SCI FI Picks Up Babylon 5
he SCI FI Channel has acquired exclusive rights to the Emmy Award-winning SF series Babylon 5, the cable network announced Monday, April 3.
The series will premiere on SCI FI beginning Sept. 25 and will air Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
In a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Pay TV, Cable and Network Features, SCI FI picked up the rights to all 112 hour-long episodes of the series, as well as four two-hour telefilms based on the show.
"Babylon 5 is one of sci-fi fans' favorite series. We are thrilled to be able to add it to our schedule," said Bonnie Hammer, executive vice president and general manager of The SCI FI Channel.
The series, which won an Emmy for visual effects in 1993, was created by J. Michael Straczynski and was co-executive produced by Straczynski and Douglas Netter. It stars Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, Andreas Katsulas, Peter Jurasik, Jerry Doyle, Claudia Christian, Tracy Scoggins, Michael O'Hare, Richard Biggs, Andrea Thompson, Jeff Conaway and Bill Mumy.
Lucas Crashes, But Is Unhurt
tar Wars creator George Lucas, who is a well-known racing enthusiast, was shaken but unhurt after banging his car into a wall during warm-ups for the Long Beach Grand Prix's Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, Hollywood.com reported.
Lucas was escorted off the track, but declined medical treatment and even signed an autograph for a fan.
Lucas was severely injured in an auto crash while racing as a teen in his native Modesto, Calif. His racing experiences formed the basis of a scene in American Graffiti.
Braga Confirms Trek Testing
tar Trek: Voyager executive producer Brannon Braga confirmed for SCI FI Wire that Paramount has indeed been testing concepts for a new Trek series to replace Voyager.
That would appear to contradict statements by Braga's partner Rick Berman to Fandom.com that there's only one concept under consideration by the studio.
"There has been some testing," Braga told SCI FI Wire. "Obviously, that's true. I honestly can't say a lot about it simply because I have nothing to do with it. This is something that Paramount is doing. The testing of concepts, particularly on something that's a franchise, so to speak, I understand is fairly normal procedure. They are testing various things, and I didn't have anything to do with it, and I have yet to hear about any results from it. It's real peripheral to me."
As for the new series, Braga said, "There is a new series in development. Rick Berman, myself and Paramount are developing it now. What it will be and when it will be are big question marks at the moment. We are in very early stages of development right now. I can tell you that we are eager to do something that is completely different, that feels fresh while at the same time captures the essence of Star Trek, gets it back to where it needs to be. We just don't have anything nailed down specifically at this point, so I really have nothing more specific that I can tell you."
He added that Paramount is not pressuring them to come up with a new series idea soon. "It's all alchemy," Braga said. "You can't predict what's going to recapture people's interest. At the moment, no, they're not putting our feet to the fire. We're just talking about ideas in the most preliminary fashion. 'What if we did this, what if we did that?' And we haven't really nailed down anything yet. So we'll see what happens when we start edging closer to a concept."
New Trek Series OK'd?
he TrekToday Web site is reporting that Paramount has approved a concept for the fifth Star Trek television series, one based on the early days of the Federation.
A Paramount spokeswoman told SCI FI Wire that she had no information on the rumor, but didn't deny it outright.
According to TrekToday, Kerry McCluggage, chairman of Paramount Television Group, approved an idea by Star Trek: Voyager executive producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga for a series set in the early days of Trek. The idea contains an important twist: The villain of the series is someone from the 29th century who travels back in time to prevent the Federation from being born in the first place.
Braga told SCI FI Wire earlier this week that he, Berman and Paramount were still in the early stages of developing the idea for a new series to replace Voyager when that show ends its seven-year run at the end of next season.
Takei, Fans Defiant About Excelsior
riginal Star Trek actor George Takei (Sulu) defiantly joined Trekkers over the weekend to push for a new Trek series based on his character and the crew of the U.S.S. Excelsior.
Takei spoke at the Grand Slam Star Trek convention on Sunday, April 2, in Pasadena, Calif.
Paramount and producers developing a new Trek show say an Excelsior-based series is unlikely. "They say it's unlikely," Takei said. "But let me give you a little history. ... When we were canceled back in 1969, Paramount and NBC said, 'It's dead.' Not unlikely, it's dead. But 10 years later, they ate crow, and very old crow. And Star Trek came back. And then, 25 years after Star Trek began ... this producer came up with the Starfleet Academy idea, and he said, 'This is it. This is the only way to save Star Trek,' because the cost of some of the actors was getting astronomical. And he was very definitive about that.
"Well, after he heard from the bosses--you [fans], after you contacted the powers that be at Paramount--he was out of his offices and on the streets, not at the studio," Takei told an audience of about 200 Trekkers. "So the real bosses are not the bosses at Paramount; it's you guys. And keep that in mind."
