N'Sync Still In Episode II?
re they in or are they out? A Lucasfilm spokeswoman told SCI FI Wire that no decision has been made on whether or not boy band N'Sync will appear, however briefly, in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones, despite word that their footage has been cut.
Band member Joey Fatone reportedly told a Florida radio show that negative fan reaction prompted director George Lucas to drop the boys from the movie.
Not so, said Lucasfilm spokeswoman Lynne Hale. "The N'Sync guys were shot as extras ... in a background scene," she said. "Whether that makes it into the movie or not won't be determined until [director] George [Lucas] has a final edit, and he won't have that until close to the time of release." Clones is slated for a May 16 release.
Parlez Vous Episode II?
tar Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones is entering crunch time, complicated by the fact that the movie will open in many different countries at the same time, producer Rick McCallum told the official Star Wars Homing Beacon newsletter.
"It's going to be a madhouse for the next six months," McCallum told the newsletter.
In addition to completing Episode II for North American release, international versions must be completed in time for next spring. "It means we have to have the finished film done a month ahead of what we did for Episode I," McCallum said. "It means we have to audition and cast 60 to 80 actors to do the parts in each country, and we're in 30 different countries. All the parts have to be translated. It's a very intense, complicated and time-consuming period, but awfully fun if we can pull it off."
International agents in each territory gather a short list of local voice talent, which are then sent to the production. "We listen to them and approve them, but that can take a long time, because there are maybe four to five actors for each part in each country," McCallum said. "It takes a good day to really analyze everybody for one country. If you have 30 countries, that's a month, and the only way you can do it." Episode II opens May 16 in North America.
Fans In Line For Episode II
wo Seattle Star Wars fans claim to be the first to get in line for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones, partly to set a record and partly as an "art project," the Seattle Star Wars Society Web site reported.
Society member Jeff Tweiten started the line on Jan. 1 and was soon joined by fellow fan John Guth at the city's Cinerama theater to await the May 16 premiere of Clones.
"Waiting for Star Wars is an art project designed to capture the evolution and journey of one person's wait for a single event," Tweiten told the site. "It will be captured by time-indexed photographs taken every hour, as well as [by] pictures and video of the people we interact with. This project also explores the issue of the pursuit of happiness. It asks how much will a person sacrifice for a temporary acquisition, and questions whether a person can be happy with just food and shelter in pursuit of that acquisition. It also asks, will society as a whole fear or accept people for not desiring the things they desire or for desiring things they consider frivolous or ridiculous? Finally, as we move into the next millennium, I wonder if our fast-paced society has become unwilling to slow down and wait for the things that bring us the greatest joy. This wait will test my mettle as I attempt to do just that." The fans also thanked the Seattle Police Department "for making the city of Seattle safe enough to pull off a project of this type."
McGregor Hypes Episode II
wan McGregor—Obi-Wan Kenobi in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones—told Arena magazine that the new prequel will surpass Episode I, according to a report on the Empire Online Web site.
"Episode I had to do a lot of work to set up all the political stuff with the senate—and with a children's movie, you have to be careful with all that stuff," McGregor told the magazine. "This time, there's more of a spirit of the first three. It's definitely hotting up."
McGregor added, "There was a big sigh of relief that we were able to get a lot more humor into it. Although I don't know about the Jedi mullet." As for his less-than-complimentary remarks about Episode I, he added, "I said a lot of things. I was very mouthy about it, and not quite rightly so. ... [Episode II] called on me to be completely alone in a totally blue room for days and days, playing a character in a situation with other actors who aren't there, ... so it's hard work. But we're not getting paid to have a great time. We're getting paid to do a job. It's a unique acting experience, and if you pull it off, then you've risen to quite a hefty challenge." Episode II opens May 16.
Aurealis Short List Named
he Australian SF magazine Aurealis announced its short list of nominees for the Aurealis Awards for Excellence in Australian Speculative Fiction.
The awards recognize achievement by Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror writers. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Melbourne, Australia, in February or March. A full list of nominees—including a short story originally published on SCIFI.COM's SCI Fiction site—follows.
