Season three of Game of Thrones will premiere on March 31, 2013. If you watch other HBO series such as Boardwalk Empire or you have the Internets (thank you, Al Gore) then you probably already know this because although the premium cable network didn’t bother to issue a press release, they’ve been running this teaser trailer for about two months. And, again, yes we know… we’re late.
Yes, folks. ‘Real Steel’ is a reality.
Via Press Release:
December 04, 2012
SYFY’S 2013 WINTER PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTED BY SERIES PREMIERES OF GHOST MINE, ROBOT COMBAT LEAGUE, STRANDED AND CONTINUUM
SEASON RETURNS OF HITS BEING HUMAN, FACE OFF, TOTAL BLACKOUT, GHOST HUNTERS, LOST GIRL, HAUNTED COLLECTOR AND FINAL SEASON OF MERLIN
NEW YORK – December 4, 2012 – Syfy will kick off the New Year with a robust winter programming slate of hit series and new programs led by the series premieres of unscripted shows Ghost Mine (January 16), Robot Combat League (February 26) and Stranded (February 27), and the time-traveling police drama Continuum (January 14).
The popular series Merlin (January 4), Being Human (January 14), Lost Girl (January 14), Face Off (January 15), Total Blackout (January 15), Ghost Hunters (January 16) and Haunted Collector (March 6) will all return for new seasons.
Highlights of Syfy’s 2013 Winter Programming Schedule (All Times ET/PT)
JANUARY
MERLIN (SEASON 5 PREMIERE)
Returns Friday, January 4 at 10PM — With Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table at his side, Arthur has never felt stronger. But even as Camelot flowers, the seeds of its destruction are being sown. Merlin returns for its fifth season and final season of 13 all-new episodes with its core cast of Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, Richard Wilson and John Hurt, along with newest cast member Alexander Vlahos as Mordred. Special guest stars in season five include Lindsay Duncan (Alice in Wonderland), Janet Montgomery (Entourage), Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Josette Simon (Cry Freedom), Sophie Rundle (Episodes) and the return of Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Uther Pendragon. Merlin is produced by Shine TV Ltd and BBC Wales, and distributed by FremantleMedia Enterprises. Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy are co-creators and executive producers.
CONTINUUM (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)
Premieres Monday, January 14 at 8PM — The time-traveling police drama Continuum stars Rachel Nichols (Star Trek, Criminal Minds) as Kiera Cameron, a cop from the future who finds herself trapped in the present day. When a group of fanatical terrorists escapes their planned execution in 2077 by vaulting back in time to 2012, they inadvertently sweep along Kiera, a dedicated City Protective Services officer. With unexpected assistance from teen tech genius Alec Sadler, played by Erik Knudsen (Jericho, Scream 4), Kiera infiltrates the local police department and forms an uneasy alliance with her new partner, detective Carlos Fonnegra, portrayed by Victor Webster (Castle, Melrose Place). Though desperate to get back to her husband and son, Kiera concentrates on bringing down the terrorists before they change the course of history. Executive producers of Continuum are Simon Barry (The Art of War), Jeff King (Stargate SG-1, White Collar), Tom Rowe (Tin Man), Pat Williams (Smallville) and Reunion Pictures. Writer: Simon Barry. Director: Jon Cassar (24, Terra Nova).
BEING HUMAN (SEASON 3 PREMIERE)
Returns Monday, January 14 at 9PM – Syfy’s original series Being Human stars Sam Witwer as Aidan, Meaghan Rath as Sally and Sam Huntington as Josh with Kristen Hager as Nora, joining this year as a series regular. The season will consist of 13 episodes. In the Season 2 cliffhanger Aidan found himself six feet under after being banished and buried as punishment from vampire leader Mother. Sally became lost in a state of limbo and for Josh, events went horribly wrong when his plot to break the werewolf curse by killing his Maker Ray backfired, endangering Nora. Now, as the new season begins… be careful what you wish for! Season 3 also features a stellar lineup of new and returning guest stars including: Mark Pellegrino (Lost) as Aidan’s vampire mentor Bishop; Amy Aquino (Big Love, Harry’s Law, ER) as Donna, a witch whose supernatural spells are sought to help Sally; Xander Berkeley (24, Nikita) as Liam, the father of purebred werewolf twins who is intent on locating his missing children; Bobby Campo (Final Destination) as Max, a young mortician who develops a connection with Sally; and Kyle Schmid (Copper) returning as Aidan’s vampire protégé/”son” Henry. Season 2 of Being Human delighted both fans and new viewers, seeing its audience increase 10% over its first season. The second season averaged 2.115 million viewers per week. Being Human is a Muse Entertainment production in association with ZODIAK USA and is based on the acclaimed series created by Toby Whithouse and produced by Touchpaper. Executive producers are Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth), Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood) who is both writer and showrunner, Jeremy Carver (Supernatural), and Rob Pursey and Toby Whithouse. Irene Litinsky (Human Trafficking, The Phantom) is series producer.