Takei, who was joined by original Trek actor Grace Lee Whitney (Janice Rand), added that he had been in touch with original series stars Walter Koenig (Chekov) and Nichelle Nichols (Uhuru) about an Excelsior series.
Russ Haslage, the Cleveland Trekker who has organized 4,300 fans in the Excelsior Campaign, put it simply. "We're the customer," he said. "And we've got a lot of money for you. Just come and get it." Excelsior proponents plan to demonstrate at Paramount on April 22.
Braga Says No To Sulu
rannon Braga, executive producer of Star Trek: Voyager, told SCI FI Wire that he and Paramount currently have no plans to base the next Trek series on the exploits of Capt. Hikaru Sulu and the crew of the U.S.S. Excelsior.
"There is no plan for a Sulu series at the moment, I can say with almost certainty," Braga said after an appearance at the Grand Slam Star Trek convention on Saturday, April 1, in Pasadena, Calif.
Braga was responding in part to a campaign by thousands of Trekkers who have organized themselves as the Excelsior Campaign to persuade Paramount to adopt the idea of an Excelsior series starring original Trek actor George Takei. "I really like Sulu," Braga told SCI FI Wire. "We did a Sulu episode on Voyager. Whether or not there's some sort of Sulu project, it's out of my domain. I'm not really aware of any plans to do it. I would be very surprised. There's also a 'Bring Back Kirk' campaign. Some people want to see [a] Starfleet Academy [show], some people want to see a Borg show. ... We keep an eye on these things. And there are a lot of rumors and a lot of campaigns going on. But I don't think any of them are really going to influence what we do."
But Braga, who is working with partner Rick Berman to develop a new series to replace Voyager when that show ends its seven-year run next year, added that he is sensitive to the fans' desires. "The fans are what keep this series afloat," he said. "But as far as these campaigns go, there are so many coming from different directions ... You've got to take fan influence into account, no doubt."
Tuvok Sings On New CD
im Russ, who plays Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager, has released his first full-length CD of songs, titled Tim Russ.
The new CD features Russ singing covers of ballads, as well as three songs the actor wrote himself.
Backed by Neil Norman and his Cosmic Orchestra, Russ sings songs by Cat Stevens, Bruce Hornsby, Robert Johnson and others. Russ also plays rhythm guitar on the album. Tim Russ can be purchased through the actor's official Web site.
Duchovny Open To X-Files Return?
avid Duchovny left open the door for returning for an eighth season of The X-Files in an interview with E! Online.
"At this point, it's just about money," he told the Web site. "Anybody that tells you that creatively there is anything left to do on that show .... The only creative thing left to do is the sheer high-wire act of 'How can I keep on making this show?'"
When asked if he thought Fox would cough up the money to keep him on the show, Duchovny replied, "Are you kidding? The X-Files makes a hideous amount of money, a huge amount of money. They could spend $50 million an episode and still make fourfold that. The X-Files is obscenely successful. It's worldwide."
The actor also argued that his lawsuit against Fox and X-Files creator Chris Carter wouldn't be an impediment to his return. "That has to do with my lawyers and Fox's lawyers," he said. "That has nothing to do with me and Chris or [co-star] Gillian [Anderson] or anybody who's been involved with making the show as good as it is. That doesn't even come into my consideration about whether to stay for another season." Duchovny has sued to recover royalties and other payments he claims are due him.
New ReBoot Movies To Air
ainframe Entertainment, which produced the groundbreaking computer-animated television series ReBoot, will announce a deal on Monday with a major television network to air two new ReBoot TV movies that pick up where the series left off, Mainframe spokeswoman Mairi Welman told SCI FI Wire.
Welman reversed comments to SCI FI Wire earlier this week that a deal hadn't been struck.
The unnamed network will air two two-hour ReBoot movies, probably in the spring and fall of 2001, Welman said. The first movie will be called "Daemon Rising" and will pick up the story line from the end of ReBoot's third and last season. "All those people who wanted a season four will get their wish," she said. "It will continue the story arc from where season three left off." Welman added that Mainframe will also announce details of the international distribution of the two new television movies on Monday.
ReBoot ceased production in 1997 after three seasons and 39 episodes. The series recently aired on the Cartoon Network, but was pulled in March. Mainframe said it believes the series' original episodes may return to the network in June.
Stephenson Talks Injustice
eal Stephenson, author of Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, challenged prevailing notions about Internet privacy at a conference of computer coders and security experts, the Washington Post reported.
Rather than worry about the vague threat of a mythical Big Brother, Stephenson said Internet denizens should concern themselves more with real injustices practiced by companies and institutions, the Post reported.
"When you're frightened of hyenas all the time, all you think about are hyena defenses," Stephenson told more than 1,000 people at the tenth annual Computers, Freedom and Privacy conference in Washington. The SF writer and commentator urged engineers and coders to tackle the problem of injustice, large and small.
