30.Jun.08
Posted in News at 3:04 pm by DeeKayP
Don S. Davis passed away yesterday, June 29, 2008, of a heart attack.
Davis was beloved by many Stargate fans for his many years playing George Hammond on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Davis first appeared as Major General Hammond in the SG-1 pilot “Children of the Gods”. He continued playing the no-nonsense-with-a-heart-of-gold general regularly through Season Seven, although he made guest appearances up through Season Nine’s “The Fourth Horsemen Part 1 & 2″. He also provided the voice for the Hammond puppet in Season Ten’s special “200″th episode, and will appear in the forthcoming Stargate: Continuum movie.
Davis was born August 4, 1942. As Davis himself put it, he was: “born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks in Aurora, Missouri….a beautiful area with picturesque towns and farms set among rolling hills, which are crisscrossed by many rivers and contain a large number of magnificent lakes.” After graduating from Southwest Missouri State College with a Bachelor of Science in theater and art, Davis proudly served in the United States Army, eventually reaching the rank of captain. After his military service, he received a masters degree, and later a doctorate in theater, teaching for many years before acting full time on film beginning in 1987.
Davis was also an accomplished artist. Some of his work in sculpture, paintings, drawings, and set design can be seen at donsdavisart.com. According to the official statement, a family memorial will take place in a few weeks scattering Davis’s ashes into the ocean. Any donations may be made to the American Heart Association.
Solutions’s deepest condolences go to Don Davis’s wife Ruby, his family, friends and colleagues, especially his fellow cast and crew mates in the “Stargate family.”
—Article written by Solutions editor “Aurora Novarum”
Please leave your comments below, or visit our LiveJournal Community or On-Site Forum.
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Posted in Atlantis, Press Watch at 2:39 am by DeeKayP
In an “Exclusive: Cast Interview Featurette”, Paul Christensen of MovieWeb interviewed five of the six members of the main cast of Season Five of Stargate Atlantis. The actors graciously answered some very fannish questions 
:
We visited the Vancouver based set for a look at what we can expect, and also for exclusive on-set interviews with the cast. We were able to speak with new series regulars Robert Picardo (Richard Woolsey) and Jewel Staite (Dr. Jennifer Keller), as well as returning cast members Rachel Luttrell (Teyla Emmagan), David Hewlett (Dr. Rodney McKay), and Jason Momoa (Ronon Dex).
Visit MovieWeb to view the video (with Flash Player). There is a possibility of more videos to come, as Christensen stated, “We were also able to tour the sets, get a look at the special effects, and partake in a stunt demonstration with James “Bam Bam” Bamford.”
Season Five premieres July 11 at 10pm ET/PT on the SCI FI Channel. Check our Solutions Calendar or the Season Five Index for international premiere dates (spoilers are present in the index).
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27.Jun.08
Posted in Merchandise, News, Press Watch at 8:06 am by DeeKayP
Not only are the film and television portions of the Stargate franchise going to be represented by two panels at the San Diego Comic Con in July, but also the MMORPG Stargate Worlds is due for an attention-getting appearance.
Here’s a press release from Games Press, posted on the Game Industry Biz website:
Press Release PROVIDED BY GAMES PRESS
Fierce alien warriors and commandos from Stargate Worlds will take over Comic-Con, the world’s premier pop culture event, July 24-27 in San Diego.
FireSky is teaming up with MGM Home Entertainment, and the U.S. armed forces to bring Stargate Worlds, the science fiction massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG), to life.
Fans at Comic-Con will see game play footage from Stargate Worlds, the MMORPG where you discover thriving alien worlds, explore ancient civilizations … and tell them all the things they are doing wrong.
The superpowers behind the game and the Stargate series will set up at booth #3535 and a base camp outside the San Diego Convention Center where fans can have their picture taken with a full-sized Stargate.
Comic-Con is the premier pop culture event in the world.
For more information, please contact Kevin Balentine, senior marketing manager, FireSky, at 480-656-6500 ext. 327 or at kbalentine@firesky.com.