Young Adult Division
Short stories
•"Dreamwalker" by Isobelle Carmody
•"Lightning Bringer" by Garth Nix
Novels
•The Witch in the Lake by Anna Fienberg
•The Other Face of Janus by Louise Katz
•Lirael by Garth Nix
•The Music of Razors by Cameron Rogers
•Terra-Farma by Gillian Rubinstein
Science Fiction Division
Short stories
•"Trojan Rocks" by Michael Barry Farrer
•"The Weatherboard Spaceship" by Adam Browne
•"The Diamond Pit" by Jack Dann
•"The Skerricks of Truth" by Dirk Strasser
•"Absolute Uncertainty" by Lucy Sussex
Novels
•Cosmonaut by Peter McAllister
•Eyes of the Calculor by Sean McMullen
•The Dark Imbalance by Sean Williams and Shane Dix
Fantasy Division
Short stories
•"The Diamond Pit" by Jack Dann
•"The Lagan Fishers" by Terry Dowling
•"Tales From The True Desert" by Matthew Farrer
•"The Woman of Endor" by Sue Isle
•"The Speaker of Heaven" by Kaaron Warren
Novels
•The Wounded Hawk by Sara Douglass
•Child of the Prophecy by Juliet Marillier
•Lirael by Garth Nix
•The Music of Razors by Cameron Rogers
•The Stone Mage and the Sea by Sean Williams
Horror Division
Short fiction
•"Probable Cause" by Stephen Dedman
•"Sleight of Hand" by Simon Haynes
•"Rotten Times" by Robert Hood
•"Whispers" by Rick Kennett and Paul Collins
•"Happy Birthday to Me" by Alison Venugoban
Honorable mentions
•"Smile for Me" by Kirsten McDermot
•"Ravens" by Stephen Dedman
Novels
•The Music of Razors by Cameron Rogers
•Angel of Ruin by Kim Wilkins
Children's Division (8-12 Years)
Short fiction
•"Zip Zap" by Kim Caraher
•"Saving Aunt Alice" by Claire Carmichael
•"Cafe on Callisto" by Jackie French
•"Hairy Legs" by Christine Harris
Honorable mentions
•"Movie World" by Paul Collins
•"The Ark of Dreams" by Andrew Whitmore
Long fiction
•"Candle Iron" by Sally Odgers
•"Market Blues" by Kirsty Murray
•"Blat Magic" by Michael Stephens
Honorable mention
•"Sailing to Atlantis" by Janeen Webb
Convenors' Award for Excellence
•Damien Broderick for Earth Is But a Star as editor
•Jack Dann for Jubilee
•Terry Dowling for Schizm: Mysterious Journey
•Geoffrey Maloney for Nor of Human ... as editor
•Emily Rodda and Mark McBride for the Deltora Quest series and The Deltora Book of Monsters
Hugo Nominations Open
onJose, the 2002 World Science Fiction Convention, announced the opening of nominations for this year's Hugo Awards, covering works in the fields of science fiction and fantasy during the calendar year 2001.
Ballots have already been distributed to existing ConJose members and are available from the official Hugo Web site.
Named for legendary SF magazine editor Hugo Gernsback, the Hugo awards reflect the preferences of SF fans and amateurs.
PKD Nominees Announced
he Philadelphia SF Society announced nominations for the 2001 Philip K. Dick Award, presented annually for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States.
First prize and any special citations will be announced on March 30 at Norwescon 25 in Seattle. The list of nominees follows.
•Ship of Fools by Richard Paul Russo
•Compass Reach by Mark W. Tiedemann
•Divine Intervention by Ken Wharton
•In the Company of Others by Julie E. Czerneda
•The Ghost Sister by Liz Williams
•Meet Me in the Moon Room by Ray Vukcevich
Bond 20 Production Starts
Jan. 11 press conference marked the official production start for the 20th James Bond movie, which begins shooting at Pinewood Studios in England on Jan. 14, with an eye to a Nov. 22 release, EON Productions and MGM announced. Star Pierce Brosnan also confirmed that he will play Bond in at least one more movie after this.
"I will do another one," he told reporters. "It takes stamina to play this role. I would like to get off the stage with grace. I am honoring my contract here, but it would be wonderful to do another one. After that, I do not know."
