SCIFI.COM Launches Rangers Site
CIFI.COM has unveiled the official Web site for the upcoming SCI FI Channel original telefilm Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers.
The site contains preliminary information about the movie, message boards, a cast and crew list and the first Rangers trailer.
Later this summer SCIFI.COM plans to create a more expansive site for Rangers that will include weekly updates, exclusive on-set photography by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski, interviews, feature stories, sketches, images and more.
Duchovny Disses X-Files End
he X-Files star David Duchovny shares fans' disappointment with this season's finale episode, which had his character, Mulder, kissing Gillian Anderson's Scully, TV Guide Online reported.
"We were doing the last two episodes, and I felt like, 'This isn't a resolution for my character,'" Duchovny told the site. "We're resolving things that had nothing to do with Mulder. I felt like it was a lost opportunity. I felt like the last two episodes could have been a real send-off for Mulder."
Duchovny added that he had very little warning that the season would end with a kiss. "They have this idea over at The X-Files that stuff might get stolen and put on the Internet," he said. "It pisses me off, because I'm an actor, and I'd like to have the scenes more than two hours before I play it. It's all a big mystery. I think it was written that Scully gives Mulder a kiss on the forehead. I was so confused at that point that I didn't trust my feelings about it. I have so many personal feelings about it; it was eight years of my life. I didn't know what would be an appropriate ending. [Director] Kim Manners and I were discussing it, and he said, 'We've done that a hundred times, the whole hand-holding and kiss on the forehead. We should do a real kiss.' And I thought, 'Yeah, that feels right. At least it's something different at the end.'"
And Duchovny left open the door for a reappearance on the show, though he has said he's through with it for good. "If they wrote a good X-Files script, I would look at it the way I look at any script, which is, I would really want it to be good," he said.
Lucafilm Warns Fans On Re-Edits
ucasfilm has issued fans a warning not to distribute re-edited versions of Star Wars: Episode I, the so-called Phantom Edits, the Zap2it Web site reported.
At least two versions of the edit are floating around, and an underground group calling itself The Phantom Edit Fan Network has organized the mass distribution of the unauthorized films to people in 19 states and five countries, the site reported. Fans re-edited the film to correct what they perceived as weaknesses in the original version.
But Jeanne Cole, a spokesperson for Lucasfilm, told Zap2it that some fans have gone too far. "I think what we've come to realize is that when we first heard about the [re-edits], we realized that these were fans that were having some fun with Star Wars, which we've never had a problem with. But over the last 10 days, this thing has grown, and it's taken on a life of its own--as things do sometimes when associated with Star Wars. And, when we started hearing about massive duplication and distribution, we realized then that we had to be very clear that duplication and distribution of our materials is an infringement. And so we just kind of want to put everybody on notice that that is indeed the case."
Earlier reports mentioned that Star Wars creator George Lucas was interested in seeing copies of the re-edited films. But Cole told Zap2it that Lucas has not seen either of the re-edited versions and he isn't planning on watching them any time soon.
Episode II Features CGI Yoda?
heForce.net reported a rumor that Star Wars: Episode II will feature an almost entirely computer-generated Yoda.
Citing an anonymous source, the site reported that animators have attempted to approximate the movement of the Yoda puppet used in earlier Star Wars films--right down to the bounce and wiggle of his ears when he walks.
Similarly, director George Lucas is relying on computer animation and radio-controlled robots to portray R2-D2, rather than on actor Kenny Baker, who filled the droid costume in earlier Star Wars films, the site reported.
Trek X May Wrap TNG?
tar Trek actors Michael Dorn (Worf) and Marina Sirtis (Troi) told fans that the upcoming 10th Trek film plays like the final chapter in the Next Generation saga, the TrekToday Web site reported.
Speaking at the Star Trek & Sci Fi Media Convention in Durham, N.C., Sirtis added that she hoped the TNG movies will continue, the site reported.
Trek X will be "better than Insurrection," Sirtis said. She also denied a long-standing rumor that a main character will die in the film. She declined to comment on rumors that she and Cmdr. Riker will tie the knot in the film's opening, the site reported.
Dorn said the film will feature a character cameo from another Trek series.
Enterprise Shot In HDTV
PN's upcoming Star Trek series, Enterprise, will be shot in high-definition television format, the TrekToday Web site reported.
Quoting unnamed sources, the site said the format will allow high-quality episodes for eventual DVD distribution.
The site added that unfamiliarity with the high-definition format led to some problems early during the production of the Enterprise pilot, but that the problems have been worked out. It remained unclear whether the show would be broadcast in HDTV.
DS9 Actor Guests On Chronicle
asey Biggs--who played Damar on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine--makes a guest appearance on The SCI FI Channel's upcoming original series The Chronicle.
Biggs will play a cable man hunted by a headless biker in the episode "Bring Me the Head of Tucker Burns," which is currently shooting.
Biggs was a recurring character on DS9 from 1996-99 as the Cardassian henchman. The Chronicle tells the story of a tabloid newspaper that investigates reports of alien and paranormal phenomena. It stars Chad Willett, Rena Sofer and Reno Wilson. The Chronicle will air on Saturdays at 9 p.m., starting July 14.
Enterprise Writers Hired
nterprise executive producer Rick Berman told the official Star Trek Communicator magazine that the upcoming UPN series will be written in part by writers of his previous series, Voyager, according to a report on the TrekWeb site.
"We now have a writing staff in place consisting of writers we brought from Voyager and [others] who are new to Star Trek," Berman told the magazine.
Berman added, "We are actively working on three soundstages [at the Paramount lot in Los Angeles] and, on one of them, construction is nearly complete. The other two were used for Voyager sets and had to be struck, but construction is now underway on those, too. ... I think, just in terms of the amount of effort and money that will go into the sets, costumes and special effects, it is on par with our previous series. It certainly isn't less!"