Surprises Coming To Farscape
xpect the unexpected now that SCI FI's hit series Farscape has entered its second season.
"We really like turning this show on its ear," series creator and executive producer Rockne S. O'Bannon told Cinescape magazine contributors Gregory L. Norris and Laura A. Van Vleet.
"That's what we've found excites us as writers and seems to suit the characters in the situation we've put them in," O'Bannon said. "In the first season, we did things the audience never anticipated, like cutting off Pilot's arm and the episode when Crichton kills somebody while under the influence of an intelligent virus. Not to strike fear into the fans who like the dynamic already established, but we are working very hard to push the show in the same way this season and make it as close to being an art form as possible."
But O'Bannon added that fans shouldn't hold their breath for a movie based on the series. "Before making a Farscape movie, though, we need to get through the second season and see
if the numbers add up to support it," he told Cinescape. Farscape airs at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Fridays on SCI FI.
Tucci Plays God On SCIFI.COM
tanley Tucci plays God in the SCIFI.COM Seeing Ear Theatre original production Diary of a Mad Deity.
The 30-minute audio program also features Tucci playing more than 30 other characters.
Diary of a Mad Deity tells the story of Gunther Black, a neurotic free-lance writer from Queens who is haunted by multiple personality disorder. SF writer James Morrow wrote the thriller.
Diary is being produced to coincide with the New York and Los Angeles release of Tucci's new film Joe Gould's Secret, which he directed and starred in. Seeing Ear Theatre produces original, Web-based audio dramas.
Roswell Fans Push For Renewal
ans of The WB's teen alien series Roswell are taking their "Save Roswell" campaign to a new level, with a full-page advertisement in the Hollywood trade paper Variety on April 10.
The fans, who have incorporated as Alien Blast, will pay $2,500 for the ad, the first of two planned to encourage The WB to renew the freshman series.
The ad will say, "We would like to thank The WB for the hottest show on television. We are looking forward to next season!" Such fan action is not unprecedented: Last year, fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer took out a Variety ad to protest The WB's decision to delay two controversial episodes. Earlier, fans of The Sentinel took out their own ad, which is credited with prolonging that series' life on UPN.
As part of their campaign, Roswell fans have mailed more than 3,000 mini-bottles of Tabasco sauce to WB executives. (The alien heroes of Roswell show a peculiar taste for the spicy sauce.) Organizers say they have also received about $5,000 in donations. "Support has been received from all over the world, including France, England, Australia, Puerto Rico, Canada and of course, the U.S.," said Kristi Bergman, co-founder of the fan movement.
On April 10, The WB is moving Roswell to Mondays at 9:00 p.m. from its current home on Wednesday nights in order to boost its lackluster ratings. A decision on renewing the show won't come until May.
Backstreet Boy Guests On Roswell
ackstreet Boy Howie Dorough will guest-star on the season finale of The WB's teen alien series Roswell, according to UltimateTV.com.
The boy band member will play an alien who comes to town after getting a telepathic message, the Web site reported.
It's not clear whether Dorough's character will befriend Max, Isabel and Michael, the three starring aliens of the series. But UltimateTV.com reported that Dorough may return next season if the show is picked up for a second year.
Carr To Helm Dolittle 2
usic video director Steve Carr is in final talks to helm Doctor Dolittle 2, the sequel to Eddie Murphy's 1998 hit film Doctor Dolittle, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Murphy will reprise the title role of a man who can talk with animals, the trade paper reported.
Dolittle 2 is scheduled to begin shooting after Murphy completes the SF comedy Pluto Nash, with plans for a summer 2001 release. Carr made his feature film directing debut with Next Friday, the sequel to Ice Cube's 1995 film Friday.
Universal Buys The Immortals
niversal Pictures bought the supernatural horror screenplay The Immortals from first-time writers Michael Jonascu and Justin Stanley, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The film will be developed by David Kirschner, who produced the Child's Play series of horror movies and who will produce the upcoming SF animated movie Titan A.E.
The Immortals centers on four young friends who are given the chance to become immortal. The catch: They must first choose someone to die in their place, the trade paper reported.
Farrellys Tackle $6 Billion Man
eter and Bobby Farrelly (writers and directors of There's Something About Mary) will produce The Six Billion Dollar Man, according to Variety columnist Michael Fleming.
The trio joins partner Bradley Thomas and producer Larry Gordon to make the inflation-adjusted comic remake of the 1970s television series The Six Million Dollar Man, Fleming reported.
Miles Millar and Al Gough (Shanghai Noon) will write the screenplay. The film will depart from the sober drama of the series and instead focus on a man who is trying to master his new abilities while competing with a rival who cost $1 billion more to make, Fleming reported.
