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The Zocalo Today

Wordle Welcome and thank you for dropping by. Babylon 5 brought many of us together -- and it remains with us, despite the fact that is no longer in production. The good thing is that the internet gives a LOT of ways to stay in touch. Don't be shy. Join in the discussion today or drop by Facebook or Twitter.

If you have questions or items for the news, drop me a line at sgbruckner@aol.com.

Latest

NEWS FROM JANUARY 2016

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016


COMIC BOOK REBOOTS - JONNY QUEST, SPACE GHOST AND MORE
We already know DC Comics is gearing up for yet another reboot, but the publisher is also eyeing an ambitious refresh of a few other classic franchises you might not have seen coming. Fans of Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, Scooby-Doo, Birdman and the Flintstones will have a whole lot to like (well, hopefully).

Yep, that’s right — it’s a full-on Hanna-Barbera revival over at DC, and the studio is taking some definite creative risks while reviving these classics. But, much as Archie Comics has found new blood with titles like Afterlife With Archie and the new Riverdale reboot, DC is hoping to breathe new life into these (very) vintage titles. Adapt or die, as they say. To kick off this project, the publisher is eyeing four new flagship series that give the cartoon classics a major kick.

“From a personal standpoint, I was always a fan of the old Hanna-Barbera characters, having grown up on them,” DC’s co-publisher Dan DiDio told Entertainment Weekly. “I think what you find right now is there’s so much material on pop culture, and these characters resonate with so much of our fanbase. It was so fun to go out and look at them, but not just bring back versions that existed 40, 50 years ago and really look at it the way of saying, if these characters were created and interpreted today, how would they exist? So we handed off our materials to a number of top creators, and what came back was an exciting look that felt very true to the existence of the characters.”

Here’s a full breakdown of all the new ‘books:

Scooby-Doo Apocalypse will be co-written by Keith Giffen and DC Entertainment co-publisher Jim Lee, with art by Howard Porter. The series will give the characters a major, modern reboot (seriously, the art looks more Guardians of the Galaxy than anything) as monsters start coming to life (for real) after a nanite virus turns the planet upside down. Basically, it looks like hard sci-fi Scooby-Doo, which is certainly a new spin on the old formula. Just don't try to pull the mask off any real monsters.

Future Quest, written by Jeff Parker with by Evan "Doc" Shaner, is a mashup of Jonny Quest, Space Ghost and Birdman (for real). Wacky crossovers have been a staple of the comics medium for decades, and DC believes these three adventure-ish properties share a similar vibe to the point where they might combine into one compelling series. The run will essentially follow these disparate characters as they try to make sense of their new, shared universe.

The Flintstones, written by Mark Russell with designs by Amanda Conner, is described as a satirical sitcom that “uses the stone age to parody and comment upon the modern world.” Which could be fun, if the writing is smart enough.

Last but not least, Wacky Raceland will be written by Ken Pontac, with art by Leonardo Manco (plus design work by Mad Max Fury Road's Mark Sexton). This might be the most weirdly ambitious of the bunch, taking the zany race concept and setting it in a post-apocalyptic setting where the cars literally have minds of their own (we did mention the Fury Road connection, right?). Yeah, this could be fun.

With approximately one-third of DC’s line-up comprised of Batman stories and spinoffs these days, fans have been clamoring for some fresh ideas. Well, if nothing else, this is definitely some outside the box thinking. Put simply: It might just be crazy enough to work.

All four new series are set to debut in May.


AMERICAN GODS
Starz’s upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s bestselling fantasy novel American Gods has finally found its male lead.

British actor Ricky Whittle (Hollyoaks, Austenland, Mistresses, The 100) has been cast in the role of Shadow Moon, an ex-convict who, upon getting an early release from prison, is hired to be the bodyguard of a mysterious con man called Mr. Wednesday.

The kicker is that Wednesday happens to be an incarnation of the All-Father, aka Odin, who's traveling across America to recruit fellow forgotten gods in order to wage an epic battle against the new American gods who reflect modern society’s love of technology like the Internet, media, money, celebrities and drugs.

Writers and showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green have said about Ricky Whittle's casting:

“We searched every continent and country and all the islands in between for our Shadow Moon, and we are lucky to have found Ricky. Fans of the novel will find he has every bit of the heart of the character they fell in love with.”

Neil Gaiman, who will serve as executive producer, said about The 100 actor being cast as the show's lead:

“I’m thrilled that Ricky has been cast as Shadow. His auditions were remarkable. The process of taking a world out of the pages of a book, and putting it onto the screen has begun. ‘American Gods’ is, at its heart, a book about immigrants, and it seems perfectly appropriate that Shadow will, like so much else, be Coming to America. I’m delighted Ricky will get to embody Shadow. Now the fun starts.”

Production on American Gods had been dependent on the casting of Shadow Moon (which took a few months) and with Ricky Whittle cast it'll finally begin filming in April, with David Slade (Hannibal) helming the pilot.


MARVEL'S MOST WANTED
We’ve been wondering which direction ABC’s upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoff might take, and now we know the first new character who will be joining Mockingbird on her new adventure.

According to TV Line, veteran actor Delroy Lindo (Blood & Oil, The Chicago Code) has signed on to play the comic character Dominic Fortune in the new spinoff series Marvel’s Most Wanted. The series will apparently star Mockingbird (Adrianne Palicki) and Lane Hunter (Nick Blood) as they strike out on their own (currently unknown) mission.

As for Fortune, the character first appeared in 1975’s Marvel Preview #2, in a story by Howard Chaykin. In the comics, the character is described as an “adventure-seeking rogue” who “craved wealth and excitement with his globe-trotting odysseys.” Considering the spinoff will apparently follow Mockingbird and Hunter as they go on the run, a globe-trotting adventurer could definitely fit into the mix.

It’s also worth noting that Fortune is the first character to join the series, outside of the flagship players shifting over from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so it stands to reason he could be a fairly important character (at least in the pilot, if not the series as a whole).


STAR WARS COMIC SERIES
The Star Wars canon received a hard restructuring in the wake of Disney’s Lucasfilm deal, and the rebooted Marvel comic series has provided a fascinating peek into the galaxy far, far away. Well, here’s where it’s going next.

The Star Wars comic series recently wrapped the ambitious Vader Down arc, but a brand-new story is set to kick off in Star Wars #16 in February. Dubbed “Rebel Jail,” it’ll continue to follow the old guard (Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, etc.) as they attempt to break into a prison base. Yeah, that sounds like something that will totally not go wrong. The arc will be written by Jason Aaron, with art by Leinil Yu. Both of whom are awesome, so yay.

Here’s an excerpt from Marvel’s official synopsis:

Following the events of Vader Down, the Rebels travel to a prison base with their high-value detainee Doctor Aphra in tow. Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones with eyes on the prison! With the base under siege by mysterious foes, can Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie and the Droids prevent a mass breakout? Be there as the exciting new story arc begins this February in STAR WARS #16!

12 MONKEYS
Syfy has premiered the explosive 12 Monkeys Season 2 trailer.

Produced by Universal Cable Productions in association with Atlas Entertainment, Syfy’s critically-acclaimed time-travel thriller 12 Monkeys will return for a second season on Monday, April 18 at 9PM ET/PT. This all-new 13-episode season will air Mondays, with Aaron Stanford (James Cole), Amanda Schull (Dr. Cassandra Railly), Kirk Acevedo (Ramse), Emily Hampshire (Jennifer Goines), Barbara Sukowa (Katarina Jones) and Todd Stashwick (Deacon) reprising their roles.

12 Monkeys follows the journey of Cole, a time traveler sent back in time from a dark, hellish future to prevent it from ever happening. Joining forces in the present with Dr. Railly, Cole must defeat a centuries-old malevolent organization known as the Army of the 12 Monkeys. As Cole, Railly and their unlikely allies get closer to the truth, they’ll learn there are deadly consequences for all of history … and time itself.

Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett (“Nikita”) are executive producers and showrunners, with Charles Roven (Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad, American Hustle, The Dark Knight Trilogy) and Richard Suckle (Suicide Squad, American Hustle, The International) as executive producers. Atlas Entertainment and Roven produced the original film of 12 Monkeys, which starred Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Madeline Stowe, on which the series is based.


DOCTOR WHO NEWS
It’s official. After some false alarms in the past, Netflix is officially losing ‘Doctor Who’… all of ‘em. The streaming service has housed not just the Nu-’Who’ which began in 2005, but classic episodes as well. While ‘Doctor Who’ has been a phenomenon in its native Great Britain for many decades, it was the new episodes, originally produced by Russell T. Davies, followed by Steven Moffatt that have led to the current ‘Who’ mania in the U.S. And Netflix played a large role, allowing newbies to get caught up on the cult favorite series without having to shell out for pricey DVD boxed sets. And if you had backup plans to view the episodes on competing service Hulu, sorry. They’re also losing ‘Who’ at the end of the month. ‘Doctor Who’ will no longer be available on either service after January 31st. If you’re behind, start binging!

The episodes are currently available in two bundles. While the newer episodes, from 2005 to the present are fairly readily available, diehards enjoyed exploring the older episodes which aired from 1963-1989. (Fun fact, the earliest episodes were educational programs meant to teach viewers about history. Not so fun fact, many of the original episodes, nearly 100 total, are forever lost, due to deterioration from poor storage or other means of destruction.) The episodes that survived are not very easy to come by and now will become even harder to find.

Another blow, the versions on Netflix were the uncut versions from the BBC. In the U.S., the show airs on BBC America, but are edited to allow for commercial breaks, something they don’t have on BBC television. This was the primary way that U.S. fans were able to view the episodes as they were intended to be seen.

Seasons 7-9 will remain stream-able on BBCAmerica.com and the show will be available (for more money) on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and other VOD platforms.

In a statement, the BBC announced:

“We hope to announce a new digital partner for Doctor Who shortly.” They also confirmed that they are launching a stateside streaming service but are withholding details until “nearer the time of launch but suffice to say there will be a wide range of programs of various genres and eras, as you would expect from a company with a range of content as deep and wide as [BBC] Worldwide’s, including content that has never been seen before and fan favorites.”

BBC does have its own streaming service, BBC iPlayer, but shut down its international version last year and it was never available in the U.S. or Canada.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016


STEVEN MOFFAT LEAVING DOCTOR WHO
Whoa! This is big news, guys. It was just announced earlier today (via Radio Times) that current Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat will be stepping down after helming the series for six seasons. He'll be handing over the keys to the TARDIS to Broadchurch showrunner Chris Chibnall.

But that’s not the only massive Doctor Who news today.

The BBC has also revealed it will delay airing the upcoming 10th season to the spring of 2017 (instead of in the fall of this year), when Auntie Beeb will air Moffat’s final 12 episodes before Chibnall’s debut as head writer and executive producer begins with Season 11 in 2018. The only Doctor Who action fans will get this year is another Christmas special, which Moffat will oversee. However, it's unclear whether Peter Capaldi’s new companion will finally be introduced in that special. The only thing we know for sure is that the new companion WILL be part of the 2017 series.

