30.Apr.09
Posted in News, Press Watch at 3:46 pm by michelle
From The Hollywood Reporter comes the very sad news that former Sci Fi Channel executive Nora O’Brien died suddenly of a brain aneurysm yesterday (April 29, 2009) in Sausalito, California. As NBC vice president for drama programming, she had been in the Bay Area for several weeks for the shooting of a pilot for NBC called Parenthood, based on the movie by the same name. She was playing a basketball game with colleagues in the evening when she suddenly collapsed, according to this account in the Contra Costa Times.
Nora spent five years at The Sci Fi Channel and while there was at different times the executive in charge of both Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis. The producers, in particular Joe Mallozzi, have always spoken very highly of Nora, and fans had the opportunity to see her at Comic Con. She was in person a true fan of Stargate and immensely grateful for the loyalty of its fans. Solutions would like to express our regret for her loss to her family, friends, and co-workers, past and present.
Permalink
29.Apr.09
Posted in News, Press Watch, SG-1, Universe, Views at 9:17 am by DeeKayP
SCI FI WIRE has a brief interview with Michael Shanks about his cameo appearance in the series premiere of Stargate Universe.
In interviews past, Shanks has always been sensitive to the needs of the new cast. He repeats that sentiment in this recent interview, “It’s a cameo. It’s a popping in, popping out kind of thing. They’ve got a lot of cast that they definitely need to facilitate. Certainly the Stargate audience knows my character and Richard’s character and Amanda’s character and the others that show up very well. So they have to spend some time developing their world and fleshing out their characters. So I’m just a face.”
We here at Solutions don’t agree that Dr. Daniel Jackson is “just a face”—he’s much, much more than that to us—but we do understand that the newest addition to the franchise is a very different animal from its predecessors and needs to develop in its own unique way. Shanks explained, “I don’t expect to be popping in [again] anytime in the near future. Because it is such a different tone to the show, I don’t know how disruptive it would be to have characters from a different-feel Stargate show come in. It’s just a very different aesthetic to it and a very different emotional dynamic to it, that it would be very strange to see familiar characters in this environment, at least initially.”
Make sure to visit SCI FI WIRE: Michael Shanks dishes Stargate Universe, other projects for the complete interview, which also covers the the third SG-1 movie, Living Out Loud, Burn Notice, and The Eastmans.
Stargate Universe is currently filming in Vancouver and is slated for a fourth quarter premiere on the Syfy Channel (most likely, early October).
Permalink
28.Apr.09
Posted in News, Press Watch, SG-1, Universe at 10:41 am by DeeKayP
Stargate star Michael Shanks did a phone interview with Sci Fi Talk Live host Tony Tellado about the actor’s recent projects. The focus of the interview was Living Out Loud, the Hallmark Channel movie that is premiering this weekend, May 2, but the two did get to touch on Stargate Universe, Stargate SG-1’s two DTV movies, the upcoming SG-1 movie that has been green-lit for fall shooting, Desperate Escape, Burn Notice, Rage of Angels, and even Amanda Tapping’s Sanctuary.
Tellado was very complimentary about Shanks’ performance in Living Out Loud (see “Catching Up with Michael Shanks”), a movie about the impact that breast cancer can have on not only the woman who’s been diagnosed, but her family as well. Shanks plays the husband to Gail O’Grady’s character. He talked about how great it was working with O’Grady and director Anne Wheeler and even admits that he got a little choked up when he watched the movie with his ten-year-old daughter. Tellado rates it as a “three hanky” movie.
Concerning the Stargate franchise, Shanks talked about how very much different Stargate Universe is from its predecessors. But he feels that going in a different direction was necessary for a third installment of the franchise that is to run so closely with the SG-1 and SGA movies. “It’s not your daddy’s Stargate, basically,” he declared, but at the same time commended Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper for their bravery in taking this new direction.
Long-time fans can still look forward to “old-school” Stargate with the third SG-1 movie, which has been green-lit (the production has its financing from MGM) and will begin shooting in the fall. He didn’t have any details concerning the movie’s plot, but did mention that Richard Dean Anderson’s Jack O’Neill has a larger role than in Continuum. Filming in the fall will help the production take advantage of the end of Universe’s filming for its first season (scheduled for around October 23) and of Amanda Tapping’s and director Martin Wood’s availability after shooting their own television show Sanctuary.
Speaking of Sanctuary, Shanks mentioned that he and Tapping touched bases when they appeared at the Vancouver Creation Con a few weeks ago and discussed the fact that the show’s casting director mentioned his name for a possible guest role. At the end of the day, though, Tapping wants Sanctuary to not be so heavily linked to Stargate, so the chances are that we’ll never see Shanks appear on that show.
Rage of Angels with his production partner Christopher Judge is currently in “development hell.” Because of its uncertain status, Shanks has had to move on from it. Although he didn’t mention his recent casting in the pilot of The Eastmans in the interview, that particular job is an example of his continuing to actively seek new roles in various types of projects. Tellado complimented him on his performance as Victor in Burn Notice and stated that he’s noticed a change in the actor’s work, feeling that he’s at the top of his game right now. Shanks agreed that he’s more mature, but at the same time, is still growing up.
