Stargate Planner: Week of August 16-22

You might be interested in these news tidbits and announcements that have been noted on this editor’s calendar and notebook for this week. If you’ve got more to add, please don’t hesitate to announce them in the comment section below. We’ll update this article if something comes to our attention during the week.

Calendar

Monday,   August 16
Tuesday,   August 17
Wednesday, August 18 SGU’s “Darkness, Light, and Water will be shown on Wednesday, August 18th beginning at 9:00pm.” (Den of Geek: Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week Stargate Universe starts again from the beginning…).
Thursday,   August 19 Chicago Comic Con begins today and runs through August 22. Paul McGillion, John de Lancie, and Aaron Douglas are scheduled to be guests. Check the website for more details.
Friday,   August 20 Today is Jamil Walker Smith‘s birthday!
Saturday, August 21
Sunday, August 22

News Notes

Stargate Universe Press

It should be noted that whenever spoilers come out for SGU, they are placed in the episode guides in the Stargate Wiki without much fanfare here in the News Blog. To keep on top of such updates, visit the main page of the Stargate Wiki to see the “Recent Updates” list of links.

Solutions News Blog Round-Up

Our News Blog posts since the last Stargate Planner (most recent listed first):

Solutions LJ Companion Background Articles

Last week, we posted a few background articles in our LJ Companion that you might be interested in. The articles listed in this section don’t have a companion piece in our News Blog here:

Reminders

For news as it happens, make sure to visit the Stargate Twitter Superfeed for tidbits directly from the Stargate stars and production crew. And don’t forget our new feature Beyond the Event Horizon, which consists of “home pages” with dynamic feeds from our LJ and Blog for the stars of SG-1 and Atlantis.

Our LJ Companion has news bites, polls, and glimpses into the lives of the actors that we don’t necessarily cover here in our more formal news blog. Make sure to visit the LJ’s feed on our front page or visit the site directly to see its mostly fun little tidbits.

For the latest in convention appearances, which are subject to change, make sure to visit Stargate Actor Appearances.

Artist Martin Firrell Studies Ben Browder's Sci Fi Heroes

Just as he did with Stargate‘s Joe Flanigan, modern artist Martin Firrell has done a study of Ben Browder as part of his Sci Fi Series that explores the deeper significance of popular science fiction. Martin has just posted portions of “the work currently in progress” of his study of Browder, an actor who has portrayed two science fiction heroes: John Crichton of Farscape and Colonel Cameron Mitchell of Stargate SG-1.

Stargate Planner: Week of August 9-15

You might be interested in these news tidbits and announcements that have been noted on this editor’s calendar and notebook for this week. If you’ve got more to add, please don’t hesitate to announce them in the comment section below. We’ll update this article if something comes to our attention during the week.

Calendar

Monday,   August 9 Principal photography resumes for Stargate Universe: Season Two. They’ll be working on the episode “Visitation” that was written by new writer/producer Remi Aubuchon. This episode is scheduled to air ninth, so we should be seeing it before the mid-season break.
Tuesday,   August 10 Today is the DVD release day for Helen, a movie that both David Hewlett and David Nykl are in. It’s about depression and bipolar disorder.

Part 2 of Smallville: Absolute Justice airs tonight in the UK on E4 at 9 PM. Michael Shanks continues his significant guest role as Carter Hall/Hawkman.

Wednesday, August 11
Thursday,   August 12
Friday,   August 13
Saturday, August 14 “The next seven days are full of final sips and refills beginning tomorrow morning, Saturday August 14th with a repeat broadcast from the first moments of Stargate Universe. The series’ three part opener, Air, introduces the unprepared crew of Destiny and parts 1-3 will run in succession on Sky2 starting at 9:00am. The next three episodes Darkness, Light, and Water will be shown on Wednesday, August 18th beginning at 9:00pm.” (Den of Geek: Geek shows and movies on UK TV in the coming week Stargate Universe starts again from the beginning…).
Sunday, August 15

News Notes

Stargate Universe Press

It should be noted that whenever spoilers come out for SGU, they are placed in the episode guides in the Stargate Wiki without much fanfare here in the News Blog. To keep on top of such updates, visit the main page of the Stargate Wiki to see the “Recent Updates” list of links.