So, why did the BBC put Season 10 on hold until the following year? BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore said: “I have decided to schedule Steven’s big finale series in Spring 2017 to bring the nation together for what will be a huge event on the channel. 2016 is spoilt with national moments including the Euros and Olympics and I want to hold something big back for 2017 - I promise it will be worth the wait!”

Here’s what Steven Moffat said about his decision to leave Doctor Who:

“Feels odd to be talking about leaving when I’m just starting work on the scripts for season 10, but the fact is my timey-wimey is running out. While Chris is doing his last run of Broadchurch, I’ll be finishing up on the best job in the universe and keeping the TARDIS warm for him. It took a lot of gin and tonic to talk him into this, but I am beyond delighted that one of the true stars of British Television drama will be taking the Time Lord even further into the future. At the start of season 11, Chris Chibnall will become the new showrunner of Doctor Who. And I will be thrown in a skip.”

Moore added:

“I want to thank Steven Moffat for everything he has given Doctor Who – I’ve loved working with him, he is an absolute genius and has brought fans all over the world such joy,” she added. “I will be very sad to see him leave the show but I can’t wait to see what he will deliver in his last ever series next year with a brand new companion. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Chris Chibnall, a wonderfully talented writer who I know will bring something very special to the hit series.”

Just like Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall has been a lifelong Doctor Who fan and is a BAFTA-award-winning writer and showrunner. He worked on the critically series Broadchurch (working alongside former Time Lord David Tennant), but his geek cred includes writing for Doctor Who as well as Life on Mars and Torchwood.

“Doctor Who is the ultimate BBC programme: bold, unique, vastly entertaining, and adored all around the world. So it's a privilege and a joy to be the next curator of this funny, scary and emotional family drama. I’ve loved Doctor Who since I was four years old, and I’m relishing the thought of working with the exceptional team at BBC Wales to create new characters, creatures and worlds for the Doctor to explore. Steven’s achieved the impossible by continually expanding Doctor Who's creative ambition, while growing its global popularity. He’s been a dazzling and daring showrunner, and hearing his plans and stories for 2017, it’s clear he’ll be going out with a bang. Just to make my life difficult.”

LUCIFER- PREMIERES TONIGHT
Fox’s new fantasy cop series Lucifer is set to premiere Monday, January 25. Here’s our spoiler-free impression of the first three episodes made available for review (which might not actually be the first three episodes to air, but still)!

Fox’s new DC-based series Lucifer has no right to be as good as it is. Seriously.

Loosely based on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comic, the series follows Satan after he decides to take a break from calling the shots in Hell, and heads for the sunny climate of Los Angeles to open a bar. Oh, and for some reason he decides to start working with a cop to solve crimes. Yeah, it’s not that enticing as far as a logline goes, but in actual execution it just works.

Having seen the first three episodes of the show, I can say that it doesn’t take long at all to find its rhythm. Tom Ellis was a perfect casting choice to take up the mantle of Lucifer Morningstar, and he brings a charming darkness that really helps make this ridiculous premise believable. The pilot is entertaining as hell, and easily accessible. You really have a good sense of the series’ vibe by the end of the first episode, and they smoothly use Lucifer’s powers to fill in some of the obvious narrative leaps.

As for how he gets roped into working with LAPD Detective Chloe Decker? Basically, he gets bored of kicking around LA, and after stumbling into a murder investigation, charms the police chief into letting him serve as a civilian adviser. His evil skill set, including the ability to get people to reveal their innermost secrets and desires, certainly comes in handy in the homicide division. Sure, it's a far cry from the show comic fans might have expected, but it really manages to soar as its own thing.

Beyond the straight-up procedural elements, Lucifer also does an excellent job of building its own mythology across the first three episodes made available for review — leading up to one heck of a good mystery. Lucifer is joined on Earth by Maze (Lesley-Ann Brandt), his closest confidante and devoted ally (she also doubles as his de facto bodyguard). There’s also an angel, Amenadiel (D.B. Woodside), kicking around, who is trying to convince Lucifer to return to Hell and restore the balance between good and evil. As for that big mystery? We won’t spoil it, but it definitely ups the stakes considerably.

One of the biggest concerns when word broke that Fox would be adapting the comic is how they’d pull off the edginess on a major network. Which, sure, is Lucifer as dark as it could be if it were on FX or HBO? No, not really. But, it’s just dark enough to work, and that’s all that really matters. Ellis’ Lucifer has a brooding nonchalance brewing under the surface, along with a weird type of honor and kindness that goes just far enough to make him relatable, but not hokey. Heck, one subplot actually finds Lucifer trying to hash out his issues with the help of a therapist (who he’s also sleeping with, because he is the devil), which makes for a refreshing approach to exposition. Again, it shouldn’t really fit, but Ellis charms the pants (literally at times) off of this role.

Here’s how Ellis described his take on the character to the Toronto Sun:

“This guy likes to have fun. When you believe, one, that you're immortal, and two, that you're just better than everybody else, it lends itself to fun. The role doesn't have any of the classic things that one would assume about the devil. But there also was a flip side in that there was a kind of kindness to him. It's the thing that maybe people won't expect. Lucifer himself says (in the first episode), 'Am I the devil because I'm intrinsically evil, or am I the devil because dear old dad decided I was?' That's the crux of where we find him in the show.”

If you’re looking for a point of comparison, Lucifer is a spiritual sibling to everything from Angel, to Castle, to Constantine, to Moonlight. But, thanks to the fact that the character has a truly skewed moral compass, it gives the show a different kind of vibe. In a good way. Lucifer can veer from feeling betrayed because someone broke a deal (with the devil, literally), to giving less than a care about a dead security guard on a separate case. He’s working with the cops for the thrill and entertainment of it all, and makes no qualms about it. In a weird way, that apathy is kind of refreshing.

It's worth noting: Fox hasn’t had much luck the past few years with genre-tinged procedurals, with Almost Human and Minority Report failing to reach a second season, while Sleepy Hollow has seen its ratings tank (after a promising debut, to be sure) and the low-rated Second Chance has already been sentenced to its own Friday Night Death Slot. Dumping Lucifer out at midseason doesn't bode entirely well for its chances, I'm sorry to say.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
Following the new Batman v Superman poster and TV spot from earlier today, Warner Bros. Pictures has brought online yet another TV spot in which Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) says that Superman (Henry Cavill) must be destroyed.

Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

Directed by Zack Snyder and written by Chris Terrio from a screenplay by David S. Goyer, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice stars Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman and Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Diane Lane returning from Man of Steel, joined by Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, and Holly Hunter in a role newly created for the film. Jason Momoa will also be making an appearance as Aquaman.

WARCRAFT
It’s been some time since we’ve heard about our friends in the world of Azeroth, but now Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures have debuted a new TV spot for the highly-anticipated Warcraft!

Legendary’s Warcraft is a 3D epic adventure of world-colliding conflict based upon Blizzard Entertainment’s globally-renowned universe. Directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), the film was written by Charles Leavitt with a rewrite by Duncan Jones. The film, a Legendary Pictures, Blizzard Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment production, is produced by Charles Roven, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Alex Gartner. Stuart Fenegan, Jillian Share, Brent O’Connor, and Blizzard Entertainment’s Michael Morhaime and Paul Sams serve as executive producers. Rob Pardo and Blizzard Entertainment’s Chris Metzen and Nick Carpenter co-produce with Atlas’s Rebecca Steel Roven.

Fighting for The Alliance, Warcraft features Dominic Cooper as King Llane Wrynn, Travis Fimmel as Anduin Lothar, Ben Foster as Medivh, Ben Schnetzer as Khadgar, and Ruth Negga as Lady Taria, and on the side of The Horde is Clancy Brown as Blackhand, Toby Kebbel as Durotan, Robert Kazinsky as Ogrim, and Daniel Wu as Gul’Dan, with Paula Patton’s Garona caught in the middle.

Warcraft will hit theaters on June 10, 2016.


THE EXORCIST COMING TO TV
First reported on back in 2013, FOX is moving forward with plans for a television series based on William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist. According to a story today at The Hollywood Reporter, FOX has ordered an Exorcist tv series pilot that still has Jeremy Slater (Fantastic Four) attached to script.

The Exorcist was published in 1971, inspired by alleged true stories of demonic possession. The story follows Regan, a 12-year-old girl, who is taken over by an ultimate evil. The Exorcist was famously brought to the screen in 1973 with a feature film helmed by William Friedkin. It remains widely regarded as one of the scariest films of all time and went on to spawn a feature film franchise. Exorcist II: The Heretic followed in 1977, The Exorcist III in 1990, Exorcist: The Beginning in 2004 and Dominion: A Prequel to the Exorcist in 2005.

Blatty himself followed The Exorcist with a 1983 sequel novel, Legion.

The Exorcist won’t be the only exorcism-themed television series heading to the small screen. The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has a television series on the way titled Outcast. Based on the Skybound/Image comic title by Kirkman and artist Paul Azaceta, Outcast follows Kyle Barnes, a young man who has been plagued by demonic possession all his life. Now, with the help of the Reverend Anderson, a preacher with personal demons of his own, Kyle embarks on a journey to find answers and regain the normal life he lost. But what Kyle discovers could change his fate — and the fate of the world — forever. You can watch the Outcast trailer here.

Slater is also attached to executive produce the series alongside David Robinson, James Robinson and Barbara Wall. Both 20th Century Fox Television and Morgan Creek Productions are producing.

DIVERGENT
A new The Divergent Series: Allegiant trailer has been released, featuring our first major look at the world beyond the wall.

The third installment in the blockbuster action adventure franchise stars Golden Globe nominee Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer, and the Oscar-nominated Naomi Watts. Golden Globe-nominated actor Jeff Daniels also joins the cast for the third and fourth films in the franchise with a list of returning cast members that also includes Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Keiynan Lonsdale and Jonny Weston, as well as Mekhi Phifer and Daniel Dae Kim. New cast members include Nadia Hilker and Bill Skarsgård as well.

After the Earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Allegiant‘s Tris (Woodley) must escape with Four (James) beyond the Wall that encircles Chicago to finally discover the shocking truth of what lies behind it.

Based on author Veronica Roth’s New York Times best-seller, Allegiant is being directed by Robert Schwentke from a screenplay by Noah Oppenheim and Adam Cooper & Bill Collage and Stephen Chbosky. Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher are producing the film through their Red Wagon Entertainment banner along with Pouya Shahbazian. Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman are executive producing through their Mandeville Films banner along with Barry Waldman and Neil Burger. Erik Feig, Co-President of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, Gillian Bohrer, Lionsgate’s EVP of Production & Development, and Matt Janzen, Lionsgate’s VP, Production & Development, are overseeing the project for the studio.

The Divergent series of books have been perennial New York Times best-sellers since 2011. Book sales of the Divergent trilogy have surged to over 34 million copies worldwide, up from 17 million at the time of Divergent’s March 21, 2014 release. “Allegiant” sold 455,000 copies on its first day of release in 2013 to break a company record for Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins Publishers. Pre-orders for “Allegiant” exceeded those of any book in the history of HarperCollins.

The first two Divergent films have grossed more than $550 million at the global box office and are Lionsgate’s highest-grossing films domestically outside The Hunger Games and Twilight franchises.

