Universe – Page 38 – Solutions Blog

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.

Stargate Universe: Here and There

Principal photography for Stargate Universe started February 18, 2009, with regular cast members Robert Carlyle and David Blue filming their first scene on Stage 3, home of the Daedalus-class starship set, the Travelers set, and the Midway Space Station. Consulting producer Joseph Mallozzi wrote in his weblog that while everyone else was on set, he was working in the production offices on his first SGU script, the first part to the mid-season two-parter.

Yesterday and today, however, the crew is on location. We don’t know exactly where, but Mallozzi reassured fans that there weren’t going to be any Vancouver forests in the first several episodes.

As a matter of fact, even though Mallozzi would like to share in the excitement of producing a brand new television show by publishing his pictures from the sets, MGM has asked him not to do that just yet. He took pictures of the Destiny set during its construction and could only leave these tantalizing hints: “So I was on the Destiny set Thursday and had to walk up the spiral staircase in order to get some video and snaps of the rotating gate. Holy Crap! We weren’t even that high up and I was clutching the handrail, my knees turned to jelly. All I could think was ‘There’s no way I could ever compete in The Amazing Race.’ Climb down the side of a building? Hell, why not just ask me to French kiss a komodo dragon?”

That’s all we’ve got thus far, unless you’d like to see a swatch of possible floor coverings that they were mulling over a few months ago. You really would? Visit Mallozzi’s November 20, 2008, entry for that sneak peek!

Mallozzi said that they’ve tried to increase security on the set by stamping everyone’s name on every page of their personal copies of the scripts. That won’t stop those of us with access to breakdowns or audition sides, he frets. Hey, it’s what we do.

So, to that end, if you’ve visited our main site recently, you’ve probably noticed that we have taken the extra steps of letting you know that we’re keeping a close watch on the spoilers for the upcoming season. You can find our treasure trove of info at the Stargate Universe Guide in our Wiki, accessible from our updated pull-down menu (and currently the subject of our “Features” box). We’ve created individual episode guides for each of the named episodes (the first seven), while the production notes for all unnamed episodes are still on the show’s main page there.

Enjoy!

Adventures in Sci Fi Publishing Interviews Mallozzi

Adventures in Sci Fi Publishing conducted a phone interview with “Joseph Mallozzi, Consulting Producer of Stargate Universe, and Lou Anders, Editorial Director of Pyr, … to analyze how literary and media science fiction influence each other. Topics discussed include adaptations, the sophistication of new TV shows, fantasy literature, a Pyr title making cameos on Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica, Joe’s book club, and much more.”

You can listen to the interview, which runs about 30 minutes, at the link above, or through this direct link to the MP3 file.

Carlyle Slated to Make "Ironclad" This Summer

What will new Stargate star Robert Carlyle be doing this summer when he’s not filming the first season of Stargate Universe? He’ll be filming the movie Ironclad, according to the Hollywood Reporter:

BERLIN — ContentFilm International will test its mettle with “Ironclad,” a medieval action thriller staring James Purefoy the company will help co-finance and executive produce.

Robert Carlyle, Bob Hoskins and William Moseley have joined the cast, which include Paul Giamatti as a deceitful King John, Pete Postlethwaite, Lord Richard Attenborough, William Moseley, Colm Meany and Angus McFayden.

Based on a legendary story, “Ironclad” is set in 13th century England and tells the story of a formidable Knight Templar (Purefoy) and his “Magnificent Seven” who defended historic Rochester Castle against the tyrant, King John, and his mercenary army. Purefoy is playing the knight opposite Giamatti’s King John.

The film was initially to start production but got held up as financing fell through and came together again, this time with the aid of ContentFilm, which is selling the film at the Berlinale.

The film is eyeing a summer start and has also put together a crew consisting of Adam Greenberg (“T2”), editor Peter Amundson (“Hellboy”), veteran production designer Leslie Dilley (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”) with stunts by Richard Ryan (“The Dark Knight”).

English, Rick Benattar and Andrew Curtis of Mythic International Entertainment are producing while Glenn Kendrick Ackermann executive produces.

ContentFilm has “The Messenger,” starring Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson, in Competition in Berlin.

Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis both took about a month off during the summer (called the filming hiatus), so it’s very feasible for Carlyle to still be in all 20 episodes of SGU, even though he’s filming this movie far from Vancouver. In addition to Ironclad, Carlyle’s also attached to play the title role in a bio-pic about the Scottish psychiatrist Dr. Ronald David Laing later this year (perhaps after SGU has wrapped filming sometime around October 23).