The interview starts at around the 10:15 mark (I used the “open in your default player” option to download and play the file).
Permalink
26.Apr.09
Posted in News at 8:14 pm by michelle
In a new interview at BenBrowderPortal.com, Ben Browder talks about his new film project Freeze Frame. The film is written by Jonas McCord and will film later this year according to the website, which is taking donations toward the production. The movie tells the story of an Iraqi war veteran, played by Browder, who’s tormented by guilt over having killed a group of civilians in combat. He meets a Vietnam vet with similar guilt, and they embark on an emotional journey together. In spite of the possibly political nature of the project, Ben does not see an ideology to it:
Well no, I don’t think that there’s anything inherently political in exploring a topic that has been examined and re-examined for centuries. What you’re really talking about is the state of individuals who return from war. And how they cope. In my estimation it’s a human story. Now is it timely? Yeah, because we have a number of people overseas who, when they come back, they are suffering. And experiencing what soldiers have from time immemorial. And to remember the lessons of past wars. I don’t know that there’s anything inherently political about it.
A five minute piece representative of the movie was filmed featuring Ben and may be viewed on YouTube.
The interview also touches on what’s keeping him busy these days, including coaching a girls high school pole vaulting team.
Permalink
25.Apr.09
Posted in Merchandise, News at 10:23 am by DeeKayP
According to an article from Associated Content, Stargate Worlds tops the list of the “most anticipated MMORPGs” that will be released in 2009 and beyond. The projected release date is now in the fourth quarter of this year:
Stargate Worlds – Release Date: Q4 2009
Stargate Worlds will be based on the hit television show, Stargate SG-1. An MMORPG game placed in a science-fiction universe of this magnitude has been long desired by fans worldwide. The storyline will highlight the earlier seasons of the show and the main setting at release will be the Milky Way Galaxy. The war between Goa’uld and the Tau’ri rages on, one of many conflicts between races in the show.
Players will be able to choose certain archetypes, which operate differently from other traditional MMORPGs. There is no particular ‘tank’ class or ‘healer’ class. Instead, a highly flexible tech tree can be used to customize your character in endless ways. Each archetype will have three specialization trees that give the player the ability to have hybrid roles. Combat will emphasize first-person shooter concepts and tactical gameplay. The weapons will be diverse and the enemy AI will prove to be a challenge.
Set before the discovery of Atlantis, Stargate Worlds is being developed by Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, which has seen financial distress recently. In order to debunk rumors that the game was never going to be released, Cheyenne Mountain’s Senior Marketing Manager Kevin Balentine made a statement that said that “the lights here are still on.” It’s true that the release date has been pushed further out (at least a year), but that appears to not have been a deterrent to fans who have put the game on the top of their “most anticipated” list.
As far as getting the name out, Stargate Worlds is represented by a racing team called “Team Stargate Worlds”. Solutions has covered this racing team in our LJ Companion. You can see an image of the car with the logo at the Team’s website.
Visit Stargate Worlds’ homepage for more information about the game. Additionally, Solutions has a few articles that you might find of interest here in the blog archives; simply click here for a retrieval of these articles.
Permalink
24.Apr.09
Posted in News, Press Watch at 12:25 pm by DeeKayP
Joseph Mallozzi has opened the floor to fan questions in his weblog for Stargate producer John G. Lenic. The invitation reads: “Producer John G. Lenic, who has been with the franchise since The Children of the Gods pilot, will be taking your questions, so if you want to ask him anything about his 10 years on SG-1, 5 years on Atlantis, 2 SG-1 movies, or his time on Universe, start posting…”
As a producer, Lenic oversees “the production schedules and budget, making sure we spend our money wisely and don’t blow it all on lottery tickets” (as Mallozzi worded it in his SGA Wrap Party tribute).
You may submit your questions in the comment section of Mallozzi’s weblog. Here’s the LINK to the latest entry. Scroll down all the way to the bottom to get to the comment form. Mallozzi moderates all of the comments, so your submission might not appear immediately.
Permalink
23.Apr.09
Posted in Press Watch, SG-1 at 7:05 pm by DeeKayP
MSOL, the official website of Stargate star Michael Shanks, has closed their fan Q&A form. The site administrators are now busy collating and sorting all of the questions, and then they’ll send them to Shanks for his answers. While we’re waiting, the actor’s many international fans will get to see his recent work on television or visit with the actor himself as he makes his next personal appearances.
Fans in Canada will be treated to the television premiere of Desperate Escape, the movie in which Shanks co-stars with Elisabeth Rohm. The film will be shown on The Movie Network tomorrow, April 24, at 7 PM with a repeat on Tuesday, April 28, at 10 PM. Make sure to visit the network’s website for additional airing times.