Lionsgate will release Allegiant theatrically in North America through its Summit Entertainment label on Friday, March 18. The fourth installment, The Divergent Series: Ascendant, is slated for release on June 9, 2017.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016


ARROW
In the wake of Stephen Amell posting a Twitter pic of himself alongside special guest star Megalyn Echikunwoke (she is now apparently going by the name of Megalyn E.K., which is a bit easier to say), who is bringing her animated character of Vixen to life on an upcoming episode of Arrow, The CW has released our first official look at the character in full costume.

The actress has been voicing the comic-book character on the CW Seed’s animated web series of the same name over the summer, and she will bring Mari McCabe to life in Episode 15 of Season 4, titled “Taken.” An African orphan, Vixen has the ability to mimic any animal on Earth, which is clearly being hinted at in the pic.

The Vixen animated series, which just picked up a Season 2 order, by the way, is considered canon within The CW’s Arrowverse, which includes Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow.

Since it featured appearances by Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) and Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) — with each actor voicing their animated counterparts -- I'm really intrigued to see how they will bring her into the live-action fold for the episode.


THE MUMMY
Looks like Tom Cruise is officially on board to unwrap Universal’s upcoming movie reboot of The Mummy.

The news was sorta/kinda made official when a report over at Variety revealed the studio had set a new release date for their upcoming Mummy reboot, which will now open on June 9, 2017, with Sofia Boutella also apparently on board the movie as the titular villain.

The movie was originally planned for a March 24, 2017 release, so a few months later is not that much of a biggie...unless you've been counting the days, of course.

Penned by Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Doctor Strange), the monster movie will be helmed by Alex Kurtzman, who also developed the film with Chris Morgan for the studio. Both were brought in by Universal last summer. Not much is known about the film other than unlike the Stephen Sommers movies starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah and Arnold Vosloo as the titular mummy, this one will take place in the present day.

Variety reports Cruise is not expected to produce (he always likes to add a producer credit to the movies he stars in), but that he will play a large role in the movie’s development.

The new Mummy reboot is the first in a series of movies using characters from Universal’s monster universe films that will culminate in an massive crossover movie event a la Marvel's The Avengers.

X-FILES
The X-Files revival will be airing this Sunday, and the show we know and loved will look a little different here in 2016. For one, the show will no longer be crackling with will-they-won’t-they tension. Dana Scully and Fox Mulder had a relationship, one that has run its course. But they have ties that bind in the form of their son, William. In the latest video from The X-Files, we get to learn more about the son they had—and what giving him up meant to them.

Back in 2002, Scully gave up her year-old son for adoption to keep him safe from the aliens (and their human allies) who want to use him to invade the world. But it seems she never stopped thinking about him. And, as she tells Mulder, she hates herself for not having the courage to keep him. Actress Gillian Anderson said that the show has brought up “some profound subject matter,” and she had never had this kind of a challenge before.

Mulder, on the other hand, said he put thoughts of William behind him. But actor David Duchovny believes Mulder feels guilt, even if though giving his son up meant keeping him safe.

Willam, who is currently 15 years old, is a talked-about character whose impact on Scully is palpable. But will he be seen? Not likely, according to IMDB, who doesn’t have the character listed.

Perhaps it’s best for William if he stays away: Mulder has become even more intense in the last few years. And that’s saying something.

SUPERNATURAL
A decade in, and the Winchesters are still duking it out with ghosts and ghouls — and here’s a look at the long odds they’ll be up against when Supernatural returns.

It’s amazing to think The CW series has remained a consistent hit for 11 years, while actually managing to keep the quality relatively steady along that way. They did it by not being afraid to totally screw up the status quo, while still keeping the “Two Brothers Against The World” dynamic intimately familiar. It looks like things go even further here, with everything from time travel to the return of Lucifer (cue fanboy squee) and the cage. Oh yeah, and the Darkness is still out there, in case you've forgotten.

We get a few fleeting looks at the brothers as they travel back to World War II, as Dean seems to be imbedded on the crew of a submarine. The midseason finale revealed Lucifer had been manipulating much of the action up to that point, with Sam following what he perceived to be signs from God. Turns out, they were coming from somewhere a bit further south. It looks like all the key players will be pulled into the latest battle with Lucifer. Considering how much fun Mark Pellegrino has playing deliciously evil, it should make for a very fun (and likely brutal) 2016.

Supernatural returns Wednesday, Jan. 20 on The CW.


DOCTOR STRANGE
Marvel Studios has found its Wong. The Hollywood Reporter today brings word that the currently-filming Doctor Strange is doubling down on Benedicts, casting The Martian star Benedict Wong as Strange’s faithful manservant, also known as Wong. Benedict Wong joins a cast that includes, in addition to Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role, Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) as Baron Mordo, Tilda Swinton (Only Lovers Left Alive) as The Ancient One and, in undisclosed roles, Rachel McAdams (The Vow), Michael Stuhlbarg (Pawn Sacrifice), Scott Adkins (The Bourne Ultimatum), Amy Landecker (“Transparent”), and Mads Mikkelsen (“Hannibal”).

Doctor Strange is scripted by Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Passengers) and directed by Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Deliver Us From Evil). The film tells the story of Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch), an acclaimed neurosurgeon who uncovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions after a near-fatal car accident, showing audiences corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe never before explored.

Wong, who first appeared alongside Strange in 1963’s “Strange Tales” #110, was, in the comics, a disciple of the Ancient One who was sent to America to assist Dr. Stephen Strange on his journey through the mystic arts.

Benedict Wong, who also worked with The Martian‘s Ridley Scott on Prometheus, is also well known for starring as Kublai Khan on Netflix‘s Marco Polo.

Scheduled to hit theaters November 4, 2016, Doctor Strange will continue “Phase Three” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which launches this May with Joe and Anthony Russo’s Captain America: Civil War.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016

SUICIDE SQUAD
Last night, The CW premiered DC Films Presents: Dawn of the Justice League, a half-hour special devoted to the upcoming rollout of Warner Bros.' DC Comics' cinematic universe. Over the course of the program, host Kevin Smith and guest Geoff Johns (Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment) offered a number of enticing teasers, including our first real footage from the upcoming Wonder Woman film, but the centerpiece was without question the first full trailer for the second DC Comics film of 2016: Suicide Squad.

Though Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is certainly the DC film with the most attention at the moment, Squad is not without its appeal. Written and directed by David Ayer (Fury), it's the first villain/antihero team-up movie we've seen in the Shared Universe Era from DC, and it features the live-action movie debut of everyone from Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) to Deadshot (Will Smith). Depending on how this film goes, the DC Cinematic Universe could completely change course, and though the first trailer definitely focused on a lot of darkness (apart from a laugh or two), the second is all about bringing the fun.

I'm already seeing comparisons online to the Guardians of the Galaxy trailers, which is inevitable when you decide to set your promo to "Bohemian Rhapsody," but that aside, this looks like so much fun. We've been worried for so long that the DC Cinematic Universe would be some kind of barren, self-serious landscape full of nothing but grit and brooding, and then this trailer comes along as if to assure us that at least one filmmaker tied to this studio is out to give us a few knowing winks. I mean, Killer Croc has a swamp prison cell in this trailer. That alone's enough to sell me.

Suicide Squad arrives August 5. Let's just hope it's as crazy as this trailer makes it out to be, because if it is it could be the comic book movie of the year.


LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - JONAH HEX
It's been six years since Jonah Hex took a dive on the big screen, but now the legendary character is coming back to live action -- on TV.

According to Variety (via Collider), veteran actor Johnathon Schaech (That Thing You Do!, Quarantine) has signed on to play Hex in the new CW series Legends of Tomorrow. Schaech will be a guest star on the 11th episode of the show's premiere season, joining regulars Caity Lotz (White Canary), Brandon Routh (The Atom), Wentworth Miller (Captain Cold), Dominic Purcell (Heatwave), Victor Garber and Franz Drameh (Firestorm), Falk Hentschel (Hawkman), and Ciara Renee (Hawkgirl) in a story set in the Old West.

Executive producer Marc Guggenheim said that a visit to the Old West town of Salvation was in the cards ever since they decided to include time travel on the show, adding, "If you’re going to do a story set in the DC Universe version of the Old West, you simply MUST include Jonah Hex in it. We’re thrilled about bringing another well known, beloved DC character to television.”

Hex premiered in the pages of DC Comics in 1972 as a rough-hewn, highly cynical and horribly scarred bounty hunter and anti-hero who nevertheless had a strong moral code and devotion to protecting the innocent. He has appeared on and off in books published by DC and its Vertigo imprint ever since, but also appeared -- played by Josh Brolin -- in his own 2010 theatrical motion picture that is widely regarded as one of the most disastrous comics-based movies ever made.

Yet Hex has always remained a cult favorite among readers, so now is the chance for him to be redeemed in the live-action realm. if the character proves popular enough, he could return to Legends of Tomorrow as well. What do you think of Jonah Hex making his return, and Johnathon Schaech playing him?

Legends of Tomorrow premieres this Thursday (January 21) on The CW.

BATMAN: BAD BLOOD
Ahead of Batman: Bad Blood’s release, Warner Bros. has unveiled more clips for the upcoming animated movie.

The first clip introduces us to Luke Fox (Gaius Charles), who has a bit of a chat with his dad, Lucius Fox (Ernie Hudson). The two men have an interesting discussion about Wayne Enterprises’ role in the Caped Crusader’s awesome tech gear. Let’s just say the younger Fox is not totally oblivious to what goes on there. We also have a peek at the new Batsuit.

The second one features Batwoman (Yvonne Strahovski) explaining to Nightwing (Sean Maher) and Robin (Stuart Allan) what happened the night Batman died, while clip number three is much more action-packed, with Dick Grayson trying to pass himself off as the Caped Crusader. But Damian Wayne, aka Robin, isn't fooled. Check them out: Here's the official synopsis for Batman: Bad Blood:

When Batman goes missing, it will take the entire Bat “family” – including new additions Batwoman and Batwing – to keep the peace in Gotham City and unravel the mystery behind the Dark Knight’s disappearance in Batman: Bad Blood. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment, the all-new DC Universe Original Movie will be available from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on February 2, 2016 on Blu-Ray™ Deluxe Edition, Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD.

Batman: Bad Blood will hit tomorrow on Digital HD and on Feb. 2 on DVD and Blu-ray.


WONDER WOMAN
Ahead of the DC Films Presents: Dawn of the Justice League special tonight on The CW, Warner Bros. Pictures has brought the social media channels for their upcoming Wonder Woman movie online (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) and released the first official logo for the film.

Starring Gal Gadot as the title hero, Wonder Woman also stars Chris Pine (Star Trek, The Finest Hours), Robin Wright (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Netflix’s “House of Cards”), Danny Huston (Clash of the Titans, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), David Thewlis (the “Harry Potter” films, The Theory of Everything), Ewen Bremner (Exodus: Gods and Kings, Snowpiercer), Saïd Taghmaoui (American Hustle), Elena Anaya (The Skin I Live In) Connie Nielsen (Gladiator, Nymphomaniac: Vol. I) and Lucy Davis (Shaun of the Dead).