Provided by Games Press Games Press is the leading online resource for games journalists. Used daily by magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, online media and retailers worldwide, it offers a vast, constantly updated archive of press releases and assets, and is the simplest and most cost-effective way for PR professionals to reach the widest possible audience. Registration for the site and the Games Press email digest is available, to the trade only, at www.gamespress.com.
To learn more about Stargate Worlds, which is due to be released at the end of this year, visit their website.
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Posted in Merchandise, News, Press Watch, SG-1 at 5:30 am by DeeKayP
Fansite reporter LAScaper caught up with
Stargate star Ben Browder and his wife Francesca Buller at the
34th Annual Saturn Awards ceremony in Universal City, California, earlier this week and conducted a short interview that is now posted, along with pictures of Browder and fellow
Stargate star Claudia Black, at the Ben Browder Portal website. (
Stargate SG-1 was
nominated in the “Best Syndicated/Cable Series”, but lost to HBO’s
Dexter.)
Stargate
On the Stargate front, Browder stated, “I just did a short thing for MGM for the release of Stargate Continuum. A little five minute piece that I was actually writing over the weekend.”
Browder also talked about his rehearsals for the big fight scenes in Stargate: The Ark of Truth. “During the first fight rehearsal I make notes on the back of the script as to what it is I’m supposed to do. And then we come back and we refine it, and then we go do it,” he said, and then added that he does his own stunts whenever possible in order to make Christopher Judge’s life miserable so that the competitive actor has to do his own fight stunts as well.
According to Atlantis executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, Browder is scheduled to make an appearance for Stargate fans at the San Diego Comic Con being held July 24-27.
Other Projects
For the mythologically-based SCI FI Channel mini-series he’s co-writing with Andrew Prowse, Going Homer, Browder indicated that the writing for that project is being coordinated via e-mail while Prowse is in Australia shooting a series. Browder’s movie script Black Mountain was sold to MGM, and it is left up to the studio what they’ll be doing with it.
The actor is currently auditioning, but as of right now, hasn’t been matched up with a new role. “It’s been a decent variety of stuff but I’ve found that a number of things that I’ve one up for, it will quite interestingly, end up being someone I know,” Browder admitted with a laugh. “Usually someone English that ends up playing the part. They end up casting the English which was a trend last year as well.”
In the meantime, Browder is coaching pole vaulting at his daughter’s school. LAScaper pulled out an old report that mentioned Browder when he was pole vaulting in the 1981 State Track Championships with Charlotte Myers Park High School. Browder added that he played football and pole vaulted while in college, so he’s very familiar with the sport. “I don’t think you can teach without demonstration,” he concluded.
The actor’s next public appearance for Farscape fans will be at Creation Entertainment’s “The 2nd Final Frellin’ Farewell Celebration” in Burbank on November 7-9. Claudia Black is also scheduled to make an appearance there.
To read the rest of the interview, which also includes discussion of how Browder watches himself on screen and his choice for favorite food, visit Ben Browder Portal: LAScaper Interviews Ben at the Saturns 2008.
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24.Jun.08
Posted in Merchandise, News, SG-1 at 6:41 pm by DeeKayP
MGM’s Official Stargate website has added a new video feature entitled “The Return of Richard Dean Anderson”. There are several clips from Brad Wright’s Stargate: Continuum, so needless to say, there are plenty of spoilers!
To watch the video, which includes Wright’s relating how Anderson’s return came about and what it was like to have him back on the Stargate sets, go to MGM’s main page and click on “Watch Exclusive Video Now!” You’ll need the latest Flash Player.
Release dates for the movie (DVD and Blu-ray) are as follows:
- July 29, 2008: North America
- August 6, 2008: Australia
- August 18, 2008: UK
- September 10, 2008: France
If you know of other dates, please leave them in our comment section below, and we’ll update our list. Thanks.
Also, check our Solutions Calendar for screening and television broadcast dates.
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23.Jun.08
Posted in Merchandise, Press Watch, SG-1 at 3:44 pm by DeeKayP
SCI FI’s John Sullivan has published an interview he conducted with Brad Wright, James Robbins, and N. John Smith following the screening of the movie Stargate: Continuum in Vancouver a little while back. Portions of this interview have already been published, but this report offers even more information concerning the movie’s production.
