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Slice of SciFi
If you missed collecting “Farscape” on DVD during its initial release, we have good news for you. The long out-of-print series is coming back to DVD this November. The set will be launched at a panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con and is being picked up by A&E Home Video. The set will celebrate the [...]
Russo Review — “Transfomers,” “G.I. Joe” Season One DVDs
Written by: Joe Russo (Film Critic/SoSF Contributor) Russo Ratings: Transformers Season One 8/10, GI Joe Season One 8/10 Collecting nearly 230 million in a week, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has put Paramount in the drivers seat as far as which studio will rule the summer box office. With another Hasbro toy line waiting to make it’s [...]
In a story that could open up a whole new thread on the Voice Mail show, Universal Pictures has optioned the big-screen rights to the classic video-game “Asteroids.” The studio won a bidding war between four studios for the rights to produce the Matthew Lopez written pictures. The movie will be produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura. In [...]
Ferguson Stars in “Lake Placid 3″
During our Slice of SciFi opening, you can hear Brian Brown observe that watching golf is better than “Lake Placid 2.” Now comes the question is whether golf will be better than “Lake Placid 3.” Yes, we’re getting a third installment. The movie will be part of the SyFy Saturday movies and will star actor Colin Ferguson, [...]
What Can We Expect From “Eureka” Season 3.5?
When “Eureka” returns next Friday night at 9 p.m. EST on SyFy, fans can expect a change in the series dynamic according to series star Colin Ferguson and creator Jamie Paglia. Last season left off with Ferguson’s character, Sheriff Jack Carter fired from his job and Allison Blake expecting a child with her deceased husband, Nathan [...]
More “Supernatural” Casting News
Ever since the Winchester boys opened a gate to hell to end the second season, series creator Eric Kripke has been wondering one thing–did the demon Meg, who tormented the brothers in the first season of the show escape? “I’ve been wondering, what Meg’s doing out there,” Kripke told TV Guide. “I’ve been continually asking the [...]
Jackson: Fans Will Have to Wait for “Avengers” To See Fury In Action
If you rejoiced at the news that Samuel L. Jackson had signed on for nine Marvel movies as Nick Fury and were hoping to see the character battling alongside Tony Stark in the upcoming “Iron Man” sequel, you may be a bit disappointed. Jackson recently told MTV News that while Fury does feature in “Iron Man [...]
“Children of Earth” Prequels on BBC4 Radio
Fans eager for the third season of “Torchwood” can hear three prequel episodes that will begin airing today on BBC4 Radio. The three episodes, called ”Asylum,” Golden Age” and “The Dead Line,” will serve as a set-up to the events that will take place on “Children of Earth.” All three are considered “canon” within the universe [...]
Leias in Metal Bikini Event To Take Place At Comic Con
In what could be one of the most popular and largest gatherings at the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, website Leiasmetalbikini.com is organizing a a Slave Leia Group Photo and Video Shoot at Gentle Giant’s booth on the San Diego Comic-Con floor. Participants should be clad in their costume by noon Friday during the event and [...]
Ninth Season Not the Last For “Smallville”?
Is it possible that the upcoming ninth season for “Smallville” won’t be the series’ last? That could be the case according to series star, Justin Hartley. “Look, they’re so busy right now, they don’t know if they’re doing one more season or eight more seasons or two more seasons,” Hartley told SciFi Wire. “They have no idea. [...]
The Internet has been buzzing this morning with news that SyFy’s next revival series is the 1990’s Fox favorite, “Alien Nation.” The project comes from former Mutant Enemy writer, Tim Minear. We’ll have an in-depth look at this exciting news on Slice of SciFi #220. Fans can listen to the live feed of the show tomorrow evening [...]
Bell Looks To Win Hearts with “AstroBoy”
Already near and dear to the hearts of fanboys everywhere, actress Kristen Bell acknowledges that her new voice-over role in the upcoming big-screen, CGI version of “AstroBoy” could win her even more a legion of new fanboys. “I play Cora, who is a girl who befriends Astro when he comes down from Metro City onto the [...]
Is a “Moonlight” Movie Possible?
With the renewed interest in vampire romance sagas and the series winning a Saturn award for best DVD presentation last week, it appears there may be some momentum for a “Moonlight” movie. The series, which came just before the latest vampire craze fueled by “Twilight,” was canceled after one season on CBS. Despite a solid start [...]
“Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead” — A Slice of SciFi Review
Reviewed by: Samuel K. Sloan (Farpoint Media News Consultant) Premiere Date: July 26, 2009 Executive Producer: Russell T. Davies Director: James Strong Writers: Russell T. Davies and Gareth Roberts Actors: David Tennant, Michelle Ryan, Lee Evans, Noma Dumezweni, Adam James, Victoria Alcock, David Ames, Ellen Thomas, Reginald Tsiboe, Daniel Kaluuya, Keith Parry, Paul Kasey and Ruari Mears SoSF Rating [...]
BBC Examines Target Novelizations
In the days before VHS, much less DVD, fans of classic “Doctor Who” could only experience their favorite or old “Doctor Who” serial via an occasional BBC repeat or the phenomeon of the Target novelizations. Launched in the mid-70’s during Jon Pertwee’s tenure as the Doctor, the novelizations of popular “Doctor Who” serials were a [...]
What Was Cut From “Star Trek?”
Fans of “Star Trek,” may be wondering what we can expect when the Blu Ray and DVD hits stores later this year (right now, uncomfirmed reports indicate it will be October). Web site TNMC has tracked down an original version of the script and compared it to what we eventually see on-screen. The report details several [...]
“Stargate: SG1″ The Complete Series is Amazon’s Deal of the Day
Fans of “Stargate SG1″ who don’t have the entire series on DVD may want to take note of today’s Amazon deal of the day. It’s the box-set “Stargate SG1: The Complete Series,” and it covers all ten seasons spread over 50 discs. plus four discs of extra features four discs worth of extra features. The set [...]
Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello reports that actor Mark Pellegrino has been cast in a pivotal role for the upcoming fifth season of “Supernatural.” Pellegrino was last seen on the season finale of “Lost” playing Jacob, the mysterious force on the island. The actor will join the “supernatural” cast in a recurring role next year. If you don’t [...]
Screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci Compare Trekkies to Transformers Fans — An AMC Interview
Interview by AMC’s Clayton Nueman The writers for Fringe, Star Trek, and Transformers discuss their latest movie’s American Pie connection, arguing logic with Michael Bay, and writing Trek’s reverse premise in Cowboys and Aliens. Q: You were reluctant to write a Transformers sequel. What changed your minds? AK: I think the “refusal to the call” story is what [...]
“Spectacular Spider-Man” Season Two — A Slice of SciFi Review
Reviewed by: Michael Hickerson (Slice of SciFi Editor) What: The Spectacular Spider-Man Season Two When: Mondays at 7:30 p.m. EST Where: Disney XD Slice of SciFi Rating: 5 out of 5 The Best Animated Super-Hero Show Since “Batman: The Animated Series” Returns For A Second Season On our last voice-mail show, a caller asked the Slice of SciFi crew what [...]
“Dreams with Sharp Teeth” Winners
Congratulations to our 5 winners of an iTunes download gift of the Harlan Ellison documentary, DREAMS WITH SHARP TEETH: Michael Rogers, Lori Walker, Jesse Flint, Carolyn Ireland, Ben O’Connell
“American Werewolf in London” Latest Remake Victim
The reboot rage continues… Dimension Pictures has acquired the rights to remake John Landis’ cult classic, “An American Werewolf in London” according to the Hollywood Reporter. The studio won the rights in a bidding war among several major studios the trade paper reports. Landis wrote and directed the comedy-horror film, which starred David Naughton and Griffin Dunne [...]
“Stargate: Atlantis” Season Five Contest
Slice of SciFi has three (3) copies of “Stargate: Alantis - The Complete Fifth Season” to give away. This contest runs from June 29 until midnight Pacific time on July 5. Travel through the Stargate as the ultimate and final season of the adrenaline-driven, intriguing space drama, “Stargate: Atlantis” Season 5 arrives as a five-disc DVD [...]
“Terminator: Salvation” Game Winners
Congratulations to our two winners in the “Terminator: Salvation” game contest. The winner of the game for the Playstation 3 is Bradley Carver of Gainsville, GA and the X-Box 360 winner is Glen Rust of Denton, Texas. Be on the lookout for the games to arrive in your mailbox soon.
“Virtuality” Doesn’t Deliver Ratings
If you liked Friday’s showing of “Virtuality,” and hoped to see more, we’ve got some bad news this morning. The two-hour movie/potential pilot by Ron Moore and Michael Taylor barely registered in the ratings Friday evening drawing 1.8 million viewers and an 0.5 adult demo rating. It was the lowest rated show of the night and [...]