The film is being produced by Charles Roven, Zack Snyder and Deborah Snyder, with Richard Suckle, Stephen Jones, Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and Rebecca Roven serving as executive producers.

Joining Jenkins behind the camera are director of photography Matthew Jensen (Chronicle, Fantastic Four, HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), Oscar-nominated production designer Aline Bonetto (Amélie, A Very Long Engagement, Pan), Oscar-winning editor Martin Walsh (Chicago, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, V for Vendetta), and Oscar-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (The Dark Knight trilogy, Topsy-Turvy).

Principal photography will take place on location in the UK, France and Italy.

Set to open on June 23, 2017, the Wonder Woman movie is based on characters created by William Moulton Marston, appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016

ALAN RICKMAN PASSES AWAY
We’ve lost another great one. Alan Rickman, the versatile actor best known for his iconic roles in Harry Potter and Die Hard, has died at the age of 69. The star was reportedly suffering from cancer.

For younger fans, Rickman is likely best known as Severus Snape, the potion master in the smash hit Harry Potter film franchise.

But his distinctive work extended far beyond the wizarding mega-franchise. Sci-fi fans will likely remember his turn as Alexander Dane in the cult-classic spoof Galaxy Quest.

For action fans of the 1980s, though, he’ll always be Hans Gruber, the terrorist mastermind who goes toe to toe with Bruce Willis’ John McClane in the first (and best) Die Hard film, possibly the greatest action movie ever made.

Outside of those roles, Rickman also showed up in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Kevin Smith's Dogma and a host of other film and TV projects.

On the awards front, Rickman won a BAFTA for his work as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for his role in Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny and a People’s Choice Award and MTV Movie Award for his place in the Harry Potter universe.

Rickman was one of the most versatile stars of our generation, and has the distinct honor of holding down more than a few iconic film roles — which is something most actors could only dream about. From the weird humor of Galaxy Quest to the badass villainy of Die Hard and the dark, nuanced development of Snape over the Harry Potter run, Rickman did it all, and did it all very, very well.

It feels insufficient to say "Rest in peace," so we'll just go with "By Grabthar's hammer, by the suns of Worvan, you shall be missed." And -- and this goes almost without saying, but -- f*** cancer.

Shortly after his passing, his peers in Hollywood took to social media to express their condolences.

Among them was Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who wrote:

Alan Rickman is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors I will ever work with. He is also, one of the loyalest and most supportive people I've ever met in the film industry. He was so encouraging of me both on set and in the years post-Potter. I'm pretty sure he came and saw everything I ever did on stage both in London and New York. He didn't have to do that. I know other people who've been friends with him for much much longer than I have and they all say "if you call Alan, it doesn't matter where in the world he is or how busy he is with what he's doing, he'll get back to you within a day".

People create perceptions of actors based on the parts they played so it might surprise some people to learn that contrary to some of the sterner(or downright scary) characters he played, Alan was extremely kind, generous, self-deprecating and funny. And certain things obviously became even funnier when delivered in his unmistakable double-bass.

As an actor he was one of the first of the adults on Potter to treat me like a peer rather than a child. Working with him at such a formative age was incredibly important and I will carry the lessons he taught me for the rest of my life and career. Film sets and theatre stages are all far poorer for the loss of this great actor and man.?

COLONY
When it comes to creating an alien invasion TV series, co-creator's Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Ryan Condal wanted to do something that hadn't been done on TV before. So they explored the past to come up with a fresh and scary premise for their new science fiction series, Colony, the executive producers told Blastr in an exclusive interview.

“I think the show is a really wonderful combination of a family drama, an espionage thriller, and an invasion show. And I think with two huge stars in Josh Holloway and Sarah Wayne Callies, the kind of cocktail of all of those elements is extremely tasty,” said Cuse.

Colony is set in the near future in Los Angeles, where alien invaders have put up walls throughout the city, and perhaps the world, to isolate and control the humans. Lost's Josh Holloway and The Walking Dead's Sarah Wayne Callies star as a married couple, Will and Katie Bowman, who find themselves struggling to protect their children and deal with life after the alien invasion has changed the world dramatically. Colony, which has a 10-episode order, premieres on USA tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Condal and Cuse came up with the idea while working on a pilot for a very different possible series called The Sixth Gun.

“Carlton and I were talking about World War II, but the conversation kept coming back to Casablanca more than it did to Saving Private Ryan. That was the fascinating part about the occupation of France ... it was the cloak-and-dagger day to day, almost the Cold War aspect of that part of World War II. These ordinary people taking up arms wherever they could against this massively advanced, technologically superior, more trained, inexhaustible amounts of troops. But they fought and they were effective at it. Those stories fascinated us,” said Condal.

“We were talking about [the] incongruity of Paris during World War II where you had these Parisians, well-dressed, sitting in cafes drinking espressos, just going about their lives in a city occupied by Nazis,” said Cuse. “And this incongruity of people trying to maintain the normal order of their lives when the world is turned completely upside down ... was something that fascinated us, and we thought, 'Is there a way we could do that in a modern context?'”

The producers began to develop the idea as an occupation story, but not one about humans versus the occupiers. “We didn't want to do Falling Skies or V. We felt those shows had been well done before. We were interested in what happens to people under occupation. Particularly if the smart invading force wouldn't necessarily rule themselves. They would install a proxy government of locals, so then you have basically people oppressing other people. And that, to us, the sort of incredible tendency of humans to subjugate each other across history, felt like something that we could explore in a topical way in a contemporary context,” added Cuse.

Army of Shadows, a film from 1969 about the French resistance in Nazi Paris, became one of their inspirations. “Those military guys, they were from all different walks of life, and they had to establish communication lines to England and were able to do these things under the cover of darkness just by the power of will. Those stories fascinated us a lot more than doing an Independence Day sort of thing, which you can't really do on TV on the scale you can on movies. But just the slow-burn nature of it, the long form story was much more suited to the television format, and that's what drew us to it,” said Condal.

They decided early on to “play the story closed. So you don't really know anything more than what the characters know, and the characters don't know much. There's not some expert character who's going to come in and download this informational dump that tells us everything about the world. We are experiencing the world through the eyes of our characters, and we are learning about the world as they learn about the world,” said Cuse.

“We cast the show as a mystery as opposed to a straight-up thriller or an adventure show. I mean, it has elements of those, but fundamentally there's also this real sense – in watching the show – of wanting, along with the characters, to find out what's going on. Who are these people who have taken over L.A.? Why have they put up these 300-foot-tall walls? Why are they here? What do they want? What's there intentions as far as the population of L.A. goes? What does the rest of the world look like? There's lots of great questions that are really on the minds of our characters that hopefully will engage the audience as well,” Cuse added.

In Colony, one of the characters faces an impossible choice: Collaborate and work for the proxy government, locals who run the government for the alien invaders, or he and his family will be sent to the “factory,” likely a really, really bad thing.

“The idea that a guy is coerced for working for the occupation force, that's something that we wanted to explore. There was a whole group of French who cooperated and collaborated with the Nazis, and what does it take to become a collaborator? What does it take to become a member of the resistance? There's lots of moral dilemmas in a world where the society has been turned upside down,” said Cuse.

“It's nice to get something on and going that's in that space that isn't based a comic book or a movie or a TV show from the '90s,” said Condal. “So we're excited about it.”

Colony airs on Thursdays at 10 PM ET.


CLASS
Ever since it was announced back in October that a Doctor Who spinoff titled Class would be heading to BBC Three in 2016, we’ve all been wondering if the show would hit us here, stateside. Well, wonder no more, because the series is coming to BBC America. YAY!

The news was announced this Friday at the Television Critics Association in Pasadena, Calif. YA novelist Patrick Ness (A Monster Calls) has been tapped to write the upcoming 8-episode series that’ll be set in Coal Hill School where the 12th Doctor’s (Peter Capaldi) former companion, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) used to teach, but the series will not involve her since she’s currently both deceased and traveling through time and space (it's all very timey-wimey) aboard her own TARDIS with her immortal companion, Ashildr, aka Me (Maisie Williams).

“I’m astounded and thrilled to be entering the Doctor Who universe, which is as vast as time and space itself,” said Ness. “I can’t wait for people to meet the heroes of ‘Class,’ to meet the all-new villains and aliens, to remember that the horrors of the darkest corners of existence are just about on par with having to pass your exams,” he joked.

And because it’s a new new, new series, don’t expect to see your favorite Who villains pop up any time soon, because Ness wants to put his own spin to Class. Here’s what he said back in October:

“I want to show the world new stuff,” he says. “I want to have new things that maybe we haven’t seen before. That’s my goal. That’s what I’m aiming for — shock you with something new. Something like the Weeping Angels, which I think are great, are brand new. Steven Moffat invented them a couple seasons ago. There’s not going to be any weeping angels on Class, but I’m just saying that they’re something new to the Doctor Who universe that are just awesome, and I would like to do that.”

The spinoff set to air sometime in the fall of 2016 is being filmed in Cardiff and will be executive produced by Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin and is a co-production between BBC America and BBC Cymru Wales.

ORPHAN BLACK
Entering its fourth season, BBC America’s cult hit Orphan Black is looking to go a whole lot deeper into its mind-bending premise — and the latest teaser trailer makes that very, very clear.

The teaser, which features star Tatiana Maslany in her myriad roles, is mirrored after the classic children’s tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, even yanking some choice excerpts from Lewis Carroll’s tale for maximum (creepy) effect. It seems Sarah and the gang will be going down the rabbit hole of this great mystery, quite literally, and the footage here does an excellent job of setting that scene. As the trailer makes clear: “The only way forward is to go back.”

Per BBC America, Season 4 of the series will see Sarah reluctantly return home from her Icelandic hideout to track down an elusive and mysterious ally tied to the clone who started it all — Beth Childs. Sarah will follow Beth’s footsteps into a dangerous relationship with a potent new enemy, heading in a horrifying new direction. Under constant pressure to protect the sisterhood and keep everyone safe, Sarah’s old habits begin to resurface. As the close-knit sisters are pulled in disparate directions, Sarah finds herself estranged from the loving relationships that changed her for the better.

It’s nice to see the mystery seemingly start to refocus back on the female clone arc, after taking a few detours last season. Season 3 had to do a lot of heavy lifting by expanding the clone mythology within the overarching mystery, and though it still made for great television (seriously, you should be watching this show), it’s great to see things heading back to where they began in Year 4.

Orphan Black is set to return to BBC America this spring.


THE SILVER CHAIR
Despite its popularity and cultural relevance, and pulling in some decent cash with the first installment, the Chronicles of Narnia never managed to become a major hit. But that could all change soon.

It’s been five years since the last Narnia film, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, opened wide and went on to a mediocre box-office run. It seemed the franchise, based on C.S. Lewis’ beloved book series, could’ve been dead at that point. But Hollywood loves a good intellectual property — so get ready for a (semi-)reboot.