Fans To Write New Voyager
group of Star Trek: Voyager fans--unwilling to accept the end of their favorite show--has come together on the Internet to shepherd fan fiction carrying on the story of the errant starship and its crew.
Voyager: Virtual Season Eight will feature 26 new weekly stories based on the show's characters, starting June 20.
The team of fans is led by Holly "Thinkey" Simon, Coral Leane and Anne Rose. The "episodes" will feature book covers and Flash-driven video and will also be translated into German for international fans.
UPN Fall Dates Not Firm
UPN spokesman denied to SCI FI Wire various reports about air dates for the fall premieres of its upcoming Star Trek series, Enterprise, and other genre shows.
"Those are all unofficial dates," the spokesman said in an interview. "Nothing is set yet."
Web sites--including TrekToday, Dark Horizons and Ain't It Cool News--have variously reported that Enterprise is slated to bow on Sept. 23 or 26. The sites added that UPN will premiere Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Oct. 9, Special Unit 2 on Oct. 3 and Roswell on Oct. 16.
Ryan, Mulgrew Mulled For Trek X
eri Ryan--Seven of Nine on the departed Star Trek: Voyager--was asked to make a cameo in the upcoming 10th Star Trek movie, but had to decline because of a scheduling conflict with her new TV series, Boston Public, the TrekToday Web site reported.
Producers then turned to Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway) to make an appearance, sources told the site.
It was unclear whether Mulgrew would be willing to appear in the movie or how large her role might be. Fans of Deep Space Nine, meanwhile, are organizing to press that one of that show's characters be revived for the film.
BBC Site To Post Who Pilot
he BBC's official Web site will post the previously unheard pilot for a new Doctor Who audio series, originally produced for Radio 4, SCI FI Wire learned.
The site will post the episode "Death Comes to Time" on July 13; it will be the first new BBC Who episode in five years.
Radio 4 turned down the option to develop the pilot into a radio series, but if interest in the Webcast is strong enough, BBC Online may develop it into a six-episode miniseries exclusively for the Web.
The BBC site will soon unveil a trailer for the episode. The episode reunites the seventh Who actor, Sylvester McCoy, and Who's '80s series
companion, Sophie Aldred. The episode also stars Stephen Fry, John Sessions and Jacqueline Pearce and was produced by Dan Freedman.
Head Up For Who Role?
nthony Stewart Head--Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer--has been approached to play the Master in a future Doctor Who story, a source told SCI FI Wire.
Big Finish Productions, which has a BBC license to make Doctor Who audio adventures, has approached Head, and the actor is understood to be considering the offer seriously, the source said.
Talks with Anthony Ainley, who previously played the role in the television
series, were unsuccessful, and Big Finish hopes to use Head's desire to remain
in Britain for work as a hook to land the actor. Eric Roberts last played the role in the 1996 television movie.
Marsters To Guest On Andromeda
uffy the Vampire Slayer co-star James Marsters is one of several genre actors who will make guest appearances on the syndicated SF series Andromeda next season, the Ain't It Cool News Web site reported.
Marsters is reportedly shooting his episode this week, for airing during November, the site reported. Marsters will play the villainous Nietzschean archduke Charlemagne Bolivar, a decadent yet intelligent nobleman, AICN reported.
Other guest actors will include The X-Files's William B. Davis (Cigarette-Smoking Man), who will play a scientist obsessed with ripping the veil of secrecy from alien Trance Gemini and her race; Lone Gunmen star Bruce Harwood, who will play a defense contractor protected by Rommie; and First Wave's Roger Cross, who will play a government agent tracking Harwood down.
Doherty To Guest On Buffy?
hannen Doherty, who left The WB's Charmed, may make a guest appearance on UPN's Buffy the Vampire Slayer next season, E! Online columnist Ted Casablanca reported.
An anonymous friend of Doherty's told the site that Buffy star "Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shannen are really good friends, and I know they've been talking about doing the show together, with Shannen as a recurring character."
Gellar's public relations representative, who also represents Doherty, told Casablanca, "They are good friends. And appearing on the show is always a possibility. As long as Buffy wants her, I know Shannen would do it."
Doherty, meanwhile, has been sentenced to perform community service for her December drunken-driving arrest, the Associated Press reported. Doherty's service will include talking to teen-agers about the dangers of alcohol.
Rohm Wary Of Angel
lizabeth Rohm--who played cop Kate Lockley on The WB's Angel--told TV Guide Online that she was initially leery about taking a role on the vampire series.
"When [series creator] Joss Whedon offered it to me--and he knows this, so it's not off the record--I wasn't sure I wanted to do it, being a serious New York actor," Rohm told the site.
Rohm added that Whedon allayed her fears. "He's so Dr. Seuss," she said. "He's got these incredible metaphors woven into [stories with] all these vampires and demons, and I was so excited. I thought, 'This could be really interesting,' and I think it helped me as an actress." Rohm moves to NBC in the fall to play the new assistant district attorney on Law and Order.
Fox Preps 28 Days Later
ox Searchlight is developing the SF movie 28 Days Later, with director Danny Boyle attached, Variety reported.
Novelist Alex Garland wrote the script, about a deadly virus that sweeps the planet.
DNA Films' Andrew Macdonald will produce, the trade paper reported. Searchlight is co-financing 28 Days Later with the U.K.'s Film Council, suggesting that the budget could exceed the usual $15 million cap for films funded solely by Searchlight, Variety reported. Under the deal, Searchlight will retain worldwide distribution rights. Production is slated to begin near London in August.
Ford Won't Do Indy IV?
arrison Ford won't be making the fourth Indiana Jones movie in 2002, or perhaps ever, syndicated columnists Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith reported.
The hang-up: Producer George Lucas has yet to strike a deal for the film with Paramount, and until he does, a writer can't be hired for the film.