Solutions News Blog Round-Up

Our News Blog posts since the last Stargate Planner (most recent listed first):

Solutions LJ Companion Background Articles

Last week, we posted a few background articles in our LJ Companion that you might be interested in. The articles listed in this section don’t have a companion piece in our News Blog here:

Reminders

For news as it happens, make sure to visit the Stargate Twitter Superfeed for tidbits directly from the Stargate stars and production crew. And don’t forget our new feature Beyond the Event Horizon, which consists of “home pages” with dynamic feeds from our LJ and Blog for the stars of SG-1 and Atlantis.

Our LJ Companion has news bites, polls, and glimpses into the lives of the actors that we don’t necessarily cover here in our more formal news blog. Make sure to visit the LJ’s feed on our front page or visit the site directly to see its mostly fun little tidbits.

For the latest in convention appearances, which are subject to change, make sure to visit Stargate Actor Appearances.

Shanks' "Arctic Blast" in Sydney Tonight (August 4)

For our Australian readers, here’s a reminder that tonight (Wednesday, August 4) is the world premiere of Michael Shanks’ Arctic Blast at the Canadian Film Festival in Sydney! Showtime is 6:30 PM at Dendy Opera Quays. Make sure to visit Possible Worlds for the festival’s complete schedule.

“When a solar eclipse sends a colossal blast of super chilled air towards the earth, it sets off a catastrophic chain of events that threatens to engulf the world in ice!” says the Imagination Worldwide’s website, the same sales and distribution company that brought us Shanks’ 2006 movie Swarmed. (There are more details about the plot of the film at the link, so be careful of spoilers.)

Michael Shanks stars as Jack Tate, “a brilliant, yet troubled physicist specializing in Earth Sciences.” He is joined in the cast by Alexandra Davies, Indiana Evans, and Bruce Davison. The script was written by Jason Bourque and directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (IMDb).

There’s no news as to when the movie will be screened in other parts of the world.

Flanigan in Ireland Shooting "The Other Side"

Stargate Atlantis star Joe Flanigan is currently shooting a movie in Ireland called The Other Side. He’s keeping his fans informed through his new Twitter account.

Here’s what he’s had to say thus far about his new adventure, the most recent on top:

The “Otherside” for ScyFy. I play a Marine colonel stuck in a parallel dimension. Working with John Rys-Davies this morning. Great actor

Enjoying shooting in Ireland. I’ve shot two pheasant, a deer and someone last night who tried to steal my Guiness. Watch out Hewlett!

First day of shooting. Great cast and crew. Pints tonight for everyone!

At Druid Glen Golf Club. Hard to play golf and hold pints. Something must give. God Bless Ireland

that plane had a lot of alcohol. Anyway, I’m here at the LongHaul Pub in Dublin discussing film. God bless the motherland!

The Other Side is a joint effort between RHI Entertainment and Syfy. Here’s the synopsis from RHI Entertainment’s TOS website:

It was a groundbreaking device designed to glimpse alternate universes and government commissioned by a brilliant physicist. But the machine malfunctioned on its first presentation, transporting a group of observers into a nightmarish new dimension. The team quickly must use ingenuity and courage to outwit, outplay and outlast the native man-eating creatures of this bizarre new world while doing their best to repair the damaged machine. Even if they stay alive, without a working transport, they may never make it back home.

Flanigan stars as Colonel Sam Synn, Dagmar Doring as Doctor Jillian O’Hara, John Rhys-Davies as Senator Jackson Crenshaw, Catherine Walker as Doctor Karen Fast, Yare Jegbefune as Lt. Rivers, Rob Soohan as Brian Murphy, and Chris Newman as Pvt. Jordan Reid.

This movie, written by Douglas G. Davis (Carny), and another named Roadkill are two new projects being co-produced by RHI Entertainment and Syfy.

In a press release about these movies, Syfy’s Thomas Vitale, Executive Vice President, Programming and Original Movies, said, “We’ve enjoyed a long and productive relationship with RHI, whose movies have been popular with our savvy television audience. We’re looking forward to premiering these action-packed and entertaining movies as part of our hit Saturday night original movie block.”

Robert Halmi, Jr., President, RHI Entertainment, added, “We love both of these scripts and we are looking forward to seeing them on the screen. Both stories are filled with action, suspense, special effects and great imagination. We anticipate a great reception from the international community while at MIP TV.”

