5.25.06
HELLO
And here's the three hundred and thirty-eighth edition of "Hailing Frequencies."
If you want to be notified when this newsletter is updated, email me to be put on my "notification" list.
Wow. My head's still spinning from Lost's season finale. I love that show.
BLOG: Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Listings
7 Ways
to Improve Your Fanfic
The only real way to get better at writing is to practice, practice, practice.
But here are some tips that can make that practice more productive. While all
the tips are good for writing in general, I'm looking most at things that help
with fan-written stories based on an existing fictional world. 4400
Spoilers, highlight to read: Ira Steven Behr told SCI FI Wire that next season will see the return of guest stars Peter Coyote and Jeffrey Combs as Kevin Burkhardt, "a brilliant but troubled scientist." (Hey, I'm troubled. Why can't I be brilliant?) The mystery of Jordan Collier's disappearance will be "teased" out for a few episodes, but will eventually be explained. Karina Lombard will return as a regular as Alana Mareva, appearing in 10 out of 13 episodes.
Diamond Select (DST) and Art Asylum are going to make resin collectibles and Minimate block figures for both the classic and the new BSGs, along with resin busts of main characters. The first series of Minimates is scheduled to ship in late 2006. Check out the great pic on Cinescape.
Some people just don't get how lucky they are to have been invited to the party.
The new season airs in October.
BLOG: Changelings, by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
DA VINCI CODE
Well, this isn't exactly a surprise. They're going to do a sequel...or prequel, actually. Sony has Akiva Goldsman adapting Dan Brown's first religious thriller, Angels & Demons. Brian Grazer and John Calley will again produce, but there's no word yet it Hanks or Howard will be involved in Code II. (Uh, guys. Did you see Hanibal? Just say no.) The plot again centers around Robert Langdon, Harvard professor and expert in religious symbology, and this time he's trying to solve a murder and keep the Illuminati from blowing up the Vatican, which is pretty big, but kind pales in comparison to the Jesus & kids things.
DRESDEN FILES
We're getting a two-hour pilot movie next January, and eleven episodes have been ordered for The Dresden Files on SCI FI. Paul Blackthorne (Stephen Saunders on 24) plays Harry Dresden, a Chicago-based private detective/wizard (and listed as such in the Yellow Pages. "We're delighted to be in business with SCI FI on 'The Dresden Files,'" said Kevin Beggs, President of Television Programming and Production, Lionsgate. "We've assembled an outstanding creative team to translate the tone and attitude of [Jim] Butcher's beloved bestsellers to the small screen, and believe this series has the potential to attract a very large and loyal following."
I just want to know, is it going to be another Battlestar Galactica or another Man-Thing?
CBBC Newsround says Bellatrix Lestrange will be played Helena Bonham Carter in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which is mondo-cool.
The AP reports that Scholastic stocks have been given the nod as a good investment in anticipation of the seventh Harry Potter book release, "considering the stock's history of advancing and peaking ahead of a book release." During the past year, Scholastic shares have traded from $25.35 to $39.74.
Lost Season Finale a Winner or Loser? - I say two thumbs (and eight fingers) up, up, up! What say ye?
Wow, only at the end of its second season, and already the show's getting action figures -- well, little statuettes, actually. McFarlane Toys will have six figures out later this fall: Jack, Kate, Locke, Hurley (no extra plastic jokes, please), Charlie and Shannon. They'll be 6-inch figures with a detailed base, photographic backdrop, and a prop replica for your to enjoy. Kate comes with her little airplane, Hurley with a lotto ticket. The figures will also come in "deluxe" dioramas.
Michelle Rodriguez has been was sentenced to 60 days in Los Angeles County jail for violating her probation while in Hawaii, as well as 30 days of community service.
Executive producer Carlton Cuse told SCI FI Wire some spoiliery stuff for next season (highlight to read): "The Others are an important part of season three, and there's a lot of mysteries and a lot of questions about the Others that the audience is going to be curious about going into season three...Michael Emerson, who plays Henry Gale, he's someone who's going to be very prominent in the show next year."
Executive producer Bryan Burk adds. "Don't forget now the people have been on the island for 60-plus days...The concept of love...weaves its way through all of our characters. It's going to be much more prevalent in season three."
Lost is supposedly looking for two new actresses to join the cast.
