Hailing Frequencies Issue #328

And here's the three hundred and twenty-eighth edition of "Hailing Frequencies."

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TV Guide Online's Ask Ausiello got the scoop from ABC that Alias will "definitely" be back this spring to finish its final season. However, it will not return to its old Thursdays 8 PM timeslot.

Michael Vartan (Michael Vaughn) will be back for five or six episodes, starting with the second one after the show returns from hiatus, though it's unclear if it will be for flashbacks, a return from the non-dead, or what.

Alyson Hannigan told SCI FI Wire that rumors pop up about a TV movie or Buffy spinoff, but doubts that we'll ever see new stuff about Willow. "Joss is too busy. He's not going to write it. He's not going to direct it, you know? I'm sure he would get great people, but there's nothing like the Joss touch. I think by all means they should absolutely do the Spike movie. I think that's the logical next step, but...I don't think Willow is the next step."

Lucy Lawless, who is so fabulous D'Anna Biers, will return for a 10-episode arc next season, which begins production in Vancouver in April. If you'll recall, she was the pushy investigative reporter in "Flight of the Phoenix" that we found out is actually a Cylon. We will see the character again February 24, in "Downloaded," which gives viewers their first real glimpse into the Cylon world.

Glen Morgan and James Wong co-created the Final Destination franchise and didn't feel comfortable with someone else doing the second movie in the series. So they've returned for the third film, telling SCI FI Wire "We just don't want to take the audience or New Line's money if we really don't have anything to offer. When you think about a sequel, you're going, 'What are we going to do now? A cruise ship? On a train?' ... We couldn't really think of the new thing. But when [executive producer Richard] Brener said 'roller coaster,' it really sparked off a lot of exciting [ideas]."

Final Destination 3 has Mary Elizabeth Winstead avoiding a roller-coaster accident with several classmates, including Ryan Merriman, but, once again, death ain't done with them.

Namco Bandai Games America has shipped its RPG Tales of Legendia to North American for the PlayStation 2. Go on an epic quest as Senel, an Alliance marine skilled in the art known as "eres," with a combo of role-playing and real-time action. Developed by Namco Ltd. in Japan. SRP $49.99.

Perplex City now has more than 15,000 players worldwide, which ain't bad at'all.

However, never fear, as the WB has since confirmed that Oldman will indeed play the role.

David Thewlis will also return as Remus Lupin. Sian Thomas will play Amelia Bones, the Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Office. Jason Boyd will be Piers Polkiss. Richard Macklin will play Malcolm. Robbie Jarvis will be "Young Wormtail," and Susie Shinner as "Young Lily Potter." Robbie Jarvis will appear as the "Young James Potter." Richard Lead will be Auror Dawlish, and Nick Shim will play Zacharias Smith. We also have word that we will see all the original Dursleys as well.

Lost's second season will have 23 episodes (rather than the now-usual 22), with the last episode's being a two-hour ~~aggravating cliffhanger~~ finale.

Michael Giacchino's Emmy winning music for Lost will be released on CD March 21st. I'm hoping I get a review copy. ::nudge nudge::

TV Guide Online's Ask Ausiello says that Lost will not kill off Michelle Rodriguez's character, Ana Lucia, and that Rodriguez herself is not a problem on the set.

Dead Man's Chest again stars Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley. It will take over theatres July 7.

James Cameron told Business Week that he wants audiences to prepare for the movie experience Project 880 by first playing the online game, which should go live several weeks before the movie hits theatres. Cameron says: "You are exploring the interaction of technology and the human imagination, and you play it out in a highly competitive, fast-paced interaction." So, I think this is the first time someone's made a movie based on a game no one really knows anything about yet. Cameron, you're a wild man, and no one I hang with has seen Titanic.

James Cromwell will play police captain Stacy, the father of Bryce Dallas Howard's Gwen Stacy, though he had to leave the talking pig at home.

Leonard Nimoy's arthritis painkiller commercial premiere during the Superbowl, and it's cute. Conan O'Brien noted, "Star Trek fans were excited by this news and asked, 'What's the Super Bowl?'" Pretty funny. And have you seen the White Stripes video? Keen.

The Official Site brings word of new ships and are part of the games Star Trek: Legacy and Star Trek: Tactical Assault, from Bethesda Softworks for Xbox 360, Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. "Although we're being careful to make sure all of the key ships from Trek canon are included in 'Star Trek: Legacy,' we're fleshing out each race's fleet with some new designs," says Ian Davis, creative guy/founder of Mad Doc Software. He's also working on getting the Real Actors to voice the games. Look for the titles around September. At Gamecloud, Pete Hines, Bethesda's PR guy, adds, "We felt we could bring Star Trek to the forefront of video gaming....we're working with people who have made really good Star Trek games before and live and breathe this stuff." Mmm. I can smell the nerdaroma from here.

Do you remember the guy who converted his home into a Voyager replica? He was hoping to make money doing the same thing for fellow Trekkers, but, alas, it hasn't worked out, and he's broke and may have to sell the place. :-(

Creation Entertainment warns that gold packages for its Grand Slam convention in March in Pasadena are almost sold out and must be ordered by February 10th.

Ilya Salkind really kicked off the big-budget superhero movie franchises with Superman back in the 1980s. Barry M. Freiman has an in-depth and interesting Interview with Salkind where he talks about coming up with the idea, what he thinks of superhero movies since then, and more. Check it out.

