Sci-Fi Storm

Syfy made the Krypton pilot green light official today, and gave a few more details on the upcoming production, the much-anticipated Superman prequel set two generations before the destruction of the legendary Man of Steel’s home planet. Krypton will follow Superman’s grandfather — whose House of El was ostracized and shamed — as he fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos.

Krypton will be executive produced by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight trilogy) through his Phantom Four banner. Damian Kindler (Sleepy Hollow) will serve as executive producer/showrunner; Colm McCarthy (She Who Brings Gifts, Peaky Blinders) is set to direct and co-executive produce the pilot. The pilot teleplay and story is written by David S. Goyer & Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Krypton will be produced by Warner Horizon Television and is based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by DC Comics.

“Krypton is one of the most iconic stories in the comic book universe,” said Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “In the talented hands of David S. Goyer and the DC Entertainment/Warner Horizon Television team, this exciting Syfy project will take viewers back to Superman’s home to show how the timeless legend began.”

As NBCUniversal continues to consolidate management among its cable properties, two more senior vice presidents have elected to leave. Paul Shapiro, SVP Original Content and Erik Storey, SVP Original Programming, have both left after Bill McGoldrick, now the Executive Vice President for Scripted Content across Syfy, USA, Bravo and E!, announced his management team last week, mainly consisting of people McGoldrick worked with at USA before he came to Syfy in 2014.

Shapiro, who was in charge of scripted programming development, had been with Syfy for 12 years, while Storey, who managed current scripted programs, was a 15 year veteran of the network. With the exception of Syfy President Dave Howe, most of the executive team has changed in the years I’ve known them.

Is this another step back to its roots when it covered more of the world of sci-fi fans? Syfy will invade the world’s largest pop culture convention this summer with Syfy Presents Live From Comic-Con, a three-night telecast directly from the heart of San Diego Comic-Con. The special – Syfy’s first-ever live broadcast from Comic-Con – will air on the network Thursday, July 21 through Saturday, July 23 at 8/7c.

Each night, Syfy Presents Live From Comic-Con will bring the Con’s non-stop action directly to viewers across the country, featuring celebrity interviews, breaking news and behind-the-scenes reports. The hosted live broadcast will highlight the biggest stars, top franchise reveals, panel news, exclusive sneak peeks of the hottest films, as well as audience interaction, games, party coverage and much more.

“For nearly two decades, Syfy has been a mainstay at Comic-Con,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “Each and every year, we can’t wait to get to San Diego to share our mutual fandom and passion for all things pop culture with our viewers. And this year, we’re thrilled to extend that immediate, first-hand access to those at home as well.”

“Our goal with Syfy Presents Live From Comic-Con is to give everyone the experience of being on the convention floor, at the events, or just walking through the frenzied streets of the Gaslamp District … with hundreds of thousands of their closest friends,” said Heather Olander, Senior Vice President, Alternative Series, Development and Production, Syfy.

In addition, starting Sunday, July 17, Syfy will kick off a Comic-Con celebration on-air, online and across its social media platforms, offering fans customized, exclusive content to fuel their excitement throughout the entire week. Syfy’S 7 Days Of Comic-Con will start Sunday, July 17 and continue through the 23rd.

Syfy Presents Live From Comic-Con is produced by Wilshire Studios, with Corin Nelson serving as executive producer/showrunner.

No April Fools…the official title for the fourth installment in the Syfy and The Asylum Sharknado franchise will be Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, a play on the most recent Star Wars movie…and two hour original movie will premiere in four months, on Sunday, July 31st at 8PM ET/PT on Syfy.

The fourth installment of the Sharknado franchise will take place five years after the East Coast was ravaged in last summer’s Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!. Fin (Ian Ziering), his family and the cosmos have been blissfully sharknado-free in the intervening years, but now sharks – and ‘nados! – are being whipped up in places (and ways) least expected.

Tara Reid is also set to return as April Wexler to reveal the outcome of the fan-voted #AprilLives or #AprilDies social campaign. David Hasselhoff (as Gil Shepard) and Ryan Newman (as Claudia Shepard) will also reprise their Sharknado 3 roles. New additions to the Sharknado: The 4th Awakens cast include Gary Busey, Tommy Davidson, Imani Hakim, Cody Linley, Masiela Lusha and Cheryl Tiegs (with more to be announced soon!).

Sharknado: The 4th Awakens is a production of The Asylum. Anthony C. Ferrante returns to direct an original screenplay written by Thunder Levin.