Producers also announced the casting of British actor Toby Stephens as the lead villain in the as-yet-untitled film, which is to be directed by Lee Tamahori. The film also stars Pierce Brosnan as 007 and Halle Berry as Jinx, as well as Rick Yune, Judi Dench, John Cleese, Samantha Bond and Rosamund Pike.
A 15-minute edited video of the press conference will go up on the film's revamped official Web site on Jan. 11.
Dacascos Fights Wolf
ark Dacascos, the American-born actor who co-stars in Brotherhood of the Wolf, told SCI FI Wire that some of his martial-arts fight scenes were abbreviated for the movie.
In the French film, Dacascos (The Crow: Stairway to Heaven) plays an Iroquois warrior and the companion of an 18th-century scientist investigating a series of hideous murders in rural France.
"That first fight scene is only one-third of what we actually shot," Dacascos said in an interview. "If you get the special edition DVD, that has as far as I know all three sequences of the fight scene. We shot for almost two weeks on that opening scene. It was very difficult, because I don't know if you can tell, but we are on a slant, on an angle of a mountain. It was muddy there. [Director] Christophe [Gans] brought in these huge rain machines. We had those outfits—the leather coats were thick leather, and then it got sopping wet, just drenched wet. It felt like it was 20 or 30 pounds, like a quarter of my body weight. We have wet suits underneath, so not only was it heavy and cumbersome, but we're also freezing cold in mud with rain in our eyes. Christophe said, 'Make sure you cover your eyes.' Well, if I cover my eyes, I can't see, so how am I going to fight? The great thing about all that is it really makes you stay in the moment. It was like 'acting not required, just try and do your moves.' That's all you had to do, just try to get through the fight scene, and that was enough, because you had all the elements helping you to get there."
Dacascos, a proficient martial artist in his own right, also said the director incorporated fighting styles—choreographed by Hong Kong stunt coordinator Philip Kwok—that may or may not reflect the historical reality of 18th-century France. "I think Christophe may have taken a little creative liberty on some of the weapons," he said. "But the fact is, I think in America, when we think of martial arts, we usually think of Asian-influenced martial arts, kung fu or karate. But the fact is, everywhere in the world they have their own indigenous ways of fighting, because unfortunately, people have always been fighting. So, whether it be the knights in shining armor or, in Brazil and Africa, the capoeira or different things, people have different ways of fighting." Wolf opens in limited release on Jan. 11 and everywhere in the United States on Jan. 18.
Bellucci: Wolf Is Weird
onica Bellucci, who co-stars in the upcoming French horror-fantasy film Brotherhood of the Wolf, told SCI FI Wire that she wasn't sure how audiences would receive the film she described as "something strange, different and weird."
"Everybody was talking about it even when we were shooting it," the Italian actress said in an interview. "The buzz was so big about the film, but sometimes when the buzz is so big, people expect so much."
Bellucci, who plays an Italian courtesan in Wolf, co-stars opposite Mark Dacascos (The Crow: Stairway to Heaven) and her real-life husband, Vincent Cassel. "The day the film came out in France, and we saw how much it made, we were like, 'Aaaah!' It was great," she said. "It will hopefully open many more doors, because it shows we [in the French cinema] can do different kinds of films. It's a mix of genres, but the film has its own identity anyway. It's very American visually, but it's European in its soul. For example, the hero consorts with a prostitute, and the entire film is filled with a deep sensuality, which you don't see in American films [that are] for mass consumption. I love [Wolf], and I'm so curious to see how it does [in America]." Wolf opens in limited release Jan. 11.
Bellucci Is Matrix Fan
onica Bellucci, who will appear in the upcoming sequels to The Matrix, told SCI FI Wire that she's a big fan of the work of writer/directors Andy and Larry Wachowski.
"All I can say is that I'm very happy to be a part of the project, because I love the Wachowski brothers' work," the Italian actress said in an interview. "I loved the first Matrix, and, maybe because I'm a woman, I loved Bound," the brothers' acclaimed 1996 film about a pair of lesbians who rob a Mafia boss.
