Science Fiction (and Fantasy) on Television

Sunday 31st August 2003

According to ComingSoon.net, the live action film of Aeon Flux has been killed off by Paramount and MTV Film. Such a shame as it already had Karyn Kusama assigned to direct (she wrote and directed Girlfight) and Gale Anne Hurd involved in production (she has been in on some of the biggest SF films ever made). And of course based on an innovative animated TV series.

Wednesday 27th August 2003

American university graduates may soon be seeing a recruitment video for the CIA complete with a contribution by Jennifer Garner, star of Alias. Apparently, there are plenty of fans in the CIA of both Jennifer and her CIA Agent character, Sydney Bristow. And who can blame them?

Friday 22nd August 2003

I would guess that visitors to this site have probably seen both the first two Lord of the Rings films. And you may even have one or more DVDs. Well, if you like the extended version of LotR:FotR and expect you'll like the extended version of LotR:TTT (out November), then you may be interested in seeing them at the cinema. In the USA and quite possibly all around the world, the arrival of LotR:RotK just before Christmas will be heralded by the showing in select cinemas of the extended editions of the first two films throughout December. And to top it all, show all three in a row starting Dec. 16th and finishing on the 17th which is when the third is released. Keep your eyes open for local details. (As this is an international site, I can't keep track of local listings everywhere so please don't ask me if this is going on in your neighbourhood.)

Friday 22nd August 2003

Good news for fans of the TV series The Dead Zone - it has been picked up for a third season by the USA Network.

Wednesday 20th August 2003

Johnny Depp to be Willy Wonka? According to Variety, Tim Burton has offered him the lead role in the new version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Previous collaborations between the two are: Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood and Sleepy Hollow, so it looks quite positive. Johnny has no shortage of film offers though, seemingly the first choice now for all the interesting characters.

Monday 18th August 2003

A new offering from US cable channel HBO next month looks rather interesting. It is called Carnivàle and follows a traveling troupe of circus performers in the 1930s, but the twist comes with the supernatural, religious and even SF overtones brought to the series. This isn't merely a group of people gadding about in fancy period costumes. A further level of complexity is added with two distinct story lines throughout the first series that don't appear to have anything to do with each other. I'm prepared to engage the notion that this will be interesting rather than contrived. One of the execs, Ronald Moore says, "This is not a traditional TV series by any stretch of the imagination. We're telling a complicated story in a very elliptical, unusual fashion. We're setting the bar pretty high for the audience." Great! See the official site.

Thursday 14th August 2003

Vincenzo Natali directed Cube - a most interesting and innovative movie. But then... well the years passed as he tried to make something else happen. Now he has - it is called Cypher and stars Jeremy Northam (pictured left) and Lucy Liu. Natali loved the script by Brian King, likening it to Philip K. Dick's work (as in Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, Paycheck, etc.) Read more of this story in the Daily Telegraph.

Thursday 14th August 2003

Check out T'Pol's new look at Star Trek's official site along with other images from the new season. (Jolene Blalock said recently that her brown outfit finally gets to go in the laundry...)

Wednesday 13th August 2003

It is Ray Bradbury's 83rd birthday next week. You know - writer of Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man and so much more. Why not join in the group Happy Birthday wish being organised from The Planetary Society?

Sunday 10th August 2003

Actors, directors, etc. always talk up the movies they're making, but in the case of Thunderbirds, everything I'm hearing is very positive. A film suitable for modern kids that still acknowledges the kids of the 60s (like me) who grew up with the Thunderbirds series. Bill Paxton (Jeff Tracy) has talked of it capturing the essence and charm of the original series while attracting the young audience of today. Ben Kingsley who plays the evil Hood (brilliant casting) is very positive about it being a quality film and was encouraged to take on the role by his own kids. And director Jonathan Frakes (yes, Ryker), said on set that he is very much trying to please the existing huge worldwide fanbase while also attracting a new US audience who seem to have missed out on the brilliant TV series. Unlike the Hollywood film versions of the Avengers, the Saint and Doctor Who, this may actually turn out not to be a cocked up abomination that doesn't recognise it has to remain English to succeed (although the original Tracy family themselves were actually theoretically American). James Bond and Harry Potter succeed. Thunderbirds can too. F.A.B.

Sunday 10th August 2003

Apparently the reason that the fourth Harry Potter film has a different director to the third is that the projects overlap. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is currently still being filmed (directed by Alfonso Cuaron) and of course there is months of work to do on the effects after principle photography is wrapped. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is due to start actual filming next April with pre-production getting under way long before that, so Mike Newell takes the Director's chair for the fourth film in the series. If the young stars continue to be involved, then doing one film a year is practically a requirement if they are to age at the same rate as their characters.

Saturday 9th August 2003

Even though Arnie probably won't be in it, the backers of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines have said they are definitely interested in continuing the Terminator series and were discussing options for a T4 without Arnie (or just in flashbacks) even while making T3. Perhaps with more of Kristanna Loken as the Terminatrix (well, no surprises there). Without Arnie's fee, they may even make money on it... never mind, we will always have the first two...

Thursday 7th August 2003

Arnie to be The Governator? After much rumour (no doubt encouraged) in the last month suggesting he wouldn't, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced yesterday that he will run for Governor of California. And no doubt will do well - if he succeeds, then T3 was very probably his last movie ever. As this is an SF&F site, I'm not going to discuss politics. So, as soon as I hear any new status on the Conan and True Lies sequels and the remake of West World, I'll pass it on.

Sunday 3rd August 2003

Robert Silverberg is well known for his SF novels. But The Book of Skulls is more supernatural and psychological. It deals with an old book that reveals a hidden cult that promises immortality - condition is that four must go through the initiation, but two will die. In the process, it examines truth, life society, etc. Interested? Well, getting hold of the book may be difficult as it is out of print, but Paramount are getting Alphaville to make the movie. William Friedkin (The Exorcist) is to direct the Jeff Davis adaptation.

Friday 1st August 2003

Next week, Koi...Mil Gaya (Found Someone) will be released. What is special about it? Well, it is basically Bollywood's first major Science Fiction film! Producer/Director Rakesh Roshan was looking to go beyond the traditional, safe formula films and reach for the stars and extra-terrestrials. The film stars his son, famous Indian film star Hrithik Roshan as the adult with the mind of an 11-year-old. His scientist father is obsessed with making contact with aliens, but dies in a car crash just as this is about to happen. His son is born after the accident and grows up physically but mentally stays a boy. With his friend Nisha (Preity Zinta) he succeeds in making contact with the aliens using his father's old specially constructed computer. SFX have been created by Marc Kolbe and Craig Mumma who learned their trade on such films as Independence Day, Godzilla and Spy Kids. Check out the official site.

Archive Index

Archive Index

Odyssey 5, Firefly, Star Trek, X-Files, Babylon 5, Crusade, Dr Who, Andromeda, Lexx, Dark Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Invisible Man, Stargate SG-1, Blake's 7, Farscape, The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, The Lone Gunmen, The Avengers, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Red Dwarf, Roswell, Total Recall 2070, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Earth: Final Conflict, Charmed, Alien Nation, Futurama, Outer Limits and so many more. Essential information, background, links, etc. on all Science Fiction and Fantasy shows are here!