DeeKayP – Page 63 – Solutions Blog

SG-1 Movie Combo Pack Out Today (March 3)

Two SG-1 Movies Blu-Ray If you haven’t gotten your copies of Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, now’s the time to get them in one package. Today, the two movies were released in a double-feature package in both DVD and Blu-ray formats (Region 1).

If you’re not ready to make this purchase and you live in the United States, you’ll get your chance to see the two movies on the Sci Fi Channel later this month and in April. Here are the broadcast dates and times for their US television premieres:

– The Ark of Truth: Friday, March 27, at 9 PM
– Continuum: Friday, April 3, at 9 PM

SGA’s “The Shrine” Nominated for Nebula Award

Stargate Universe creative consultant John Scalzi has posted in his blog the list of this year’s nominees for the Nebula Awards, which he described as “one of the two big awards in SF (the other, of course, being the Hugo).”

On the list in the “Scripts” category are:

The Dark Knight – Nolan, Jonathan; Nolan, Christopher, Goyer, David S. (Warner Bros., Jul08)
WALL-E” Screenplay – Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter (Walt Disney June 2008)
The Shrine – Wright, Brad (Stargate Atlantis, Aug08)

Scalzi concludes, “Congratulations to all the nominees — we’ll find out who won at Nebula Weekend, April 24-26, 2009, in Los Angeles, California.”

And Solutions would also like to say “congratulations” to Mr. Wright!

Catch Lou Diamond Phillips on TV Tonight (Feb 26)

New Stargate star Lou Diamond Phillips is due to make an appearance tonight (February 26) on A&E’s The Beast (at 10 PM).

The storyline: “When a Chicago police officer goes missing, Barker ( Patrick Swayze) goes undercover as a tough guy with connections to Latino drug dealers and reconnects with an associate ( Lou Diamond Phillips).”

Phillips is currently filming in Vancouver with the Stargate Universe crew in the role of Colonel Telford, the designated leader of the Icarus Base. The show is scheduled to make a fall premiere with the series opener “Air”, written by creators Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright and directed by Andy Mikita.

SGU: Christopher McDonald Cast as Senator Armstrong

SPOILERS – SPOILERS – SPOILERS – SPOILERS – SPOILERS – SPOILERS

Consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi announced in his weblog last night that veteran actor Christopher McDonald has been cast in the pivotal role of Senator Armstrong, Chloe’s father and mentor.

Here’s his announcement: “Christopher McDonald (Senator Armstrong): Another experienced Hollywood veteran, Chris brings gravity and charisma to the role of Senator Armstrong. When I was on set the other day, he approached me, shook my hand, and told me how happy he was to be working on the show. A class act.”

The Stargate producers were looking for a name actor to play Senator Armstrong, who has a two-episode arc on the show. Senator Armstrong is present in the Icarus Base when it comes under attack, and unfortunately, it appears he gets killed either during the attack or during the evacuation. What we know thus far is that his death is tragic and has a profound effect on his daughter Chloe, who is also present at the Base as her father’s aide. Chloe’s dream is to walk in her father’s political footsteps, but without his guidance, she’ll have to learn to survive on her own with mostly strangers. On top of that, she’ll have to learn the hard way how many of her “friends” were only interested in her because of her being a senator’s daughter.

With such talent as McDonald, perhaps fans can hope that he’ll be able to return to the show despite Senator Armstrong’s apparent death (it’s sci-fi after all).

Born 15 February 1955, in New York City, New York, McDonald has an impressive filmography, including his early works in such films as Grease 2,Thelma & Louise, and Grumpy Old Men. His most recent television appearance, according to his IMDb profile, is on Law & Order as John ‘Jay’ McIntyre. Also according to IMDb, McDonald has either finished work on or is attached to seven movie projects for this year alone. Sci-fi fans might recognize him as Lt. Richard Castillo in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise”.

Visit McDonald’s homepage for more about the actor.

Spoilers are subject to change as the episodes are in production.

SGU: Alaina Huffman Cast as Tamara Johansen

TV Guide has announced that Alaina Huffman has been cast in Stargate Universe as Tamara Johansen, “a strong-willed — if inexperienced — field medic who will need to rise to the occasion to treat the seriously wounded.”

The character has also been known as Tamara Johanson and Tamara Jon from previous casting announcements. Additionally, her ethnicity and rank have also been changed since those earlier breakdowns. Originally, Johansen was described as having “off world experience” and “Beautiful, tough, smart, capable. Paramedic level training. Able to triage serious injury. Modest background. Dreamed of being a doctor but couldn’t afford medical school and the Air Force was her best option. She ends up being the most medically inclined person on the ship but is overwhelmed by the lack of knowledge and experience treating seriously wounded and ill patients. She also lacks the medicine and supplies and has to make do.”

Huffman was born 17 April 1980, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and is probably familiar to sci-fi fans as Smallville‘s Black Canary and as Maureen Bowers on Painkiller Jane. Huffman has also appeared on CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, and NCIS.

Spoilers are subject to change as the episodes are in production.

SGU: Lou Diamond Phillips Cast as Col. Telford

TV Guide has announced that television and film star Lou Diamond Phillips has joined the cast of Stargate Universe as Col. Telford, “a lifelong military man and the chosen leader of the ill-fated expedition.”