The delay leaves Ford--who limits himself to one film a year--open to other offers, the columnists reported. The Sixth Sense filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan had reportedly been tapped to write an Indy IV script, as had Traffic screenwriter Stephen Gaghan, the columnists reported.
McGowan Gets Charmed
he WB announced on June 14 that Rose McGowan will replace Shannen Doherty on its witch series Charmed, the Reuters news service reported.
McGowan had been rumored to be under consideration for Doherty's job.
Doherty left the series after three years amid rumored disputes with cast member Alyssa Milano.
Alien Dinos Invade Outer Limits
nrico Colantoni (Galaxy Quest) told TV Guide Online that he'll deal with alien dinosaurs in the June 15 episode of The SCI FI Channel's original series The Outer Limits, called "Think Like A Dinosaur."
"In this story, Earth's air is becoming poisonous," he told the site. "So these alien dinosaurs bring us a technology that zaps a human being 90 light years away to another planet. The person on Earth gets destroyed while simultaneously being regenerated in this other place."
In the course of the episode, a woman winds up in two worlds at once. "I don't want these dinosaurs to think we're not ready for the technology, so I have to kill this woman who--of course--reminds me of my late wife," Colantoni said.
"Think Like A Dinosaur" is based on the Hugo Award-winning short story of the same name by James Patrick Kelly. The story was also adapted for SCIFI.COM's Seeing Ear Theatre.
Prometheus Winners Announced
he Libertarian Futurist Society announced that it presented its first Prometheus Award for special lifetime achievement to Poul Anderson.
The award was presented at LFScon, the society's first national conference, May 25-27 in Columbus, Ohio.
The Survival of Freedom, an SF anthology edited by Jerry Pournelle and John Carr, won the 2001 Prometheus Hall of Fame award for best classic fiction, the society reported.
The Prometheus Awards honor outstanding science fiction or fantasy that explores the possibilities of a free future, champions human rights, dramatizes the conflict between individuals and coercive governments or critiques the tragic consequences of abuse of power, especially by the state.
The society will present an award for best novel at the upcoming 59th World Science Fiction Convention, or Millennium Philcon, Aug. 30-Sept. 2 in Philadelphia. The nominees follow.
•Lodestar by Michael Flynn
•The Sky Road by Ken MacLeod
•The Truth by Terry Pratchett
•Forge of the Elders by L. Neil Smith
•Eagle Against the Stars by Steve White
Destination 2 Script Ready
inal Destination producer Craig Perry told SCI FI Wire that a script has been written for the upcoming sequel.
"The script is in," Perry said in an interview at this week's Saturn Awards, at which Final Destination took home the award for best horror film." [The script] was very well received. We are looking for a director. We would love to continue working with [director] Jim [Wong] and [his partner, producer] Glen [Morgan,] on it, but they have so much effects work on The One, they could never actually help us prep the movie, because we want to shoot it in the fall."
Wong previously told SCI FI Wire that he's not interested in helming the sequel and is busy directing the SF thriller The One, which stars Jet Li.
Perry added that the sequel will build on the shocks of the first film. "It pretty solidly builds on the mythology of the first one, and it doesn't shy away from the things that made the first one work, which are the gritty, clever, entertaining and spectacularly over-the-top death sequences. ... I think one of the things that made the first movie interesting is that it didn't rely on [computer-generated images]," Perry said. "Most of the effects are mechanical effects, in-camera effects, special effects that were done on set practically. I think you can tell the difference, because it's a lot more organic. So we are definitely going to try and continue that ideal, because it feels like it's a real thing that you're watching. People are so attuned to CG now that they're looking for the seams--they're looking for the weight of the steps. I'd like to use the technology to sell the idea, not to have the idea be the technology."
Jewison Blasts New Rollerball
orman Jewison, who directed 1975's cult SF movie Rollerball, told the New York Post that John McTiernan's upcoming remake glorifies violence, which he satirized in the original.
"They sent me a script to see if I was interested in directing," Jewison told the newspaper. "But I passed on it, because it was clear they were embracing the violence, which I used in the original to comment on the activities of multinational corporations."
Jewison added, "They've invited me to a screening, but I'm not sure I even want to see it." The remake stars Chris Klein and takes place in the near future, where the organizers of a violent arena sport use deaths to boost TV ratings, the Post reported. The new Rollerball opens Aug. 17.
Dimension Develops Junk
imension Films will develop the family SF film Junk, based on a pitch by director Robert Kurtzman and writers David Benullo and David Goldstein, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Kurtzman (Wishmaster) is attached to direct for producers Wes Craven and Marianne Maddalena, the trade paper reported.
Junk tells the story of a group of misfit kids who find an unexpected treasure in a junkyard, the trade paper reported.
Singer Labors On X-Men 2
-Men director Bryan Singer told the Popcorn U.K. Web site that he's "feverishly working" on a sequel.
Singer--whose X-Men took home six Saturn Awards this week--confirmed to the site that the first film's characters will all return. "It's going to have X-Men and X-stuff," he said. The sequel will be a "good chance to see what their range is, how much we can stretch them."
Singer added, "I'm sort of sworn to secrecy." But, he said, the new movie will mix "the comic-book lore that I adore so much and a lot of new ideas of my own." Singer said he hopes to begin filming early next year, with a possible release date between Christmas 2002 and summer 2003.
Roswell Preps For Season 3
onald D. Moore, one of the producers of UPN's teen alien series Roswell, told the Zap2it Web site that the show's staff is back at work on its third season.
Roswell makes the move to UPN from The WB on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m., right after fellow WB expatriate Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Zap2it reported.
"We're in a good place," Moore told the site. "Buffy's a tremendous lead-in for us, that's for certain. We're in the perfect slot in the schedule at the moment."
Not returning are Colin Hanks, whose character Alex died last season, and Emilie de Ravin, whose pregnant character, Tess, left for the aliens' home planet in the season finale.