SyFy VP Will Answer Questions Via Twitter
Got a question about SyFy for channel vice-president Craig Engler? Thanks to the modern marvel of Twitter, you can ask Engler directly about the network’s programming or impending name change. Engler has signed up for a Twitter account and promises that he will be interactive with fans and viewers of the cable outlet. “Most networks out there [...]
On this week’s Slice of SciFi Movie Talk, we talked about the upcoming Richard Kelly film, “The Box.” Based on a short story by Richard Mattheson, “The Box” tells the story of a young couple who are receive a mysterious box. Inside is a button that if pushed, will kill one person somewhere in the world. [...]
Ulysses solar probe to go dark
Nineteen years and close to 5.8 billion miles later, the Ulysses solar probe’s mission is coming to an end according to the Associated Press. NASA and the European space agency plan will turn off the probe’s transmitter Tuesday. The probe was originally designed to run for five years, but has surprised and delighted scienetists by continuing [...]
“Fallen” Takes Box Office Crown
No surprises at the box-office this weekend. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” drew new record-setting box-office totals over its five day opening. The movie took in $201.2 million in receipts since opening last Wednesday. The five-day total was just shy of the total set by “The Dark Knight” last summer. The movie was powered by a record [...]
What Did You Think of “Revenge of the Fallen?”
It had a huge opening weekend and shows no signs of stopping. Despite critics pulverizing it, audiences didn’t stay away from “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” So, what did you think of the sequel? n What did you think of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen?" Loved it. A perfect summer popcorn movie It was OK I enjoyed [...]
SCI FI Wire
The new trailer for the animated comedy Planet 51 has landed
A new trailer has gone live for the upcoming animated sci-fi family comedy Planet 51, which you can view after the jump.
11 most patriotic sci-fi movie and TV moments
The long July 4th holiday weekend kicks off tomorrow, which for many of us means trips to the beach, burgers on the grill and fireworks (only where legal, of course). But it should also mean some time spent remembering those patriots who defended our liberty—both the real ones who fought for our freedoms and those fictional ones who on television and at the movies reminded us what that liberty was all about.
With that in mind, let's take a look back at our 10 favorite sci-fi examples of patriotic film and TV.
New 'House of Imagination' film reflects SCI FI's evolution to Syfy
A two-minute film, "House of Imagination," has gone live to reflect SCI FI's brand evolution to Syfy on Tuesday, celebrating Syfy's unique spin on imagination.
The new film features stars from Warehouse 13, Eureka, Ghost Hunters, Caprica, Sanctuary, Stargate Universe, Destination Truth and ECW.
News briefs: Asteroids flies; Defying Gravity drops
The Hollywood Reporter says that Universal has won a four-studio bidding war to pick up the film rights to the classic Atari video game Asteroids, for which Matthew Lopez will write the script; the game, initially released in 1979, lets a player control a triangular spaceship to shoot and destroy hulking masses of rock and the occasional flying saucer while avoiding smashing into both.
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ABC has picked up the 13-episode sci-fi series Defying Gravity, starring Ron Livingston, which is slated to air this summer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show stars Laura Harris, Christina Cox, Malik Yoba and Florentine Lahme and is set in the near future and revolves around a mysterious six-year mission through the solar system.
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11 hot things you MUST see at Comic-Con in San Diego this month
Comic-Con can be an overwhelming four days of multimedia spectacle, and unless you can clone yourself or you have access to time travel, there's no way to attend every cool event. That's where we can help.
The schedule's not even out yet, but we've already gotten wind of dozens of must-see happenings. For those of you corporeal beings traveling to San Diego July 22-26, here are SCI FI Wire's recommendations for 11 Comic-Con events not to miss. (The movies, panelists, days and times are all tentative; check Comic-Con's official Web site closer to the convention for the full schedule.)
How Dylan Walsh makes the new Stepfather a killer remake
Dylan Walsh, who's been playing doctor on Nip/Tuck since 2003, looks like he could use a few stitches himself right about now. Fake flesh hangs from his neck, and he's a bit bloodied up. He's playing the title character in The Stepfather, the upcoming horror film that reboots a cult classic from 1987.
Much like the original (which starred Lost's Terry O'Quinn as daddy dearest—who, according to producer Mark Morgan, declined a cameo role), the new movie centers on a sociopathic killer who blends into broken families. When the new wife and kids inevitably disappoint him, he slaughters them and moves on to the next unsuspecting household.