Stargate Universe is scheduled to make its premiere on the Sci Fi Channel this fall. Based on what Amanda Tapping said in an interview recently, we’re looking at possibly an October 2 premiere date for the first two parts of the three-part opener “Air”.

Joseph Mallozzi Interviewed by About.com

Joseph Mallozzi and his writing partner Paul Mullie have been with the Stargate franchise since Season Four of Stargate SG-1. They went on to become the showrunners of Stargate Atlantis during its final two seasons (Seasons Four and Five). And now, they’ve become writers and consulting producers in the production offices of Stargate Universe.

Mallozzi has been keeping a blog for several years now, writing about all kinds of things on a daily basis. And of course, the Stargates are high on his list of hot topics. He’s become the most accessible person in the franchise as he fields questions from his readers frequently.

About.com got to talk extensively about his years with the franchise, especially those with Atlantis. Visit About.com: Interview: Stargate Writer-Producer Joseph Mallozzi: The franchise mainstay ponders the end of ‘Atlantis’ and the dawn of ‘Universe’ by Mark Wilson.

SGU, SG-1 Movie Casting News

Warning — spoilers for possible cameo appearance in the SGU premiere below…

SciFiWire reports that Michael Shanks has been asked to reprise the role of Daniel Jackson in the pilot of Stargate Universe. From the article:

“I talked to [executive producer] Brad Wright a couple of weeks ago, and he asked me if I’d be interested in doing a cameo in the Universe pilot, and I of course said I would be,” Shanks said in an exclusive interview. “And there’s a great deal of talk about [it]. … They’ve got a script going and everything like that.”

Michael goes on to talk about what he’s heard about the next SG-1 movie as well, and confirms that he wants to be in the movie:

Shanks added that he hasn’t put Dr. Jackson away completely yet. “There will be a Stargate SG-1 movie [for DVD], probably filmed around the same time the [Stargate] Atlantis movie is filmed this coming summer,” he added. “So that’s all going to be going on.” […]

The next SG-1 movie, “as far as I know, is pretty Rick-heavy [as in Richard Dean Anderson], pretty O’Neill [Anderson]-heavy,” Shanks said. “So I don’t know much more than that, but I will most definitely be involved in it.”

Given the premise of Universe, it seems likely Daniel would be there to see the ship and crew off on their mission, but would not go with them. Perhaps Daniel intends to go but is once again thwarted from a great adventure?

It appears no deals have been signed for either SG-1 or SGU, so stop back here for confirmation of this news.

Tapping on Return to Stargate, SGU Premiere

In a recent interview with Pop Culture Zoo, Stargate star Amanda Tapping shared what it was like to return to the Stargate sets after fully immersing herself in the world of Sanctuary and how her show will be shown on Friday nights with the new series Stargate Universe.

On reprising her role as Col. Samantha Carter in the Stargate Atlantis series finale, “Enemy at the Gate”:

PCZ: So, the other thing that aired recently was the final episode of Stargate Atlantis. What was it like going back and shooting that?

AT: It was really hard, I have to be honest with you. Stargate has been my home for such a long time that jumping out of that nest was such a big, scary leap to make. I’m glad I did it, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is creatively I feel revitalized. But to go back with that crew, that wonderful crew and that cast – they were all [there] in the makeup trailer. It was weird and bittersweet because it was their last episode and it sort of didn’t make sense to me why it was ending. So, it was bit weird. I had gone off and done my own thing and now I was coming back and there was this sense of sadness about the place. It was hard. I mean, my car knows how to drive to Bridge Studios. I walked into Joe Mallozzi’s office and had such a lovely talk with him. Brad Wright and Rob Cooper came down before my last shot and gave me a hug. But it opens the door for movies and there’s a certainly a lot of talk about that. I would jump back into the army boots any day.

On honoring the late Don S. Davis and Carter’s role in the next Stargate SG-1 movie:

PCZ: My favorite part of the final episode was the little tribute to Don Davis and General Hammond. I think it speaks highly of the cast and crew that even in an episode where so much needs to get done, room is made to have a scene like that.

AT: Something had to be said that’s such a show of respect for an incredible man who…here come the tears…but something had to be said. I remember we were at Don Davis’ memorial and I was standing in his kitchen with his wife, Ruby, and Joe Mallozzi said “We’re naming the ship the General Hammond.” And we all just lost it. “Of course you are, thank you.” It’s a subtle, simple tribute, which is exactly – Don was a simple, beautiful man so that’s how they did it, it was lovely. You can’t overplay it, you’ve just got to say it. As an actor you wonder how you could possibly do justice to it. It one line and it’s so huge. So, it was just keeping it simple and lovely.

