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Everyone is looking for more information about the new Ranger series. As information comes out from JMS via the newsgroups, I am placing it on the JMS Speaks page. I will eventually break it off into it's own page.
With convention season nearly upon us, several people have been looking for roomies! If you are among them, send along information so that I can post it on the Attendance page. Hopefully this will help you link up with others.
Convention goers lost a friend on March 14. Although John and Galactic Entertainment did conventions all over the country, those of us who go to Shore Leave and Far Point will truly miss John Barrett. His stand was a premanent fixture at the top of the escalator landing, and it was filled with videos, t-shirts, pictures, whatever. He was an honorable man in a business that is often frequented by those who are not. Thank you Slanted Fedora for posting a terric page about John.
Babylon 5 started climbing again last week. They rose to #3, just behind John Edward and First Wave. They had a .9 rating, along with Farscape, Lexx and The Day After. These ratings are for 2/26-3/4/01.
Melissa Gilbert did very well on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" last night. She raised $32,000 for the
Los Robles Hospital Volunteers, Inc.
The new cover for Jeanne Cavelos' second volume of the Technomage series has been posted at Amazon.com. The
novel is set for publication in July.
Change is a good thing! Over at The Galactic Gateway, there has been some redesigning and restructuring. I hope that you'll pop over and give it a look-see at www.thegalacticgateway.com.
Mitch Obrecht has sent along a review of "Casting Shadows". Read it and see if you agree. It's on the Zocalo's Reviews Page.
While leafing through the latest issue of Diabetes Forecast, who should I spot? VIR!!! Yes, there is a great article about Stephen Furst and his recent film on diabetes. More on this soon.
While wandering the newsgroups this morning, I came across a posting about the "Declaration of Principles". It included a link to http://www.tp2b.de/babylon_project/2262_declaration.jpg. I suggest you give it a look and enjoy, once again, the magnificent words. Hopefully you can hear G'Kar repeating the words as you read.
NEWS AROUND THE SCI-FI GENREBATTLESTAR GALACTICA: Things are moving ahead nicely, according to Tom DeSanto, who is in charge of develping the updated Galactica for the SCIFI channel with his X-Men partner Bryan Singer. "We open offices on [March 19], which is a good sign," DeSanto said in an interview. "Right now, we have outlines and a bible we're working on, characters and all that stuff. "We've got a bunch of ideas for the pilot. The basic storyline is all done, and where we're taking it for the first season, hopefully. ... [The timeline] will be a bit ahead. I won't say how many years, but it will be a little bit ahead."
THOR: While comic books seem to be hot as far as TV and film, THOR did not get picked up for a series this year. Marvel Studios' Rick Ungar told the Comics Continuum Web site that no network picked up the proposed live-action series for next season. "Thor, right now, is nowhere at this moment."
VOYAGER: There are a lot of things Jeri Ryan will NOT miss as Voyager comes to an end. In talking to Entertainment Tonight, Jeri stated, "I won't miss the corset. "I won't miss having the rubber glued to my face every day. But I'll miss these people. ... You really do become like a family, because you see them more than you see your family. ... And I'll miss this character. She's been a real joy to play, a real gift for an actor."
VOYAGER: Entertainment Tonight last night featured a story on the coming Star Trek: Voyager finale. Cinescape.comhas a rundown of some hints given.
SPIDEY VIDEO GAMES: Activision has acquired the rights to publish video games based on Sam Raimi's upcoming Spider-Man movie. Activision said it will work with director Raimi, Columbia Pictures and Spider-Man Merchandising to create games that reflect the film's storyline, characters and environments. Games will be developed and published for all platforms.
BUFFY: The fight for Buffy continues. Variety reports that UPN stepped up to the table with a "signficant offer" for the series. Fox is also in the running. WB is still negotiating and may have made an offer that was better than the previously reported $1.6M per episode previously brought to the table.
WILLIAM HANNA: Animation pioneer William Hanna, who with partner Joseph Barbera created such beloved cartoon characters as Fred Flintstone, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry, died Thursday. He was 90.