Producer Mark Gordon has announced the series will be revived with the fourth book in the series, The Silver Chair. They’ve been working on a draft of the script for about a year, and it sounds like they finally have it figured out. Though the project is being billed as a reboot, that’s a bit misleading, since many of the characters in The Silver Chair are new, anyway, and the carryovers can be recast. If you’re wanting to reboot, this is as good a place as any to do it.

Here’s an excerpt from his comments to Collider:

“We’re hoping to be able to make the movie very shortly. We’re very excited about it … [I]t’s all going to be a brand new franchise. All original. All original characters, different directors, and an entire new team that this is coming from.”

The first two Narnia films received favorable critical reception, up until Voyage of the Dawn Treader stumbled out, so a nice break and fresh take on the franchise could be just the thing to get it back on track. If nothing else, the team seems willing to make changes and hopefully breathe some fresh life into one of the most beloved franchises in literary history. Here’s hoping it’s worth the wait.


ACADEMY AWARDS
Science fiction got some decent representation as the 2015 Academy Award nominations were unveiled this morning.

Mad Max: Fury Road led the way with 10 nominations, second only to the dozen scooped up by the period adventure The Revenant. The fourth movie about the post-apocalyptic road warrior earned nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (George Miller, his first nomination ever), Visual Effects, Editing, Production Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Cinematography and Costume Design. No Oscar love for either Charlize Theron or Tom Hardy for the movie, although the latter is up for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Revenant.

As for The Martian, it scored nods for Best Picture, Best Actor (Matt Damon), Best Adapted Screenplay (Drew Goddard), Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Visual Effects and Production Design, but Ridley Scott was passed over for Best Director.

The last time two sci-fi pictures both made it into the Best Picture category was 2013, when Gravity and Her were nominated (neither won).

Star Wars: The Force Awakens did not land any major nominations -- unlike the 1977 original, which received 10, including Best Picture -- and had to settle for Visual Effects, Editing, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing and a nice nod to John Williams for Best Original Score.

In other categories, the great Ex Machina scored for Best Original Screenplay (we would have preferred seeing Alicia Vikander get a Best Actress or Supporting Actress nomination too, but whatever), while Inside Out leads the Best Animated Feature pack and the far-future World of Tomorrow made the list for Best Animated Short Film.

Our takeaway from all this? It's pretty incredible to see Mad Max: Fury Road, the fourth entry in what has been until now a cult franchise, receive so much recognition for the amazing piece of cinema that it is. It's also nice to see sci-fi solidly spoken for with the 10 and 7 nominations for Mad Max and The Martian, respectively, even if both are long shots to win the big prize. A Best Picture upset by Mad Max over favorites The Revenant and Spotlight would be truly shocking, but once again it looks like the genre will have to settle for a seat or two at the table -- just not at the head.

The 88th Academy Awards will take place on Feb. 28 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and will be televised live by ABC at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
The CW continues to deliver behind the scenes content, now releasing a behind-the-scenes DC’s Legends of Tomorrow featurette that explores the series’ foe, Vandal Savage (Caper Crump), and the time travel storyline that pulls together an unusual mix of heroes of villains.

When heroes alone are not enough… the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat – one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. Can this ragtag team defeat an immortal threat unlike anything they have ever known?

The DC’s Legends of Tomorrow series stars Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, “Arrow’), Victor Garber (“The Flash,” “Alias”), Arthur Darvill (“Doctor Who”), Caity Lotz (“Arrow”), Ciarra Renee (“Pippin”), and Franz Drameh (Edge of Tomorrow), with Dominic Purcell (“The Flash,” “Prison Break”) and Wentworth Miller (“The Flash,” “Prison Break”).

Based on the characters from DC Comics, the new series hails from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Greg Berlanti (“The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “Arrow”) serves as executive producer alongside Marc Guggenheim (Eli Stone, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters), Andrew Kreisberg (“The Flash,” “Warehouse 13”) and Sarah Schechter (“The Flash,” Pan).

Catch the DC’s Legends of Tomorrow premiere with a special extra length episode, airing from 8:00 to 9:02:50 pm ET on Thursday, January 21.


FALLING WATER
USA Network announced a series pick-up from executive producers Gale Anne Hurd (“The Walking Dead”) of Valhalla Entertainment, Blake Masters (“Brotherhood”) and the late Emmy Award-winner Henry Bromell (“Homeland”) for the drama, Falling Water. The pilot was written and co-created by Masters and Bromell and is from Universal Cable Productions. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) directed the pilot and will also executive produce the series. Bromell and Masters previously teamed up on “Brotherhood” and “Rubicon.” David Ajala (Fast & Furious 6), Will Yun Lee (“Hawaii 5-0”) and Lizzie Brochere (“American Horror Story: Asylum”) are set to star in the series.

“‘Falling Water’ captivated us with its cinematic journey and unique exploration into the power of the dream world,” said Jackie de Crinis, Executive Vice President Original Programming, USA Network, “It is an edge-of-your seat thriller that reveals a race to control the collective conscience.”

“Today’s world demands shows that both challenge and reward the audience in spectacular ways,” said Jeff Wachtel, President and Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “‘Falling Water’ is the type of show that can move the needle of popular culture with its thrilling exploration of the dark side of the mind.”

A mind-bending drama, Falling Water is the story of three unrelated people, who slowly realize that they are dreaming separate parts of a single common dream. Each of them is on a mysterious and highly personal quest – one is searching for his missing girlfriend, one is searching for a lost child, one is looking to cure his catatonic mother – and it is the clues found in their collective dream that come to guide them. The deeper they dig, though, the more they come to realize that their missions touch on stakes that are much larger than their individual agendas. That the visions found in their common dream just might hold the key to the fate of the world.

Ajala takes on the role of Burton, the head of in-house security for a multinational investment banking firm, whose personal and professional paranoia collide when an investigation into financial malfeasance at the firm leads to a backlash that engulfs his love life. Meanwhile, Lee is Taka, an intuitive NYPD Detective, whose leap-of-faith insights put him on the trail of an obscure dream-obsessed cult; and Brochere plays Tess, a cutting edge trend spotter with an uncanny ability to predict the next big thing, who is haunted by nightly dreams of an absent child.

HUNTERS/12 MONKEYS
Syfy has announced the premiere dates for the first season of Hunters and the second season of 12 Monkeys, both produced by Universal Cable Productions (in association with Valhalla Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment, respectively).

In Hunters, when Baltimore FBI agent Flynn Carroll’s (Nathan Phillips, “Wolf Creek”) wife goes missing, his search leads him to a highly-classified government organization – the Exo-Terrorism Unit (ETU) – who track and fight alien terrorists. Britne Oldford (“American Horror Story”) plays Regan, a valuable ETU operative keeping secrets of her own. The gritty sci-fi thriller also stars Julian McMahon (“Nip/Tuck”) as the dangerously unhinged terrorist, McCarthy. The 13-episode first season debuts Monday, April 11 at 10PM ET/PT.

Hunters is from executive producers Gale Anne Hurd (“The Walking Dead,” The Terminator Trilogy) and Natalie Chaidez (“12 Monkeys,” “Heroes”), who will also serve as showrunner, and Emile Levisetti (“Royal Pains”). The series is inspired by best-selling author Whitley Strieber’s novel, “Alien Hunter.”

Syfy’s critically-acclaimed time-travel thriller 12 Monkeys will return for a second season on Monday, April 18 at 9PM ET/PT. This all-new 13-episode season will air Mondays, with Aaron Stanford (James Cole), Amanda Schull (Dr. Cassandra Railly), Kirk Acevedo (Ramse), Emily Hampshire (Jennifer Goines), Barbara Sukowa (Katarina Jones) and Todd Stashwick (Deacon) reprising their roles.

12 Monkeys follows the journey of Cole, a time traveler sent back in time from a dark, hellish future to prevent it from ever happening. Joining forces in the present with Dr. Railly, Cole must defeat a centuries-old malevolent organization known as the Army of the 12 Monkeys. As Cole, Railly and their unlikely allies get closer to the truth, they’ll learn there are deadly consequences for all of history … and time itself.

Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett (“Nikita”) are executive producers and showrunners, with Charles Roven (Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad, American Hustle, The Dark Knight Trilogy) and Richard Suckle (Suicide Squad, American Hustle, The International) as executive producers. Atlas Entertainment and Roven produced the original film of 12 Monkeys, which starred Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Madeline Stowe, on which the series is based.

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2015


AGENT CARTER - SEASON TWO
With Agent Carter’s eagerly anticipated second season debut right around the corner, Marvel has released a massive bunch of cool new character portraits and stills from the two-hour premiere.

As most of you fellas and gals probably already know by now, Season 2 sees Peggy (Hayley Atwell) move from the Big Apple to sunny California for what turns out to be another highly dangerous assignment; and you can read all about Cap’s (Chris Evans) best girl’s mission in the full synopsis here.

Along with the return of familiar faces in millionaire genius playboy Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), his butler and Peggy’s BFF Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), Agent Daniel Sousa (Enver Gjokaj), Agent Jack Thompson (Chad Michael Murray), and Russian spy Dottie Underwood (Bridget Reagan), the new season also introduces Jarvis’ beloved wife Ana (Lotte Verbeek), senatorial candidate Calvin Chadwick (Currie Graham), charming scientist Jason Wilkes (Reggie Austin), War Department veteran Vernon Masters (Kurtwood Smith), and Hollywood movie starlet Whitney Frost (Wynn Everett), aka the series’ new Big Bad Madame Masque.

Here are the official synopses for the first two episodes making up the Season 2 premiere:

“The Lady in the Lake.” - Peggy moves to the City of Angels to help Chief Daniel Sousa at the West Coast Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) investigate a bizarre homicide involving an alleged killer and Isodyne Energy, and reunites with some familiar faces.

“A View in the Dark.” - Peggy discovers her murder investigation has huge ramifications that can destroy her career, as well as everyone near and dear to her.

Agent Carter returns to ABC on Jan. 19.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
DC's Legends of Tomorrow is primed to premiere on The CW on Jan. 21 and looks to be one wild way to ring in the new year, with Rip Hunter and his time-cruising crew of charismatic crusaders matching up against the dastardly Vandal Savage in the Swingin' Seventies. It seems like this spinoff series is charging into its debut episode with a full head of superhero steam, packed with a colorful arsenal of vigilantes, villains and victorious crimestoppers like Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Atom, Firestorm, Black Canary, Captain Cold and Heat Wave.

Hit the afterburners and plunge into this scorching new trailer crammed with new footage and the accompanied solo spot centering around the origins of Firestorm, then let us know if you're joining this action-jammed journey back to those retro, bell-bottomed days of disco.


THE PRISONER MOVIE COMING
As if he wasn’t busy enough with Alien: Covenant and the Blade Runner sequel on his plate, Ridley Scott is looking to add another A-list sci-fi project to the list.

Deadline reports Scott is in early talks to direct a feature-film adaptation of the cult-hit 1968 TV series The Prisoner. Universal has been trying to get this one off the ground for years, with everyone from Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) to William Monahan (The Departed) writing drafts over the years. Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) also flirted with a film version back in 2009, but it eventually fizzled out.