Pixar's owner, Disney, has given Pixar production control of Toy Story 3. Disney now plays to release about two Pixar films each year.

Landry Walker Eric Jones had to wait five years to get the rights, but now they've come out with Tron: The Ghost In the Machine original comic book series. As they told SCI FI Wire, "We had been working for Disney for about six years...A year into it, we approached our editor to see about getting ahold of the Tron license for a comic book. At the time it was not available, but when the other companies' book was canceled, we talked to publisher Dan Vado over at Slave Labor Graphics, and he pursued the license on our behalf."

In the comic, son-of-our-heroes Jet Bradley is forced into the computer world when a war breaks out between two different software-world ideologies.

X3, which is reported to have the subtitle The Last Stand, has wrapped filming in Vancouver, Canada, and is now in post (which includes some extra shooting). Look for it to open on May 26.

One of the following news items is false. Can you spot it? (For the answer, highlight below.)

Reveal the fake (highlight): Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer, and Dell Publishing House are suing the producers of The Ghost Whisperer for copyright infringement.

This Week's Question: Who was the first real-life astronaut to make a cameo on Star Trek?

Send your answer to scifi@about.com. All correctly answering trivia maniacs will have their names mentioned in the next newsletter. The first winner gets to make a request, anything they like -- within reason -- for the next "Hailing Frequencies" Issue. Please let me know if you don't want me to post your email address if you win.

Last Week's Question: What does the Holodoc come up with as a way to "stall" the Borg?

Send in your best caption for the picture below. The best (as in, my favorite) entry will appear in next week's issue.

Honorable Mentions..

"Not only did he inhale from the wrong end, he also forgot he was flammable." - Debra Smith

"The pay's lousy, but it beats being one of those Pokemon drones." - BTCHONWHLS

"Jigg-a--ly-y puff, jigg--a-ly-y-y puff.....oops, wrong kids' show." - Sue

"And they said smoking stunted your growth." - Raymond

"Hang on…. Am I wearing a red t-shirt? Where did Kirk and Spock go in such a hurry?" - Raymond

“Smoking isn’t going to kill me, dude. This TV they surgically implanted in my abdomen might…” - Raymond

“They hired me to do the sex scenes for Tinky Winkie.” - Raymond

“Y’know, even on drugs, this show is whack…..” - Raymond

“They made me go outside to toke. Man, these new laws suck!” - Raymond

“Yeah,” he blows smoke resignedly. “I get a lot of 'Dickhead' jokes." - Raymond

"LETTERS TO THE EDITOR"

This week's topic: Is it too soon, do you think, for Paramount to try another Star Trek series?

No, it is NOT too soon to try another Star Trek series. In light of the turmoil going on with CBS, Paramount, UPN, WB networks/studios and Paramount Parks we now know that the cancellation of Star Trek Enterprise had absolutely NOTHING to do with the show itself. Internal 'business issues' did the show and franchise in. Viewers must remember that television and all shows are a "business". Star Trek Enterprise is now getting more advertisement from the syndication network than it ever did on UPN. Ratings for Star Trek Enterprise in syndication rank high each week. It may be a good idea to write your station that runs Enterprise in syndication. They may decide to carry a new Star Trek series if we show interest. Another network may give a Trek show it's proper treatment in advertising and money per episode. There is and always will be an audience for Star Trek.

Paramount is forbidden from doing anything with Trek until Rick Berman's contract runs out at the end of this year. We can't even begin to discuss it until then.

Next week's topic: Is Stargate SG-1 weathering the loss of Jack well, or do you think Anderson needs to come back?

Send me something if you've got something to say. It can be about anything that's on your mind! (Please let me know if you don't want your email address to accompany your name in either contest or for the LTE.)

1 When a Stranger Calls.............$24,111,092
2 Brokeback Mountain...............$61,858,000 (two snaps back!)
3 Big Momma's House 2.............$47,524,662
4 Underworld: Evolution.............$54,324,346
5 Nanny McPhee......................$27,661,550
6 Walk the Line......................$111,387,735
7 Annapolis.............................$13,680,250
8 Something.............................$5,705,000
9 Capote................................$18,277,000
10 The Matador.........................$9,147,935

1. Lost 11.3
2. Invasion 5.8
3. Ghost Whisperer 5.1
4. Smallville 3.2
5. Supernatural 2.6
6. Charmed 2.5

1. Alias 2.1
2. Smallville 1.8
3. Stargate Atlantis 1.6
4. Stargate SG-1 1.7
5. Star Trek: Enterprise 1.7
6. Farscape 1.2
7. The Twilight Zone .9
8. The Outer Limits .9
9. Sabrina .8

1. Cell
2. The Da Vinci Code
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
4. Narnia box set
5. Angels & Demons
6. Wicked
7. Ptolemy's Gate (Bartimaeus 3)
8. Micah (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter)
9. Memory in Death
10. The Time Traveler's Wife

1. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
2. Corpse Bride
3. Dune (Extended Edition)
4. Serenity
5. Firefly complete series
6. Lost season one
7. Bambi II
8. Battlestar Galactica season 2.0
9. Star Wars: Episode III
10. Lord of the Rings trilogy