One such new piece of information has to do with the reasons why the two SG-1 movies were released directly to video rather than created for the big screen. Wright explained, “The reasons that this could never be theatrical are entirely business and not at all creative. Apparently it had to do with pre-existing deals with the original feature film and subsequent production. In other words, we would have to go into a theatrical release with a lot of deals already made. We can’t just make a movie and put it on the screen. But Charlie Cohen can green-light two DTV movies.
“That said, one of the reasons I wanted to do Continuum was as an audition to prove we could do Stargate as a theatrical release. If this does as well as I hope and think it will do internationally, we may get that shot.”
To read the complete interview, which covers the Arctic shoot and studio sets, visit SCI FI WEEKLY: Go behind the scenes as the cast of Stargate returns for the direct-to-DVD adventure Continuum.
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22.Jun.08
Posted in Atlantis, Merchandise, News, SG-1 at 11:53 am by DeeKayP
Celebrating their 39th year, the San Diego Comic Con will be held July 24-27, with a special Preview Night on July 23.
Just as they had last year, the Stargate franchise will most likely be represented by two panels. According to Atlantis executive producer Joseph Mallozzi, “No official word on this year’s Comic Con line-up yet, but I hear that there will be both a Stargate: Continuum and Stargate: Atlantis panel. The former should include writer-executive producer Brad Wright, director Martin Wood, and Michael Shanks, Chris Judge, Amanda Tapping, Ben Browder and, if the rumors are true, one Richard Dean Anderson. The latter will be moderated by writer-executive producer Martin Gero and should include Jewel Staite, Bob Picardo, and, in all probability, Joe Flanigan. I, alas, will miss out on this year’s festivities and am, of course, bummed because it means I’ll have to come up with something else to blog about that weekend.”
As with last year, MGM covered ten buses with Stargate advertisements. And, according to Brad Wright, the release date of July 29 for his movie Stargate: Continuum was designed to occur around this particular Comic Con event.
Hopefully, there will be announcements made at the international convention concerning the status of more SG-1 movies (there’s been plenty of talk about future Stargate movies moving to the big screen rather than being released in the direct-to-video format) and the possible green light for the third series Stargate Universe.
Visit the San Diego Comic Con site for programming information, including the panel schedule, as it becomes available.
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18.Jun.08
Posted in Atlantis, Merchandise, News, Press Watch, SG-1, Universe at 7:20 am by DeeKayP
The three television/movie projects of the Stargate franchise have recently been covered through interviews posted on the web: Stargate Atlantis, the Stargate SG-1 movies, and the new offering, Stargate Universe.
Stargate Atlantis
MGM’s Official Stargate website has published an interview with Paul McGillion, covering mostly his return to the sets as the clone of Dr. Carson Beckett. McGillion jokes a little about there hardly being any differences between the “original” and the clone, but hopes that they will be explored in the future. “The interesting thing is that Beckett had this happen to him, and hopefully the writers will look into that. Because you never know what happened to him, really. You don’t know what special things he might have to offer. That’s becoming apparent in this episode ["Outsiders"], so that’s cool.”
McGillion has returned to the sets for three of the five episodes promised by the producers for his character in Season Five thus far. One thing he has been thrilled about in this new recurring arrangement is that his character is used more to drive the story, making each appearance count. “The great thing is that every time I come back they’re big Beckett episodes. This one, ‘Outsiders’ is a big Beckett episode. The last one I did, ‘Whispers’, that was awesome.”
Even though McGillion is no longer a main cast member, the production has still given him his own trailer, setting him apart as more than just a guest star. “I don’t know what the future holds – I kind of gave up on that when they killed the character,” he reveals with a laugh. “All I know is that I come here and I do my best and hopefully they like what I do. But it’s been interesting – and when I come in they want to optimize the time that I’m here, so every time I come to shoot an episode I’ve got every day of the episode. It’s nice to be that involved. Would I come back and work on this full time? It depends. Right now I’m pleased that they’ve had me back for these episodes and we’ll see what happens in the future.”