March 22: THE ONE: James Wong, director of The One, along with his writing and producing partner Glen Morgan told SCI FI Wire that the movie is actually based on a kernel of real scientific theory: that multiple universes may exist. Currently shooting in the Los Angeles area, The One tells the story of a sheriff's deputy (Jet Li) who discovers that he is being pursued by an evil, super-powerful version of himself from a parallel universe.
SAINT SINNER: Clive Barker will work with SCIFI to develop a two-hour telefilm based on his Saint Sinner comic series. Since the comic serves as a starting point, Saint Sinner tells the story of a 19th-century monk who unwittingly unleashes two female demons and must pursue them through time to present-day Los Angeles to stop them from wreaking havoc. The project is slated to premiere on SCI FI in 2002. GEORGE TAKEI: George Takei will thank fans for their continued support at the upcoming Grand Slam Star Trek Convention in Pasadena, Calif., on March 30. Fans are still pressing for a television movie or show based on the exploits of Takei's Hikaru Sulu character and the U.S.S. Excelsior.
SPIDERMAN: There are some new pictures of the Green Goblin over at www.cinescape.com.
March 21: RATINGS: The ratings for SF syndicated series are out. Here are the numbers: The X-Files 4.0; 3rd Rock 3.5; Xena 3.5; Andromeda 3.3; Stargate SG-1 3.3; Earth: Final Conflict 2.3; Profiler 2.0; Sheena 1.8; Invisible Man 1.7, and The Outer Limits 1.7.
HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER: According to the Hollywood Reporter, production is to begin this week on "How to Make a Monster". This HBO/Cinemax production will star Steven Culp and Clea DuVall with George Huang doing the writing and directing. This fourth installation of HBO's Creature Feature series will also star Tyler Mane (X-Men), Jason Marsden and Karim Prince (Freakylinks). Monster tells the story of a man (Culp) who hires three computer programmers to create a computer game, Evilution, which centers on an evil monster. The men compete to create the scariest monster, hoping to win $1 million, but in loading evil into the computer, they inadvertently create live monsters.
VOYAGER: Cinescape.com has a run down of the final episodes of Voyager. LeVar Burton is returning to direct one of the final episodes, "Q2".
March 20: FAN SUPPORT: There are several genre shows in trouble as we near the end of the TV season. Many fans have begun letter-writing campaigns in support of Poltergeist, Roswell and others. Over at SCIFI.COM they have a poll so that you can pick which show should be continued. Your choices are: Freakylinks, Roswell, The X-Files and Poltergeist: The Legacy. Be sure to cast your vote today.
WAR OF THE WORLDS: Sourcebooks has published The Complete War of the Worlds: Mars' Invasion of Earth from H.G. Wells to Orson Welles, edited by Brian Holmsten and Alex Lubertozzi. Complete with a foreword by Ray Bradbury and an afterword by Ben Bova, the book contains the entire text of Wells' War of the Worlds, as well as Welles' infamous 1938 radio broadcast and personal accounts of people who lived through it. An audio CD contains the entire radio broadcast.
JOSHUA: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jon Purdy will direct the supernatural drama film Joshua for Crusader Entertainment. The film is slated to start shooting May 1 and tells the story of a possible second coming of Christ to a small U.S. town.
TREK SERIES: Rumors are indeed plentiful related to the new Trek series being developed. The latest from the TrekToday Web site states that Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) is under consideration for the lead role in the upcoming fifth Star Trek series. The site indicates that Bakula is in talks to play the role of Jackson Archer, captain of a starship named Enterprise in the top-secret show.
JURASSIC PARK III: Films seem to be a series of one-up-manship. Stan Winston, veteran from Jurassic Part and Lost World is at it again for JP III. "Well, we've got to out-do the T-rex. So the Spinosaur is bigger and meaner and badder." You can read more over at www.cinescape.com
SPIDERMAN - The production company is New York bound! According to the Forest Hills Ledger, the production will set up in Forest Hills, Queens, for two days of shooting this spring. The paper reports that shooting will tentatively take place on April 25 and May 4 at 69th Road between Metropolitan and Sybilla Street. Local residents will be hired to act as extras during shooting.
NEW PILOTS: While it is way too early to tell one way or the other, the Hollywood Reporter has a list of new pilots for the coming season. It looks as if it might be another very LONG, dry TV season ahead. A few good possibles though: the Ann Rice Angels series sounds interesting; Smallville (Young Superman) and Dead Zone (based on Stephen King's book). Take a look for yourself at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/television/pilots.asp.