We’ll be sure to keep an eye on Flanigan as he tweets his way through his adventure in his “motherland”!

Shanks' "Absolute Justice" UK Premiere August 3

Part 1 of the two-hour Smallville movie event “Absolute Justice” premieres in the UK on Tuesday, August 3, at 9 PM on E4, according to MSOL, the official website of Stargate star Michael Shanks. E4 will be airing the second part next week at the same time.

Check out the E4 teaser below for a glimpse of Shanks’ debut as Carter Hall/Hawkman in the show’s ninth season. There’s more to come as it has been confirmed that he’ll be returning in its tenth and final season in October when the show returns to The CW in the United States.

Stargate Planner: Week of August 2-8

You might be interested in these news tidbits and announcements that have been noted on this editor’s calendar and notebook for this week. If you’ve got more to add, please don’t hesitate to announce them in the comment section below. We’ll update this article if something comes to our attention during the week.

Calendar

Monday,   August 2
Tuesday,   August 3 Part 1 of Smallville’s “Absolute Justice”, in which Michael Shanks made his first appearance as Carter Hall/Hawkman, will be premiering in the UK on E4 at 9 PM. The second part will be aired next week at the same time. (Source: MSOL)
Wednesday, August 4 Michael Shanks’ movie Arctic Blast makes its premiere in Australia at the Canadian Film Festival in Sydney.
Thursday,   August 5 Today begins the “Meet the Man” weekend with Richard Dean Anderson in Vancouver. This will be RDA’s first one-man event, which will last until August 8. Visit GABIT Events for the complete schedule.

The Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas kicks off today and runs until August 8. Those actors who also appeared in Stargate who will be present at this convention include Robert Picardo, Connor Trinneer, Armin Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois, John Billingsley, John de Lancie, Steven Culp, and Rick Worthy. Make sure to check the website for the schedule.

Friday,   August 6
Saturday, August 7
Sunday, August 8 Today is the deadline for getting your questions to Rachel Luttrell at Steve Eramo’s SciFiAndTvTalk Blog.

News Notes

Stargate Universe Press

Please take note that some of these interviews may include Season Two spoilers.

It should be noted that whenever spoilers come out for SGU, they are placed in the episode guides in the Stargate Wiki without much fanfare here in the News Blog. To keep on top of such updates, visit the main page of the Stargate Wiki to see the “Recent Updates” list of links.

Solutions News Blog Round-Up

Our News Blog posts since the last Stargate Planner (most recent listed first):

Solutions LJ Companion Background Articles

Last week, we posted a few background articles in our LJ Companion that you might be interested in. The articles listed in this section don’t have a companion piece in our News Blog here:

Reminders

For news as it happens, make sure to visit the Stargate Twitter Superfeed for tidbits directly from the Stargate stars and production crew. And don’t forget our new feature Beyond the Event Horizon, which consists of “home pages” with dynamic feeds from our LJ and Blog for the stars of SG-1 and Atlantis.

Our LJ Companion has news bites, polls, and glimpses into the lives of the actors that we don’t necessarily cover here in our more formal news blog. Make sure to visit the LJ’s feed on our front page or visit the site directly to see its mostly fun little tidbits.

For the latest in convention appearances, which are subject to change, make sure to visit Stargate Actor Appearances.

Reminder: Alaina Huffman in Syfy's "Jack Hunter" Tonight (July 31)

According to this press release from Syfy provided by The Futon Critic, Stargate Universe star Alaina Huffman will be in Syfy’s original movie Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit tonight (July 31) at 9 PM ET (with a repeat at 1 AM):

WAREHOUSE 13’S JOANNE KELLY SEARCHES FOR LOST TREASURE AND A GOBLIN GOES WILD IN THE JULY SYFY SATURDAY ORIGINAL MOVIES

New York, New York – July 12, 2010 – Joanne Kelly, star of Syfy’s smash hit series Warehouse 13, searches for secret treasures and a goblin with an attitude runs amuck in the July Syfy Saturday Original Movies.

In Goblin, airing Saturday, July 17, at 9PM (ET/PT), a murderous, baby-stealing goblin comes to life on Halloween, setting his sights on an unsuspecting family. The teenage daughter must stop the goblin from stealing her baby brother before he becomes part of a goblinesque smorgasboard! Stars Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal), Donnelly Rhodes (Battlestar Galactica) and Camille Sullivan (Battlestar Galactica). The movie is a production of Cinetel.