To read the complete interview, visit MGM: Close Up: Paul McGillion.
Stargate: Continuum
The MGM Official Stargate website has posted another exclusive video featuring Brad Wright’s Stargate: Continuum to their main page. This time, the short video features director Martin Wood as he tells a story on Richard Dean Anderson and how it was to share a hooch with the restless actor in the cold, frozen Arctic Circle.
Visit MGM’s home page, and click on “Watch Exclusive Video Now!” to see “Shooting in the Arctic”.
Future Stargate SG-1 Movies
SCI FI PI published the second part of their frank interview with Christopher Judge, and the actor reveals little secrets about the behind-the-scenes life of the Stargate SG-1 family. He talks about working with his fellow actors and how being on the cast with this particular group of people has changed his life. He also talked about the future of the Stargate movies.
Reiterating what’s been said by writer and producer Brad Wright and director Martin Wood, Judge said, “We just screened Continuum, and it blew me away. I went to Brad after the screening and said, ‘ooh boy, this could have been a huge feature film!’
“I kind of think these two movies [Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum] were an audition, if you will. I mean, let’s face it, we started twelve years ago, so it was more to see if we were still a viable product, if we still had fan support, and I think they’ve pushed us a lot of the way to finally get to that next level – of doing feature films.
Visit SCI FI PI: Teal’c Cuts Loose: The Ultimate Christopher Judge Interview, Part 2 to read more about Judge’s views on politics, religion, friends, and family.
Stargate Universe
Way back in October last year, Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright pitched the idea for a third Stargate TV show, currently named Stargate Universe, to the SCI FI Channel. They had already talked with MGM about the series, and now both the studio and the network must come to a decision as to whether or not the program will move forward.
Both Cooper and Wright have been very quiet about what’s happening concerning the show, as Christopher Judge told SCI FI PI, “They’re being really really tight about it. And I play golf with them! Brad and Rob have been playing it very close to the vest. But it is a go.”
With such a revelation, it’s very possible that word about the series will be soon to come. Wright, in an interview with newsarama.com, stated, “Stargate: Universe is very much something we have been discussing with SCI FI and MGM for a long time…too long actually. They need to make some decisions. I think we are at the point of finding out soon.
“We know what we are doing and what we want to do. We are excited about the prospect but as long as Atlantis is going strong and as long as there are prospects for new movies, it doesn’t matter to me if my next project is two more movies for next year. Essentially, we would put a third series off another year but MGM wants one. They know the franchise is still strong.”
To read the rest of Wright’s interview in which he discusses Continuum in more detail, visit Newsarama: Writer-Producer Brad Wright Talks ‘Stargate: Continuum’.
[Just a reminder that spoilers are present at these interview links.]
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16.Jun.08
Posted in Merchandise, Press Watch, SG-1, Views at 7:27 pm by DeeKayP
In a recent interview conducted by MGM’s Official Stargate website, director Martin Wood talked about how the opening scene of Brad Wright’s Stargate: Continuum introduces Stargate Command to a possibly new audience at the same time it makes the fan feel the comfort of “home.”
The series itself lasted ten years, and there is plenty of history into which to delve, but one of the goals of Wright and Wood was to prove that this movie—and any future Stargate movie—belongs on the big screen and could appeal to a wider audience, including those who might not be as familiar with the characters as fans are.
Wood explains how the opening scene to the movie goes through this history in an elaborately executed camera shot that shows viewers the people of Stargate Command. “I wanted the very first thing that people saw to be home. This is where we’ve lived for 11 years, look at this place, and give you a little tour around it. Everybody’s there, and what’s funny is that they’re sprinkled in weird little ways.
“I just had this thought in my head, ‘You know what? I am missing one element, I need someone to come out of this elevator.’ What’s funny is that all the people you see in there are regular background extras that have been there for 11 years of the show. So they’re all very familiar and I needed somebody that the audience would go ‘Oh!’ There were a lot of different choices that we could have made, and Lexa [Doig] busted me on it. She said, ‘Why didn’t you ask me?’ And I should have done. I should have had them both.”