JR Bourne (Teen Wolf) and Toby Hemingway (Black Swan) have joined the Syfy pilot Prototype as regulars, joining Jack Davenport (Smash), Cote de Pablo (NCIS), and Annabelle Dexter-Jones (Holy Motors). Written by Tony Basgallop (24: Live Another Day), Prototype centers on three unlikely cohorts who inadvertently stumble upon an invention that challenges the very nature of quantum physics – a discovery which in turn puts their lives in grave danger.

Davenport and de Pablo play two of the three central characters. Davenport is Edward “Eddy” Conway, an aging playboy and former Silicon Valley wunderkind who has retreated from the tech world to return to UCLA as a physics professor. Eddy’s lack of self-control, be it with coeds or sports cars, has made him familiar with some unsavory characters, but his latest project might prove to be his most dangerous endeavor to date.

de Pablo is Laura Kale, a driven, extremely intelligent mother of two. Excited about a potentially world-changing machine being developed by herself and two partners, she is certain that she is on the brink of something history-making. Propelled by a shot at glory, she is not about to give up despite numerous setbacks.

Bourne will play Ethan, Laura’s husband. Frustrated by Laura’s long hours and split focus, he doesn’t believe in Laura’s time-consuming, after-hours project. Readers of this site may also remember Bourne for the recurring character Martouf of the Tok-Ra in Stargate SG-1.

Dexter-Jones is Donna Neuring, a young coder and math whiz whose help has been enlisted to bring a potentially momentous invention to life. But while Donna may be the key to getting a working prototype, her home life is anything but functional. Hemingway is Forde, a model-actor and Donna’s abusive live-in boyfriend.

“Prototype is a purely original idea from a talented writer with a unique vision,” said Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “We can’t wait to see this original idea come to life in this pilot for Syfy.”

Oscar nominee Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (Esposados) will direct. Escape Artists Productions (Southpaw, The Pursuit of Happyness) will serve as executive producers along with Fresnadillo and Basgallop. Taylor Latham (Freeheld) will be co-executive producer.

Syfy and The Asylum announced today that Ian Ziering will slay again in Sharknado 4 (working title), reprising his role as shark-fighting hero Fin Shepard, while Tara Reid is set to return as April Wexler to reveal the outcome of the fan-voted #AprilLives or #AprilDies social campaign. The fourth addition to the hit global franchise also sees the return of David Hasselhoff as Gil Shepard and Ryan Newman as Claudia Shepard.

Set to premiere on Syfy this July, Sharknado 4 (WT) will take place five years after the East Coast was ravaged in Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!. Fin, his family and the cosmos have been blissfully sharknado-free in the intervening years, but now sharks – and ‘nados! – are being whipped up in places (and ways) least expected…

Sharknado 4 (WT) will also star:

• Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon, Celebrity Apprentice), as Wilford Wexler, April’s father and a lead scientist at Astro-X. He’s at the forefront of advances in the field of robotics.
• Tommy Davidson (Black Dynamite, In Living Color), as Aston Reynolds, playboy tech billionaire. Aston is the CEO of tech company Astro-X, developers of a revolutionary energy system that can stabilize the atmosphere and prevent the formation of tornadoes.
• Imani Hakim (Everybody Hates Chris), as Gabrielle, Matt’s best friend and a fellow soldier. Gabrielle is tough and no-nonsense, can take care of herself and isn’t afraid to show what she’s capable of doing.
• Cody Linley (Hannah Montana, Melissa & Joey), as Matt, Fin and April’s eldest son. After surviving the first Sharknado, Matt finished flight school and joined the Army. He’s experienced the events of the last six years from afar and longs to reunite with his American Hero father.
• Masiela Lusha (George Lopez), as Gemini, Fin’s cousin. Ever resourceful, Gemini is chock full of shark-busting attitude and is ready to dive into the fight once the sharks hit the fan.
• Cheryl Tiegs (The Apprentice), as Raye, Fin’s mother and Col. Gil Shepard’s ex-wife. Raye is a little bit of a former flower child, but not afraid to speak her mind or protect her family.

Currently filming, Sharknado 4 (WT) will include a plethora of additional outrageous and surprising cameos to be announced soon. Stay tuned…

Sharknado 4 (WT) is a production of The Asylum. Anthony C. Ferrante returns to direct an original screenplay written by Thunder Levin.

Syfy has acquired the Canadian 13-episode post-apocalyptic thriller Aftermath from Halfire Entertainment. Casting is currently underway with production expected to start in Vancouver in May for a summer premiere on Syfy in the U.S. and Space in Canada.

