29 January 2001

Reports have been circulating for some time now that Buffy the Vampire Slayer might be moving to another "home" on US television. However, Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy) doesn't like the thought of the show moving from its current home of Warner Bros. So much so, that she's threatening to quit if the show does move to another network. Gellar told E online: "I will stay on Buffy if, and only if, Buffy stays on the WB. And you know what? Print that. My bosses are going to kill me, but print it anyway." The reason she's so concerned with another network taking over the show? "The WB has been so supportive, such a great network over the past four years. It feels like home. I don't want the show to move, because I feel that we belong on the WB. It's where our fans are," she said.

Star Trek writer and executive producer of Roswell, Ronald D Moore, is trying to interest Warner Bros in a TV show based on Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern. Talking to Sci-Fi Wire, Moore said "It’s a series that I had read back when I was in college, and it always stuck in my mind as an interesting world, a different slice of sci-fi that hadn’t been explored. It has a huge following... It seems at this point in time that it’s a show you can do on TV because of the technology. On McCaffrey's involvement, Moore said "I talked with her and met her years ago... in Ireland through mutual friends... She’s a lovely lady... She’ll have no formal involvement, but it’s her series. She’s the creator, and she’ll definitely be involved.

General Manager of the US Sci Fi Channel has told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the network is currently in negotiations with J. Michael Straczynski - is the creator, executive producer, and writer of Babylon 5 - about a new Babylon 5 project. Hammer said "We're talking about a lot of things, and the thing we're focusing on most ... is exclusive Babylon 5 movie for Sci-Fi [channel], a new one. That's one of the things. Everything is open for conversation. We love that creative team. Take a look at how Babylon 5 is doing on Sci Fi in its gazillionth repeats -- it's doing amazingly well." Read the whole article at: http://www.post%2Dgazette.com/tv/20010120owen4.asp

The latest on the remake of the classic sci fi flick - The Time Machine. While its already been reported here that Guy Pearce will be taking on the lead role of the time-travelling professor at Columbia, it has been confirmed that Jeremy Irons will play the Dean of Columbia. Its also been confirmed that Maddy Addy, best known for his role as the weight conscious Dave in The Full Monty, has signed on to play the professor's best friend Dr. Philby. Warner Brothers is to release The Time Machine this December.

Trekweb have posted a rare piece of footage from Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home. Released only in Europe and South America, the footage consists of a 3-minute prologue to the movie in which William Shatner summarises the events of the previous two Star Trek films. You can view the footage at: http://talk.trekweb.com/articles/2001/01/23/980306661.html

According to a report in the US Daily Star, Captain Picard (plyed by Patrick Stewart) may well be killed of at the end of the upcoming Star Trek 10.

There's been more talk of a Dr Who movie. The UK's Telegraph has reported that the head of BBC films, David Thompson, has confirmed that a movie is in the works. The paper quotes Thompson as saying, "We are talking to a famous American director and hope to announce his name in the next few months. A British actor will definitely play the Doctor but we have not decided who yet."

Rumours are circulating on the web that Warner Bros are considering doing a prequel to Beetlejuice, released in 1988. Apparently the studio has already hired a screenwriter to sketch out the prequel.

22 January 2001

The official Lord of the Rings movie website underwent a revamp last week. The new site contains interviews with the stars, a section where director and screenwriter, Peter Jackson answers fans' questions, maps of Middle-earth, screensavers and desktop wallpaper. Also, just in case you haven't already heard, the LOTR movie trailer is now showing in Australian cinemas with Little Nicky and Bring It On.

The futuristic cop film, Minority Report, which will star Tom Cruise and be directed by Steven Spielberg, is due to commence production soon. The film is an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story of the same name about a psychic police division which hunts down criminals before the crimes are committed. Cruise is to play the head of the division, who finds himself accused of a future crime. Matt Damon's name had previously been linked to the role.

Jack Nicholson is keen to reprise his role of the Joker in either of the two upcoming Batman movies. However, it appears the producers aren't as keen, despite Nicholson pushing it. In an interview with E! Online, he said "Baby, I've promoted it endless times. I've got the title. I wrote the scene. I know how to bring him back to life. They're hung up on: I died in the first picture. Are they kidding? The guy was in radioactive waste over his head in the opening scene."

William Shatner (Capt Kirk) has signed up to host a TV series tentatively titled William Shatner's Full Moon Frightshow. He will act as host introducing films from the library of Full Moon Universe's film library.

We reported previously that Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) had been offered a role in the Matrix sequels. It seems she's decided not to take it! Yeoh told the New York Post: "I'm not going to do The Matrix. I'm a great fan of the Wachowski brothers [directors Andy and Larry], but some things are more important. I just started my own production company, and the filming of it conflicted with my movie [The Touch]. I believe it is time to do other things, stories coming from Asia. At the end of the day, you have to do what's really important to you."