LOST GIRL (SEASON 3 PREMIERE)
Returns Monday, January 14 at 10PM — The victory in the final battle of Season Two has created new alliances for Bo along with reinvigorating old enemies, like “The Morrigan,” played by Emmanuelle Vaugier (Two and a Half Men, Human Target), whom Bo crossed in an attempt to bring peace to the Faedom. Now Bo, who until now has refused to pick a side, will be forced to make a deadly decision. Among the guest stars will be Linda Hamilton (“Terminator”). Joining the Lost Girl cast this season is Rachel Skarsten (The Vow; Flashpoint) in a recurring role as “Tamsin,” a thrill-seeking, sexy new Fae who ruffles many feathers. Returning for season three are Kris Holden-Ried (The Tudors, Underworld 4) as “Dyson”; Ksenia Solo (Life Unexpected; Black Swan) as “Kenzi”; Zoie Palmer (The Guard, Instant Star) as “Lauren”; Rick Howland (Billable Hours, Murdoch Mysteries) as “Trick” and K.C. Collins (Owning Mahowny, Doomstown) as “Hale.” Lost Girl is a Prodigy Pictures Production in association with Shaw Media. Executive producers are Emily Andras, Plato Fountidakis, Paul Rapovski and Jay Firestone. Co-producer: Vanessa Piazza
FACE OFF (SEASON 4 PREMIERE)
Returns Tuesday, January 15 at 9PM — Hit competition series Face Off returns for its fourth season with a special 90-minute premiere episode. The new season features guest appearances from notables including Bryan Singer and Lightstorm’s Jon Landau. Dwight D. Smith, Michael Agbabian and Derek Atherton of Mission Control Media will return as executive producers. Face Off is a competition/elimination series exploring the world of special-effects make-up artists and the unlimited imagination that allows them to create amazing works of living art. McKenzie Westmore hosts. Judging the Face Off competition are some of the most renowned names in the SFX world — three-time Academy Award winner Ve Neill, famed special make-up effects artist Glenn Hetrick and feature film creature designer Neville Page. In a surprising new twist, the contestants will have a mentor. Joining the series this season will be world-renowned Hollywood makeup artist Michael Westmore. Westmore is a member of a makeup dynasty that dates back to Hollywood’s golden age. Westmore has earned a record 42 Emmy nominations and nine wins. The Motion Picture Academy has honored him with four nominations and the Oscar in 1986 for his artistry on the film Mask starring Cher and Eric Stoltz. In addition, Westmore supervised 18 years of Star Trek. He is also the proud father of Face Off host McKenzie Westmore.
TOTAL BLACKOUT (ALL NEW EPISODES)
Returns Tuesday, January 15 at 10:30PM (SPECIAL TIME) — Hosted by Jaleel White (Family Matters), Total Blackout resumes its second season at the special time of 10:30PM after the 90-minute, season four premiere of Face Off. The following Tuesday, January 22, Total Blackout returns to its regular 10PM time slot. In the premiere episode of the half-hour extreme game show. four teams must overcome their imaginations as they attempt to identify four skin-crawling items placed in tanks, using only their sense of touch. Those who survive must move on to the Walk of Terror, where items below their feet aren’t always what they seem. The final two remaining teams are then tasked with collecting mouse traps hidden amongst unknown objects set inside creepy coffins in order to win the $5,000 prize. The international hit series is produced by FremantleMedia North America (American Idol, The X Factor) and was created by Henrik Nielsen (Can You Duet?, Danish versions of The X Factor, Got Talent and Pop Idol). Nielsen and Scott St. John (Deal or No Deal, America’s Got Talent, The Choice) are executive producers and Noah Bonnett (101 Ways to Leave a Game Show, BrainSurge) is co-executive producer.
GHOST HUNTERS (SEASON 9 PREMIERE)
Returns Wednesday, January 16 at 9PM — Ghost Hunters, Syfy’s longest-running unscripted series, returns for a ninth season. To kick off the 16 all-new episodes, TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) – led by Jason Hawes – heads out West to investigate some of the most (in)famously haunted locations in California and the Midwest. They’ll continue to travel around the country throughout the season, using their investigative expertise to bring aid and comfort to clients at both public institutions and private homes alike. Ghost Hunters is produced for Syfy by Craig Piligian’s Pilgrim Studios (Dirty Jobs, The Ultimate Fighter, Top Shot). Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Mike Nichols and Alan David, serve as executive producers.