Bellucci (The Brotherhood of the Wolf) joins Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne and Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix 3, which are currently in production. "It's a very hush-hush project," she said. "Everybody's very secretive about it." She added, "The Matrix Reloaded has a great cast, and it was a great experience for me. I haven't seen anything yet. I'm just one of the new characters in the story." Both films are slated for 2003 releases.
Gans Preps Adventurer
rench director Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf) told the 13th Street Web site that he's at work on a new supernatural film, The Adventurer.
"It's with [Wolf co-stars] Vincent Cassel and Mark Dacascos," Gans told the site. "We are finishing the script."
The film will tell the story of Bob Morane, a French folk hero. "[It's] the story of a young French reporter at the end of the '50s in London and Burma, and he's fighting against a Chinese secret society that uses witchcraft," Gans said. "Vincent Cassel will play Bob Morane, and Mark Dacascos is going to play a blind fighter." Gans plans to begin shooting in about a year. "We are going to shoot a part of this film in Thailand, and we must absolutely avoid the rainy season, so, you know, we will start the film in the fall. ... We're going to use a lot of magic things. The fights are going to be magic kung fu."
Cassel To Eat Sin
rench actor Vincent Cassel (Brotherhood of the Wolf) has been cast in the title role of 20th Century Fox's upcoming supernatural thriller Sin Eater for director Brian Helgeland, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Shooting is scheduled to begin next week.
Cassel will play the titular "sin eater," who absolves people outside of the church by literally eating their sins, the trade paper reported. Cassel joins a cast that includes Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon. Helgeland wrote the screenplay, and Craig Baumgarten will produce.
ET Sneaks Nemesis
ntertainment Tonight aired behind-the-scenes footage from the upcoming 10th Star Trek film, Nemesis, on Jan. 9, including shots of the opening scene.
In a spoiler for the movie, ET will show the wedding of characters Cmdr. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis), the official ET.com Web site reported. The two co-stars will use their real-life wedding rings in the scene, the site reported.
Star Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard) offered ET a few tidbits about the tightly held plot. "Look the word [nemesis] up, maybe go into a thesaurus and find out what other words are associated with nemesis," he told ET. "There may be a clue ... or not."
Stewart added that returning to shoot another Next Generation saga "has a slightly unnerving feeling, in a kind of Rip Van Winkle way. We've been asleep and suddenly woken up, and nothing has changed. But the relationship between this whole group of people has simply deepened and strengthened over the years. That's the principal delight in being back—the ensemble work that goes on in these movies." Nemesis is currently in production for a November release.
Trek: TNG Beams To DVD
aramount will release the entire first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation on DVD on March 26, the official Star Trek Web site reported.
The seven-disc set will include all 26 episodes of the season, plus four newly created documentaries and other extras.
Following the season-one set, a new season will be released every other month. All seven sets will be presented in newly remixed Dolby digital 5.1 surround sound. The sets will be packaged in a collectible box, with a pull-out booklet of episode information and a panoramic montage of the crew.
DS9 Fans Dine For Charity
ans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine are sponsoring a breakfast with cast members to benefit charity on March 24, coinciding with the Grand Slam Trek convention in Pasadena, Calif., the TrekWeb fan site reported.
Nana Visitor, Andrew Robinson, Casey Biggs, Jeff Combs, Chase Masterson, Aron Eisenberg and Max Grodenchik are confirmed to attend. The breakfast will benefit Penny Lane, Save the Children and other charities.
Sponsors include Far Beyond the Stars, the official fan club of Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor and Armin Shimerman; the Official Andy Robinson Fan Club; and the Official Casey Biggs Fan Club. Early registration (by Jan. 21) is $25; regular registration is $30. Send registration payable to Gayle Stever, P.O. Box 11261, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85271-1261 or e-mail for more information.
Nimoy Aids L.A. Observatory Redo
riginal Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy and his wife, Susan, donated $1 million to the renovation of Los Angeles' famed Griffith Observatory, the official Star Trek Web site reported.
The massive remodel, which began Jan. 7, will include construction of the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater, a 200-seat proscenium-arch-style auditorium for special events.
The three-year renovation is the first in the 66-year-old landmark's history and will be completed in 2004.