BLOG: MOVIES TO WATCH FOR
SANTA CLAUSE III: THE ESCAPE CLAUSE
Remember the surprisingly fun and charming Tim Allen movie, The Santa Clause (1994)? There was a sequel that few people saw and most everyone hated, so, of course, Disney has decided that a third movie in the series is in order. This time around, Martin Short stars as Jack Frost, who wants to be Santa instead of Mr. Allen. Do you think this will be a good idea? Ann-Margret, Spencer Breslin, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Judge Reinhold will all return November, 2006.
In an unrelated project, Kevin Spacey will play the villain in Joe Claus, a comedy about Santa's slacker brother (Vince Vaughn).
Bryan Burk (Lost) has joined up with other Lost-abees J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof for Star Trek XI.
The whole movie premise of Kirk & Spock at the Academy is being downplayed, but not denied. Stay tuned, kids!
Hey, Canadians! Timeless Destinations is coming to Vancouver British Columbia July 31, 2006 and covers multiple fandoms, including Trek.
British people are crazy. I have proof.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is now offering Star Wars: Clone Wars for purchase and download via the iTunes Music Store.
Pink is the New Blog has high praise for an advance screening of X-Men III: "Please excuse the hyperbole but this movie is the best thing I've seen in a long time. I hate that movies based on comic books get relegated by reviewers as mindless sci-fi entertainment ... I'm telling you, X-Men III is really a great movie." (Beware spoilers if you follow the link.)
Variety disagrees: "The third time's not the charm in "X-Men: The Last Stand." Taking over the reins from Bryan Singer, helmer Brett Ratner delivers a wham-bam sequel noticeably lacking in the pop gravitas, moody atmospherics and emotional weight that made the first two Marvel comicbook adaptations so rousingly successful."
CNN has an article on the digital touch-ups for Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart to make them 20 years younger for the opening shots of X-Men III. Fave bit: "It's as brilliantly done as airbrushing in a magazine. You cannot tell the difference," McKellen said. "You can grow hair, you can shrink eyebrows, you can change cheekbones, you can magnify bosoms, shrink waists. You can do anything you want. It looks like a younger person. Patrick looks sensational."
Director Brett Ratner told SCI FI Wire that "he shot a scene featuring an Osama bin Laden-like Magneto (Ian McKellen) making threats in a tape recorded in an underground lair, but that the scene was deleted from the film's final cut."
Hugh Jackman (Logan/Wolverine) told SCI FI Wire that his personal body count was reduced in the editing room: "With those scenes, you film them at night, and you're forever slipping on gravel and whacking guys in the head," the Australian-born Jackman said. "These stunt guys are tough, and one poor guy I clocked right in the eye, and he actually had this prosthetic that made his eye go like this, and I took half of the prosthetic off, and so we kind of kept filming, ... and the poor guy is on the cutting-room floor. That guy is like, 'I took a punch from Wolverine, and I'm not even in there!'"
X-Men: The Last Stand opens on May 26.
NEWS BITS
One of the following news items is false. Can you spot it? (For the answer, highlight below.)
Reveal the fake (highlight): Tom Hanks has been offered a producing spot if he agrees to do Polar Express II.
INSANE TREK TRIVIA
This Week's Question: TOS prop master bought some Swedish salt shakers to make
the tables look cool in the mess hall, but Roddenberry wanted normal-looking
shakers for eating. The salt shakers were instead used as what on the show?
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's Janeway's spirit animal?
Answer: A lizard.
First winner
Amanda
Amanda would like to remind everyone about the 40th anniversary Star Trek convention in Las Vegas this August.
Second winner
wow
Third winner
Patty
Fourth winner
Wayne
Fifth winner
Lou
Sixth winner
Tamara
Seventh winner
Bob
Eighth winner
CJ
"LETTERS TO THE EDITOR"
This week's topic: Anybody else got opinions on the new Trek film proposal?
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[on another topic]
I also watched Battlestar Galactica as a kid and enjoyed the original series. But the rabid response from some of the hardcore fans reveals that some people don't grow up. The mini-series and new series are fantastic. There is a lot of good writing, moral ambiguity which is part of growing up and it looks great. Let the thumb suckers hold on to their "that 70's show" I love the new series.
***
Next week's topic: If they decided to redo and update an old sci-fi or fantasy show a la Battlestar Galatica, which one would you like them to do?
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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.)
HAILING FREQUENCIES CLOSED
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Julia Houston
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Guide @ About.com
scifi@about.com