"We sat down and plotted out the opening episodes for season three before the season was over," even though Roswell's fate was uncertain right up to the end, Moore said. He added, "The template for what we want to do is where we ended up in the last six episodes of season two. That's the groove where we want to be. The character relationships were up front. The mystery was there, but it wasn't too complicated." Next season, the human and alien teens will be seniors in high school, except for Isabel (Heigl), whose brainy character has graduated early, the site reported. Will she be going to college? "We're talking about that," Moore said. "She'll hang around. The show is Roswell, so she's going to be in Roswell, by hook or by crook."
Cyber Love Story Coming
ean Devlin's Electric Entertainment, Roland Emmerich's Centropolis Entertainment and Bob Cooper's Landscape Entertainment have teamed to produce the SF film Cyber Love Story, Variety reported.
Emmerich will direct from a script by Ron Bass.
Cyber takes place in the future, when chat rooms have become synthetic environments. Devlin and Emmerich previously collaborated on Godzilla and Independence Day.
Exec Confirms Earth Changes
hilip Segal, Tribune Entertainment's senior vice president of scripted programming, told fans of Earth: Final Conflict in an official chat that Leni Parker (Da'an) and Anita La Selva (Zo'or) would be leaving the show and that original star Kevin Kilner would return as William Boone in the upcoming fifth season.
Segal did not comment on the status of current series star Robert Leeshock, who is also rumored to be leaving.
Kilner left the series after the first season, and his character died. Segal would not discuss how Kilner's character will return to the show. La Selva will appear during the coming season only as a special guest star.
The SyFy Portal Web site has previously reported that Leeshock has been auditioning for other television series, including a failed bid for the new
UPN Star Trek series, Enterprise.
Fans, meanwhile, have been upset with the series' continuing cast and story changes and are petitioning The SCI FI Channel to restore the cast and original storyline should the network take over production of original episodes in the future.
Cats & Dogs Hosts Charity Event
ats & Dogs stars Sean Hayes, Joe Pantoliano and Elizabeth Perkins will leave their handprints and footprints in cement at Hollywood's Egyptian Theater on June 20.
The actors will be joined by their own pets and their animal costars, the cat that plays Mr. Tinkles and the beagle that plays Lou.
The autographed concrete mementos from this event will be donated for an eBay auction to benefit Animal Rescue Volunteers, a non-profit animal welfare group that helps feed, house, and provide medical attention, foster care and adoption services for rescued animals, Warner Brothers announced.
Saturn Winners Announced
-Men dominated the 27th annual Saturn Awards June 12, taking home six awards, including best SF film, in ceremonies in Los Angeles. The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films presented the awards, which honor genre movies and television shows; Babylon 5 star Bruce Boxleitner hosted the event.
Among television shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer won two Saturns, and The SCI FI Channel's original series Farscape took home the award for best syndicated or cable series.
Spider-Man director Sam Raimi received the George Pal Memorial Award, and producer Brian Grazer (Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and actor Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street) received Life Career Awards. Filmmaker Dustin Lance Black took home the Dr. Donald A. Reed President's Award, renamed in honor of the Saturn Awards and academy founder, who died earlier this year.
The film Shadow of the Vampire received a special achievement award for its behind-the-scenes take on director F.W. Murnau's classic vampire movie Nosferatu.
A full list of winners follows.
Science Fiction Film
•X-Men
Fantasy Film
•Frequency
Horror Film
•Final Destination
Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
•Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Actor
•Hugh Jackman, X-Men
Actress
•Téa Leoni, Family Man
Supporting Actor
•Willem Dafoe, Shadow of the Vampire
Supporting Actress
•Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, X-Men
Performance by a Younger Actor
•Devon Sawa, Final Destination
Director
•Bryan Singer, X-Men
Writing
•David Hayter, X-Men
Music
•James Horner, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Costume
•Louise Mingenbach, X-Men
Makeup
•Rick Baker, Gail Ryan, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Special Effects
•Scott E. Anderson, Craig Hayes, Scott Stokdyk, Stan Parks, Hollow Man
Genre Home Video Release
•Princess Mononoke
Network Television Series
•Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Syndicated/Cable Television Series
•Farscape
Single Television Presentation
•Fail Safe
Actor on Television
•Robert Patrick, The X-Files
Actress on Television
•Jessica Alba, Dark Angel
Supporting Actor on Television
•James Marsters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Supporting Actress on Television
•Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Voyager
Cinescape Is Dead For Now
arc Camron, publisher of Cinescape magazine, told SCI FI Wire that the magazine and its sister Web site are moribund while he seeks a buyer for the properties and their sister publications.
Fandom Inc., which bought Cinescape last year, earlier reported that it would spin off assets and close its online operations; Camron said the company has gone out of business completely. Camron said the Web site is not being updated; users trying to access Cinescape's Web site have received error messages in the last week or so.
Fandom's last telephone number in Santa Monica, Calif., has been disconnected; the Beverly Hills, Calif., public relations company that issued a press release for Fandom in April told SCI FI Wire that it is no longer speaking for the company.
In the meantime, Camron said in an interview that Cinescape has fired its entire staff, including himself. "We're waiting for a buyer," Camron said. "They're trying to sell. ... We're holding out and hoping. Right now, the staff is out of work and looking for work. We're trying to negotiate a deal to sell the publication and the sister publications as well." Those include Wicked magazine and licensed publications for The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. "There are several interested parties," Camron added. "We are in final stages of negotiation."
Cinescape's last issue was the May/June edition, featuring Angelina Jolie on the cover.
Baker Segues To MIB 2
akeup wizard Rick Baker told SCI FI Wire that he and his team had no time off between Planet of the Apes and the upcoming sequel Men in Black 2.
"No, not at all," Baker said in an interview at the Saturn Awards in Los Angeles.
"I went right from Apes to Men In Black, and that was literally about a month and a half ago. They started filming yesterday."