PCZ: Definitely a perfect moment at the right time. And it also takes Carter off in a new direction too. Hopefully we’ll get to explore that a little in the movies.

AT: I hope so!

On the second season shooting and premiere of Sanctuary and the series premiere of Stargate Universe:

PCZ: When do you start shooting?

AT: We’re still waiting on word, ideally the beginning of March so that we can deliver for early October. SCI FI wants us to air October 9th. We will run concurrently with Stargate Universe. I think they premiere with a two-hour episode and then the following week we will run together. Anyway, that’s the plan. We’ll hopefully start shooting at the beginning of March at the latest.

To read the complete interview in which Tapping covers Sanctuary‘s direction in more depth, visit Pop Culture Zoo: Catching Up With Amanda Tapping.

Stargate Universe will begin principal photography February 11. They’re scheduled to complete filming October 23 (according to the BC Film Commission). Based on what Tapping said, the new show will premiere Friday, October 2, most likely at 9 PM, with their two-hour opener “Air”, and return the following Friday, October 9, with the third part to “Air”. If Sanctuary keeps its first season timeslot, then SGU will probably take SGA’s old timeslot of 9 PM as a lead-in.

SGU: New Recurring Character Adds More Conflict

Another new character has been revealed in a casting call for Stargate Universe, the upcoming television series that is to begin principal photography February 11 (moved from February 4) starting with “Air”, the three-part series premiere being penned by co-creators Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright.

Spoiler TV has this description of the character:

[COLONEL COLLINS] 35 – 40. 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.sptv050769.. Supporting Lead. RECURRING. PLEASE SUBMIT HISPANIC ACTORS ONLY.

The audition sides for Collins reveal a whole lot of spoilers, so if you don’t want to know, STOP HERE!

SPOILERS ~ SPOILERS ~ SPOILERS ~ SPOILERS ~ SPOILERS ~ SPOILERS

A lot of the story is told in flashback, which makes putting together the order of events rather confusing, so keep that in mind when you read this interpretation:

SETTINGS: Icarus Base is the off-world base that houses the project researching the 9th chevron. Solutions has referred to this project as the Ninth Chevron Project in previous reports. Creative consultant Joseph Mallozzi mentioned the two main sets for the show recently in his weblog, “Another visit to the Destiny in Stage 4 and the Icarus Base in Stage 5 shows the sets are coming along nicely. The ship interiors are particularly impressive.”

AIR (2-part premiere) (Final Draft):

Previous spoilers indicated that Col. Everett Young (Justin Louis) was in temporary command of the Icarus Base. Apparently, the intended permanent commander is Col. Collins. Collins is in the Base to meet the visiting IOA (Camille Wray, not yet cast) and US government civilian authorities (Senator Hamilton [Walker?] and Chloe, not yet cast) when the Base comes under attack.

Collins, though, ends up on the Daedalus (The audition sides originally called for Col. Steven Caldwell to be present, but Collins was given Caldwell’s part in this one scene. Whether or not the ship remains the Deadalus or is a different Deadalus-class ship remains to be seen.) He is protecting the Icarus Base during this attack. Their immediate guess is that it is the Lucian Alliance who is attacking them, but that isn’t certain because the attackers hadn’t identified themselves. The Daedalus is up against at least three Goa’uld motherships, a troop transport, and a squadron of death gliders.

Young and his team man the Icarus Base battlement, which has several rail guns pointed toward the sky, while Collins leads his F-302 squadron in space. Unfortunately, the transport and several gliders get by in the space battle and head for the Base. Collins, in his 302, targets the transport, but is unable to stop it from landing. At least a thousand troops begin to exit the transport and march toward the Base. Collins radios Young to let him know that they are about to be overrun. At this point, Collins commands that all the people on the Base evacuate to Earth through the Stargate and that they’ll rendezvous there.

Apparently, this attack happens around the same time that Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle) and Eli Wallace (David Blue) are trying to figure out what the 9th chevron is supposed to be. They’ve had the eight symbols for quite some time (it took two years to find the correct properties for the site of the Icarus Base), but the Point of Origin, or 9th chevron, remained an unknown. Rush believes the 9th chevron should be the one used for the Base, but Eli asserts that the 9th chevron should be Earth’s symbol because all of the symbols on the Stargate are the constellations as seen from Earth. Rush argues that the only viable power source that they found that could power the dialing of the 9th chevron is located on the planet that they’re on, not on Earth. Somehow, the results of this experiment and the sudden attack lead the entire base to evacuate to the Destiny rather than to Earth.