SCI FI Wire was on set at Sony Studios in Culver City, Calif., a few weeks ago during the filming of The Stepfather for a scene in which Walsh embodies wicked wedder David Harris ... and leaves a few bodies lying around.
Review: Lost's first two seasons on Blu-ray aren't just worthwhile—they're essential
Lost is one of the best sci-fi shows of the last decade, but if you're a longtime viewer, it can also one of the most frustrating. After an explosive start, it struggled to find a comfortable rhythm, answering its initial mysteries at the same time as introducing new ones, abandoning plot developments and new characters even as it constructed even more mythology.
The release of The Complete First and Second Seasons on Blu-ray not only affords viewers a chance to look back at the show with superlative presentation and bonus materials, but it encourages them to revisit the beginning of the series as it—and they—discovered when and why it originally felt great to get lost.
As a buddy of mine recently observed, Lost Season One seems almost quaint in retrospect—"Oh yeah, remember when they were just hanging out on the beach, arguing about what to do?" J.J. Abrams' pilot is one of the great first episodes in television history, achieving a level of cinematic sweep that would set the stage for all that followed.
He deftly introduces a substantial ensemble—including Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Sayid, Hurley and others—while mounting a re-enactment of a destructive plane crash and keeping their initial reactions to the events distinct and specific, providing a context for their behavior even before we quite understand it.
Which supernatural objects you'll see—and one you won't—in Warehouse 13
Forget those old Ark of the Covenant and Holy Grail relics that Indiana Jones used to obsess over. In SCI FI Channel's upcoming Warehouse 13, Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) have a more eclectic group of artifacts to track down.
"I would have to say that my favorite episode so far has been Lewis Carroll's mirror, probably because it was the biggest acting challenge," Kelly told reporters in a recent conference call. "It was a huge challenge, and it was a lot of fun. I got to kick up my heels a little bit. So that's probably been my favorite, along with the fact that I'm such a Lewis Carroll fan and have been for years and years. ... Through the Looking-Glass and [Alice's Adventures] in Wonderland are two of my favorite books, so that was really kind of special."
What's breaking in Eureka: A new romance, some old friends, a big threat
When SCI FI's Eureka returns for the second half of its third season next week, it will immediately deal with the cliffhanger of Sheriff Carter's (Colin Ferguson) firing. (Spoilers ahead!)
Sheriff Andy, a billion-dollar robot, replaces him as Carter looks for a new job. Andy lasts only one episode, but series co-creator and writer/producer Jaime Paglia already wants him back.
Robert Rodriguez reveals a bit more about Predators and confirms the director
Robert Rodriguez, who is writing and producing Predators, confirmed to
Ain't It Cool News that Nimrod Antal will direct the movie, and he also offered up a few details about the film, which is supposed to reboot the franchise and move it as far away as possible from the Aliens vs. Predator movies.
News briefs: New Farscape DVDs; Avatar banner; Surrogates poster
Farscape will drop on DVD in The Complete Series Megaset in November as the show marks its 10th anniversary, with all four seasons and hours of extras; executive producer Brian Henson, creator Rockne O'Bannon and stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black will be at this year's Comic-Con International in San Diego to discuss their favorite moments from the series and the DVD re-release.
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Rumor mill: Live-action Star Wars TV series in preproduction in Australia?
Our Australian sister site SCI FI TV reports a rumor that preproduction is gearing up for George Lucas' proposed live-action Star Wars series, which is to be shot Down Under.
News briefs: Hornet pushed; Lantern premiere at Comic-Con
Columbia Pictures has moved director Michel Gondry's comic-strip radio/TV-serial adaptation The Green Hornet back two weeks to July 9, 2010, from June 25, 2010, ERC Box Office reported.
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Green Lantern: First Flight, the fifth entry in the DVD series of DC Universe animated movies, will have its world premiere in Ballroom 20 at Comic-Con in San Diego at 8 p.m. on July 23; fans will have the opportunity to see the film on the big screen five days before it drops on DVD and Blu-ray.
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Director Shane Meadows tells Empire magazine that he's currently developing Beware the Devil, a new film adaptation of a book about a Ouija-board debunker who is possessed and exorcised and becomes an exorcist himself.
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Torchwood's John Barrowman reveals Children of Earth details and why the show may not be done yet
It's been a long, long wait for the return of Torchwood, but star John Barrowman, who plays Capt. Jack Harkness, promises it will be worth the wait when the series returns on July 20 for consecutive nights on BBC America in a five-episode mini-season called Torchwood: Children of Earth. And if it does well, we could expect more (more on that later).