Baker--who won a Saturn for his work on last year's Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas--said he will have a team of more than 100 makeup artists designing aliens for the sequel. He said he would use "every trick in the book. I mean, there's simple makeups, there's complex makeups, there's guys in suits. We're designing the [computer-generated] characters as well. It's all kinds of stuff."
Baker added, "A lot of my stuff is at the end of the movie, because it has to be because we need that time to make it. So I'm still designing aliens for this film, and we haven't made them yet." It's hard to say whether it's more difficult coming up with makeup for 500 apes--as he did on Tim Burton's Apes remake--or aliens, he said. "They're both challenges. I mean, creating something that exists, people have a frame of reference. Aliens, you can kind of get away with a lot. The hard thing is coming up with something that hasn't been done. I mean, there have been so many films since Star Wars. You thought they'd used so many aliens, it's hard to do something that doesn't look like a Klingon."
Spidey Nears End Of Filming
am Raimi, director of the upcoming Spider-Man movie, told the Popcorn U.K. Web site that principal photography is nearly finished. "We're just finishing up the last of the shoot," Raimi told the site.
"We've got about another three days of photography, then there's a week somewhere two months from now, but we're almost done."
Raimi--who won the George Pal Memorial Award at the Saturn Awards June 12--added that he's aware of the high expectations for his adaptation of the venerable Marvel Comics series. "I've never had anything to do with a film where people were really interested when we were making it, so it's a brand new experience for me," he said.
Marvel film executive Avi Arad, meanwhile, told the Comics Continuum Web site that he's impressed with the work of Willem Dafoe, who plays Spider-Man villain Norman Osborn (The Green Goblin). "The Green Goblin, as we all know, is a schizophrenic character, and it takes a hell of an actor to be able to be Norman, the father, who befriends Peter," Arad told the site. "He sees someone in Peter who is closer to him than his own son. And then this man becomes an insane villain, and these kind of scenes are very tough to pull off. And Willem has the chops to pull it off."
Arad added that the movie Goblin will differ from the comic version of the character. "It's classic, but updated," he said. "The Goblin is quite different. We love the new Goblin."
Romero Writing Living Dead 4
eorge A. Romero told fans on his official Web site that he's completing the script for a proposed fourth installment in his Night of the Living Dead series of horror films.
The director added that he is still seeking financing to make the movie.
"You have the camera, I'll start shooting today!" Romero told the site. "I'll shoot with whatever camera anybody is willing to put in my hands. I'd prefer 35mm film, as a 35mm [negative] still offers widest distribution. Anchor Bay has an offer on the table for a $3-4 million budget. I'm afraid the film might cost $5-6 [million]. I hope A.B. will agree to taking in a partner, maybe a European company. If not, maybe private investment can be found. Either way, I am currently working on the script ... almost finished ... and I am hoping for the best."
Romero also discussed a few plot points. "A 'fortified city' is central to the plot. Fat Cats and 'Smarties' have decided to reclaim their lives ... despite obvious difficulties, which plays into the 'ignoring the problem' subtext," he said. "The only other thing I'm willing to say is that Dead 4, if it happens, is going to be fabulous ... a great big bundle of shock and entertainment that will make you sing and dance all the way to your gravesite."
Blue Shift Ships To Stores
ierra On-Line and Gearbox Software have begun shipping Half-Life: Blue Shift, the newest episode in the award-winning video game franchise, to retail outlets.
Blue Shift is an all-new single-player episode surrounding the Black Mesa security guard introduced in Valve's classic action thriller, Half-Life, the companies announced.
Blue Shift also contains the Half-Life HD Pack, which automatically upgrades the weapons and characters of all the games in the Half-Life saga with new high-definition content. Blue Shift is designed for the PC.
New Line Exec Thrills At Rings
ew Line Cinema chief executive Robert Shaye was "thrilled" with the rough cut of the first Lord Of The Rings film, which he viewed after flying to New Zealand from Los Angeles, the New Zealand newspaper The Evening Post reported.
Shaye screened a cut of The Fellowship of the Ring during post-production, the films' executive producer, Mark Ordesky, told the newspaper.
"He was thrilled with what he saw," Ordesky said. "It was a very positive visit. ... He was pleased artistically and commercially." The film is on schedule for a Dec. 19 release.
Rings Cannes Video Posted
ew Line Cinema has posted on its official Web site a video featurette of the exclusive press party for its upcoming Lord of the Rings film trilogy, which took place May 13 at the Cannes Film Festival.
The $2 million party, at the Chateau de Castellaras about an hour outside of Cannes, capped a three-day press preview of the upcoming films, including a 25-minute sneak-peek reel.
The video shows stars and filmmakers--including director Peter Jackson and actors Elijah Wood, Christopher Lee, Ian McKellen and Liv Tyler--as well as some of the film's elaborate sets, which were reproduced for the party. The official Rings site also contains an Acrobat Reader version of the elaborate press book about the making of the films, which was distributed to journalists covering the event.
Rodriguez Talks Resident Evil
ichelle Rodriguez confirmed for SCI FI Wire that she has finished shooting the Resident Evil film, with additional audio looping scheduled for this week.
In an interview, Rodriguez said the film is a prequel of sorts to the Capcom video game series on which the film is based. "See, the thing is, it changed so much, it morphed from 'There is no character here from the real game' to 'There is a character here [from] the real game, and now this is big,'" she said. "It's got so much."
Rodriguez added, "My character is an ex-Navy SEAL who decides to work for a private organization called the Umbrella Corp. These people do scientific experiments, and my job is to quarantine the situation, make sure that nobody leaks out any information or no creatures get out of these places. The next thing you know, things are blowing up, heads are rolling, I'm shooting an HK-5 at a governor, and I've got a Rambo knife, and I'm snapping necks."
Rodriguez said the entire movie takes place in the facility, and the monsters are "Zombies, nothing but zombies. Milla [Jovovich] gets to fight dogs. That's cool." Resident Evil has been picked up for distribution by Sony for the spring of 2002. It was produced by the German company Constantin Films.