The basic story follows a prisoner (get it?) who is a former government agent who finds himself imprisoned in a mysterious seaside village after resigning from his post. Once there, he knows too much to escape, though others are after him to gain whatever knowledge he may possess. It’s a freaky, twisty thriller with some nice conspiracy and sci-fi undertones, and seems like ripe territory for Scott to mine.

The original British series ran from 1967 to 1968, and a remake miniseries hit AMC in 2009. But this will mark the first time it's ever been adapted for the big screen (assuming it actually makes it out of development).

DAREDEVIL-SEASON TWO
Netflix has released a brand-new promo, a synopsis, as well as a new poster for the upcoming second season of Marvel’s Daredevil. It also confirms the premiere date of the highly anticipated superhero series.

The very cool promo essentially serves as a recap to Season 1 but also teases what’s coming up in Season 2; and there's a whole world of pain awating Hell's Kitchen's blind vigilante. I just love how the teaser uses fresco paintings to illustrate the main elements of Season 1. The whole Sistine Chapel thing also ties in very snugly with Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) religious faith.

Just when Matt thinks he is bringing order back to the city, new forces are rising in Hell’s Kitchen. Now the Man Without Fear must take on a new adversary in Frank Castle and face an old flame – Elektra Natchios.

Bigger problems emerge when Frank Castle, a man looking for vengeance, is reborn as The Punisher, a man who takes justice into his own hands in Matt’s neighborhood. Meanwhile, Matt must balance his duty to his community as a lawyer and his dangerous life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, facing a life-altering choice that forces him to truly understand what it means to be a hero.

For me, the most exciting thing about the upcoming season will be the addition of The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal as the Punisher. Hopefully, the Daredevil showrunners will finally do right by the character and make him as close to the Marvel Comics anti-hero as they possibly can. Fingers crossed!

Also of note is the premiere date for the series: March 18, which basically debunks the rumors that have been floating around that Marvel would pit the second season premiere of Daredevil against Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which hits movie theaters on March 25.


LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - CAST ADDITIONS
In what is arguably the best geek news of the day, a Firefly and Stargate Atlantis alum has joined the cast of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow!

TV Line reports that Jewel Staite has joined the cast of The CW’s upcoming superhero series in a guest-starring role. Her character's name is Rachel Turner, and she's described as a tech genius and roboticist who lives in a future where technology has an even stronger grasp on everyday lives than it does today. Here’s what the site says about the character:

A descendant of a long line of inventors — one of whom turns out to be someone from the DC Universe! — Rachel believes that her creations can make that world a better place. Alas, what the brilliant beauty cannot foresee is that her work is destined to fall into the hands of immortal baddie Vandal Savage, who will use it to take over the world. Unless Rachel can team up with the Legends to stop him.

Now, there are quite a few inventors in the Arrowverse, including Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), Curtis Holt (Echo Callum) and The Flash's Cisco Ramone (Carlos Valdes). But the only character with the name Turner on the series is Benjamin “Ben” Turner (Michael Jai White), aka Bronze Tiger, who was an assassin and member of the Suicide Squad. Could the name Turner be a red herring and she’ll end up being a descendant of Ray’s? That’s entirely possible, but we’ll have to wait and see.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will premiere on Jan. 21, but there's no news yet as to when Staite will make her debut or whether her appearance will be a one-off or a multiple-episodes gig.

DAMIEN
After finding success by mining one classic horror film, A&E is going to the well once again. Look out, Bates Motel — Damien is ready to check in and start creeping us all out.

The network has dropped a new trailer for its series Damien, which is based on classic horror film The Omen and serves as a continuation of that story, picking up with an adult-age Damien as he grapples with his true identity as the antichrist. Bradley James stars as Damien Thorn, who has grown up unaware of devilish history. Yeah, that’s definitely going to be a rude awakening, we’d imagine.

Considering how fascinating it's been to follow a young Norman Bates on Bates Motel, the prospects of an adult Damien are arguably just as interesting. With the right approach, this could hit the sweet spot of supernatural horror and human drama. That’s certainly possible, considering this project comes from some high pedigree behind the camera, with Glen Mazzara (The Walking Dead) producing.

Here’s what Mazzara had to say about the show in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:

"The devil has always been very sexy. There's something in the air that people feel like these are the end times, in some way. There's an anxiety about what's happening all around the world and some of these shows — like Lucifer may take a comic approach — we're taking a hopefully more thoughtful, thematic approach to that material. There has been a lot of post-apocalyptic shows out there now and we're the show that's about the question: 'Can you stop it?'"

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2015


AGENT CARTER - SEASON TWO
With Agent Carter’s eagerly anticipated second season debut right around the corner, Marvel has released a massive bunch of cool new character portraits and stills from the two-hour premiere.

As most of you fellas and gals probably already know by now, Season 2 sees Peggy (Hayley Atwell) move from the Big Apple to sunny California for what turns out to be another highly dangerous assignment; and you can read all about Cap’s (Chris Evans) best girl’s mission in the full synopsis here.

Along with the return of familiar faces in millionaire genius playboy Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), his butler and Peggy’s BFF Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), Agent Daniel Sousa (Enver Gjokaj), Agent Jack Thompson (Chad Michael Murray), and Russian spy Dottie Underwood (Bridget Reagan), the new season also introduces Jarvis’ beloved wife Ana (Lotte Verbeek), senatorial candidate Calvin Chadwick (Currie Graham), charming scientist Jason Wilkes (Reggie Austin), War Department veteran Vernon Masters (Kurtwood Smith), and Hollywood movie starlet Whitney Frost (Wynn Everett), aka the series’ new Big Bad Madame Masque.

Here are the official synopses for the first two episodes making up the Season 2 premiere:

“The Lady in the Lake.” - Peggy moves to the City of Angels to help Chief Daniel Sousa at the West Coast Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) investigate a bizarre homicide involving an alleged killer and Isodyne Energy, and reunites with some familiar faces.

“A View in the Dark.” - Peggy discovers her murder investigation has huge ramifications that can destroy her career, as well as everyone near and dear to her.

Agent Carter returns to ABC on Jan. 19.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
DC's Legends of Tomorrow is primed to premiere on The CW on Jan. 21 and looks to be one wild way to ring in the new year, with Rip Hunter and his time-cruising crew of charismatic crusaders matching up against the dastardly Vandal Savage in the Swingin' Seventies. It seems like this spinoff series is charging into its debut episode with a full head of superhero steam, packed with a colorful arsenal of vigilantes, villains and victorious crimestoppers like Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Atom, Firestorm, Black Canary, Captain Cold and Heat Wave.

Hit the afterburners and plunge into this scorching new trailer crammed with new footage and the accompanied solo spot centering around the origins of Firestorm, then let us know if you're joining this action-jammed journey back to those retro, bell-bottomed days of disco.


THE PRISONER MOVIE COMING
As if he wasn’t busy enough with Alien: Covenant and the Blade Runner sequel on his plate, Ridley Scott is looking to add another A-list sci-fi project to the list.

Deadline reports Scott is in early talks to direct a feature-film adaptation of the cult-hit 1968 TV series The Prisoner. Universal has been trying to get this one off the ground for years, with everyone from Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects) to William Monahan (The Departed) writing drafts over the years. Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight) also flirted with a film version back in 2009, but it eventually fizzled out.

The basic story follows a prisoner (get it?) who is a former government agent who finds himself imprisoned in a mysterious seaside village after resigning from his post. Once there, he knows too much to escape, though others are after him to gain whatever knowledge he may possess. It’s a freaky, twisty thriller with some nice conspiracy and sci-fi undertones, and seems like ripe territory for Scott to mine.

The original British series ran from 1967 to 1968, and a remake miniseries hit AMC in 2009. But this will mark the first time it's ever been adapted for the big screen (assuming it actually makes it out of development).

DAREDEVIL-SEASON TWO
Netflix has released a brand-new promo, a synopsis, as well as a new poster for the upcoming second season of Marvel’s Daredevil. It also confirms the premiere date of the highly anticipated superhero series.

The very cool promo essentially serves as a recap to Season 1 but also teases what’s coming up in Season 2; and there's a whole world of pain awating Hell's Kitchen's blind vigilante. I just love how the teaser uses fresco paintings to illustrate the main elements of Season 1. The whole Sistine Chapel thing also ties in very snugly with Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) religious faith.

Just when Matt thinks he is bringing order back to the city, new forces are rising in Hell’s Kitchen. Now the Man Without Fear must take on a new adversary in Frank Castle and face an old flame – Elektra Natchios.

Bigger problems emerge when Frank Castle, a man looking for vengeance, is reborn as The Punisher, a man who takes justice into his own hands in Matt’s neighborhood. Meanwhile, Matt must balance his duty to his community as a lawyer and his dangerous life as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, facing a life-altering choice that forces him to truly understand what it means to be a hero.

For me, the most exciting thing about the upcoming season will be the addition of The Walking Dead’s Jon Bernthal as the Punisher. Hopefully, the Daredevil showrunners will finally do right by the character and make him as close to the Marvel Comics anti-hero as they possibly can. Fingers crossed!

Also of note is the premiere date for the series: March 18, which basically debunks the rumors that have been floating around that Marvel would pit the second season premiere of Daredevil against Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which hits movie theaters on March 25.


LEGENDS OF TOMORROW - CAST ADDITIONS
In what is arguably the best geek news of the day, a Firefly and Stargate Atlantis alum has joined the cast of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow!

TV Line reports that Jewel Staite has joined the cast of The CW’s upcoming superhero series in a guest-starring role. Her character's name is Rachel Turner, and she's described as a tech genius and roboticist who lives in a future where technology has an even stronger grasp on everyday lives than it does today. Here’s what the site says about the character:

A descendant of a long line of inventors — one of whom turns out to be someone from the DC Universe! — Rachel believes that her creations can make that world a better place. Alas, what the brilliant beauty cannot foresee is that her work is destined to fall into the hands of immortal baddie Vandal Savage, who will use it to take over the world. Unless Rachel can team up with the Legends to stop him.

Now, there are quite a few inventors in the Arrowverse, including Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), Curtis Holt (Echo Callum) and The Flash's Cisco Ramone (Carlos Valdes). But the only character with the name Turner on the series is Benjamin “Ben” Turner (Michael Jai White), aka Bronze Tiger, who was an assassin and member of the Suicide Squad. Could the name Turner be a red herring and she’ll end up being a descendant of Ray’s? That’s entirely possible, but we’ll have to wait and see.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will premiere on Jan. 21, but there's no news yet as to when Staite will make her debut or whether her appearance will be a one-off or a multiple-episodes gig.

DAMIEN
After finding success by mining one classic horror film, A&E is going to the well once again. Look out, Bates Motel — Damien is ready to check in and start creeping us all out.

The network has dropped a new trailer for its series Damien, which is based on classic horror film The Omen and serves as a continuation of that story, picking up with an adult-age Damien as he grapples with his true identity as the antichrist. Bradley James stars as Damien Thorn, who has grown up unaware of devilish history. Yeah, that’s definitely going to be a rude awakening, we’d imagine.