ILM To Create T3 F/X
arner Brothers has tapped Industrial Light & Magic to create the visual effects for Terminator 3: The Rise of the Machines, Variety reported.
ILM previously created visuals for Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
The new installment in the popular franchise is expected to require more than 300 effects shots. It is slated to begin principal photography in April, with an eye to a summer 2003 release, the trade paper reported.
Pablo Helman, effects supervisor on Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones, will supervise effects on T3. Dan Taylor (Jurassic Park III) will be animation director, Variety reported.
Genre Films Get PGA Nods
hrek became the first animated film to be nominated for the Producers Guild of America's best-picture award, joining two other genre releases as contenders for the prize, Variety reported.
The PGA also picked Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring to vie for its coveted Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award.
Other nominees included A Beautiful Mind and Moulin Rouge, the trade paper reported. PGA nominees are a barometer for the best-picture Oscar winner.
SF&F Films In Oscar Bake-Off
ive genre movies are among the eight selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to compete for the three coveted Oscar nominations for visual effects, Variety reported.
The films in the so-called "bake-off" were selected by a 40-person subcommittee, highlighting outstanding effects achievements for the year.
The genre contenders for the nominations are A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Dennis Muren, Scott Farrar, Michael Lantieri and Stan Winston; Industrial Light & Magic), Cats & Dogs (Ed Jones and David Barclay; Rhythm & Hues), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Robert Legato, Nick Davis and Roger Guiett, John Richardson; Sony Pictures Imageworks), Jurassic Park III (Stan Winston, John Rosengrant, Jim Mitchell, Donald Elliott and Dan Taylor; Industrial Light & Magic), and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Jim Rygiel, Richard Taylor, Alex Funke and Randall William Cook; WETA Digital).
Notably absent from the list were last year's The Mummy Returns and Planet of the Apes, the trade paper reported. The 200 members of the visual-effects award nominating committee will vote for the final nominees, which will be announced Feb. 12.
Haunted Rides To Film
isney will develop Haunted Mansion, a film based on its Disneyland theme-park ride, Variety reported.
David Berenbaum wrote the script, with Disney-based Andrew Gunn producing. The film tells the story of a father who encounters a ghost, who scares him into a profound awareness of the importance of his family, Variety reported.
Disney is also developing films based on other rides, including The Country Bears, which will reach theaters July 26, and Pirates of the Caribbean, with Jerry Bruckheimer attached to produce, the trade paper reported.
Fox Kicks Tick
ox will cancel its low-rated satirical superhero series The Tick after airing only eight episodes, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The final episode is set to air Jan. 24, the trade paper reported.
The Tick, from executive producer Barry Sonnenfeld, is based on Ben Edlund's comic and animated TV series of the same name. Patrick Warburton starred as the titular blue hero.
Gellar, Prinze Voice N'Ever
arah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sigourney Weaver will voice the animated comedy movie Happily N'Ever After for Vanguard Films' John H. Williams (Shrek) and Berlin-based Greenlight Media, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The movie is being shopped to studios for a summer 2003 release.
N'Ever is inspired by classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales and is based on Greenlight's European animated television series SimsalaGrimm. Set in the fairy-tale land of Simsala, the project explores what happens when the balance of good and evil is out of whack, the trade paper reported. Gellar will voice the character of Ella, who is part of a love triangle that includes a prince and her unknown true love, the palace dishwasher (Prinze). Weaver plays the evil stepmother Frida.
Gerhard Hahn will direct from a script by Rob Moreland. Gellar, best known as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is engaged in real life to Prinze; the two recently completed a live-action version of Scooby-Doo.
Majestic Pulls Plug
lectronic Arts announced that it will shut down its online interactive SF game Majestic on April 30, due to lower-than-anticipated participation.
"While the game was a huge critical success, it was not as popular with players," EA said in a statement. "Consequently, EA has decided to discontinue the Majestic service in order to focus resources on new, more popular content."
Gamers may play through their game until April 30. "Majestic puzzles and gameplay can be completed in just under two months, so it is possible to finish Majestic before the service ends," EA said.
