28 May 2001

There's unlikely to be any future crossovers between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel now that the two shows are on competing networks in the US. Buffy moves to UPN from Warner Bros later this year. Buffy creator Joss Whedon told the Los Angeles Times: "There's acrimony here, and I like to kid myself and say it'll fade," Whedon told the newspaper. "A lot of people got bruised. I haven't broached the subject yet [of future crossovers], and now's not the time." Whedon added that one crossover had been planned for next season, but was recently dumped: Angel was scheduled to drop in on the Buffy gang, but another character will fill that role. "[Buffy and Angel] will and can reference each other, but the big emotions can't be about each other," Whedon said. "They haven't been for the past year. There will always be a lingering tie, but both do have to move on." Meanwhile, the WB website has posted video interviews with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Joss Whedon, Michelle Tratchenberg, Anthony Stewart Head, Alyson Hannigan and Nicholas Brendon on the 100th episode of Buffy. Read the interviews here.

Kenneth Johnson, creator of the 80's alien invasion TV series V, told SFX magazine that he's in discussion with Warner Bros about reviving the show. "It's come up over and over again, and I'm talking to a couple of guys at Warners," Johnson reportedly said. "I have a notion of a way to do the second generation." Johnson added, "I think the way the story would have to play out is that, at the end of the original miniseries, we send a signal for help out to another alien race that is supposedly the Visitors' enemies. This story would pick up from there. The sea levels have dropped 50 feet, and Faye Grant and Marc Singer are the matriarch and patriarch of the resistance. There's a whole generation of young people who have grown up not knowing anything except occupation. Suddenly there is a new group of people who are saying, 'Hey, we got your message and we're here to help.' But are they here to help? That's the question: are we trading Hitler for Mussolini or vice versa?"

The NY Daily News has reported that Steven Spielberg is seriously looking into doing a fourth Jurassic Park movie despite the fact the third film has yet to go into release. Ideas are apparently already being bantered about whilst Spielberg's rep says: "I've heard rumblings to that effect. From what I understand, Steven is very happy with what he has seen of Joe Johnston's work in III. If there is a IV, Steven would again produce it. But Steven is definitely not going to direct any more Jurassics".

Work on Terminator 3 is in full swing, with Director Jonathan Mostow and writer Tedi Sarafian are currently working on the script. The female terminator, believed previously to be the villain of the movie, will now be one of the good guys. And instead of a tough, muscley looking female cyborg, they've opted for a sexier looking "babe" terminator. The villain will be a male cyborg, with Vin Diesel (Boiler Room) as the current favourite for the role.

21 May 2001

The fifth Star Trek series, called Enterprise, was officially unveiled by US network UPN last week. Enterprise is essentially a "prequel", taking place in the 22nd century, about 150 years before the events in the original series and about 100 years from now. UPN announced that the show will focus "on the history of the galactic upheaval that leads to the formation of the Federation". The crew of the Enterprise represents humanity's first venture into interstellar space. Vulcans are the principal source of information to humans about other space-faring societies. Warp drive has been around for a while, but not very long, and transporter technology is fairly new and proven, but not everyone trusts it. Scott Bakula (Quantam Leap) will star as Capt. Jonathan Archer. Read an interview with Scott Baluka on his new role.

According to Reuters The X-Files will return for a ninth season on Fox. While series star Gillian Anderson is onboard for another season, David Duchovny isn't, but he may make some cameo appearances. The show's creator, Chris Carter, is still in talks with Fox about his involvement, but if he doesn't return, the network is prepared to promote producers Frank Spotnitz and Vince Gilligan to run the show. Meanwhile, the Fox network has not renewed its X-Files spin-off, The Lone Gunmen.

It seems the Cigarette Smoking Man might make a comeback in the ninth season of The X-Files. In an interview with TV Guide Online, the actor which portrays the show's villain, William B.Davis, said "[My fate] was left deliberately ambiguous. At the end of the [seventh] season, they really didn't know if the series would be continuing. Once they found that it was, they didn't want to engage the new character [Doggett] in the old stories... so they've gone in a different direction... I don't know what their thoughts are now on those loose ends, including me at the bottom of the stairs!" He adds, "Even if I am dead, most of the dead ones come back for some kind of haunting story in somebody's mind. God knows, Deep Throat's been back several times, X has... It's certainly doable."

4Filmmakers.com reports that Anthony Hopkins has signed on to the cast of X Men 2, although there's no word about which character he will be playing. 4Filmmakers also lists actor Scott Caan, James Caan's son, as being in the cast, and rumours suggest he might be playing the role of Gambit. Most of the cast from the orginal movie are expected to reprise their roles, including Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen as Magneto.

