SFWA Names Clement Grand Master
he Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America announced that Harry Clement Stubbs, who writes under the pen name Hal Clement, will be named SFWA's 1998 Grand Master.
The award is given by SFWA to recognize lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy writing; past Grand Masters have included Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein.
Stubbs published his first story, "Proof," in a 1942 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, then the premier magazine of the field. He is best-known to readers for his novel Mission of Gravity, which is considered one of the seminal works of so-called "hard SF."
"We're extremely pleased to extend this honor to a man who more than any other author of the golden age was responsible for putting the hard science in science fiction, and whose exploration of the implications of chemistry and planetary evolution continue to fascinate readers today," said SFW president Dr. Paul Levinson.
The Grand Master award will be presented to Clement at this year's Nebula Awards Ceremony, which will be held on May 1 in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Neill Joins Bicentennial Man
vent Horizon star Sam Neill has agreed to star opposite Robin Williams in Disney's upcoming SF picture Bicentennial Man, according to Variety.
The film is based on the Isaac Asimov short story of the same name and tells the tale of an android servant who wants to become human.
Neill, who recently headlined the NBC miniseries Merlin, will play the father of the family that hires Williams to work for them. The film is being directed by Chris Columbus, who previously worked with Williams on the box-office hit Mrs. Doubtfire.
Hill Walks Away From Supernova
fter finishing principal photography on the United Artists SF film Supernova, director Walter Hill has decided to leave the project, according to Variety's Michael Fleming.
The unusual situation of a director leaving a picture after most of the movie has already been filmed reportedly came about when Hill wanted to shoot additional footage for the flick.
According to Fleming, United executives wanted to test the movie before okaying an further filming, despite strong objections from Hill. When no compromise could be reached, both sides agreed to go their separate ways.
Supernova, which stars James Spader, Angela Bassett, Lou Diamond Phillips and Robert Forster, is supposedly still on track for a fall release.
Cronenberg's eXistenZ Influenced By Rushdie
irector David Cronenberg told Variety that his upcoming SF flick eXistenZ was inspired in part by Salman Rushdie and his controversial book The Satanic Verses.
Cronenberg--who has created his own controversies with films like Crash and Dead Ringers--said a "clash of realties" was central to both his picture and Rushdie's experiences.
In eXistenZ, a computer game designer played by Jennifer Jason Leigh is being hunted down by "realists" who have placed a $5 million bounty on her head for subverting reality. In real life, Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a religious decree for Rushdie's death following the publication of The Satanic Verses.
Beineix Will Make Millennium Deal
rench director Jean-Jacques Beineix plans to helm his first English-language film, a vampire flick called Deal of the Millennium, according Variety.
French star Jean Reno will headline the $40 million picture, while negotiations are underway to sign Jason Flemyng as a costar.
The film is reportedly about two young vampires who are looking for a vampire professor to show them the ropes of drinking blood. The film is being backed by UCG in France, while Beineix is still seeking a U.S. distributor.
Star Trek Cards Go Digital
yberAction Inc. has announced the launch of a new product dubbed the CyberAction Star Trek Digital Trading Card.
The cards feature "rare video, audio, data information and interactive trivia from all of the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...from the very first episode ever to the recently launched movie Insurrection."
Web surfers can download a free card along with the CyberViewer needed to access it at the CyberAction Web site. Cyberaction is also running a contest to promote the release of the cards, which includes a grand prize trip for two to Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Calif.
Applegate, Reid May Join Les Visiteurs
hristina Applegate and Tara Reid are in talks to star in an English-language remake of the 1993 hit French time-travel comedy Les Visiteurs (The Visitors), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The new picture will feature original Les Visiteurs stars Jean Reno (The Professional, Godzilla) and Christian Clavier as the male leads, a nobleman and a squire who are accidentally sent forward in time to the modern day.
Applegate will likely play two roles, Reno's 11th century love interest Lady Rosalind as well as his contemporary girlfriend. Reid will portray the neighbor of Applegate's modern day character, who finds herself attracted to Clavier.
Les Visiteurs director Jean-Marie Poire will return to helm the remake, which was co-written by John Hughes and Clavier. The original film, which earned $98 million as well as six Cesar nominations, was scripted by Clavier and Poire, who also penned a sequel titled Les Couloirs du Temps: Les Visiteurs 2 (The Corridors of Time: The Visitors 2).
Gaylactic Network Creates SF Award
he Gaylactic Network--an organization of science fiction fans who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered--has created an award to honor works of SF, fantasy and horror that deal positively with gay characters, themes and issues.
The newly founded Spectrum Award will include the regular categories of Best Book and Best Other Work, as well as a People's Choice Award and a Hall of Fame Award.
The awards will be given annually for works published in the previous calendar year, with works released prior to 1998 eligible for the Hall of Fame honor. The first Spectrum Awards will be given out at Gaylaxicon: 1999, the tenth convention sponsored by the Gaylactic Network, which will be held in Washington, D.C., in October.
An annual list of Spectrum Award nominees will be gathered through Gaylactic events, genre conventions, the Internet and word of mouth, while the winners will be chosen by a volunteer panel. More information can be found on the Spectrum Award Web site.
Briefly Noted
- Director Peter Jackson has reportedly delayed the start of production on his live-action film version of Lord of the Rings until August.
- Home Fries director Dean Parisot is reportedly in talks with DreamWorks to helm the SF comedy Galaxy Quest, which will likely star Tim Allen.
- The fifth Batman feature film will reportedly star a young unknown actor as a 20-year-old version of the Dark Knight, along the lines of Frank Miller's comic book series Batman: Year One.
- The film version of the 1960s TV sitcom My Favorite Martian earned $11.1 million during its first weekend in theaters, according to published reports.