The show centers on couple Karen and Joshua Copeland, and their children Dana, Brianna and Matt, who must battle for survival after civilization comes to an apocalyptic end, triggered by massive storms, meteor strikes, earthquakes and plague – and the rise of supernatural creatures.

Julie Sarah Stone (The Killing) and Levi Meaden (The Killing, Olympus), and Taylor Hickson (Deadpool) play the three Copeland children.

The series was created by William Laurin (Missing) and Glenn Davis (Once a Thief), who will executive produce along with Julie Hope. Jason Stone (This is the End) is directing the first two episodes.

A couple of tidbits this weekend…

Syfy’s Channel Zero: Candle Cove finally has a director. Craig William Macneill (The Boy) will take the reigns for all six episodes. Candle Cove is expected to debut in October. A second 6-episode story which has not been named yet will follow in 2017.

And just days after it was announced that Freddie Stroma would play H.G. Wells in ABC’s pilot Time After Time, we now know who will play his nemesis. Revenge‘s Josh Bowman will take on the dark mantle of Dr. John Stevenson, a surgeon and a friend of Wells, who in fact moonlights as Jack the Ripper. Stevenson steals Wells’ time machine and escapes to the modern day.

Syfy today announced it has renewed hit drama series The Magicians for a second season of 13 episodes, expected to air in 2017. The Magicians is from Universal Cable Productions and is executive produced by John McNamara (Aquarius), Sera Gamble (Supernatural), Henry Alonso Myers (Covert Affairs) and Groundswell Productions’ Michael London and Janice Williams (Milk).

Based on the bestselling novels from Lev Grossman, The Magicians is currently airing its first season on Syfy on Mondays at 9PM ET/PT. The series’ fourth episode premieres tonight.

“Thanks to an extraordinarily gifted creative team of executive producers and our partners at Universal Cable Productions, The Magicians has become a buzzed-about hit, enchanting fans of the novels as well as attracting new and younger audiences to Syfy,” said Dave Howe, President, Syfy & Chiller.

During its first three episodes, The Magicians averaged 1.7 million viewers, 853K Adults 18-49 and 910K Adults 25-54 (based on L3 data). The series is also strong among younger viewers, with Adults 18-34 growing consecutively over each episode, averaging 180% above Syfy’s prime time delivery in that demo.

Digitally, the series’ first episode was sampled more than 6.7 million times during its pre-linear launch (January 8 to January 25) across Syfy.com and select partner sites, as well as On Demand cable, satellite and telco TV platforms. Additionally, an on-air sneak peek of the pilot, airing December 16 at 10PM ET/PT, drew 1.3 million total viewers (based on L+7 data).

Starring Jason Ralph (Quentin Coldwater), Stella Maeve (Julia), Olivia Taylor Dudley (Alice) Hale Appleman (Eliot), Arjun Gupta (Penny) and Summer Bishil (Margo), The Magicians centers on Quentin, a brilliant grad student chosen to attend Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, a secret upstate New York university specializing in magic. He and his 20-something friends soon discover that the magical fantasy world they read about as children is all too real when they unwittingly invite a malevolent entity from the other side into their world. Also reprising their roles for season two will be series regulars Rick Worthy (Dean Fogg) and Jade Tailor (Kady).

Syfy announced today it has greenlit to series Incorporated, a futuristic thriller from Matt Damon, Ben Affleck & Jennifer Todd’s Pearl Street Films, CBS Television Studios and Universal Cable Productions. The 13-episode first season of the new drama series is expected to premiere on Syfy in Fall 2016.

Set in a near future where corporations have unlimited power, Incorporated centers around Ben Larson (Sean Teale, Reign), a young executive who conceals his true identity to infiltrate a very dangerous corporate world to save the woman he loves. But he’ll soon learn that he’s not the only one whose secrets may have deadly consequences.

In addition to Teale, the series will star Eddie Ramos (Teen Wolf), Golden Globe nominee Dennis Haysbert (24), and Emmy Award winner Julia Ormond (Mad Men).

Incorporated is created by David & Alex Pastor (Selfless, The Last Days), who wrote and directed the pilot. Ted Humphrey (The Good Wife) will serve as executive producer/showrunner, with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Todd also executive producing. Pearl Street Films’ Margaret Chernin will serve as co-producer.

“The most powerful science fiction holds up a mirror to our world,” said Dave Howe, President, Syfy & Chiller. “Incorporated is exactly that type of smart, provocative series, delivering a fresh, edge of your seat thriller that challenges notions of the world we live in today. We look forward to working with the stellar teams at Pearl Street Films, CBS Television Studios and Universal Cable Productions to bring it to life for Syfy viewers this year.”