Diesel Co-Scripting Pitch 2
itch Black star Vin Diesel told SCI FI Wire that he's co-writing the upcoming sequel with director David Twohy and that the new film will focus on his convict character.
"We should have a script in the next few weeks or month," Diesel said in an interview. "It will be called The Chronicles of Riddick."
Diesel confirmed that the sequel would not deal with the same aliens as the original film. "It will not be another Pitch Black situation," Diesel said. "We're going to follow Riddick through this universe, more like a futuristic Conan, coupled with a Harrison-Ford attitude and Star Wars. It's going to be dope."
Diesel's character, Riddick, is an ex-convict in the future, with an eye condition that makes him vulnerable to light but able to see in the dark. In Pitch Black, Riddick used his ability to fend off a species of nocturnal aliens when his prison transport shuttle crash-landed.
Mad Max 4 Starting?
he Melbourne Herald Sun reported a rumor that writer and director George Miller has begun pre-production on Mad Max 4, a new installment in the dystopian SF film saga that made Mel Gibson a star.
The Australian newspaper reported that Gibson won't appear in the new film, but may produce. Heath Ledger is rumored to star.
Miller reportedly plans to shoot Mad Max 4 in Morocco, and will also use South Australian sites at Coober Pedy and the Flinders Ranges. The film's story line remains a secret.
Hannah Preps New Jekyll
ohn Hannah (The Mummy Returns) and his production company, Clerkenwell Films, are developing a new British TV version of Robert Louis Stevenson's SF classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a Clerkenwell spokesman told SCI FI Wire.
Clerkenwell is developing the film as a vehicle for the Scottish actor.
"At the moment, we've got a first draft of the script written," the spokesman said in an interview. "What we're doing is working on that, trying to
develop it and see who will commission it. Obviously John will be starring
as Dr. Jekyll."
Although no British broadcaster has yet been lined up, ITV is a favorite to
snap up the project, given its established relationship with Clerkenwell on Hannah's previous U.K. shows, Rebus and McCallum.
Cistaro Obsesses On Witchblade
nthony Cistaro, who plays billionaire Kenneth Irons in TNT's original series Witchblade, told the Comics Continuum Web site that his enigmatic character will appear in all 11 episodes of the new show.
"The true obsession of Irons is that Witchblade," Cistaro told the site. "He's just courting it like a lover. He just wants that blade. Really, my only way of possibly having any dealings with it is through Sara [Yancy Butler], so she is the conduit."
Cistaro added, "As far as whether there's any other relationships between myself and Sara, I have my suspicions, but I don't know. I have not seen Episode 1, which I expect will say something."
Witchblade, based on the Top Cow comic series of the same name, stars Butler as an NYPD cop who acquires a magical gauntlet. "While [the series] retains the spirit of the [comic] books, they also wanted to bring something new in terms of story and storyline," Cistaro said. "There should be the familiarity of the characters and the situations, but the actual stories we're dealing with are new. I hope the fans of the comic book won't be disappointed, but embrace more story, basically." Witchblade premieres at 9 p.m. June 12.
New Dune Game Ships
estwood Studios started shipping Emperor: Battle for Dune--its latest video game based on Frank Herbert's Dune series of SF novels--on June 12 for the PC.
Electronic Arts developed the game, which is the sequel to Dune II.
Emperor: Battle for Dune is a 3-D real-time strategy game in which players can choose to control the Atreides, the Harkonnen or the Ordos for domination of the empire.
Philcon Hosts First Smith Award
he first annual Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award, named for the SF author, will be presented Sept. 2 at the 59th World Science Fiction Convention, or Millennium Philcon, in Philadelphia.
SF author Robert Silverberg will present the award on behalf of the Cordwainer Smith Awards Committee and the Cordwainer Smith Foundation.
The award honors a science fiction or fantasy writer whose work displays unusual originality, embodies the spirit of Cordwainer Smith's fiction and deserves renewed attention or rediscovery, organizers said.
The award is named for Smith, the pseudonym of political scientist and psychological warfare expert Paul M.A. Linebarger, whose complete short stories are gathered in The Rediscovery of Man. Smith's first story, "Scanners Live in Vain," has been nominated for a retro Hugo this year.
TNT Sets Avalon Air Dates
NT will premiere its original miniseries The Mists of Avalon, based on Marion Zimmer Bradley's best-selling fantasy novel of the same name, at 8 p.m. July 15 and 16.
The miniseries--a retelling of the King Arthur legend from the point of view of its female characters--stars Anjelica Huston, Julianna Margulies and Joan Allen.
TNT will re-air the four-hour Avalon at 10 p.m. July 15 and 16, 12 a.m. July 15 and 16, 8 p.m. July 20, 12 p.m. July 21 and 8 p.m. July 30.
McGowan In Talks For Charmed
ose McGowan is in talks to replace Shannen Doherty on The WB's witch series Charmed, Variety reported.
Sources told the trade paper that McGowan is close to joining Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs as the third in a trio of sisters with mystical powers on the Aaron-Spelling-produced show.
McGowan would play a long-lost sister. Doherty left after reported disagreements with Milano. Earlier, Entertainment Weekly reported that Tiffani Thiessen--who stepped in for Doherty on another Spelling series, Beverly Hills 90210--was out as a possible Charmed replacement.
Warner Kisses Prince
arner Brothers will develop the fairy-tale movie The Fraud Prince, which is based on a spec script from writers Dan Forman and Paul Foley for Adam Schroeder Productions, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The script is about a young princess who hires a private investigator to do a background check on the prince who appeared when she kissed a frog.
The writers previously rewrote such projects as Henson Pictures' Giant Robot and also wrote the script The Chicken and the Monkey Walked Into the Bar, which they hope to set up as a feature. Schroeder produced The Truman Show and Sleepy Hollow.