Fiorentino Talks MIB2
inda Fiorentino has her own ideas about Men in Black 2, the proposed sequel to the 1997 hit film Men in Black, in which she co-starred with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, according to Cinescape Online.
"I think the sequel should be me and Will in a comedy of errors," Fiorentino told Cinescape contributor Cindy Pearlman.
She added, "It could focus on male and female relationships, and once and for all we could prove why the sexes don't get along. You eventually find out that all men are aliens."
But Fiorentino sees trouble producing the sequel. "Let's face it. I'm the only original cast member anyone can afford," she said. "Separately, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' deals would amount to 105 percent of the budget. I think we can afford maybe one measly alien after they're paid."
Exile To Produce BloodQuest
xile Films announced that it will produce an independent SF film, BloodQuest: The Movie, based on Games Workshop's BloodQuest series of comics and graphic novels.
BloodQuest was first published in Warhammer Monthly comics by Games Workshop, a British company.
The BloodQuest story was featured in the first issue of the comic and continues to be a mainstay as Warhammer Monthly enters its third year of publication, Exile said. BloodQuest tells the story of a group of men who are part Knight Templar and part RoboCop and who dwell in a futuristic universe of technology and dark ritual.
Darth Maul Book Due In 2001
idn't get enough of Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I? LucasBooks and Del Rey Books are fixing to remedy that with a new prequel novel that reveals details of the Sith Lord's life before the events of Episode I, LucasBooks announced.
The as-yet-untitled hardcover book will appear in May 2001 from SF writer Michael Reaves.
Reaves is an Emmy award-winning television writer, screenwriter, and novelist who has written for series including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sliders and Batman: The Animated Series, among others.
He has also written 13 novels, including The Shattered World, Darkworld Detective, Street Magic, Night Hunter and Voodoo Child.
Episode I Video Sells Well
ive million copies of the video of Star Wars: Episode I have found their way to consumers in North America in the first week of release, putting the video on track to be one of the highest selling ever, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Fox Home Entertainment, which is distributing the video, reported that Episode I has already brought in $100 million, the trade paper said.
The trade paper quoted sources saying that Fox has shipped about 15 million units of Episode I. The all-time No. 1 VHS seller is The Lion King, with 30 million units sold.
Meanwhile, children hungry for more Star Wars now have their own Web site.
Star Wars Kids is a site designed for young fans, featuring interactive games, activities, information, polls and a trivia quiz.
Star Wars Game Due On Sony Site
he first massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the Star Wars universe will appear at The Station@sony.com in 2001, LucasArts Entertainment announced.
The company will partner with Sony and Verant Interactive to produce the game.
The as-yet-untitled game, which will combine combat, missions and quests, is being developed by Verant, will be distributed and sold at retail by LucasArts and will be available for play exclusively at The Station@sony.com.
Bluth Talks Titan A.E.
on Bluth, co-director of the upcoming animated SF epic Titan A.E., said it wasn't easy to combine the film's computer animation with the more traditional hand-drawn variety, according to Cinescape Online.
"The biggest challenge has been trying to blend the CGI [computer-generated imagery] animation with 2-D animation, because about 60 percent of the picture is CGI," Bluth told Cinescape magazine editor Steve Hockensmith.
Bluth added, "Oftentimes, when you put those two animals together, they don't marry very well because they look so different." When Titan A.E. was first conceived, it was intended to be 100 percent computer-animated. But when Bluth and his Anastasia co-director Gary Goldman took over, they added more traditional animation.
Even so, the epic tale of Earthlings who survive the destruction of the planet won't bear Bluth's trademark cuteness, he said. "We stayed away from the word 'cute.' There's nothing cute in this movie," he told Cinescape. "That would be like going near the plague."
Titan A.E., which features the voices of Matt Damon, Drew Barrymore and Bill Pullman, premieres June 16.
Web Preview Of Rings
he first official behind-the-scenes look at Peter Jackson's film trilogy The Lord of the Rings debuted on the New Line movies' official Web site, Friday, April 7.
The "First Look at Middle Earth" features on-set interviews with the cast, showcases the sets and creatures and tours the WETA workshop where many of the effects are done. Director Jackson narrates the streaming video preview.
The three films are now being shot back-to-back in New Zealand, with the first installment due in theaters Christmas 2001.
Hamilton Cool About T3 and 4
inda Hamilton tells Australia's TV Week magazine that she'll appear in Terminator 3 and 4 only if her former husband, James Cameron, is on board to direct, according to the Dark Horizons Web site.
Hamilton, who played Sarah Connor in Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day under Cameron's direction, had been rumored to be interested in the proposed sequels, though neither Cameron nor Arnold Schwarzenegger have signed on.
She told TV Week, "I've been approached. ... The next thing would be to read a script" for the sequels. She added that she'd consider them only if Cameron agrees to direct. "I know well enough he is the genius behind those projects," she said. "My loyalty is to James."
