Sci-Fi Storm

After only four aired episodes, Syfy announced today that it has renewed its critically-acclaimed series The Expanse for a second season. The 13-episode second season from Alcon Television Group is expected to air in early 2017.

“The Expanse is firing on all cylinders creatively, building a passionate fan base among viewers and critics alike, and delivering on Syfy’s promise of smart, provocative science fiction entertainment. We can’t wait to see where the story takes us in season two,” said Dave Howe, President, Syfy and Chiller.

Currently airing on Syfy Tuesdays at 10PM ET/PT, The Expanse has garnered strong multiplatform viewership since its December 14 debut, with 4.5 million viewers sampling the first episode on Syfy.com, On Demand and digital outlets prior to the series’ linear premiere, and an average of 1.6 million P2+ linear viewers (L3) in its first three episodes.

Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse follows the case of a missing young woman that brings a hardened detective (Thomas Jane) and a rogue ship’s captain (Steven Strait) together in a race across the solar system that will expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

In the episode premiering next Tuesday, January 5 at 10PM ET/PT — the fifth in the 10-part first season – Holden (Strait) and his crew make a deal with an unlikely ally (Chad Coleman). Meanwhile Detective Miller’s (Jane) obsession over the missing Julie Mao (Florence Faivre) continues to grow. Shohreh Aghdashloo also stars as Chrisjen Avasarala, along with Dominique Tipper, Cas Anvar and Wes Chatham. See the trailer here.

Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Children of Men, Iron Man) serve as writers, as well as executive producers and showrunners. Executive producer Naren Shankar (CSI, Farscape) is also showrunner.

The Expanse is financed and produced by Alcon Television Group (ATG), a division of Alcon Entertainment. Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson serve as executive producers along with former president of Alcon Television Sharon Hall. Alcon Television executive Ben Roberts serves as co-producer. Sean Daniel and Jason Brown of the Sean Daniel Company are executive producers. Ben Cook serves as a producer.

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).

The Expanse is part of a powerhouse Syfy original lineup that includes upcoming 2016 scripted series The Magicians (January), based on Lev Grossman’s best-selling novels, Hunters (April), from The Walking Dead executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, and the second season of the critically acclaimed 12 Monkeys (April). Additional high profile scripted projects in development include Incorporated, a futuristic espionage pilot from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s Pearl Street Films; Aldous Huxley’s classic novel Brave New World with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television; and David Goyer’s Superman prequel, Krypton.

Syfy’s The Expanse may not debut on the network until December 14th, but in an interesting move Syfy has made the first episode available starting today across many streaming platforms – and you can watch it right here (via YouTube)!

Political tensions are high. A rebellious daughter has gone missing. And someone wants war.

The Expanse mixes political, detective and action drama all into one, and sets it in space…not far off, though. It’s based in our solar system, set between Earth, Mars and the asteroid belt, set about 200 years in the future. Earth and Mars are in a state of cold war, competing for precious resources, especially water, which is available in the belt. But the Outer Planets Alliance based on Ceres, which represents the “Belters”, are also unhappy, seeing themselves as slave labor mining the belt for ice and other resources for the others, where they also need need it – water and air are the most precious materials to them.

Detective Josephus Miller (Thomas Jane, Hung, The Mist), a gruff alcoholic Belter who other Belters seem to consider a “traitor to his people”, is called on to investigate the disappearance of young woman, but finds that it might be part of a much greater conspiracy. On Earth in New York City, UN Undersecretary Chrisjen Avasarala (Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Saddam, House of Sand and Fog) has to deal with the three way tension with Mars and the OPA. Meanwhile on board the ice freighter Canterbury, a distress call is received from another ship and reluctant executive officer James Holden (Steven Strait, 10,000 BC, Magic City), an Earther among a Belter crew, must decide between profits and doing the right thing – and his decision might be the catalyst to all-out war.
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Three weeks prior to the premiere of Syfy’s new ambitious series The Expanse on the network, the first episode will be available on a variety of VOD, TV Everywhere and digital platforms on November 23rd. The series, from Alcon Television Group, premieres on Syfy itself with a two-night premiere Monday, December 14 and Tuesday, December 15 at 10/9c, and continues on Tuesdays at 10/9c for the remainder of the season.

Said Dave Howe, President, Syfy: “The Expanse is the most ambitious series ever for Syfy, and early screenings are drawing high praise from critics and fans alike. With its cinematic feel, compelling characters, intense action and universal themes, it’s important for Syfy to provide the opportunity for as many people as possible to watch and fall in love with this series.”

Starting November 23 and available through the series’ Syfy premiere on December 14, The Expanse’s first episode can be viewed via Syfy On Demand, Syfy.com, the Syfy Now App, Hulu, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes, Playstation, Xbox, Facebook and YouTube.

Additionally, Syfy has partnered with Twitch, Wikia, IGN, IMDb, Good Reads, Crave Online and Roku to host the series premiere with original custom content.

Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse follows the case of a missing young woman that brings a hardened detective (Thomas Jane, Hung) and a rogue ship’s captain (Steven Strait, Magic City) together in a race across the solar system that will expose the greatest conspiracy in human history. 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).

Emmy® winner and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Saddam, House of Sand and Fog) also stars as Chrisjen Avasarala. Rounding out the cast are Dominique Tipper (Vampire Academy), Cas Anvar (Olympus), Wes Chatham (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay) and Florence Faivre (The Following). Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Chad Coleman (The Walking Dead) and Jay Hernandez (Suicide Squad) will appear as guest stars throughout the series’ first season.

Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men, Iron Man) wrote the pilot and serve as writers, as well as executive producers and showrunners. Executive producer Naren Shankar (CSI, Farscape) joins Fergus and Ostby as showrunners. Award-winning director Terry McDonough (Breaking Bad, Suits, Better Call Saul) directed the first two episodes of the series.

Syfy announced today the premiere dates for Childhood’s End and The Expanse.

Childhood’s End will be a six hour television event, premiering on Monday, December 14th from 8-10pm ET, and continuing on the next two consecutive nights.

The Expanse will premiere on the same night at 10pm ET, then will appear weekly on Tuesdays at 10pm ET for the remainder of its 10 episode run.

Syfy also today announced that it will develop Frederik Pohl’s Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel [asin=0345475836]Gateway[/asin] about humanity’s encounter with a mysterious, ancient alien civilization as a one-hour scripted series with Entertainment One Television (eOne) and Universal Cable Productions (UCP). eOne will distribute the series worldwide.

David Eick (Battlestar Galactica) and Josh Pate (Falling Skies) collaborated on the adaptation and will serve as executive producers on the series. Eick will revise a pilot script written by Pate and serve as showrunner. The series will also be executive produced by Martha De Laurentiis through the De Laurentiis Company, former eOne Television executive Michael Rosenberg, and Lorenzo De Maio. eOne Television’s Gerard Bocaccio, SVP US Scripted Development, will oversee the project for the studio.

In Gateway, humanity discovers an asteroid teeming with the long abandoned spaceships of an advanced alien race — the Heechee – setting in motion a gold rush for alien artifacts and technology. The ships are preprogrammed, transporting their voyagers to distant worlds of riches — or certain death. Undaunted by the peril or the odds, prospector Robinette Broadhead gambles everything on a journey to Gateway. After one nightmare mission, he returns to extraordinary wealth and luxury, but is haunted by the loss of his crewmates, including the love of his life.
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Here is the trailer for the Syfy series The Expanse…oh my…

Check here for more information on the show…a premiere date has not yet been set.

Syfy and Alcon TV yesterday announced that Steven Strait (Magic City) and Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Saddam, House of Sand and Fog) will star in The Expanse, the new 10-episode space opera based on the international best-selling book series, premiering on Syfy in 2015.

Strait plays Holden, an officer on the ice-carrying freighter the Canterbury. Holden is a natural leader who’s not sure he wants responsibility, but who will soon have no choice when he is drawn into a dangerous plot. Strait’s many credits include the movies 10,000 BC and City Island.

Aghdashloo portrays Chrisjen Avasarala, a smart and passionate member of a political family legacy who has risen high in the ranks of Earth’s governing body without once standing for election. In addition to appearing in the long-running TV series 24, Aghdashaloo has starred in films such as X-Men: The Last Stand, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Stoning of Soraya M. She just completed filming on Septembers In Shiraz with Adrien Brody and Salma Hayek, and The Last Knights with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman.

Earlier, Syfy and Alcon TV announced that three-time Golden Globe nominee Thomas Jane (Hung, The Punisher) will also star as the world-weary Detective Miller, a native of “the Asteroid Belt” between Mars and Jupiter.

The Expanse is a thriller set two hundred years in the future. The series follows the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective (Thomas Jane) and a rogue ship’s captain (Steven Strait) together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

In making the announcement, Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Original Content, Syfy, said: “Steven and Shohreh are both outstanding talents who we feel lucky to have in our series.”

Said Sharon Hall, President, Alcon Television: “We knew this material would attract high end talent. Steven Strait embodies the humor, gravitas and humanity that the character of James Holden possesses. Having him alongside Thomas Jane as our leading men is thrilling. The incomparable Shohreh Aghdashloo is our dream Chrisjen Avasarala.”

Award-winning director Terry McDonough (Breaking Bad, Suits, Better Call Saul) will direct the first two episodes.

The Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men, Iron Man) wrote the pilot and will continue to serve as writers as well as executive producers. Fergus and Ostby are showrunners alongside fellow executive producer Naren Shankar (CSI, Farscape).

Syfy and Alcon TV today announced that three-time Golden Globe nominee Thomas Jane (Hung, The Punisher) will star as the world-weary Detective Miller, a native of “the Asteroid Belt” between Mars and Jupiter, in The Expanse, the new 10-episode space opera based on the international best-selling book series, premiering on Syfy in 2015.