March 19: FARSCAPE: Did you catch the season three premiere on Friday? There's a review over at http://scifi.ign.com/tv/6405.html in case you did.
March 18: Master of horror flicks, Clive Barker, told SciFi Wire that production on his upcoming six-hour Showtime miniseries Weaveworld will begin soon. Russell Mulcahy will direct and it will more than likely be shot in Australia. Although the project has not been cast as yet, Barker foresees a two-year production period to incorporate the story's elaborate special effects. Weaveworld is based on Barker's novel about a mysterious world woven into a magical rug. The world is populated by the Seerkind, a people who possess raptures, the power to make magic, and who have woven themselves into the world to protect themselves from an unspeakable horror known as the Scourge.
LONE GUNMEN: There are new photos from the Lone Gunman series over at www.cinescape.com. There are a number from upcoming episodes, so beware.
SUPERMAN: Warner Bros. plans to play "Superman" in San Antonio theaters for at least two weeks, starting March 23. Depending on grosses, it will then determine how long it stays in theaters.
SPIDERMAN: The official website opens at http://www.spider-man-movie.com/ on March 23.
WRITING WORKSHOP: Do you have aspirations of being another Jeanne Cavelos or Bruce Boxleitner? Want to see if writing is for you? DelRey has just announced an on-line writing workshop that may be the answer for you. Drop over to http://delrey.onlinewritingworkshop.com/ and see what it's all about. Looks like a fantastic opportunity to see if this is truly something you want "and need" to do.
SCIFI MOVING AHEAD - B5 RANGERSSCI FI Channel Hitting Its Stride Now in 70 Million Homes -- Adding Original Miniseries & Movie Events to Development Slate NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--March 20, 2001--SCI FI Channel continues to pump up its original programming slate while aggressively adding homes to its distribution count. This month, the Channel reaches nearly full distribution by hitting the 70 million home mark -- up 47% in distribution since the company was acquired in February '98. Already the largest provider of original primetime scripted series on cable -- basic or premium, SCI FI has broadened its focus to include a brand-new slate of original movie and miniseries projects. Upcoming projects include: BABYLON 5: The Legend of the Rangers -- The original creative team behind the popular science-fiction Babylon 5 television series and movies are on board to produce the all-new full-length action adventure Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers, to premiere exclusively on SCI FI later in the year. The two-hour telefilm will be executive produced by Douglas Netter and executive producer/creator J. Michael Straczynski, and is scheduled to begin production shortly. Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers takes up the story of the legendary Ranger fleet as they attempt to restore order to hundreds of civilizations devastated by the Shadow War. This new chapter in creator Straczynski's fascinating universe finds the elite and mysterious Ranger force -- a combination of male and female humans and alien Minbari trained in space warfare, the unique alien philosophy of the rangers, and every conceivable form of martial arts -- faced with deadly challenges in their attempt to create peace out of the war's destruction. Babylon 5 series cast members may also appear, with the movie serving as the pilot for a potential SCI FI Channel series.
JMS on the new project:
Well, that's at least ONE weight off my chest....
To those who've heard the news already, and those just now finding
out...the SciFi Channel today announced that we have a new Babylon 5 TV movie
going into production that will also serve as a pilot for a likely new series.
The movie (and the series) is under the heading of BABYLON 5: THE LEGEND
OF THE RANGERS. The specific title for the 2-hour movie's story is "To Live
and Die in Starlight."
There isn't much I can tell you about the story because we're kinda
keeping the details under wraps as much as possible for the time being. What little
I can say....
It's set in the B5 universe just under 3 years after the events of
"Objects at Rest." At this point there's one major character from the B5 universe
in the script (a fan favorite). Where B5 was a heavy drama with some
adventure/action elements, this one is a little more skewed toward adventure with
underlying drama (which is about what you'd expect from the Anla-Shok).
We've been sitting on this information for a while now...such that we're
already well into pre-production. We'll be shooting this movie around
mid-May, well in advance of any potential actor's strike (the script is done and
so far everybody likes it a LOT).