The synopsis: “Taken to the hospital unconscious, a woman wakens with amnesia, unsure if the man who claims to be her husband is really him; desperate to discover clues to her life, she uncovers her alleged husband’s dark secret.”
Next weekend, fans in the US will get to see Shanks in the television premiere of the Hallmark Channel movie Living Out Loud. A very nice review of his performance was posted by Sci Fi Talk’s Tony Tellado, who has interviewed Shanks several times concerning his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson (as a matter of fact, there’s an upcoming audio interview on April 28 at 10 AM).
Tellado has stated that he’s a fan of the actor’s work and provided this review of his performance in the film about a wife and mother who is diagnosed with breast cancer and the impact this trauma has on her family [beware: movie details]: “Michael Shanks plays her husband, Brad who is a work-aholic who has to make difficult choices due to her illness. Michael rose to the occasion and credit him for taking this supporting role. I liked his character’s journey and how he played it out for us. Michael embodied his character with humanity and empathy, as a husband who shows shock, frustration, and stands by his wife by making a career decision. Michael made him a very real human being. Their love story is also central to this movie and the changes that they have to make.”
The movie premieres on the Hallmark Channel next Saturday, May 2, at 9 PM (Eastern), or you can catch the repeats on May 8 at 9 PM or on May 17 at 9 PM. The film’s website has more on the production, including video interviews with the stars!
During the weekend of May 9, we’ll know if Shanks has won a Canadian Leo Award in the category of Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama for his work in Brad Wright’s Stargate: Continuum. Hopefully, the actor will be present at the award ceremony to personally receive his well-earned recognition! And speaking of personal appearances, if you haven’t already done so, make sure to stop by Michelle’s Vancouver Con Report to find out more about Shanks’ role in the CBS pilot The Eastmans in which he had his third paramedic role. The report also includes a Photo Gallery of Shanks and his fellow Stargate cast-mates.
And finally, according to Stargate Actor Appearances, Shanks’ next public appearance will be for all his UK fans at the London Film and Comic Con from July 18 to 19.
Permalink
22.Apr.09
Posted in Atlantis, News, Press Watch, SG-1, Universe at 7:57 pm by DeeKayP
Joseph Mallozzi has published the fan Q&A he hosted at his weblog with Peter DeLuise, who returned to the Stargate franchise to direct the Stargate Universe episode “Fire”.
As usual, DeLuise’s sense of humor is sprinkled throughout the Q&A as he revisits the beginning of his career with the franchise, shares his favorites, and thoughtfully considers the tough canon questions. At the conclusion, he said, “… most importantly thanks to all of you who have taken the time to write your questions and watch this show and support the Stargate ‘Organism’ that is changing and growing… because of YOU. …you rock!”
The Q&A contains no spoilers for Stargate Universe, so feel free to visit the weblog and enjoy all of its contents.
Permalink
Posted in Press Watch, Universe at 6:22 am by DeeKayP
Justin Louis and Arye Gross in HBO’s Grey Gardens (image from HBO)
Stargate Universe star Justin Louis (Col. Everett Young) can currently be seen in the HBO production Grey Gardens.
The mainpage for the production at the HBO site describes the movie, “Based on the lives that inspired the Maysles Brothers’ classic documentary, this HBO Films drama tells the story of “Big Edie” Beale and her daughter “Little Edie”, who forged a unique bond while living in a ramshackle East Hampton mansion.”
Louis portrays David Maysles while Arye Gross plays his character’s brother, Albert. The cast also includes Jessica Lange, Drew Barrymore, Michael Gets, Daniel Baldwin, Ken Howard, and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
The website also has a behind-the-scenes making-of feature, a synopsis, interviews, a photo gallery, and a video preview. There’s even a fan community. The movie has several showtimes throughout this and the upcoming month, so there are plenty of times to catch Louis in a recent production. All of the HBO showtimes are provided at the movie’s website.
Louis is currently filming Universe in Vancouver and will be seen in his first Stargate role during the show’s two-hour premiere slated for October on the Syfy Channel (formerly the Sci Fi Channel) in the US, SPACE in Canada, and Sky One in the UK.
Permalink
21.Apr.09
Posted in News at 3:25 pm by michelle
In response to a question posed to a SyFy representative on Twitter, David Hewlett has revealed he is taking back the rights to his sci fi comedy concept, Starcrossed.
David declared (see his Twitter page):
SyFy tells me that they’re going to give the Starcrossed rights back to us…once paperwork clears we shoot it!
A few minutes later, in response to another question about whether it will still be a made-for-web series, David said:
really depends on what SyFy allows with the paperwork…I want a 2 hour pilot!
Starcrossed grew out of Hewlett’s movie A Dog’s Breakfast, which featured a character playing an actor on a science fiction space opera.
Sci Fi Channel announced they would make the concept into a web series, as we reported here. The idea of the show is to take a comedic look at the backstage happenings of a TV science fiction production.
We hope David will get to take Starcrossed before the cameras soon, and that we’ll see some familiar faces in the production.
Permalink
« Previous entries Next Page » Next Page »