AIR PART 3 (Revised Writer’s Draft):

Collins is back on Earth and swaps bodies with Young via an Ancient communications stone, located in a communications lab at a Homeworld Security facility. There are guards standing nearby, and a person named Park is with Collins. The communications lab had previously interacted with Rush, who is stranded on the Destiny like Young is. Lieutenant Tamara Jon (“TJ”, formerly ranked at captain in the breakdowns) takes Collins and Park on a tour of the Destiny while they’re in Young’s and someone else’s bodies. Apparently, Young’s body was injured (possibly during the evacuation), but Collins insists on staying with his crew to help them in their situation, no matter how much pain he’s in.

Young, in Collins’ body back on Earth, is escorted to a low rent neighborhood apartment building. The reason for his visit there is not known, but he’s being escorted by Major Peterson, who is also acting as a liaison. They are there to meet a woman. (This scenario sounds very similar to that of Michael Smith’s in the previously-published audition sides and may be a rewrite. Smith visits his wife to tell her about his situation, but that he’ll do everything to get back home. Emily’s reaction indicates that she resents his secret assignment and is not going to wait for him.)

The stranded crew aboard the Destiny are desperately seeking a way to fix their air scrubbing system. They’ve sent a team to a desert planet to find lime, apparently an active ingredient in the compound the Ancients used. It is also possible that they are looking for an inhabitable new home if they can’t get the Destiny fixed.

More information about the show can be found at Stargate Universe guide in the Stargate Wiki. The Sci Fi Channel will be premiering the first two parts of “Air” in a two-hour movie in the Fall, and Part 3 will be shown later in the show’s regular hour timeslot.

The drafts used in the auditions don’t necessarily reflect the actual story, so spoilers are extremely subject to change as the episodes are in production.

SCI FI WIRE: Stargate Universe Moved to Fall Premiere

According to SCI FI WIRE in an article stating that Robert Carlyle will be joined by Justin Louis, David Blue, Brian J. Smith, and Jamil Walker Smith in the regular cast of Stargate Universe, fans of Stargate will now be waiting until the fall instead of July for twenty new Stargate stories.

This news follows Atlantis executive producer Joseph Mallozzi’s statement that if he were a betting man, the third Stargate SG-1 and the first Stargate Atlantis movies won’t be ready until 2010, rather than the hoped-for fall of 2009. The latest word is that the SG-1 movie, starring Richard Dean Anderson, will be filmed in the spring and the Atlantis movie will be shot in the summer. Depending on how these two movies will be released, a good ten months could possibly follow in post-production and marketing.

Stargate Universe will premiere with two hours of the three-part opener “Air”, which is written by series creators Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright. Filming the new show is expected to begin February 4, and more cast announcements are anticipated for the two female leads who will be portraying Tamara Johanson (aka Jon) and Chloe Walker.

It should be noted that the Sci Fi Channel has been known to change their schedule often, so it’s possible that things might again change. Please visit Solutions regularly for the latest news on the Stargate television and movie projects.

SGU: Brian J. Smith Cast as Lt. Matthew Scott

The casting announcements continue to come in for the new Stargate Universe, and this one originates with the exclusive given to Gateworld for the casting of Brian J. Smith as Lt. Matthew Scott (formerly known as Lt. Jared Nash and also Lt. Jared Scott).

According to his IMDb profile, Smith was born 12 October 1981 in Dallas, Texas, and at the age of 27 is close to the specified age for his character in the casting breakdowns issued late last year. Smith is a relative newcomer to television, but has had a fairly extensive stage career, having graduated from the Juilliard School of Drama in New York.

Smith’s character, Lt. Matthew Scott, was described as a “junior SGC team member. Officer material but green and rough around the edges. Every teenage girl’s fantasy. Like a college quarterback thrown into his first pro game, he is thrust into the role of leader well before he’s ready for the responsibility and must learn to take command, earn respect through action, and manage the diverse personalities on the ship to keep everyone alive. Like Jason Bourne, he is skilled and well-trained but mentally unprepared for the urgency of the situation.”

Scott is also a pilot and is the first person Col. Everett Young and Dr. Nicholas Rush (formerly known as Dr. David Rush, played by Robert Carlyle) think about to pilot the Ancient Shuttle found aboard the Destiny, the Ancient starship in which soldiers, civilians, and scientists associated with the Ninth Chevron Project find themselves stranded. Scott appears to be second in command after Col. Young, and as such, must become a leader much sooner than he ever imagined.

Stargate Universe will begin principal photography on February 4 and is due to make its Sci Fi Channel premiere in July.