Majestic, which launched last July, interacts with players via e-mail, instant messaging, voice mail, fax and Web sites. The first season of Majestic launched with a free pilot and was subsequently followed by monthly episodes available for a regular subscription price.
Witchblade Starts Up
roduction starts up this month on the second season of TNT's supernatural series Witchblade, which is shot in Toronto, the Comics2Film Web site reported.
Spike Seldin, president of production at Top Cow, which makes the series, told the site, "The entire cast is back. It all looks good. TNT is behind it with all its support. We think it's going to be bigger this year than it was last year."
The series, starring Yancy Butler as New York cop Sara Pezzini, is based on a Top Cow comic series. Will the show gradually change to reflect the at-times lurid look of the comics? "I think you'll see gradual adjustments or change as the series grows, but it will stay organic to the story plot as that develops as well," Seldin said. TNT will begin rerunning first-season episodes Mondays at 9 p.m. and Tuesdays at 11 p.m., starting Jan. 28. The two-hour pilot movie will air Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. The second season will begin in the summer.
DC Plans Smallville Figures
C Comics told the Comics Continuum Web site that it will produce a line of action figures inspired by The WB's Superman series, Smallville.
Three figures will be based on the likenesses of Clark Kent (Tom Welling), Lana Lang (Kristen Kreuk) and Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum), the site reported.
DC has not set a release date for the figures yet. Smallville airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
E.T. Games Touching Down
bi Soft will publish seven video games based on the 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Cinescape Online reported.
The games are slated for release to coincide with the 20th-anniversary release of a special edition of the movie on March 22.
Ubi Soft will publish E.T. games for the PC, GameBoy and PlayStation gaming platforms.
NBC Revives Carrie, Space
BC is mulling a remake of the classic Stephen King horror film Carrie and a new two-hour TV movie update of the SF series Lost in Space as pilots for possible series, Variety reported.
MGM Television will produce the new Carrie, and Fox TV Pictures will produce Lost in Space, the trade paper reported. While NBC has so far ordered only scripts for both projects, they are likely to end up on the air, Variety reported.
Bryan Fuller will write the new Carrie, which will closely follow the plot of the original 1976 Brian De Palma movie that made a star of Sissy Spacek. The update will be set in the present and feature greatly enhanced special effects, the trade paper reported. Lost in Space will receive a complete makeover, but will include references to the original 1960s series. A 1998 movie version of Lost in Space disappointed at the box office.
Sommers Launches Argonauts
irector Stephen Sommers will use technology similar to his work on the recent Mummy films in The Argonauts, a new feature film interpretation of the Greek myth of Jason and his journey through the ancient world, Variety columnist Michael Fleming reported.
DreamWorks and Universal have put the film on a fast track, based on a script by Sommers and Simon Kinberg, Fleming reported.
The film updates the story to the eve of World War II, when a group of treasure hunters think they've figured out the location of the fabled sunken ship of Jason and the Argonauts, a vessel whose contents are believed to include the mythical golden fleece, Fleming reported. The adventurers find themselves back in the land of Greek mythology, battling a Cyclops and a minotaur. The project is reportedly an homage to Ray Harryhausen, who made stop-motion special-effects films like 1963's original Jason and the Argonauts.
Sabrina Enchants Eden
arbara Eden, who guest-stars in upcoming episodes of The WB's Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, told TV Guide Online that the new gig is helping her deal with the sudden death of her 35-year-old son, Matthew Michael Ansara, last summer.
"It's extremely therapeutic," Eden told the site. "I haven't stopped working, and I know I'm going to have to. I don't know what's going to happen when I do, because [acting] is a little bit like hiding. I think I'm doing well. I really don't know if I am or not, to tell you the truth. But work helps a lot."
The I Dream of Jeannie star will play Great Aunt Irma, the Spellman matriarch, and makes her first appearance in the Jan. 11 episode, airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT. "She's a meanie, not a genie," Eden said with a chuckle. "This witch even cackles! A nasty lady. She has no boundaries, and that's fun, because I can pull all the stops out. It was so diametrically opposed to what I had done before, and I thought that would be a good thing."