Miller portrays a detective for a corporate security force operating as the law in The Belt. Ragged, in search of something even he can’t identify, Miller remains a dedicated cop with great instincts who discovers a new found sense of purpose when he’s put in charge of the investigation into a missing heiress.

Jane received three Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for Hung. Jane is the lead of three studio movies being released this year: The Veil for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse, Somnia for Relativity Media, and Vice for Lionsgate and Emmett/Furla/Oasis. He also stars in the History mini-series Texas Rising, which is currently in production

Jane’s other notable roles include The Mist, Dream Catcher, Deep Blue Sea, Thin Red Line, Face/Off, 61* and Boogie Nights.

Jane is represented by Paradigm and Jamie Afifi at Ziffren Brittenham.

The Expanse is a thriller set two hundred years in the future. The series follows the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective (Jane) and a rogue ship’s captain together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

In making the announcement, Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Original Content, Syfy, said: “Thomas Jane is exactly the type of high caliber actor we hoped this project would attract. The intelligence and nuance he brings to every performance is perfect for the role of Miller.”

Said Sharon Hall, President, Alcon Television: “We knew this material would attract highly skilled actors and could not be happier about having Thomas Jane on board.”

The Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men, Iron Man) wrote the pilot and will continue to serve as writers as well as executive producers. Fergus and Ostby are showrunners alongside fellow executive producer Naren Shankar (CSI, Farscape)

The Expanse is produced by Alcon Television Group (ATG), a division of Alcon Entertainment, and marks the company’s first series order.

Alcon co-founders and co-CEO’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson will serve as executive producers with Hall. Alcon Television executive Ben Roberts will serve as co-producer. Ben Cook will serve as producer. Sean Daniel (Graceland, The Mummy) and Jason Brown of the Sean Daniel Company developed the original pitch, with Fergus and Ostby, and will also executive produce.

Developed with the Sean Daniel Company as a direct-to-series project, Alcon is financing and executive producing the hour-long, 10 episode series, based on the popular 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). Abraham and Franck will be show producers.

The multi-installment, best-selling book series is published in 17 countries, including China, France, Japan, Australia, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. Book one in the series, “Leviathan Wakes,” was nominated for a Hugo Award as well as a Locus Award, while the second novel, “Caliban’s War” was nominated for a Locus Award.

Syfy has made several statements that they wanted to get back to what their audience has been clamoring for…a space-based epic series. Now it seems they’ve found one that they’re ready to launch into space with, giving a straight-to-series order for 10 episodes of The Expanse, based on a best-selling book series. The Expanse is a thriller set two hundred years in the future, which follows the case of a missing young woman who brings a hardened detective and a rogue ship’s captain together in a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

The straight-to-series order is very ambitious for the network, ordering based on the pilot script before it was ever put in front of cameras, or even cast.

The Expanse is produced by Alcon Television Group (ATG), a division of Alcon Entertainment, and marks the company’s first series order.

Syfy President Dave Howe announced the series today. “The Expanse is epic in scale and scope and promises to be Syfy’s most ambitious series to date,” he said. “Bringing this coveted book franchise to television with our partners at Alcon and the Sean Daniel Company is a giant win for Syfy, reinforcing our overall strategy to produce bold, provocative and compelling sci-fi fantasy stories. The Expanse joins a killer line-up of high-concept, high quality series, along with recently announced original projects Ascension, 12 Monkeys, the renewal of Helix, and the soon to premiere Dominion.”

Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men, Iron Man) wrote the pilot and will continue to serve as writers, as well as executive producers.

ATG President Sharon Hall states, “The Expanse is an addictive, sophisticated, character-driven franchise and Mark and Hawk are the perfect people to steer it. Their script is a totally immersive and accessible sci-fi journey. We are thrilled to be in business with Syfy on this venture.”

Brown and Daniel state: “The Expanse is one of the most special pieces of material we’ve ever encountered and it has been our dream to bring it to life since the moment we read it. We couldn’t be more excited to be doing it with this team of all-stars – Mark, Hawk, and our partners at Alcon and Syfy.”

Alcon co-founders and co-CEO’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson will serve as executive producers with Sharon Hall. Alcon Television executive Ben Roberts will serve as co-producer. Ben Cook will serve as producer.

Sean Daniel (Graceland, The Mummy) and Jason Brown of the Sean Daniel Company developed the original pitch, with Fergus and Ostby, and will also executive produce.

Developed with the Sean Daniel Company as a direct-to-series project, Alcon is financing and executive producing the hour-long, ten episode series, based on the popular 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). Abraham and Franck will be show producers.

The multi-installment, best-selling book series is published in 17 countries, including China, France, Japan, Australia, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. One in the series, [asin=0316129089]“Leviathan Wakes”[/asin], was nominated for a Hugo Award as well as a Locus Award, while [asin=9780316129060]“Caliban’s War”[/asin] was nominated for a Locus Award.

As the sole studio, Alcon retains the much-in-demand worldwide distribution rights. Alcon is currently out to cast and directors.

Fergus and Ostby are repped by CAA and Mark Gochman.