Originally, Telford’s character name was “Collins” and was described in the casting breakdown as “Handsome. A born military man proud of himself with great faith in the chain of command. The intended leader of the expedition who plans to reclaim his place as commander regardless of what he must to do. Stubbornly confident and highly regarded by his superiors.” Col. Telford gets left behind after a valiant, but unsuccessful, attempt to protect the Icarus Base from its attackers. He’s a F-302 pilot and when he recognized that the Base was about to be overrun, he ordered Young, the temporary commander of the Base, to evacuate through the Stargate to Earth. Unfortunately, the base personnel, as well as visiting dignitaries, inadvertently evacuate to the Ancients’ long-abandoned exploration starship Destiny.

Born 17 February 1962, at the Subic Bay Naval Station, Philippines, Phillips has had an incredible television and film career. His recent television appearances include guest roles on Numb3rs and The Beast. SGU consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi hinted about Phillips recently in his weblog about some of Phillips’ movie appearances, all the while trying not to drop the actor’s name because the official announcement had not yet been made: “I got some nice behind-the-scenes pics of Bobby and Justin along with “the actor playing Telford” (not sure if his identity has been announced yet but I have to say – and did say – I’ve enjoyed his work, especially his performance in my very favorite Mark Wahlberg movie. And, no, it’s not the movie you’re thinking of. Or the next one. Or the one after that.).”

To learn more about Phillips, visit his fan-made website.

Spoilers are subject to change as the episodes are in production.

SGU: Elyse Levesque Cast as Chloe Armstrong

Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly has been given the exclusive on the casting of Elyse Levesque as Chloe Armstrong, daughter and aide of Senator Armstrong, a member of the United States committee who is given access to the secret off-world base that is home to the project studying the ninth chevron on the Stargate.

Ausiello describes Armstrong as “the wild and immature daughter of a U.S. Senator.” Ms. Armstrong will have to grow up quickly once she becomes stranded on the Destiny along with many different types of people and without her father to guide her. Before having to struggle to survive on a one-way trip to a distant galaxy, Ms. Armstrong wished to follow her father in his political footsteps.

Levesque was born 10 September 1985 and has recently appeared in the telemovies Journey to the Center of the Earth and Storm Cell. Fans of Smallville might be familiar with Levesque when she appeared in two episodes as Casey Brock.

Spoilers are subject to change as the episodes are in production.

SGU: Ming-Na Cast as Camille Wray

Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly has been given the exclusive on the casting of Ming-Na as International Oversight Advisory (IOA) representative Camille Wray!

Ausiello described Wray as “an HR bigwig and the highest-ranking survivor,” and based on some of the spoilers we’ve collected, she’s looking for someone to blame for the forced evacuation of the Icarus Base to the Ancients’ Destiny, where all of the base personnel who made it through the Stargate are now stranded. Creative consultant Joseph Mallozzi described her in his weblog: “I also think Wray has a lot of potential for getting under Young and co.’s skin. She’s a definite love her or hate her type of character, one who’ll prove the bane to many a series regular, and probably some viewers as well.”

Ming-Na was a regular on ER as Dr. Jing-Mei Chen. She was born on 20 November 1963, on Coloane Island, Macau (40 miles from Hong Kong), but moved to the United States when she was four. Some of her other credits include The Joy Luck Club and the voice behind Disney’s Mulan.

Visit her official website for more information.

Spoilers are subject to change as the episodes are in production.

MGM: What Makes Stargate Atlantis a Success?

MGM has posted another video taken from the 100th Episode/Wrap Party for Stargate Atlantis where Joe Flanigan, David Hewlett, Jason Momoa, Paul McGillion, and Robert C. Cooper share their thoughts on what makes the show a success.

This might seem a rather odd type of video to create and post at this time in that it is featuring a show that has been canceled, but it’s kind of comforting as well, since we know that Stargate Atlantis will continue in telemovie format. We’re still awaiting more information—including a title—concerning the first SGA movie that is due to be filmed this summer.

Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie have been busy writing scripts for Stargate Universe, but as soon as their work is done, they’ll be turning their attention to the movie’s script, which they hope will be complete by April. Andy Mikita has been slated to direct the movie, which is presently set to premiere on the Sci Fi Channel first and then be distributed on DVD. As far as an air date is concerned, we’re not sure, but we had heard that Sci Fi wanted to show it during the mid-season break of Universe, which is due to make a fall premiere (the current talk is that SGU will premiere on October 2 at 9 PM with a two-hour opener).

Ask Amanda Tapping Your Questions

Consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi is offering fans a chance to submit their questions to Stargate star Amanda Tapping in the comment section of his weblog. Here are his instructions:

“I was exchanging emails with the lovely Amanda Tapping and I asked her whether she might be interested in doing a fan Q&A. Well, I’m happy to report that she’s more than happy to visit with us. And with production on Sanctuary’s second season poised to begin soon, she has a rare/brief window of calm before the inevitable storm. So…

“If you’ve got questions for Amanda Tapping, start posting. But please avoid duplicating questions that have already been asked. Be concise and let’s avoid burying Amanda under the inevitable avalanche of well-wishes and meandering queries.”

He’s opened the floor, so send in your questions now! Go HERE, and while you’re there, read over Mallozzi’s “fond remembrances” of the original four SG-1 actors: Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Christopher Judge.

ETA: The deadline for submitting your questions has now passed. Look for the answers in Mallozzi’s weblog soon.