Elektra Rumors Continue
he IGN FilmForce Web site is disputing a rumor on the Ain't It Cool News Web site that Jennifer Garner, star of ABC's Alias, has clinched the deal to play Elektra in the upcoming Daredevil movie.
Citing an anonymous source, IGN reported that Garner is in the running, but hasn't signed on the dotted line.
Rumors have been swirling for weeks about the casting of the coveted role, with some expecting an announcement soon.
Angel To Try Thursdays
he WB will test its vampire series Angel on Thursdays by airing repeats from last season at 8 p.m. ET/PT, starting Jan. 10 and continuing through February, the network announced.
Original episodes will continue to air on the frog network on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
The first episodes to air on Thursdays will be the four-episode arc that concluded the series' second season, in which Angel (David Boreanaz) and his crew travel to the demon dimension of Pylea, The WB announced.
SF E-Books Rank High
he Fictionwise.com e-book publisher and distributor named SF writer Mike Resnick its e-book author of the year.
The award is based on sales and member ratings in 2001, the Web site reported. SF author Larry Niven came in second, and Robert Silverberg placed third.
Isaac Asimov's Robot Dreams was selected as the site's e-book of the year.
WB Develops Deathwatch
arner Brothers is developing Deathwatch, a supernatural horror film from producer Joel Silver's Silver Pictures/Dark Castle Entertainment and MBST Entertainment, Variety reported.
The film is based on a pitch and original idea by MBST manager Jonathan Hung, which was developed by MBST producers Larry Brezner and Walter Hamada, the trade paper reported.
The film is described as a cross between Final Destination and the Japanese horror film The Ring. It tells the story of a group of teen-agers who come across a haunted Web site that predicts their future.
Dark Castle (House on Haunted Hill) is expected to fast-track the movie for a Halloween 2003 release, Variety reported.
McG To Helm Superman?
remiere magazine confirmed a rumor previously reported by the Coming Attractions Web site that director McG, aka Joseph McGinty Nichol, will direct the proposed fifth Superman movie, variously titled Superman Lives or Superman Reborn.
The magazine reported in its January issue that McG (Charlie's Angels) has "signed" to direct the film.
The magazine also reported that Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Catherine Zeta-Jones have asked about playing Lois Lane in the film, according to Coming Attractions.
Rings Wins Top AFI Honor
he Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was named movie of the year in the first annual AFI Awards, handed out Jan. 5 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The awards, launched by the American Film Institute, honored outstanding achievements in film and television for the year 2001.
Rings production designer Grant Major also won an award, as did the film's digital effects artist, Jim Rygiel.
Fantasy X Is No. 1
quare announced that the Final Fantasy X video game was the No. 1 selling title in the United States in its first week of release.
The PlayStation 2 game shipped to retailers on Dec. 18, 2001.
In Japan, Final Fantasy X was released on July 19, 2001, and sold through 90 percent of the 2.14 million units it shipped in the first four days, the company said. The game is the first PlayStation 2 title to reach the 2 million-unit mark.
Jack Haldeman Dies
F author Jack C. Haldeman II died Jan. 1 in his hometown of Gainesville, Fla., following unsuccessful treatment for cancer, according to reports on the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Web site and in The Gainesville Sun.
He was 60.
Haldeman published more than 100 short stories and novellas and 10 novels and collaborated with Harry Harrison and Jack Dann. His 1982 story "High Steel" (with Jack Dann) was nominated for a Nebula award. He also published articles in scientific journals and poetry in a variety of magazines, the SFWA site reported.
Haldeman is survived by his wife and sometime collaborator, Barbara Haldeman; a daughter, Lorena Haldeman; and a brother, SF author Joe Haldeman, the Sun reported.
Clarke Muses On 2001
egendary SF author Arthur C. Clarke told the Reuters news service that he's relieved at the passing of 2001, the portentous year celebrated in his and Stanley Kubrick's landmark film, 2001, A Space Odyssey.
"It is sort of a sigh of relief, rather than a letdown," Clarke told Reuters about the end of 2001, which saw the film's re-release and numerous events honoring Clarke.