Del Toro Makes Changes In Blade 2
uillermo del Toro will take a different approach to vampires when he directs Blade 2, the sequel to the 1998 Wesley Snipes movie Blade, according to the Dark Horizons Web site.
Del Toro met with Blade 2 writer David S. Goyer a few weeks ago to discuss the changes, the director told The Mexican News, according to the Web site.
"The first part explored [Blade's] interaction with society in a modern city, and now the idea is to see how he functions from within," del Toro told the newspaper. He added that the sequel gives him a chance to pick up where he left off in his last vampire film, Cronos. "This is the
first project in which I didn't write the story, but it has a script that I really liked; besides, when I finished Cronos I still had a lot of vampire ideas that I couldn't develop due to budgetary constraints," he said.
Del Toro begins shooting Blade 2 in November. Snipes will return in the title role.
Sorvino To Star In Shi?
ira Sorvino may be in the running to play the lead role in the upcoming feature film Shi, based on Billy Tucci's Crusade Entertainment comic series Shi: Way of the Warrior, according to the Comics Continuum Web site.
She would replace Tia Carrere, who had earlier been considered, the site reported.
"There's been a big power play at Warner Bros.," which is now producing the feature film, Tucci told a comic convention in Florida, according to the Continuum site. "When I signed at Franchise Pictures, who was producing the movie, it was going to be Tia Carrere and it was going to be a $15-17 million movie. Now, it's a Warner Bros. movie, it's a $40 million movie and, the last I heard, it's going to be Mira Sorvino."
A new lead would require changing the ethnicity of Tucci's lead character and other modifications to the series' storyline. Tucci went to Hollywood to meet with executives about the film. "Now we have to get a new contract and write the third draft of the screenplay," he said. "But it's better. It really is. It's going to be a big movie instead of a little movie, that who knows what's going to happen to it?"
Sabrina Moves To WB
s rumored, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch is leaving ABC after four seasons and moving to The WB network next year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The WB committed to two more seasons--or 44 episodes--of the Melissa Joan Hart sitcom after contract renewal negotiations broke down with ABC.
The WB has an option after one season to bail if the show's performance falls short of predetermined ratings targets, the trade paper reported. The WB came in when talks between Viacom, which produces Sabrina, and ABC got hung up over per-episode renewal fees.
The WB is expected to schedule Sabrina Fridays at 8 p.m. next season. Sabrina had been the mainstay of ABC's Friday night "TGIF" lineup.
Sixth Sense Tops Video Rentals
he Sixth Sense, which was released on home video this week, has already made more money in its first week of rentals than any film before it, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Oscar-nominated film earned $22.6 million in video rentals for the week ending April 2, coming in at No. 1 in both video and DVD rental charts, the trade paper reported.
That positions the film to become one of the highest-grossing video rentals of all time. The Sixth Sense is already the No. 10 highest-grossing film in history, having recently surpassed The Empire Strikes Back with more than $291 million in domestic box-office earnings.
Le Guin's Lathe Returns To TV
he Lathe of Heaven, the 1980 television movie based on Ursula K. Le Guin's SF novel of the same name, will return to the airwaves in June in a digitally remastered version.
The film, about a man whose dreams have the power to reshape reality, will be offered to public television stations as a 20th anniversary special by WNET in New York City in association with American Public Television, starting June 1.
The rebroadcast will be accompanied by a new, exclusive interview of Le Guin by Bill Moyers.
It's the first time the movie--originally produced as part of WNET's Television Laboratory--has been seen on public television in 20 years, WNET spokesman Marc Fenton told SCI FI Wire. The movie version of Lathe is based on Le Guin's best-selling 1971 novel and was called one of the top 100 greatest works of science fiction by Entertainment Weekly.
The Lathe of Heaven, which stars Bruce Davison, Kevin Conway and Margaret Avery, will be made available on home video and DVD in the fall, Fenton told SCI FI Wire.
McQuarrie To Write Prisoner
hris McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) will write the screenplay for The Prisoner, the upcoming feature-film version of the cult 1960s British television series of the same name, according to Variety.
Simon West (The General's Daughter) will direct, and the series' original star, Patrick McGoohan, will executive produce with West, the trade paper reported.
The series told the story of a man (McGoohan) who found himself a prisoner in a surreal English village from which there was apparently no escape.
West is also directing Tomb Raider, based on the Eidos video game of the same name. McQuarrie is one of the writers on Fox's upcoming X-Men film, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name.
Davidson Novels Reissued
ildside Press will re-publish 12 novels by American SF author Avram Davidson in the spring.
The novels will be released as trade paperbacks ($15), with hardcover editions following later, the publisher announced.