Raider Shoot Was Perilous
imon West, who directed the upcoming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider film, told SCI FI Wire that the story demanded shooting in extreme conditions in exotic locations.
Final scenes of the film--which is based on the hit Eidos video game series of the same name--required the crew to travel to Iceland to shoot atop an enormous glacier.
"It was just a very dangerous environment," West said in an interview. "All the snow had gone, and it was just down to the perma-ice. ... Every 20 feet it was, like, crevasses going down a kilometer or something. And we had to have guides to pick us through a footstep at a [time, so as] not to fall down these things." West and his crew also had to contend with freezing temperatures. "I, of course, was wearing seven layers," he said. "And [star Angelina Jolie] was wearing a tank top, and that was it. And, like, her lips were going blue."
When production shifted to Cambodia, it was a welcome change of scenery from the frozen landscape of Iceland. "Cambodia was very easy, really," West said. "It was so welcoming, and there was so much there. But I mean, it's just the normal heat and bugs and things that, you know, wimpy Westerners moan about. It was actually a fantastic experience."
But the Cambodian government did place one restriction on the incoming production: no guns. "Because of all the terrible troubles they've been through in the last few decades, they didn't want gunfire going off. And I can understand that," West said. "And I instantly went back and made that decision and said, 'OK, we won't have guns.' We took rubber ones, you know, so they could be in the background."
Asked if the end result was worth the hardship, West responded, surprisingly, "No. It's not. I came to the conclusion of that." Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, starring Angelina Jolie, opens June 15.
Diesel Won't Fuel Hellboy
espite rumors to the contrary, Vin Diesel told SCI FI Wire that he has no attachment to star in a proposed feature-film version of Mike Mignola's supernatural comic series Hellboy.
"Absolutely none, except for my admiration for the project," Diesel said in an interview. Leaning back and covering his face with his hat, the Pitch Black star added, "This won't be the first time that I find out what my next project is from a team of reporters."
Guillermo del Toro (Blade 2: Bloodhunt) will direct the Hellboy film. Del Toro hired Hellboy creator Mignola as a conceptual artist for his upcoming sequel movie Blade 2.
Mutant X Details Revealed
he official Web site for the upcoming syndicated television series Mutant X has posted detailed story and character descriptions.
The series centers on a group of genetically enhanced humans who have developed unexpected powers and are being hunted by the people who engineered them.
John Shea stars as Adam, the smartest man alive and a strategist, tactician and moral center of Mutant X who takes responsibility for the salvation of the mutants. Victoria Pratt plays Shalimar Fox, who has both human and animal DNA and the strength, speed, cunning and tempestuous nature of an animal. Victor Webster is Brennan Mulwray, a street-smart wise guy with the ability to generate electricity from his body. Forbes March plays Jesse Kilmartin, who can alter the density of his body at will. Lauren Lee Smith is Emma DeSalvo, a "telempath" who can communicate her own feelings and receive the feelings of others around her. Tom McCamus plays Markus Eckhart, the head of the Genetic Security Agency and the man who is hunting down the mutants.
Heston Aped For The Money
harlton Heston has told the Ananova Web site that he agreed to make a cameo appearance in Tim Burton's upcoming remake of Planet of the Apes at the urging of Richard Zanuck, who produced Heston's original 1968 Apes film.
Heston added that he put on ape makeup for one day's work on Burton's film because the price was right.
"I have to say it helped a good deal when he said there would be a large sum of money involved," Heston told the site. "I get to play a senior ape, a great ape who has rather serious medical problems. In fact, he very soon will be a deceased ape. But Burton is pretty good at his job, and I think he's come up with an excellent movie. Back then, in the '60s, I have to say we had no idea how successful the series would become. When you've made The Ten Commandments and played Moses, it's strange when somebody says, 'How do you feel about messing around with apes?'"
Ghostbusters 3 Unlikely
van Reitman told EW.com that he's not likely to shoot another sequel to his 1984 hit film Ghostbusters.
Reitman's current SF comedy movie Evolution is being likened to that supernatural film.
But, Reitman said, "we did two Ghostbusters, and it's really tough to keep doing that. There were economic issues with Sony in doing a third, but the real big problem was creative. We could never get the script right. It's not like doing a fourth Lethal Weapon, where you create a new bad guy, knock him down, tell a few jokes and then you're out."
Lost World Future Unclear
ennifer O'Dell, star of the syndicated fantasy series Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, told SCI FI Wire that's she's not sure if the show will be back on the air in the fall.
"I'm still waiting to hear from the executive producers," O'Dell said in an interview. "I don't think our Canadian production company is involved anymore, and they're trying to get American backers now. Believe me, you know as much as I do. They don't tell me sh-t. It's incredibly frustrating. It's really quite ridiculous, but that's how the business goes."
O'Dell plays Veronica, who grew up on the strange plateau inhabited by apemen, dinosaurs and other bizarre creatures. Clad only in a skimpy loincloth, Veronica is kept company by the human members of a scientific expedition gone astray: Professor Challenger (Peter McCauley), Marguerite (Rachel Blakely), Malone (David Orth) and Roxton (Will Snow).
"If the show goes, we're going to explore a lot more about Veronica and why I'm so close to the plateau and why I know things I shouldn't know," said O'Dell, whose earlier credits include TV's Beverly Hills 90210 and Profiler, as well as the fright film Sometimes They Come Back ... For More. "There's a side of me that loves being very sexual and very va-va-voom. And there's the tomboy in me, too. If you put me in my costume, I'm like, 'Let's go!' Plus, there's a lot of me in Veronica. She's got a lot of different, diverse sides. So I hope it goes."
Changes Stir Up Wolf Lake
ohn Leekley, creator and executive producer of CBS' upcoming SF drama series Wolf Lake, has stepped down, and Alex Gansa has come aboard as an executive producer and show runner, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The trade paper offered no reason for the change at the series, which is due in the fall.
