Sci-Fi Storm

I am so sorry for the lack of updates lately. The last few weeks has been CRAZY. My oldest daughter graduated high school, and my youngest had her middle school play – we are heavily involved in the drama programs with both kids, and I emcee the annual high school drama banquet, which was a few weeks ago as well. And that’s on top of “normal life” – so it’s been tough trying to follow all the news – we’re very behind in all our RV shows as well, and I owe a friend a book review as well…but anyways, here is a rapid recap of the last week or so…

HBO has given a pilot order for one of five the potential Game Of Thrones spinoffs, this one for a prequel series set in the “golden age of Heroes”, which “descends into its darkest hour”, where we will learn about the white walkers, the Starks of legend, and more. Given it was just announced, there is no director, cast, etc. yet but it comes from Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, Kingsman) and George R.R. Martin, with Goldman acting as showrunner. Martin said on his blog he currently prefers the title “The Long Night”, but that isn’t definite yet. Martin also said that one of the other four ideas for spinoffs has been shelved, but the other three are still possible.

As for that other fantasy mega-franchise, Amazon appears to be banking on its deal for the Lord of the Rings franchise, having cleared a lots of its shows off the slate. The head of Amazon Studios Jennifer Salke said in a Deadline interview that they aren’t going to try and compete at the volume level with Netflix, adding, “You can’t go big and go irrelevant.” While there is little to go on, they are currently only working on one series – “one big series,” and that while it isn’t remaking the movies, it will involve “it’ll be characters you love.”

Speaking of Salke and Amazon, she also addressed the idea of Amazon Studios picking up the canceled Lucifer. “I know that international, especially the UK group, was really bullish on that show, I haven’t checked in on that today (Thursday), but I heard conversations were ongoing on that yesterday.” So, keep heart, fans. Amazon recently rescued The Expanse after Syfy canceled the show, just as it was heading into the next phase of the story.

As for Amazon’s cross-net rivals, Netflix has given a 10-episode order for Away, about an international crew on a treacherous year-long mission to Mars, from Andrew Hinderaker (Penny Dreadful), Jason Katims (Parenthood) and Matt Reeves (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes). It centers on an American astronaut who leaves behind a husband and daughter to lead the crew in a story of hope and humanity.

The upcoming BBC series His Dark Materials based on the novels of Philip Pullman has some cast…James McAvoy (the X-Men franchise) will play Lord Asriel, the father of the primary character Lyra (Dafne Keen, Logan), who discovers a way to parallel worlds. Clarke Peters (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) plays the master who raises Lyra. Ruth Wilson (The Affair) will play Marisa Coulter, Asrael’s former lover and appears to want Lyra for a mysterious purpose. Earlier this year, Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns) was announced to play Lee Scoresby, an “aeronaut” who helps Lyra. Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) will direct.

I haven’t mentioned Marvel at all yet, have I? Well, Avengers: Infinity War became just the fourth movie to cross the $2 billion international box office mark, after Avatar, Titanic and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And it is still holding strong at the box office. On Marvel’s small screen, Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger became Freeform’s biggest new series in two years, with an L+3 of 1.64 million, which also put it as the most watched telecast on the network in nearly a year.

And finally, we don’t talk much about MTV, but while the network might not be returning to its real roots in music, it may return to its past – a live action version of Aeon Flux, the sci-fi series that started as a series of shorts on the network’s Liquid Television block of trippy animated series. THe show was previously turned into a live action feature starring Charlize Theron as the tightly-clad assassin n 2005, but the movie flopped. Jeff Davis (Teen Wolf) and Gale Anne Hurd (The Walking Dead) are set to produce, with Davis writing.

Hooray! Amazon boss Jeff Bezos announced last night at the International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles that Amazon would pick up The Expanse after the show ends its current third season on SYFY, after that network announced it would not pick it up again earlier this month.

The Expanse team was on hand, and Cas Anvar even recorded it…

I'll just let him say it…#TheExpanse#RocinanteIsSafe#BreakingNews

Thank you @JeffBezos pic.twitter.com/wxHN31zgJs

— Cas Anvar (@Casanvar) May 26, 2018

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.