Davidson (1923-1993) wrote 17 novels and more than 200 short stories and essays. He won Hugo, Queen's, Edgar and World Fantasy awards and has been compared to Saki and John Collier. John Clute, writing in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, said, "[Davidson is] perhaps SF's most explicitly literary author... . It is hard to imagine the genre that could encompass him; it is even more difficult to imagine fantasy or SF without him."
The newly released books, which should be available in late April or early May, include Clash of Star-Kings, Joyleg, Ursus of Ultima Thule, The Kar-Chee Reign / Rogue Dragon (omnibus edition), Rork!, The Island Under the Earth, Masters of the Maze, The Enemy of My Enemy, Marco Polo and the Sleeping Beauty, Peregrine: Primus, Peregrine: Secundus, The Rainbow Annals and Moonbird.
Li To Join Matrix 2 and 3
et Li (Romeo Must Die) may join the cast of The Matrix 2 and 3, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The martial arts expert reportedly caught the eye of filmmakers Andy and Larry Wachowski, who wrote and directed The Matrix.
Joel Silver, the producer of both Romeo and the 1999 Oscar winner The Matrix, has given his blessing to Li's participation in the sequels, the trade paper reported. Li would join returning cast members Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving.
McKellen Game For Trek
an McKellen, who will share the screen with Star Trek: The Next Generation's Patrick Stewart in Fox's upcoming X-Men, said he would consider reteaming with his fellow Brit in a Trek movie.
In response to questions on his official Web site, McKellen said, "Why not, if the script were good and if I didn't feel I might get typecast as a visiting villain."
McKellen stars as the villainous Magneto opposite Stewart's Professor X in the X-Men, which is based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. The film opens July 14.
New X-Men Trailer Screened
new X-Men trailer with new shots of the titular mutants was screened for fans gathered at the Grand Slam Star Trek Convention over the April 1 weekend in Pasadena, Calif.
The trailer--the same one shown to theater owners at last month's Showest convention in Las Vegas--included heretofore unseen footage of Rogue, played by Anna Paquin, and the evil Toad, played by Ray Park.
The trailer also offered a greater sense of the film's plot, which sets up a showdown between the good guys, led by Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, and the bad mutants, led by Ian McKellen as Magneto. The film's backdrop is a campaign by Sen. Kelly, played by Bruce Davison, against all mutants. The tag line was "Protecting those who fear them."
The trailer also featured new effects shots, including one of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) using her powers to levitate objects, Storm (Halle Berry) invoking the elements and Magneto manipulating metal.
Wizard magazine, meanwhile, offers a new spread on the film. Among other things, the magazine reported that Toad will have a computer-animated 12-foot-long tongue to attack enemies. The magazine also reported that Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) accidentally tore through the leg of his costume when he first used his razor-sharp claws, according to the Dark Horizon Web site.
The Fox film, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, premieres July 14.
McKellen Ready For X-Men 2
an McKellen, who plays the evil Magneto in Fox's upcoming X-Men movie, said he would reprise the role in X-Men 2.
In a posting to his official Web site, he wrote, "Like other actors in X-Men I have agreed, under certain conditions, to return if a sequel is made."
McKellen defended the films' design, though it varies from that in the Marvel Comic series on which the movie is based. "I was always concerned that Magneto should look powerful and stylish, and knew that a simple reproduction of the comic's outfits might look too much like fancy dress than a working uniform. The world of X-Men is not a Halloween Ball, after all."
McKellen also compared Magneto to another role he made famous: Shakespeare's Richard III. "[There] are obvious similarities, although I trust Magneto's motives more than Richard's," McKellen wrote. "Magneto is never careless with lives, whereas Richard glories in his control over others. That said, Richard's conscience bursts through his nightmare before his last battle at Bosworth."
Diggs To Star In Librium
aye Diggs (House on Haunted Hill) is in talks to star in the SF thriller movie Librium, to be written and directed by Kurt Wimmer (The Thomas Crown Affair), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Filming is scheduled to begin in July in Europe, the trade paper reported.
Librium tells the story of John Preston, the legal enforcer of a future society in which people are controlled by the drug librium. Diggs would play Preston's partner. Jan de Bont, who directed Speed, is producing the film.
Pokemon, X-Men Go To WB
he Kids' WB will air a new version of its Pokemon animated children's series on Fridays, Variety reported.
The network has ordered 52 episodes of Pokemon GS, which will air Fridays at 4 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m.
The network has also ordered a new animated childrens' version of Marvel Comics X-Men series for the fall, Variety reported. The new series will be more teen-oriented than an earlier X-Men animated series that ran on Fox Kids Network in the 1990s. The WB has ordered 13 half-hour episodes of the new series.
Frakes Doubts Total Recall 2
on't expect to see Total Recall 2--the proposed sequel to 1990's Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Total Recall--anytime soon, director Jonathan Frakes told Fandom.com.
"We might as well just take that one away," he said. "I don't see that in anybody's future."
