fourth season of Defiance yet.
Produced in association with Space and distributed worldwide by Universal Cable Productions, Killjoys follows a trio of interplanetary bounty hunters who chase deadly Warrants (fugitives) throughout the Quad, a distant planetary system on the brink of a bloody class war. The series stars Hannah John-Kamen as Dutch, Luke Macfarlane as D’avin and Aaron Ashmore as John.
Killjoys averaged 1.5 million viewers (L3) in its first season.
“With exciting space-based action, deep world building, and a standout cast, Killjoys has struck a nerve with viewers and critics alike,” said Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Original Content, Syfy. “We can’t wait to see what adventures Michelle Lovretta and Temple Street take Dutch, John and D’avin on in season two.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring back Killjoys and its stellar cast to audiences across the U.S.,” said David Fortier and Ivan Schneeberg, co-Presidents of Temple Street Productions and Executive Producers of Killjoys. “We look forward to working with the team at Syfy for a thrilling second season.”
Killjoys is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with Space and Syfy. Creator and showrunner Lovretta serves as executive producer and writer. Executive producers are David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg and Karen Troubetzkoy.
Dark Matter averaged 1.8 million viewers in its first season.
The series, produced by Prodigy Pictures, follows six people who wake up on a derelict spaceship with no memories of who they are or how they got on board.
“With its mysterious premise and fascinating characters, Dark Matter has built an incredibly loyal, passionate and engaged fan base,” said Chris Regina, Senior Vice President, Program Strategy, Syfy. “We look forward to another out-of-the-world season from this talented creative team.”
Created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, executive producers and writers of the Stargate franchise, and developed with Prodigy Pictures (Lost Girl), Dark Matter is based on Mallozzi and Mullie’s graphic novel of the same name, published by Dark Horse Comics. The series features Melissa O’Neil, Marc Bendavid, Anthony Lemke, Alex Mallari Jr. and Jodelle Ferland with Roger Cross and Zoie Palmer.
Executive producers are Jay Firestone, Joseph Mallozzi, Paul Mullie and Vanessa Piazza.
Official trailer for The Shannara Chronicles
by Doc on Aug.31, 2015, under Television
MTV has released the official trailer for the upcoming and newly-dubbed The Shannara Chronicles, based on the best-selling books of Terry Brooks.
Thousands of years after the destruction of civilization as we know it, magic begins to return. Amberle Elessedil (Poppy Drayton, When Calls The Heart), an Elven princess, Wil Ohmsford (Austin Butler, The Carrie Diaries), a half-elf, and human Eretria (Ivana Baquero, Pan’s Labyrinth) embark on a quest to stop a demon army from destroying the Four Lands.
The Shannara Chronicles will debut in January 2016.
CBS cancels Under The Dome after three seasons
by Doc on Aug.31, 2015, under Television
CBS just announced that it will not order a fourth season of summer series Under The Dome.
The show, which is generally credited with making the summer TV season a potential ratings boom (and with it, advertising dollars), debuted in June of 2013 with nearly 18 million viewers (Live+7), outdoing all but one of the fall debuts in 2012. But with various plot twists over three seasons it shed viewers pretty quickly. It proved a strong performer for streaming services via Amazon, and will continue to be available there.
It is almost certain that CBS will renew Zoo, and it is believed that with Under The Dome out of the way, Extant has a stronger chance at renewal as well.
Sam Worthington and Ruth Wilson board The Titan
by Doc on Aug.29, 2015, under Movies
Sam Worthington and Ruth Wilson are set to star in The Titan, an elevated sci-fi feature produced by: Brian Kavanaugh-Jones’ Automatik, Ben Pugh and Rory Aitken’s 42, and Arash Amel. The film is set to start production January 18 in Europe with Lennart Ruff directing. Voltage Pictures will launch international sales on the film during the upcoming Toronto Film Festival with CAA handling domestic sales; Leon Clarance and Motion Picture Capital will be producing and fully financing. Sofia Boutella will also star.
Based on an original story by Arash Amel (Grace of Monaco), and written by Max Hurwitz (Hell on Wheels), The Titan is a fresh take on the genre – set in a not too distant future, the story tracks the riveting journey of a military family who are relocated in order to take part in a ground-breaking experiment of man’s genetic evolution into space.
Worthington just wrapped Lionsgate’s The Shack and can be seen next in Working Title’s Everest, which is opening the Venice Film Festival. He is set to shoot Hacksaw Ridge with Mel Gibson directing this fall before going on to do The Titan, followed by James Cameron’s Avatar sequels.
Ruth Wilson is a Golden Globe winner for best actress in a TV drama for her role in The Affair, which will return to screens in the fall. She was recently nominated for a Tony Award for her role in Constellations. She is a two-time Olivier Award winner for her performances in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Anna Christie. Wilson received a BAFTA nomination and Golden Globe nomination for her role in the BBC miniseries, Jane Eyre.
“The Titan is, at its core, a love story that is set in the pioneering edge of space exploration, a world of fear and wonder, says Arash. “In Brian and Ben, I’ve been lucky enough to find smart, dedicated producing partners to embark on this adventure with, and we now find ourselves surrounded by a highly talented group of artists led by Ruth Wilson and Sam Worthington, under the direction of the incredible Lennart Ruff. I’m very excited that this team will be bringing this passion project to the screen, and to continue the relationship with Automatik, 42, and Motion Picture Capital.”
Kavanaugh-Jones adds, “When Arash shared his vision of The Titan with me, I was blown away. To pair that vision with the directing talent of Lennart Ruff and the incredible acting talent of Sam and Ruth is a dream come true. And I’m absolutely thrilled to be collaborating with old friends in Leon Clarance, Voltage and 42.”
“I look forward to working with Brian again and to collaborating with Voltage, 42 and Arash on this brilliantly atmospheric, character-driven sci-fi thriller. Sam Worthington, Ruth Wilson, and Sofia Boutella form a hugely talented ensemble cast, and their performances will bring to life Max Hurwitz’s innovative and original script,” said Clarance.
“The production team has delivered an amazing cast to compliment a highly inventive and unique script and after seeing Lennart’s award winning short film, we believe this is exactly the type of material that our buyers will respond to,” stated the Voltage team.
Motion Picture Capital is also working with Automatik on the recently announced Zach Whedon film, Come and Find Me.
The Titan will start shooting in January 2016.