Clarke, who turned 84 on Dec. 16, 2001, remains active, though he suffers from the effects of post-polio syndrome. "My agent is setting up a few things, which I may or may not do, and I've got a few books I will contribute ideas to," he said from his home in Colombo, Sri Lanka. "I have to sleep up to 14 hours a day, and the remaining time is spent doing e-mail."
Briefly Noted
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Dark Horizons reported a rumor that Jessica Alba (Fox's Dark Angel) is up for the lead role of Aspen Matthews in the film adaptation of the Fathom comic series, which James Cameron's company is producing.
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Cinescape Online reported that four candidates are now in contention for the role of Elektra in the coming Daredevil movie: Jennifer Garner (Alias), Jolene Blalock (Enterprise), Mia Maestro and Rhona Mitra.
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The first-season DVD of Buffy the Vampire Slayer goes on sale Jan. 15, with word that the second-season set will hit stores as soon as June. An insert in the first set announces that the six-disc second-season boxed set will be released six months after the first one.
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The Media Trek Web site has posted video of Entertainment Tonight's story about the making of the upcoming Star Trek: Nemesis movie, which aired Jan. 9.
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Dark Horizons reported that Cube 2: Hypercube, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Canadian SF movie, is set for a June 2002 direct-to-video release.
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Cinescape Online has posted several new images from the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones.
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A clever teaser trailer for Disney's upcoming animated SF movie Lilo & Stitch is now online. The trailer lampoons Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which was recently re-released in IMAX format. Lilo opens this summer.
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TheOneRing.net reported that New Zealand actor Lawrence Makoare (Lurtz in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) will play a villain in the upcoming 20th
James Bond film. Makoare told the site that he will soon be flying to Iceland and
Los Angeles to shoot his role.
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The official Star Wars Web site will feature images of new toys linked to the upcoming prequel Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones.
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The Dark Horizons Web site reported that new release dates have been set for a couple of upcoming genre films: March 15 for Resident Evil and April 12 for Jason X.
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The 13 Street Web site has posted images and a film clip of the futuristic Lexus car used in Steven Spielberg's upcoming SF movie Minority Report. The film, starring Tom Cruise and based on a Philip K. Dick story, opens June 28.
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The 10th installment of the best-selling Final Fantasy video game series has just hit U.S. stores, but a teaser trailer for the 11th game is already online. The trailer teases the Japanese version of the game.
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Quantum Leap creator Donald P. Bellisario told TV Guide Online not to expect a reunion movie based on the popular SF series anytime soon. "In the back of my mind I had always hoped that I could get that one going again somehow," Bellisario told the site. "[But] Universal, who truly owns the rights to it, has never shown an interest."
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The official Web site has opened with a new trailer for Jonathan Frakes' upcoming SF movie Clockstoppers. The film opens March 15.
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Robert Wise, director of 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture and producer of films including 1971's The Andromeda Strain, will receive the Producers Guild of America's Milestone Award, Variety reported. The award will be presented March 3 at the 13th annual PGA Awards in Los Angeles. Wise won an Academy Award for editing Citizen Kane and double Oscars twice for best director and picture for West Side Story and The Sound of Music.
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DVD and VHS editions of Shrek sank Titanic as the best-selling videos since The Lion King, Variety reported. DreamWorks told the trade paper that consumers have spent more than $420 million for more than 21 million VHS and DVD copies of Shrek.
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Due to an editing error, a story in SCI FI Wire incorrectly reported that director Wes Craven was in development on a computer-animated film version of the video game American McGee's Alice for Dimension Films. Craven is developing an Alice film that will combine live action with computer-generated effects.
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Ain't It Cool News reported a rumor that Jennifer Garner, star of ABC's Alias, has been cast in the role of Elektra in the upcoming Daredevil movie.
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The logo for the upcoming sequel film The Matrix Reloaded has been posted to the official Web site. The film will be released in 2003.
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Enterprise co-star Connor Trinneer will make his first Star Trek convention appearances this month in Portland, Ore., and later this year in Pasadena, Calif., the actor announced on his official Web site.
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TheForce.net reported a rumor that director George Lucas' son, Jett, and daughter, Katie, will both have cameo roles in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones. Jett plays a Jedi-in-training, and Katie is a dancer.
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