Frakes, who's best known for acting in and directing the Star Trek: The Next Generation films, was set to direct TR2. But, he told the Web site, that's looking less likely. "It's either because of Arnold or whether or not Miramax wants to take a chance on an $80 or $100 million movie. Do you want to make that kind of movie now? Do you want to make a Total Recall 2 with what's going on with Arnold at the box office and what's going on with that genre?"
"Total Recall is an old movie now, and it looks like one," Frakes added. "I shouldn't say this, obviously, because I'd love to do that film, but they blew smoke up my ass four years ago, and nothing's happened since. I'm not holding my breath."
Daredevil, Doctor Strange Put On Hold
olumbia, which is fast-tracking development of a Spider-Man feature film, has decided to drop out of two other projects based on Marvel Comics series: Daredevil and Doctor Strange, according to Variety columnist Michael Fleming.
The columnist reported that the studio and Marvel failed to reach agreement on deals to produce the two movies.
But that doesn't mean the films are dead. Fleming reported that Marvel, which is expecting a big hit in the upcoming X-Men movie, will shop the two franchises around to other studios.
Daredevil, about a blind superhero, was to be written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Doctor Strange, about a surgeon who becomes a wizard, was to be written by Mike France, with Chuck Russell and Steve Norrington (Blade) both interested in directing, Fleming reported.
Frakes Likes WB's Roswell Moves
onathan Frakes, co-executive producer of The WB's teen alien series Roswell, approves of the network's efforts to bring more SF to the show and to move it to Mondays at 9 p.m. to boost ratings, according to Fandom.com.
"I think that Roswell is going to be one of those second-year phenomenons, where it will catch on," Frakes, who is best known as an actor in and director of the Star Trek: The Next Generation films, told the site.
Frakes added that he's unconcerned with the April 10 move to a new time slot from Roswell's current home on Wednesday night, even though it will mean going up against Fox's Ally McBeal. "I think it's a different audience," he said. "If we're going to be sci-fi, we certainly don't want to be opposite Voyager. If nothing else, when sci-fi fans find a show, they are passionate and loyal, so we'll take a crack at the shows on in that time period."
Frakes added, "The network actually encouraged us to go sci-fi because they had enough teen angst. The only resistance we felt had to do with the budget we had. We had a budget for a teen angst show. When you do a sci-fi show, your special effects budget has to go up; your costume budget has to go up. They haven't done it yet, but I'm sure they're going to have to next year if they're going to try and make this change." Producers are still awaiting word from the network about whether Roswell will be renewed for a second season.
Campbell To Play Phantasm 2012?
ruce Campbell vs. The Tall Man? Campbell (Jack of All Trades) is rumored to be in the running to take the lead role in Phantasm 2012 A.D., the proposed latest installment in the long-running horror franchise, according to the Ain't It Cool News Web site.
AICN attributed the news to comments by writer and producer Don Coscarelli at a fan convention in Texas.
Coscarelli reportedly said that filmmakers had a commitment from Campbell to play a new character in the series and that they needed $5 million in financing to start the project. Phantasm 2012 would be the fifth movie based on the 1979 cult horror hit Phantasm.
Ice Cube Stars In Ghosts
apper Ice Cube will play the lead role in John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars, according to Variety.
The SF thriller film begins production in June, the trade paper reported.
Set 174 years in the future, Ghosts of Mars tells the story of human colonists on the Red Planet who become possessed by Martian spirits and must be rescued by a crew from Earth. Carpenter (Escape from New York) and Larry Sulkis wrote the script.
Adams Denies Hitchhiker Report
ouglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, has denied that images posted to various Web sites depict props and designs from a proposed feature film version of his famous book.
In a posting to his official Web site, Adams called the reports "complete nonsense."
Adams was responding to news on the Coming Attractions Web site (as reported on SCI FI Wire) that included images of Marvin the Paranoid Android and a mock-up of the guide itself. The film version of Adams' popular satirical novel is still in development.
Arnold Reveals Sixth Day Secrets
rnold Schwarzenegger is literally beside himself about his new movie, On the Sixth Day, in which the action star finds himself cloned without his knowledge.
"In the story, I am coming home from my work, and I see myself sitting already in the living room, celebrating a birthday!" Schwarzenegger told the ET Online Web site.
"The next thing I know, I am being taken away, because there was a 'sixth day' violation, they call it," Schwarzenegger added. "From then the whole horror story begins. It is a story where someone has lost his life and is trying to get it back. It becomes this great action movie, but also has some dramatic things that happen."
The movie's title refers to the passage of Genesis that says God created man on the sixth day, the actor told ET Online. Schwarzenegger added that it wasn't easy being twice the man he is.