In Jack Hunter: The Lost Treasure of Ugarit, airing Saturday, July 31, at 9PM (ET/PT), Kelly portrays a Syrian government official who becomes embroiled with the charismatic archeologist and treasure hunter Jack Hunter (Ivan Sergei/Jack and Jill). Battling gangsters and dark magic, Hunter is on the trail of unknown secrets and rare artifacts that could change the balance of world power. Also stars Alaina Hoffman (Stargate Universe). Filmed on location in Egypt, Turkey and Syria, the movie is a production of American Cinema International and Oasis Entertainment.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Huffman, along with the filming cast and crew, is currently on summer hiatus from shooting new episodes of Stargate Universe. They’ll be returning to the sets the week of August 9 and will begin shooting “Visitation”, the episode due to be aired ninth in SGU’s second season (they are filming the episodes out of airing order). Season Two of Universe will be making its world premiere on Tuesday, September 28, at 9 PM ET on Syfy.

SciFiAndTvTalk: Ask Rachel Luttrell Your Questions

Teyla Emmagan in ALLIES (MGM)
Rachel Luttrell as Teyla Emmagan (MGM)
Steve Eramo at SciFiAndTvTalk would like for you to submit your questions to Stargate Atlantis star Rachel Luttrell! Here’s his invitation:

The lovely Rachel Luttrell (Stargate Atlantis’ Teyla Emmagen) has graciously agreed to answer questions from the readers of SciFiAndTvTalk. You can submit your questions via this post’s comment section up to Sunday, August 8th. I’ll forward them on to Rachel, and then post her answers back here at SciFiAndTvTalk at a later date. So come on, send Rachel a question! She’s looking forward to hearing from you.

Eramo did a similar fan Q&A with Paul McGillion back in March/April.

Make sure to visit SciFiAndTvTalk to submit your questions!

Christopher Judge Updates Fans on "Rage of Angels", "The Saint"

As we reported earlier, Stargate star Christopher Judge was a panelist at the recent San Diego Comic Con, representing the Dead Space Aftermath animated film for which he lent his voice as the character Nicholas Cutner. He also gave Comics Online an exclusive interview so that his fans could be updated on his projects, especially his script/concept Rage of Angels and his production of a re-imagined The Saint.

Rage of Angels has been a project close to Judge’s heart ever since word of SG-1‘s cancellation was received by the cast. Feeling that the only way to have a leading role was to write one for himself, Judge created a script and took it to MGM. It was to star Judge as the Archangel Gabriel and production partner Michael Shanks as Lucifer. For a while, nothing was new to report on the status of the project until it was announced that Starz Entertainment bought it and almost immediately green-lit it to series.

Judge has a new production partner in Bill MacDonald, who created HBO’s acclaimed series Rome, and Michael Shanks is no longer attached to the production. He told Comics Online how Shanks was removed from the project: “Once it went to Starz, Starz just wanted it to be its own animal and not have any kind of Stargate type—not that—but I understand why they did it: it’s going to be such a controversial thing anyway that they just wanted it to just stand on its own merits.”

Currently, they’re working on the show’s “bible” and the scripts for the first 10 episodes. Judge is still playing Gabriel, but the premise of the show has changed. Starz wants it to be as extreme and as dark as possible, so the setting is now going to be Earth during the Tribulation in which it will be Gabriel’s role to usher in the seven signs (from the Bible’s Revelation). The new show will go into production later this year and is not scheduled to premiere until late 2011 or early 2012.

In the meantime, Judge and MacDonald are also working on the re-imagining of The Saint. They have Roger Moore, who played The Saint on the television series, to portray The Saint’s mentor, and they’re working on getting James Purefoy, who played Mark Antony in Rome, to play The Saint.

Since moving to LA, Judge hasn’t gotten to see his Stargate friends very often, since most of them still live in Vancouver. He recently saw Richard Dean Anderson and Dan Shea in Australia, but lamented that even though he knew Amanda Tapping, Erica Durance (his sister-in-law’s sister), and Kevin Sorbo were present at Comic Con, he hadn’t had the opportunity to meet up with them.

When asked if he’d be appearing on Stargate Universe, Judge doubted it would happen and exclaimed, “I’m still an SG-1 guy.”

Make sure to visit Comics Online for the complete interview.