"If I were to describe the progression since series one, I'd say [season] one we were like a toddler who was learning how to crawl," Barrowman said in an exclusive interview. "And [season] two we were walking, and now [season] three we're running. We have totally found our feet. ...
40 more sci-fi Twitter feeds you should be following
A few months ago, we pointed out 18 Sci-Fi Twitter Feeds You Should Be Following, which included a lot of well-known Tweeters that you've probably read about elsewhere.
Since then, the number of sci-fi luminaries on Twitter has grown tremendously, so we've put together a new list of interesting people you should be following, including both newcomers and some overlooked gems:
Science Fiction in the News
Responsive Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
A special display lets users see themselves in two different sets of clothing at the same time. (SF in the News)
AcceleGlove Open-Source Data Glove
This device was developed at great expense by your government, and now you can have one at a very reasonable price; developers use Java to program it. (SF in the News)
Mars Robot Takes Up Stargazing
Robots with time (and energy) on their hands need tasks to perform. How about spending time looking up, and not just down, at a planetary surface? (SF in the News)
Chewing Robot Hailed By Would-Be Flesh-Eating Bots
Finally, a way to perform meaningful clinical trials of dental materials. And equip robots with chewing, gnashing teeth. (SF in the News)
What do aliens see when they look at Earth from afar? Maybe letters. (SF in the News)
Is it really time to start thinking about whether or not we need to start covering Earth cities to protect them (and us) from the rest of our own planet? (SF in the News)
Robotic Microsurgery Instrument Goes Anywhere
The idea of robotic micro-surgical instruments has a longer history in sf than in medicine. This powerful TED talk displays the latest devices. (SF in the News)
Although not all the clones are exact duplicates, it's a remarkable process. (SF in the News)
Cleaning Up Chernobyl With Beets
Another interesting scheme to try to cut the amount of time that tens of thousands of kilometers of countryside must lay fallow due to radioactive fallout. (SF in the News)
Toyota i-Real Personal Transport Now In Use
Sit up straight if you want to look pedestrians in the eye, then recline for speed. With video. (SF in the News)
AltaRock's Quake-Inducing Geothermal Energy Search
People need alternative energy sources in California; are there any ways of getting what we need that are free of consequences? (SF in the News)
Furniture that floats - that's the future - at least of the office - according to Kurt Vonnegut. (SF in the News)
Science fiction writers discuss science and science fiction. (Beyond Technovelgy)
La Princesse Mechanical Spider
Giant steampunk mechanical spider Liverpool rampage! That was my alternate title. (Beyond Technovelgy)
'Pitvertising' Armpit Ad Dispay
A really bad idea from the folks in advertising. (Beyond Technovelgy)
Sensor Vest For Computer Games?
Prototype uses sensors woven into the fabric to sense stress and muscle excitation levels. (Beyond Technovelgy)
Anti-Paparazzi Sunglasses DIY Counter Surveillance
Nifty how-to video shows how to frustrate those cameras that are constantly trying to get a picture of your face. (Beyond Technovelgy)
Any thoughts on what kind of music would be best for a robotic band? (Beyond Technovelgy)
Airbag Jacket by Neal Stephenson
A jacket or coverall with inflatable air bags throughout for protection against impact. From the 1992 story Snow Crash (new Technovelgy item)
Breathing Dresses by George Griffith
A special suit and apparatus for survival on the surface of the Moon. From the 1901 story A Honeymoon In Space (new Technovelgy item)
Reporting Machine by Philip K. Dick
A robotic roving reporter. From the Ace story The Simulacra (new Technovelgy item)
A living chair, grown by the Iszc to perform its function. From the 1954 story The Houses of Iszm (new Technovelgy item)
Visual Report Screen by Philip K. Dick
A device that allows a robot nanny to let the owners view what the robot sees from a remote location. From the 1955 story Nanny (new Technovelgy item)
Needles (Chocolate and Vanilla) by David Brin
Inflated towers reaching 20 miles out of Earth's atmosphere. From the 1979 story Sundiver (new Technovelgy item)
Commercial Fly by Philip K. Dick
An autonomous, fly-sized manufactured creature that presents commercial advertisements. From the Ace story The Simulacra (new Technovelgy item)
Adam Selene by Robert Heinlein
A computer generates a human avatar for itself. From the 1966 story The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (new Technovelgy item)