Whom did Wood choose? “Major Davis comes walking out of an elevator,” he reveals with a laugh. “I asked Colin (Cunningham, Major Davis) if he would do it for me as a favour, and he very kindly said yes.”
Major Paul Davis was introduced in Season Two’s “A Matter of Time” as the liaison with the Office of the Joint Chiefs at the Pentagon. He sometimes had to be the messenger delivering unpleasant news, and sometimes, he was caught in the middle of tense negotiations, but always, he presented himself as an officer and a gentleman. He even got to share on a grand adventure with SG-1 in outer space! Some of his latest exploits included negotiations with a pair of bickering alien representatives and instruction in the creation of a democratic government with the fledgling Free Jaffa Nation.
Like Lt. Col. Cameron Mitchell, Major Davis has read every mission report that has come out of the Stargate Program. He hasn’t been seen in the base since Season Eight, but his name was dropped in Season Nine.
“In that whole shot,” Wood continues to explain Davis’ appearance, “we see Beau Bridges, he doesn’t say anything as he walks by the camera, and there’s Siler and one of the technicians. It’s all saying, ‘This is a day in the life’ and then Major Davis comes out and then we see our team and we land back at the end of our shot, back where we started.”
Cunningham’s appearance in the elevator sounds like a brief cameo, but even so, he was glad to do it. He explained in a Stargate Planet interview, “It was an absolute blast. Martin Wood was actually helping me put together my own project at the time, Centigrade. He was kind of mentoring me through the process of directing. And so, when he called and said that he and John Smith has a little something for me, if I was willing to help them out, it was a no brainer. I owe many people over at Stargate a lot. I truly do. Deluise, Martin Wood, John Smith, Michael Greenburg, Brad Wright, all those guys. And when I needed help, they were there.”
The opening scene Wood envisioned brings the viewer, whether new to Stargate or a seasoned fan, into the story right from the start, giving him the point of view of someone who is walking along the corridors just as Stargate Command’s personnel do every day.
To read the full interview in which Wood provides more details about the technical aspects of the opening shot, visit MGM: Director’s Cut: Continuum (Part 1).
Release dates for the movie (DVD and Blu-ray) are as follows:
- July 29, 2008: North America
- August 6, 2008: Australia
- August 18, 2008: UK
- September 10, 2008: France
If you know of other dates, please leave them in our comment section below, and we’ll update our list. Thanks.
NOTE: Wood’s mentoring of Cunningham paid off: Centigrade recently won five Leo Awards out of its seven nominations, including those given to Cunningham personally as the film’s director and lead actor. The short is also now eligible for an Academy Award nomination since it took home an award at Cinequest. To read more about the film visit Cunningham’s Centigrade the Movie blog.
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Posted in Atlantis, News at 6:01 am by DeeKayP
The cast and crew who are filming Season Five of Stargate Atlantis have begun their annual filming hiatus, a month off during the filming season that runs from February through September this year.
The writers and producers are also out of the office, but they are continuing to work on scripts and mixes for the thirteen episodes filmed thus far (all the way to “Outsiders”). They’ve got all twenty episodes slotted, but not all of them have names. Our Season Five index has information and spoilers about each of these episodes.
As far as filming the rest of the season goes, there is the possibility of being impacted by the strike the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) might go on if their contracts are not successfully negotiated by the end of this month. Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi indicated in his weblog that five of the six actors in the main cast are SAG members who would be obligated to stop work if a strike takes place. Visit The Hollywood Reporter: Strike Zone for a history and current status of the negotiations.
As far as what the actors will be doing during their time off, there isn’t much we can report except that David Hewlett is getting married, and he and his sister Kate Hewlett will conduct An Audience with the Hewletts at the London Thistle Hotel, Longford Village, England, on June 28.
Other convention appearances by main and recurring cast members have been scheduled during this time off from the sets. Check our Conventions forum board or visit out Calendar for the events known about so far. Forum members are encouraged to post about conventions (announcements and attendee reports), and the forum moderators will be happy to place them on the Calendar so we can all keep up with the schedules.
Season Five will premiere on SCI FI on Friday, July 11, at 10pm ET/PT. (Check out the Season Five index or the Calendar for international premiere dates.)
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