Season 3 of SYFY’s The Expanse will premiere Wednesday, April 11 at 9/8c. Picking up immediately following the emotional and suspenseful second season finale, the 13-episode third season finds Earth, Mars and The Belt at war, with each competing entity vying for control. Now, more than ever, the mission to unlock the secret of the protomolecule reaches an all-time high and every decision made could jeopardize the survival of the solar system.

The Expanse unfolds across a colonized galaxy 200 years in the future, when two strangers become unwittingly swept up in a vast conspiracy. Based on the New York Times bestselling book series collectively known as “The Expanse,” written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pen name James S. A. Corey), the series stars Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Dominique Tipper, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham and Frankie Adams. This season also introduces Elizabeth Mitchell and David Strathairn as recurring guest stars.

Academy Award®-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Children of Men, Iron Man) serve as executive producers alongside showrunner Naren Shankar (Almost Human, Grimm). The Expanse is produced by Alcon Television Group (ATG), a division of Alcon Entertainment.

The stars of SYFY’s The Expanse attended San Diego Comic-Con to celebrate what NPR hails as the “best science fiction show in a decade.” Executive Producers Naren Shankar and Mark Fergus as well as cast members Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Cas Anvar, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham and Frankie Adams discussed Season 2’s most shocking moments and gave fans an inside look at what to expect from Season 3.

In addition, they announced Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost, Revolution) joining the cast in a recurring role in Season 3. New episodes from Alcon Television Group will return to SYFY in 2018.

Syfy today announced a Season 3 pickup of The Expanse, the drama series called the “best sci-fi show on TV” by io9 and recognized for “transforming TV” by Wired. The 13-episode third season will premiere on Syfy in 2018. From Alcon Television Group, The Expanse is currently airing new Season 2 episodes every Wednesday at 10/9c on Syfy.

“The Expanse is a gorgeous, thrilling, emotional series that has quite simply raised the bar for science fiction on television,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks for NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “We, along with the fans, are looking forward to continuing the journey with our partners at Alcon Television Group and the series’ brilliant cast and crew.”

The Expanse unfolds across a colonized galaxy 200 years in the future, when two strangers become unwittingly swept up in a vast conspiracy. Based on the New York Times bestselling book series collectively known as “The Expanse,” written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pen name James S. A. Corey), The Expanse stars Steven Strait, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Dominique Tipper, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham and Frankie Adams.

Academy Award®-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Children of Men, Iron Man) serve as executive producers and showrunners, alongside Naren Shankar (CSI, Farscape).

The Expanse is financed and produced by Alcon Television Group (ATG), a division of Alcon Entertainment.

Like with The Magicians, Syfy’s The Expanse was one of the programs I was looking forward the most to returning. The gritty, realistic portrayal of semi-near-future space travel, along with the issues of culture and politics with Earth, Mars, and the Belt all at odds over the scarce resources was a huge draw to me. Stylistically it was a bit like the revival of Battlestar Galactica, but more grounded with known physics and seemingly more attainable future. Similarities with early set stories in Larry Niven’s Known Space, of which I know a little bit, pull me in even more.

At the end of last season, the crew of the Rocinante and Ceres detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) tracked the disappearance of Julie Mao to the colony on Eros, where she is found, being consumed by the “protomolecule” infection, as are many others…and it seems that this infection may have been intentional.

Season 2 picks up immediately from there, with the Rocinante crew trying to find out what is going on, but also trying to decide how they can stop the spread of the protomolecule further. And the source of the protomolecule might have an extra-solar origin…

In the meantime, Earth and Mars are on the brink of war. Fear of conspiracies and terrorists and lack of resources, and the resentment of the Belt pushes each to the edge, tightening their belts at the expense of the lower classes – all while being egged on by a mysterious fourth party.

We will get to see more of life on Mars and how they train, and why there are apparently a more militaristic society, providing a new setting for us to see.

Who sent the protomolecule, and who is behind using it on Eros? And why?

The Expanse returns to Syfy Wednesday, February 1st at 10/9c.