14 May 2001

David Duchovny's involvement in a possible ninth season of the X Files may look doubtful, but it seems Gillian Anderson isn't enthusiastic about the prospect of returning for another year either, despite the requirements of her contract. Anderson told The New York Times, "For a lot of people, if you don't like your job, you can quit your job. I don't necessarily have that option." Anderson added, "Eight years is a long time." Meanwhile, in an interview with TV Guide, the show's creator, Chris Carter, discussed the ninth season: "We are in, I would say, constructive negotiation [with 20th Century Fox]" and the finale of the current season: "I will say that you can expect a significant death ..." The whole interview can be read at TV Guide Online, although Australian fans should beware of a minor spoiler...

Kate Mulgrew (Capt. Kathryn Janeway) offered a few spoilers about Star Trek: Voyager's upcoming two-hour finale. In an interview with SCI FI Wire, Mulgrew said the show will go out with a bang - and two Janeways. "It's a tour de force, an absolute tour de force... It's Janeway vs. Janeway. Adm. Janeway meets Capt. Janeway. Adm. Janeway (played by Mulgrew) is 73 years old." The finale also promises to bring closure to the B'Elanna Torres pregnancy storyline, may also feature a surprise romantic relationship and answer a couple of long-burning questions: Will the crew make it home and does everyone survive? The finale will air May 23 in the US.

Warner Bros. Pictures has announced the title for the highly-anticipated Matrix sequel - The Matrix Reloaded. It was apparently one of four options considered, and although there was no official word on the other three options, one was rumoured to be The Matrix 2.0. The sequel will be filmed at Fox Studios, Sydney, and is expected to be released later next year. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss and Hugo Weaving all reprise their roles from the original film.

According to the New Zealand Woman's Day, Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess) has a cameo role in the upcoming Spider-Man movie, to be directed by Sam Raimi. Lawless is married to Xena producer Rob Tapert, who is Raimi's of longtime producing partner. Lawless' Xena co-star Ted Raimi, who is Sam's brother, and Bruce Campbell, who frequently appears in Raimi and Tapert productions, will also have cameos in the movie.

With rumours of George Clooney reprising the role of Batman being squashed by the actor himself, a new rumour has taken hold - Freddie Prinze Jr as Batman. Comics2Film reports that director of the upcoming Batman movie, Darren Aronofosky, is interested in getting the actor to don the cape. Prinze Jr is currently filming a live-action version of Scooby Doo with girlfriend Sarah Michelle Gellar.

7 May 2001

Congratulations to HarperCollins author Greg Bear, who won a Best Novel Nebula Award for Darwin's Radio. The 2000 Nebula Awards were announced April 28 in California. The awards are voted on by members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, who honor their peers in the categories of best novel, best novelette, best novella, best short story and best script. The Award for Best Script went to Galaxy Quest.

The nominees for the 2001 Hugo Awards have been announced, and George RR Martin's A Storm of Swords has been nominated for Best Novel. The awards will be presented at the 59th World Science Fiction Convention, in Philadelphia, 30 August - 3 September. For the full list of nominationations visit the Hugo Awards website.

Another Buffy spin-off? It seems that Buffy creator Joss Whedon is in talks with the BBC about a spin-off that would feature Giles as a main character. Buffy co-executive producer Marti Noxon revealed to SCIFI.COM: "There is the possibility of a limited series with the BBC, starring Anthony Head. It's not a done deal, but this is in discussion. There's an idea of taking the Giles character and doing a limited series in Britain next year, maybe just a limited run ... like a miniseries, perhaps, turning into a series."

According to BBC News, author Terry Pratchett has done a deal that will see his fantasy novel series The Bromeliad Trilogy become a trio of CG-animated films. DreamWorks has picked up the screen rights to the trilogy. Pratchett spoke of why he allowed DreamWorks to acquire the rights to the books, saying, "I liked Chicken Run and Galaxy Quest, and you've got to be impressed when someone from the studio phones up from Hollywood one night and turns up for lunch in Wiltshire, England, the very next day."

The Trek Today website has revealed more about the upcoming Star Trek movie, tentatively titled Star Trek: Nemesis. The website reported that the opening scene will be set in Alaska, at the wedding of William Riker and Deanna Troi, with Capt. Jean-Luc Picard as best man. Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager) is also rumoured to be making a cameo in the movie.

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