Rick Kellard also joins the show as an executive producer, and Toni Graphia (Roswell) will co-executive produce, the trade paper reported. Meanwhile, Stacy Edwards has left the cast, leaving star Lou Diamond Phillips and cast members Tim Matheson and Graham Greene.
Sources told the trade paper that CBS has requested a tweaking of the Wolf pilot to ensure the sustainability of the series' plot line, and the new creative team is reportedly eyeing a new direction for the show. The pilot's main concept remains focused on a string of strange events in a small Northwest town that coincides with an influx of bizarrely behaving wolves in the area, the trade paper reported.
Dark TV, Film Rights Sold
ireworks Entertainment and Goodman Rosen Productions have optioned the television and movie rights to the best-selling Nintendo 64 video game Perfect Dark, Variety reported.
The companies--which also produced Relic Hunter, Andromeda, Highlander and The Lost World--may premiere a live-action Dark series as early as fall 2002, the trade paper reported. Writer and producer Peter Lenkov (Demolition Man, TV's La Femme Nikita) is on board.
They also plan a feature film based on the SF game, which tells the story of alien-fighter Joanna Dark in the year 2003. Fireworks and Goodman Rosen optioned the rights from game developer Rare and 4 Kids Entertainment, which represents Nintendo and Rare for global merchandise licensing and domestic TV movie distribution and production, Variety reported.
Anaconda 2 Writers Hired
olumbia Pictures has hired RoboCop writers Michael Miner and Ed Neumeier to pen the sequel to its 1997 hit Anaconda, Variety reported.
Anaconda 2 is in development at Middle Fork Productions, which produced the original film, the trade paper reported.
The original Anaconda starred Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube and Jon Voight and earned more than $120 million worldwide. Neumeier also wrote the 1997 SF movie Starship Troopers.
Shrek Beats Evolution
hrek beat back competition from newcomer Evolution to retain the No. 2 spot in the weekend box-office rankings, taking in an estimated $17.1 million for the weekend of June 8, the Hollywood trade papers reported.
Shrek's four-week total is now $176.6 million.
Ivan Reitman's Evolution, starring David Duchovny, debuted in the No. 4 slot, with an estimated take of just $13.2 million.
The limited opening of Disney's upcoming animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire grossed $341,588 at two theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, a good sign for the film's June 15 premiere, the trades reported.
Genre films rounding out the top 10 included The Animal at No. 5 ($9.8 million, or about $35.8 million after 10 days in release), The Mummy Returns at No. 8 ($4.2 million) and A Knight's Tale at No. 9 ($1.7 million).
Briefly Noted
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Julie Benz will return as a recurring character on The WB's drama Angel, where she plays the vampire Darla, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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The premiere of original episodes of TNT's Witchblade on June 12 set a record as basic cable's highest-rated summer series launch, with an audience estimated at 2.2 million households, Nielsen Media Research told The Hollywood Reporter. Witchblade averaged a 2.7 rating during its 9-10 p.m. ET timeslot, 60 percent higher than TNT's 1.7 year-to-date primetime average.
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Alan Cumming--Spy Kids' villainous Fegan Floop--told TV Guide Online that he'd like to return in the upcoming sequel, but doesn't know if he will. "Actually, [director Robert Rodriguez] hasn't written it yet," he said. He added, "I'd like to. Robert's told me a bit about the story, but I mean, it depends on [my] availability. There will be a new bad guy in it, so if I did anything, it would be a little cameo."
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Arnold Schwarzenegger will begin shooting the upcoming sequel movie Terminator 3 in late 2001 or early 2002, syndicated columnists Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith reported. Jonathan Mostow will direct, Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar will produce, and Edward Furlong will reprise his role as John Connor.
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The Comics2Film Web site reported a rumor that Warner Brothers has set a 2003 release date for its upcoming Batman: Year One film, to be directed by Pi helmer Darren Aronofsky.
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E-book publisher Fictionwise.com announced that it has
secured electronic rights to several of Isaac Asimov's most famous short
fiction works, including two "Foundation" stories and a "Robot" story.
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In her first comments since leaving the cast of The WB's Charmed, Shannen Doherty told Entertainment Tonight that she departed because "there was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work," according to a report on TV Guide Online. Doherty added, "I'm 30 years old, and I don't have time for drama in my life." The actress reportedly had issues with co-star Alyssa Milano.
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The Asian Fantasy Film Expo will host the North American theatrical debut of Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla 2 at the Rialto Theater in Ridgefield Park, N.J., at 11 p.m. June 15.
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Official Web sites of the Showtime series Stargate SG-1 and The Outer Limits will link to a live chat from the Saturn Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, starting at 8:30 p.m. PT June 12 on Lycos.
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The CountingDown Web site has posted new still images from Steven Spielberg's upcoming SF epic film A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
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Fox will release a DVD edition of 1966's Batman: The Movie, based on the campy Adam West television series. Timed to the film's 35th anniversary, the DVD will feature an all-new 16-minute featurette about the movie, commentary from stars West and Burt Ward, never-before-seen shots from West's private photo collection and more.
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ConJose, the 2002 world science fiction convention, will take place in the San Jose, Calif., civic auditorium, organizers announced. The convention is slated for Aug. 29-Sept. 2, 2002.
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Tim Hill and Michael Rubiner have sold their pitch for the animated SF comedy film Game Over to Warner Brothers, Variety reported. Jim Henson Pictures will produce the movie, about a video-game character who ventures into other games in search of a new life.
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Starlog cartoonist Tye Bourdony, Battlestar Galactica star Richard Hatch
and Buck Rogers star Erin Gray teamed up to auction two autographed cartoons satirizing the shows for charity. The auction, which ends at 8 p.m. ET, June 28, will benefit the Gene Roddenberry Memorial Fund.
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