"You will see me very soon floating in the water," Schwarzenegger said. "It is a wild experience, because you can't see very much without the goggles. You are doing your scenes, trying to hold your breath, and then you get to the top, and all of a sudden you feel the ceiling on top--you get lost. ... In this situation there are a lot of chemicals in the water to keep it clean. It is very bad for your eyes, but for the amount of money I get paid, why not?"
On the Sixth Day, which is shooting in Canada, premieres in November.
Lucas To Guest On Web Series
tar Wars creator George Lucas and Superman star Christopher Reeve will be among the celebrities interviewed by Bicentennial Man's Robin Williams on a new weekly talk show premiering on the Internet Wednesday, April 5.
RobinWilliams@audible.com will be a weekly series of original comedy, commentary and conversation, Audible Inc. announced.
RobinWilliams@audible.com will feature comedy and commentary, as well as material from Williams' archives of live performances and stand-up comedy. The series is available by subscription after a free, eight-episode charter membership. Following the charter membership period, which ends May 18, the weekly series will be available at $2.95 per episode and at different prices for three-, six- and 12-month subscriptions.
Star Patrol Pilot Ordered
ox has ordered a pilot for Star Patrol, an SF parody set in the 27th century and starring Saturday Night Live alumnus Charles Rocket, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rocket will play Captain Omega, who leads the Space Rangers as they patrol the galaxy, the trade paper reported.
Brothers Bob, Chip and Doug Keyes wrote the pilot and will executive produce the show.
Final Destination Still Flying
inal Destination picked up $5.2 million during the first weekend in April, which was enough to finish No. 7 in the box-office top 10.
The teen thriller has earned a respectable total of $28.2 million in three weeks of release.
Mission to Mars slipped from No. 4 to No. 8, with $3.4 million. Its total earnings are $54.5 million after three weeks of release.
Briefly Noted
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Director Brad Silberling (City of Angels) has passed on the remake of Time Machine at DreamWorks, Variety reported.
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Peter Jackson, director of New Line's upcoming film trilogy The Lord of the Rings, told the movies' official Web site that he took up the job after waiting fruitlessly for someone else to film J.R.R. Tolkien's three epic novels of the same name. "I've sort of been a fan of the book who's been waiting to see somebody else's film," he said. "I ended up waiting so long, the concept of making the film myself sort of entered my head, and here we are."
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Saturday Night Live alumna Anna Gasteyer and Slaughterhouse-Five actress Valerie Perrine will join Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt in the paranormal comedy What Women Want, according to Variety.
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The new X-Men trailer--which first premiered at the Showest convention in Las Vegas--will be available for download on the official X-Men Web site on Thursday, April 6, starting at 11 p.m. EST.
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Leonardo DiCaprio is out of the running to play Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode 2 and 3. While talking to USA Today, DiCaprio's spokesperson Ken Sunshine said, "He met with George Lucas, but he is definitely unavailable."
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A federal judge has ruled against producer Kevin McClory in his claim to the James Bond franchise, capping nearly 40 years of litigation against Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. The court ruled that McClory waited too long to file his claim that he co-created the spy with novelist Ian Fleming.
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UPN is pulling Barry Sonnenfeld's series Secret Agent Man after just five episodes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The last episode before the summer hiatus aired Tuesday, April 4. The show, which has a 12-episode order, may return in the summer.
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The Crow: Salvation--the latest sequel to 1994's The Crow--has opened an official Web site.
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Zuleikha Robinson (Time Code 2000) has joined the cast of the Fox pilot The Lone Gunmen, the spinoff of Chris Carter's The X-Files, according to Variety.
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Frances O'Connor (Mansfield Park) is in the running to play Haley Joel Osment's mother in Steven Spielberg's SF film A.I., Variety reported.
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Jean E. Karl, a children's book publisher who was responsible for Ursula K. Le Guin's Farthest Shore, died last week, according to the Associated Press. She was 72. Karl established the Atheneum youth imprint, edited award-winning books and wrote extensively.
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New Line Cinema will preview its upcoming film trilogy The Lord of the Rings, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel series of the same name, on April 7 on its official
Web site. The studio promises a first look at characters, creatures and the story of the three films now shooting in New Zealand.
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Mädchen Amick (Twin Peaks) will star in the pilot for Ultraviolet, a proposed Fox SF series about vampires, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Also in the cast are Eric Thal, Spence Decker, Joanna Going and Idris Elba.
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Real TV will air footage of The X-Files' Gillian Anderson reciting poems as a student at the college she attended in Grand Rapids, Mich., UltimateTV reported. The clip of Anderson, complete with nose ring, will air May 3 on the syndicated newsmagazine show.
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Tim Guinee (Strange World) will headline UPN's pilot Level Nine, about a top-secret government agency that guards the computer-dependent world, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Also in the cast are Esteban Powell, Kate Hodge, Susie Park, Fabrizio Filippo, Michael Kelly, Kim Murphy and Romany Malco.