Ahead of its second season premiere, Syfy is taking a deep dive into the world of The Expanse, the series that’s been called “the best science fiction show in a decade” by NPR. An original half-hour special titled The Expanse: Expanded and an immersive 360-degree set tour — both hosted by Adam Savage, editor in chief of Tested.com and former co-host of MythBusters – is now online at Syfy.com, and the video is also show below. The special will also air on Syfy on Wednesday, December 28 @ 11/10c.

The Expanse: Expanded features exclusive interviews with the series’ cast, crew and creators, who share behind-the-scenes secrets and never-before-seen content from the acclaimed first season – lifting the curtain and revealing what it takes to build the mesmerizing worlds of Earth, Mars and the Asteroid Belt. Joining them are scientists, astronauts, journalists and loyal viewers, who explain why The Expanse is one of the most realistic and compelling visions of the future seen on television today. Additionally, when The Expanse: Expanded makes its broadcast debut on January 28, it will feature an exclusive sneak peek from the series’ highly anticipated second season.

“I’m a superfan of The Expanse, so I was very excited to spend time on set to see how the show is made and to talk to the people responsible for creating its immersive world: the costumes, the props, the sets, the special effects,” says Savage. “The series’ attention to detail is just extraordinary. I can’t wait to share with viewers everything I learned.”

Additionally, a full 360-degree tour of the set — led by Savage and producer and “The Expanse” book series co-author Daniel Abraham — will allow fans to virtually experience the rich world of the series. Debuting in tandem with the special today on Syfy.com, the tour includes the spectacular multi-level Rocinante ship and its accompanying stages.

The Expanse unfolds across a colonized galaxy 200 years in the future, when two strangers — hardened detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) and rogue captain James Holden (Steven Strait) — become unwittingly swept up in a vast conspiracy. Based on the New York Times bestselling book series collectively known as “The Expanse,” written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pen name James S. A. Corey), The Expanse also stars Shohreh Aghdashloo, Dominique Tipper, Cas Anvar, Wes Chatham and Frankie Adams.

Season 2 of The Expanse is set to premiere Wednesday, February 1 on Syfy. Season 1 is available now via on demand and on Syfy.com, and on Amazon Prime (starting December 21).

Syfy has announced the Season 2 premiere dates for both The Magicians and The Expanse, two of the most intriguing series from the channel in a while.

Season two of The Magicians will premiere on Wednesday, January 25 at 9/8c. Based on the bestselling novels from Lev Grossman, Syfy’s hit drama The Magicians centers on Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph) and his 20-something friends as they discover their magical abilities at Brakebills University, a secret grad school specializing in magic. While there, they come to the realization that the fantasies they read about as children are all too real, and unwittingly invite a malevolent entity from the other side into their lives. Heading into Season 2, this group of unlikely heroes have been thrust into even more dangerous and unfamiliar territory, and must draw upon their novice skills to defeat a threat that could destroy the magical world itself. Driven by power, revenge and survival, they learn that those who entered the hauntingly beautiful world of Fillory will never be the same as those who leave.

Season two of The Expanse will begin with a double episode on Wednesday, February 1st at 10/9c. The story of The Expanse unfolds across a colonized galaxy 200 years in the future, when two strangers – a hardened detective, Joe Miller (Thomas Jane), and a rogue ship’s captain, James Holden (Steven Strait) – become unwittingly swept up in a vast conspiracy to cover up a horrific human experiment. As Season 2 kicks off with interplanetary tensions at an all-time high, the cold war between Earth and Mars is on the brink of an all-out battle. The series is based on the New York Times bestselling book series collectively known as “The Expanse,” written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pen name James S. A. Corey).

[An earlier version of this article had The Expanse premiere on February 8th, but Syfy amended the premiere date after publishing]

In an interesting development this weekend, Emmy winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Expanse, House of Saddam) is reported to be the High Command of the Federation for reshoots taking place for Star Trek Beyond, being directed by Justin Lin. The reshoots are not expected to affect the release date, which is July 22nd. It sounds like some last minute improvements or replacements to scenes are taking place.