T3 hasn't even started filming yet, but already there are rumours of a fourth Terminator movie. Apparently, producers are waiting on Arnie's agreement. While the movie could be done without him, it would obviously have more chance of box-office success with with the Schwarzenegger name attached.

Rumour has it that Mel Gibson will be playing the title role in the big screen version of the 60's classic TV show, The Prisoner. The film is set to start production once director Simon West wraps up Tomb Raider.

This gets our vote as the unlikeliest (and funniest) rumour so far this year. British Sky News has reported that ex US prez, Bill Clinton, will be in the next James Bond movie! And what role will he be playing? Why, the US President, of course!

15 January 2001

The official website for the film adaption of one of Arthur C Clarke's classic SF novels - Rendezvous with Rama - has recently been launched. The website reveals that this will be an entirely CG animated film (a la the upcoming Final Fantasy). It has a tentative release date of 2003.

In an interview with Empire Online, Angelina Jolie has confirmed that she has signed on to do two sequels to Tomb Raider. She also revealed that "quite a few of us are signed up for two more". It seems as if Paramount are looking to make Tomb Raider into a franchise...

Chris Carter spoke about a potential second X-Files movie while participating in a press conference for the Television Critics Association press tour event. Carter said "I can foresee trying to write a movie in the next year, year and a half, maybe two years, but it all depends on...what's going on with the TV series. But our plans have always been to put David and Gillian in those movies." So it looks like whether the next movie gets made or not might rest with David Duchovny.

Michael Dorn (Worf from Star Trek: TNG) has apparently hinted that Troi and Riker will get married in the next Star Trek movie, according to The Great Link.

According to the The Entertainian website, Kate Winslet has been hanging around Skywalker Ranch a fair bit, and Lucas is keen on her playing the younger version of Palpitine`s political rival and founder of the Rebel Alliance "Mon Mothma". Kirsten Dunst had previously been linked to the role.

9 January 2001

Congrats to Aussie Voyager author Sean Williams on receiving SA Great Literature Award, presented to him on South Australia Day. Speaking of the Award to the Adelaide Advertiser, Williams said "It's pleasing to have a science fiction writer recognised in South Australia in this way. Because science fiction is not normally considered mainstream, it often gets overlooked for literary awards, so this gives it the recognition it deserves. And from a personal point of view, it's nice to be known at home."

Voyager author Arthur C. Clarke is to write a message and provide a DNA sample to be sent into outer space in 2003, as part of the Houston-based Encounter 2001 project. The 83-year-old author, best known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, is one of 55,000 people who have signed up to take part in the project. The message Clarke will send into space: "Farewell my clone!"

The X-files episode to air in the US on 18 February will reveal some clues to the identity of the father of Scully's baby. The episode, written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, sees Scully and Doggett investigate reports of alien impregnations of human subjects. Scully is forced to consider whether she should reveal her pregnancy to Doggett as they uncover more disturbing events. David Duchovny makes an appearance in the following week's episode, the first part of a three-part story arc. Details of these and other episodes are available from the X-files website.

In more X-files news, fans of the show have donated over $3,000 to charity in protest of the disintegration of the relationship between Mulder and Scully. The Preserve the Partnership campaign is urging fans to donate $8, $18 or $80 to either the Humane Society or Amnesty International in an effort to demonstrate to producers that they are serious about saving the relationship.

The actor that played Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I, Ray Park, has signed on to play the lead in Iron Fist, a film based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. Park will play Danny Rand, a Westerner raised in a mystical secret temple who is able channel his life force into his fist and strike with the force of iron. As an adult, Rand returns to the US to seek revenge for the murder of his parents.

A whole bunch of rumours about a new Dr Who movie starring Sean Bean (Goldeneye) have been shot down by the BBC. The BBC press office has said that no decision has been made about a director or even a producer for the potential new Dr Who film.

Home & Away's Isla Fisher is the latest in a long line of actresses rumoured to be playing the part of Velma in the upcoming Scooby Doo Movie. According to a report on the Dark Horizon's website Fisher auditioned for two roles while in the US last year. After winning both, she decided to go with the role of Velma, for which she'll need to hone up on her American accent.

According to the Entertainian website, casting of the sequel to the classic vampire flick, The Lost Boys, has begun. Rumours suggest Rachel Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Kate Hudson have been named as candidates to play teenage vampires in The Lost Girls, while Kiefer Sutherland may take on a very different role to that of his character in the first film (who died!).

According to E! Online more romance might be in the air Buffy the Vampire Slayer, after the departure of Riley. Apparently writers are considering slowly letting the sexual tension build between Buffy and her vampire foe, Spike, with the possibility of a future relationship.

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