Considering how fascinating it's been to follow a young Norman Bates on Bates Motel, the prospects of an adult Damien are arguably just as interesting. With the right approach, this could hit the sweet spot of supernatural horror and human drama. That’s certainly possible, considering this project comes from some high pedigree behind the camera, with Glen Mazzara (The Walking Dead) producing.

Here’s what Mazzara had to say about the show in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:

"The devil has always been very sexy. There's something in the air that people feel like these are the end times, in some way. There's an anxiety about what's happening all around the world and some of these shows — like Lucifer may take a comic approach — we're taking a hopefully more thoughtful, thematic approach to that material. There has been a lot of post-apocalyptic shows out there now and we're the show that's about the question: 'Can you stop it?'"

HIGH-RISE
J.G. Ballard’s 1975 book High-Rise details how a luxury apartment building that is designed as an enclosed, self-sustaining community quickly degenerates into violence, primal instinct and tribal warfare as the building's amenities fail and the residents turn against each other.

It's a cautionary metaphor for modern urban life that is just as relevant today as it was 40 years ago, and now director Ben Wheatley has adapted the book, bringing on board a powerful cast that includes Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, Sienna Miller, and James Purefoy.

Hiddleston plays the main character, Laing, a young doctor who is enticed into moving into the high-rise by its architect (Irons). Once there, however, he discovers that below its shiny surface, the massive edifice and its inhabitants are coming apart at the seams.

Interestingly, Wheatley has not brought the story forward in time, setting it in England just as Margaret Thatcher was coming to power in the late 1970s, placing the movie in an alternate universe instead of a future one.

If you're not familiar with Wheatley, by the way, you should get to know him: he's one of the best new(ish) directors working right now. His previous films include the crime drama Down Terrace, the genuinely disturbing horror tale Kill List, the nasty serial killer black comedy Sightseers and the psychedelic period piece A Field in England (he'a also directed a handful of Doctor Who episodes in the Peter Capaldi era).

I can't wait to see what he's got in store for us with this. High-Rise comes out in the U.K. on March 16, and while it doesn't have a release date in the U.S. yet, it will arrive here later this year. The official synopsis and poster are below. (via Slashfilm)

High-Rise is an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s novel of the same name. The film centers on a new residential tower built on the eve of Margaret Thatcher’s rise to power, at the site of what will soon become the world’s financial hub. Designed as a luxurious solution to the problems of the city, it is a world apart.

Enter Robert Laing (Hiddleston), a young doctor seduced by the high-rise and its creator, the visionary architect Anthony Royal (Irons). Laing discovers a world of complex loyalties, and also strikes up a relationship with Royal’s devoted aide Charlotte (Miller).

But rot has set in beneath the flawless surface. Sensing discord amongst the tenants, Laing meets Wilder, a charismatic provocateur bent on inciting the situation. Wilder initiates Laing into the hidden life of the high-rise and Laing is shocked at what he sees. As the residents break into tribal factions, Laing finds himself in the middle of mounting violence. Violence that he also finds emerging in himself.

HIGH-RISE
J.G. Ballard’s 1975 book High-Rise details how a luxury apartment building that is designed as an enclosed, self-sustaining community quickly degenerates into violence, primal instinct and tribal warfare as the building's amenities fail and the residents turn against each other.

It's a cautionary metaphor for modern urban life that is just as relevant today as it was 40 years ago, and now director Ben Wheatley has adapted the book, bringing on board a powerful cast that includes Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, Sienna Miller, and James Purefoy.

Hiddleston plays the main character, Laing, a young doctor who is enticed into moving into the high-rise by its architect (Irons). Once there, however, he discovers that below its shiny surface, the massive edifice and its inhabitants are coming apart at the seams.

Interestingly, Wheatley has not brought the story forward in time, setting it in England just as Margaret Thatcher was coming to power in the late 1970s, placing the movie in an alternate universe instead of a future one.

If you're not familiar with Wheatley, by the way, you should get to know him: he's one of the best new(ish) directors working right now. His previous films include the crime drama Down Terrace, the genuinely disturbing horror tale Kill List, the nasty serial killer black comedy Sightseers and the psychedelic period piece A Field in England (he'a also directed a handful of Doctor Who episodes in the Peter Capaldi era).

I can't wait to see what he's got in store for us with this. High-Rise comes out in the U.K. on March 16, and while it doesn't have a release date in the U.S. yet, it will arrive here later this year. The official synopsis and poster are below. (via Slashfilm)

High-Rise is an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s novel of the same name. The film centers on a new residential tower built on the eve of Margaret Thatcher’s rise to power, at the site of what will soon become the world’s financial hub. Designed as a luxurious solution to the problems of the city, it is a world apart.

Enter Robert Laing (Hiddleston), a young doctor seduced by the high-rise and its creator, the visionary architect Anthony Royal (Irons). Laing discovers a world of complex loyalties, and also strikes up a relationship with Royal’s devoted aide Charlotte (Miller).

But rot has set in beneath the flawless surface. Sensing discord amongst the tenants, Laing meets Wilder, a charismatic provocateur bent on inciting the situation. Wilder initiates Laing into the hidden life of the high-rise and Laing is shocked at what he sees. As the residents break into tribal factions, Laing finds himself in the middle of mounting violence. Violence that he also finds emerging in himself.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

BITTEN
Ahead of the premiere of the final season of Space/Syfy's werewolf drama series Bitten, two teasers and a couple of first-look pics have been released to whet our appetite.

When Bitten returns for its third and final season in February, the series will address whether the young witch Savannah’s (Kiara Glasgow) bloody (and fiery) visions about Elena (Laura Vandervoort) will come to pass.

Instead of picking things up right away, Season 3 actually begins several months after the dramatic Season 2 events left a couple of characters dead as a doornail during the battle against Big Bad male witch Aleister (Sean Rogerson). According to our sister site Space:

The third and final season of Bitten “picks up several months after the harrowing battle in the season two finale. Bolstering their ranks in the wake of the carnage the Pack is on the hunt for a dangerous group of traitorous Mutts lead by former Spanish Alpha, Eduardo Escobado. Meanwhile, Elena struggles with Pack Alpha Jeremy Danvers’ new draconian leadership style, and makes a shocking and surprising discovery about herself.”

The new season wastes no time delving into an action-filled first episode in which Jeremy’s sudden personality change puts more pressure on his already overtaxed Pack. To up the ante even further, a sniper makes an attempt on the Pack leader’s life and a stranger enters Elena’s making claims that, if true, will upend her whole world.

Starring Laura Vandervoort, Greyston Holt, Steve Lund and Greg Bryk, with Tommie-Amber Pirie returning as witch Paige Winterbourne and Genelle Williams as Rachel. The final season of Bitten will open with the premiere episode, “Family, Of Sorts,” on Feb. 12 on Space and Feb. 15 on Syfy.


ANNIHILATION
After blowing us away with Ex Machina, writer-director Alex Garland is on the verge of kicking off his next sci-fi flick. So, what can we expect?

Garland (Dredd, 28 Days Later) has been involved in some excellent sci-fi storytelling over the years, but didn’t really land on the mainstream radar until his directorial debut, Ex Machina. With that film (deservedly) riding some awards buzz, the writer-director is gearing up to bring Jeff VanderMeer’s book Annihilation to life. If you’re unfamiliar, the sci-fi trilogy follows a biologist who signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don’t seem to apply.

Garland said the film came together after a friend introduced him to the book, and it hit on some similar themes he was already wanting to tackle with his next project. So, basically, a perfect fit. Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez and breakout Creed star Tessa Thompson are attached to star, and Garland revealed that the project is set to start shooting in the U.K. in May.

Here’s an excerpt from his comments to Deadline about how the film came together, and what he learned from Ex Machina and Dredd:

“I was cutting Ex Machina and had a particular story that I was interested in telling, and I was talking to one of the producers of Ex Machina, Scott Rudin, about it and kind of laying out what I wanted to do and what interested me about it, and he said, ‘you should read this book, Annihilation,’ which he had found. It was nothing to do with me. He just put it in front of me and there was a perfect kind of dovetail to something that I was interested in doing and something that existed in this book. The thing in some respects was already set up and I came onto it after the book had been found by Scott…

I’m not superstitious about those things [adapting the first book in a trilogy]. All it is, is a few years ago when I was working on Dredd I had that conceived as a trilogy, and I now think having attempted to do that, and the thing was effectively stopped from being a trilogy because it just was a disaster at the box office, I think the thing to do is focus on the film you’re making, and not really think about sequels and trilogies. So, my focus is to make this film right and that’s the thing that’s in my horizon.”

Garland is one of the hottest filmmakers in Hollywood right now, and we can’t wait to see what he can do with a bigger canvas via Annihilation. If it’s half as good as Ex Machina, we’re sold.

LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
We’re little more than two weeks away from the eagerly anticipated premiere of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and the CW has released a new promo for its upcoming timey-wimey superhero series.

Titled “Break All the Rules,” the promo sees Time Master Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill) and our ragtag group of rogues and heroes travel back in time to 1975, where Professor Martin Stein (Victor Garber) comes face to face with his younger self. What does he do? Comment on the glorious thickness of his hair, that's what.

The whole thing is filled with humorous quips from various characters, including Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell) and Rip Hunter himself. “I’m a Time Master. Making discreet alterations to the timeline is what I do. [Gets hit by Hawkgirl] You people, please stop hitting me!”

When heroes alone are not enough… the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat – one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself.

I think this series is gearing up to be a boatload of fun, with lots of humor in the mix (just what the doctor ordered). It may even be The CW’s funniest superhero series yet, even though our Legends are about to square off against a really big bad immortal villain in Vandal Savage (Casper Crump).

DC's Legends of Tomorrow premieres on Jan. 21.

THE WALKING DEAD
“I thought, living behind these walls was possible. I was wrong.” – Rick Grimes. AMC has released the first trailer for the second half of Season 6 of The Walking Dead.

We still have a few weeks to wait until the return of the zombie drama, but AMC has decided there’s no day like today to whet everyone’s appetite for brains their hit series with this midseason premiere trailer.

The new promo reveals some exciting edge-of-your-seat footage from the first episode back which sees the town of Alexandria under siege from part of that massive horde of walkers our survivors have been trying to get rid of since the Season 6 premiere.

How will Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Carl (Chandler Riggs) and the rest of the Alexandria denizens get out of this deadly predicament alive? How will Daryl (Norman Reedus), Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) escape the clutches of Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) Saviors? Will Glenn (Steven Yeun) finally make his way to Maggie (Lauren Cohan)?

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on Feb. 14.


GYPSY FOR NETFLIX
Netflix has ordered a 10-episode season of the one-hour psychological thriller Gypsy, a new series from Universal Television, Working Title and writer Lisa Rubin.

Gypsy follows the journey of Jean Holloway – a therapist who begins to develop dangerous and intimate relationships with the people in her patients’ lives. Liza Chasin and Lisa Rubin will serve as executive producers, with Rubin also serving as writer.

Rubin’s additional upcoming projects include adapting best-selling novel I Was Here by Gayle Forman for New Line and adapting the novel Food Whore for DreamWorks. Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are also executive producers.

Gypsy is set to premiere in 2017.