We've already got designs coming in on a new ship, and a new *kind* of
ship...and we're going to be getting more into Minbari aesthetics,
technologies and philosophy.
It's got some great characters, and it's a lot of fun.
I have other news to announce on other fronts...have since the end of
the year, in fact...but I'm still sitting on the details awaiting another press
release from another studio. What I *can* say is that I have a firm GO order to
executive produce a new series (nominally SF) that will go into production
after the potential SAG strike. When that's finally over, if the strike
indeed happens, we pull the trigger and go into principal photography and it's
an order for a full season's worth of episodes.
I can't give you any details right now on the subject, title, studio or
network. That will have to await the studio's release...so don't even
ask.
As far as doing both projects at the same time is concerned...it's
actually quite common, as testified to by folks like John Wells and Aaron Sorkin
and David Kelly and others. So there won't be any conflict.
More later.
CHAT WITH MARJEAN HOLDEN ON MONDAY
CRUSADE BROADCAST ORDERSo the SciFi Channel asked me what order I'd like to air the series in, since the folks at TNT kafuffled the airdates and schedule based on what I'd originally had in mind. The theory is, you start out with general episodes to introduce the situation, characters and story, then you focus on individual characters. The first five we shot, intended to produce this effect, got shoved to the back of the line and we then had to air the individual-themed ones *first*...essentially inverting the order. So SFC asked me what the preferred author's order would be...and that's how they've structured it, costume change be damned. Yes, there will be some dialogue glitches now, because we looped a few things to try and do least violence to the chronology of previously shot shows...but from an overall story perspective, this is the preferred order (as best I could remember it when they called and asked). So here is the order in which the Crusade eps will be broadcast:
Mon, April 9 8:00 PM CRUSADE RACING THE NIGHT
TECHNOMAGE TRILOGY - ON BOOKSHELVES NOW!To learn more about Jeanne, visit her website at www.sff.net/people/jcavelos. Jeanne is a scientist, mathametician and author! She's worked with NASA and Harlan Ellison on a writing series! I'm sure you will find her an interesting person to chat with. ** FYI: Jeanne has joined the B5 forum here, talking about the Technomage in both the B5 and Crusade topics.
THIS WEEK'S DISCUSSION TOPICSThis week, let's do something a little different. Let's talk minor characters! There were a LOT of them, but some made MAJOR contributions to the story -- and the show. Which one is your favorite? Would it be Neroon, Zathras, Morden, Lorien? Why did you pick them? Let's give them the attention they deserve! Send in your favorite MINOR character to either TheZocalo@aol.com or b5web@aol.com.. You can also post your comments on the message board at www.isnnews.net/board. To see what other readers have posted on this and other topics, follow this link to Current Discussion Topic page.
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Farscape is the main feature this month! Producer David Kemper goes over the show to date and gives us a few hints
at the future. Also included is a look at Jeri Ryan (7 of 9 from Voyager), Lone Gunmen, The Tick, Cleopatra 2525,
and some terrific glimpses of the past with John Hart, Ike Eissenmann, and Dan O'Herlihy.
Dreamwatch #79: Despite the somewhat creepy cover of Dark Angel and Hannibal, this issue has a ton of good
stuff inside. there are interviews with Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, James Cameron, David Duchovney, Richard
Dean Anderson, Ted Raimi and more! Joe Nazzaro talks to Dave Elsey, the alien construction genius and David
Kemper, producer of Farscape.
CULT TIMES #66: What's happening with Earth: Final Conflict. CT has an interview with Robert Leeshock. With
Voyager winding down, Robert Picardo talks about what lies ahead in the two-hour special Flesh and Blood.
TV ZONE #136: Renee O'Connor has spent the last six years on Xena. As that series comes to an end, Renee
looks back over the highs and lowes of the show, talks about directing and working with Lucy Lawless. Farscape
fans will enjoy an interview with Lani Tupu who plays both Crais and Pilot on the series. Skaara is back on
Stargate SG-1 and Alex Cruz talks about his recurring role.
RISING STARS #14 - Coming Soon 
There is a fantastic review of Midnight Nation #5 over at 
Covers by Clayton Crain, Marc Silvestri and David Finch.
March Birthdays