THE FLASH - SPOILERS AHEAD
When Ronnie Raymond heroically sacrificed his life to close the wormhole accidentally generated by Barry and the STAR Labs team when the Flash travelled back in time, there was a good chance that was the last we would be seeing of Ronnie or his version of Firestorm. The final nail in his coffin seemed to be when Martin Stein found a new partner to become Firestorm with, and the pair left ‘The Flash’ bound for greatness on ‘Legends of Tomorrow‘ (set to premiere in a few weeks). However, it seems Robbie Amell is not quite done on the CW’s Arrowverse just yet, as it has just been confirmed by Executive Producer Andrew Kreisberg in a recent interview with EW that Amell will be back in ‘The Flash’ Season 2:

“We are beyond excited to have Robbie back on The Flash. You can’t keep a good Firestorm down. Only this time, he’s back with a twist, a deadly Earth-Two version of our beloved Ronnie in the form of Deathstorm.”

Such is the fun of having alternate Earths on the series, that characters that have died can be brought back in the form of their Earth-2 counterparts (i.e. what they did with Harrison Welles). And since rumor has it that the Earth-2 Ronnie is not only the villain Firestorm, but is also still involved with Earth-2 Caitlin Snow (who has fully embraced her evil alter-ego, Killer Frost), we can assume it will provide some interesting twists for our characters to see “evil” versions of people they love, especially for Caitlin who will be forced to confront the doppelganger of her former (brief) husband, and her own dark side.


NEW STAR TREK MATERIAL FOUND
With the recent passing of George Clayton Johnson (the man who wrote the first episode of the original show), ‘Star Trek’ fans have not had much to celebrate, with the new movie not being released until mid-2016, with even that coming with some uncertainty after the recently released trailer. However, now there is some good news on the horizon, coming to us from the show’s creator himself, Gene Roddenberry. It seems that the company known as Drivesavers has spent about 15 months developing ways to access Roddenberry’s old custom-built computer where he wrote his original scripts and stored his script notes. It was clearly a labor of love and apparently they found a lot of valuable information inside, which they are not speaking of just yet. According to Drivesaver director of Engineering Mike Cobb, the drives contained:

“Documents. Lots of documents. 2016 happens to be the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek. Anything could happen. The world will have to wait and see.”

His cryptic remarks could mean anything, but fans are hoping for some lost scripts to resurface, or notes on the backstories of characters or where the franchise was going for Roddenberry, or maybe even some script and story ideas that could be used in upcoming movies and/or the new television show. Other ideas thrown out are script readings by the surviving members of the original cast, concepts for new characters and planets that can be added to the ‘Star Trek’ canon, or even notes on the original inception of the characters we know and love from the franchise. At this point anything is possible, and it is exciting to see this kind of information find its way into the world on the 50th anniversary of ‘Star Trek.’

SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 2016

AGENT CARTER
BC has finally released the first full-length synopsis for the upcoming second season of Marvel’s Agent Carter.

While we already knew Steve’s (Chris Evans) best gal Peggy (Hayley Atwell) was making the move from New York City to sunny California, we didn’t know much about her new mission besides the fact the show was introducing Marvel villain Madame Masque as the series' new Big Bad. Until now.

Not only do we now know a lot more about the dangerous adventure Peggy will embark on alongside Howard Stark's (Dominic Cooper) faithful butler and her new BFF Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), but we also have some details on the new and returning characters Peggy will encounter while mixing it up with glamorous movie stars, physicists and politicians in La La Land.

Here is the official press release:

“Marvel’s Agent Carter” returns for a dynamic second season of adventure and intrigue, starring Hayley Atwell in the titular role of the unstoppable Agent Peggy Carter, working for the SSR (Strategic Scientific Reserve).

Dedicated to the fight against new Atomic Age threats in the wake of World War II, Agent Carter journeys from New York City to Los Angeles for her most dangerous – and bizarre – assignment yet. East Coast SSR Chief Jack Thompson (Chad Michael Murray) sends Peggy to work with newly appointed West Coast SSR Chief Daniel Sousa (Enver Gjokaj) to explore a strange homicide involving a body that glows and emanates cold.

Upon her arrival, Peggy reunites with Howard Stark’s (Dominic Cooper) butler and her loyal partner-in-crime, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), who welcomes her to the Hollywood life and sets her up at Stark’s mansion. There, Peggy meets Ana (Lotte Verbeek), Jarvis’ free-spirited and devoted wife to whom she takes an immediate liking.

Eventually, the odd investigation leads Peggy to quirky yet charming scientist Jason Wilkes (Reggie Austin), who quickly becomes an ally — and sparks fly. As Peggy continues to find clues in this peculiar case, she is introduced to the machinations of Whitney Frost (Wynn Everett), a movie starlet, brilliant physicist and the true power behind husband and senatorial candidate Calvin Chadwick (Currie Graham). Calvin, a politician who will do anything to get to the top, befriends Vernon Masters (Kurtwood Smith), a veteran of the War Department with a keen understanding of how to work the system. Peggy soon discovers that corruption seemingly runs deep, making it hard to distinguish the good versus the bad.

The search comes full circle when Russian spy Dottie Underwood (Bridget Regan) returns into Peggy’s life in a new and unexpected way. But even as Peggy discovers a new city, both old and new friends – and potentially a new love – she’s about to learn the bright lights of post-war Hollywood mask a more sinister threat to everyone she is sworn to protect.

Agent Carter also stars Dominic Cooper, Enver Gjokaj, Wynn Everett, Reggie Austin and Chad Michael Murray. Season 2 will also see the return of Lyndsy Fonseca as Peggy's friend Angie Martinelli in a very special episode. The Captain America: The First Avenger and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV spinoff was one of our top 10 sci-fi, fantasy and horror TV shows of 2015. It will return with a two-hour premiere Jan. 19.


NEW INDIANA JONES COMING!
Move over, Star Wars! It’s time to trade in that lightsaber for a bullwhip and dust off that fedora because THERE'S A NEW INDIANA JONES COMING.

And the news is coming straight from the Mouse House.

In a video interview with Bloomberg News, Disney Chairman Robert Iger confirmed a new Indiana Jones was in Disney’s near future. Of course, rumors of a new Indy film have been swirling about for a while now (ever since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, as a matter of fact), but this is practically confirmation that a fifth movie is definitely in the works.

“With George Lucas's Star Wars -- and Indiana Jones, by the way, which will be coming, we have more great stories,” Iger said. “And I think in a world where there's far more content and intellectual property and great choice, I think great stories still stand out.”

As for who will step into the larger-than-life shoes of the famous archaeologist, all signs point to Harrison Ford reprising one of his most iconic roles. Just recently, Steven Spielberg said only Han Solo could play Indiana Jones:

“I don’t think anyone could replace Harrison as Indy, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. It’s certainly not my intention to ever have another actor step into his shoes in the way there have been many actors that have played Spider-Man or Batman. There is only going to be one actor playing Indiana Jones and that’s Harrison Ford.”


STAR TREK STAMPS
The U.S. Postal Service is having a rough go of it these days, but they still know how to partner up for some geekily awesome stamps. Case in point: these Star Trek stamps that will make you want to send mail again.

As part of the ongoing Star Trek 50th-anniversary celebration, the USPS is set to premiere a new four-stamp set of Forever stamps inspired by the iconic sci-fi series. The stamps were designed by art director Antonio Alcala at The Heads of State, and each one showcases an iconic image or graphical element from Star Trek: The Original Series. The four designs were recently unveiled at the official Star Trek website.

The four stamps include: the U.S.S. Enterprise inside the outline of a Starfleet insignia against a gold background; the silhouette of a crewman in a transporter against a red background; the silhouette of the Enterprise from above against a green background; and the Enterprise inside the outline of the Vulcan salute against a blue background.

So, how are they? The designs are top-notch, and heck, most fans would probably blow these up and hang them on the wall if they were ever put out in poster form. They’re very bright, and almost have a nice pop art vibe to them — all of which is reminiscent of the era surrounding the original series. Very well done.

They might just be cool enough to pull you to where no man has gone before in a long time — the local post office.

LEGENDS OF TOMORORW
The CW has released an awesome new promo for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, ahead of the superhero series’ eagerly anticipated premiere in 3 weeks. Are we there, yet?

Titled “Change History,” the promo features Rory Williams Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill) being put on the spot (quite literally) by the Time Lords Time Masters as the rogue time traveler asks for the authority to change history. The reason? He needs to stop the series’ Big Bad, the immortal Vandal Savage (Casper Crump), who we are told has already killed billions. Yep. Vandal Savage is definitely E-V-I-L.

The solution? That’d be to put together a ragtag group of heroes and rogues.

When heroes alone are not enough… the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat – one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow stars Victor Garber, Brandon Routh, Arthur Darvill, Caity Lotz, Ciarra Renee, Falk Hentschel, Franz Drameh, Dominic Purcell, Wentworth Miller and Casper Crump. The series will premiere on Jan. 21, 2016.


EXPANSE GETS SECOND SEASON
Syfy announced today that it has renewed its critically-acclaimed series The Expanse for a second season. The 13-episode The Expanse Season 2 from Alcon Television Group is expected to air in early 2017.

“‘The Expanse’ is firing on all cylinders creatively, building a passionate fan base among viewers and critics alike, and delivering on Syfy’s promise of smart, provocative science fiction entertainment. We can’t wait to see where the story takes us in season two,” said Dave Howe, President, Syfy and Chiller.

Currently airing on Syfy Tuesdays at 10PM ET/PT, The Expanse has garnered strong multiplatform viewership since its December 14 debut, with 4.5 million viewers sampling the first episode on Syfy.com, On Demand and digital outlets prior to the series’ linear premiere, and an average of 1.6 million P2+ linear viewers (L3) in its first three episodes.

Set 200 years in the future, The Expanse follows the case of a missing young woman that brings a hardened detective (Thomas Jane) and a rogue ship’s captain (Steven Strait) together in a race across the solar system that will expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

In the episode premiering next Tuesday, January 5 at 10PM ET/PT — the fifth in the 10-part first season – Holden (Strait) and his crew make a deal with an unlikely ally (Chad Coleman). Meanwhile Detective Miller’s (Jane) obsession over the missing Julie Mao (Florence Faivre) continues to grow. Shohreh Aghdashloo also stars as Chrisjen Avasarala, along with Dominique Tipper, Cas Anvar and Wes Chatham.

Academy Award-nominated screenwriting duo Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (Children of Men, Iron Man) serve as writers, as well as executive producers and showrunners. Executive producer Naren Shankar (“CSI,” “Farscape”) is also showrunner.

The Expanse is financed and produced by Alcon Television Group (ATG), a division of Alcon Entertainment. Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson serve as executive producers along with former president of Alcon Television Sharon Hall. Alcon Television executive Ben Roberts serves as co-producer. Sean Daniel and Jason Brown of the Sean Daniel Company are executive producers. Ben Cook serves as a producer.

The series is based on the New York Times bestselling book series collectively known as The Expanse, written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck (under the pen name James S. A. Corey).

Editor/Publisher
ISN News: The Zocalo Today
http://www.isnnews.net
Copyright - SBruckner, 1999-2016

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