GHOST MINE (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)
Premieres Wednesday, January 16 at 10PM — Forgotten in the remote woods of Oregon is one of the richest gold mines in the United States that was abandoned 80 years ago when a series of tragedies gave it an infamous reputation for being haunted. Now, a new owner has decided to take on the notorious legend and reopen the mine, assembling a rag-tag group of miners – both seasoned and new – to battle the elements in hopes of finding their fortune and teaming them with a pair of experienced paranormal investigators. In each of the six hour-long episodes, this strong-willed and historically superstitious group of miners will face the day-to-day challenges of mining, aided by the paranormal investigators who unravel the mysteries surrounding the mine, including historic Masonic connections and a spirit who has been known to haunt the area for generations. Ghost Mine is produced by 51 Minds with Mark Cronin (Celebrity Paranormal Project, Flavor of Love, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels), Dave Caplan and Jay Bluemke (Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters Academy) serving as Executive Producers.
TASMANIAN DEVIL (NEW ORIGINAL MOVIE)
Premieres Saturday, January 19 at 9PM – In Tasmanian Devil, starring Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) and Olympian medalist Apolo Ohno, a group of daredevil base jumpers in New Zealand confront oversized Tasmanian devils determined to kill them.
ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN (NEW ORIGINAL MOVIE)
Premieres Saturday, January 26 at 9PM – In Abominable Snowman, friends go on a snowy adventure and come face to face with a deadly creature. The movie stars Adrian Paul (Highlander) and Chuck Campbell (Stargate: Atlantis).
FEBRUARY
ROBOT COMBAT LEAGUE (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)
Premieres Tuesday, February 26 at 10PM – Now, through ground-breaking engineering, the fusion of a human’s fighting spirit with a powerful machine built for destruction has become reality in Robot Combat League. This gripping new high-octane unscripted series puts a 21st century spin on gladiatorial combat with tournament-style battle between eight-feet tall, state-of-the-art humanoid robots whose movements are controlled by exo-suit clad human “robo-jockeys.” Twelve teams of two contestants – a fighter (the “robo-jockey”) and a robotics engineer (the “robo-tech”) – are paired with unique robots that clash in the ring for three rounds of intense action, with the winning team advancing in the tournament. Robot Combat League is hosted by Chris Jericho, the famed WWE wrestler and multifaceted performer. Mark Setrakian (Hellboy, Men in Black, The Grinch) created and designed the robots. Robot Combat League is produced by Smart Dog Media, with Craig Plestis serving as executive producer.
STRANDED (NEW ORIGINAL SERIES)
Premieres Wednesday, February 27 at 10PM — Ping Pong Productions (Destination Truth, Finding Bigfoot) joins forces with Josh Gates (star of Syfy’s travel-adventure series Destination Truth) and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse (Paranormal Activity, The River) to create Stranded, an all-new six-episode reality series that documents an unconventional – and terrifying – paranormal and psychological experiment. Each hour-long episode features the self-recorded footage of a diverse group of every-day paranormal enthusiasts – from newlyweds and a brother-in-law to a trio of roommates. Each team of three will be stranded at one of the most haunted locations in America and record the entire experience with hand-held cameras. The footage from the subjects’ cameras will be supplemented by strategically-placed security cameras at each location, creating a suspenseful, completely unscripted first-hand account of each group’s stay. Over the course of the confinement, the subjects contend with increasingly pervasive feelings of fear and desolation, resulting in an experiment that represents a unique combination of psychology and the paranormal. Stranded is executive produced by Brad Kuhlman, Casey Brumels and Josh Gates (who also serves as showrunner) for Ping Pong Productions and Jason Blum for Blumhouse (the production company behind the Paranormal Activity feature film franchise and movies like Insidious and Sinister). Gerard Bocaccio who heads up Blumhouse TV will be a consultant on the project.
MARCH
HAUNTED COLLECTOR (SEASON 3 PREMIERE)
Returns Wednesday, March 6 at 9PM — Haunted Collector, which demonstrated significant viewership gains during its second season by jumping 18 percent in Adults 18-49, returns with 12 all-new episodes in season three. Eminent paranormal collector John Zaffis and his team of investigators respond to SOS calls from around the country by individuals and businesses who’ve been terrorized by items that have been taken over by paranormal spirits and/or energy. Through careful research, Zaffis works with the owner to find the best solution to the ghostly problem, such as returning the item to its owner, burying the object in its place of origin or storing it in his paranormal museum in Stratford, Connecticut. Haunted Collector is produced by Gurney Productions. Executive producers are Scott Gurney and Deirdre Gurney.
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 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
Via Press Release:
December 14, 2012
MERLIN RETURNS FOR FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON ON SYFY WITH 13 ALL-NEW EPISODES BEGINNING FRIDAY, JANUARY 4 AT 10PM
SYFY VENTURES LAUNCHES MERLIN: THE GAME
NEW YORK – December 14, 2012 – Syfy will say good-bye to Camelot when the fifth and final season of Merlin returns Friday, January 4 at 10PM (ET/PT) with 13 all-new episodes.
As season five opens, Camelot is at the height of its golden age. With Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table at his side, Arthur has never felt stronger. But even as Camelot flowers, the seeds of its destruction are being sown. As the forces of darkness gather, only Merlin stands between Arthur and a fate that has been written since the dawn of time.
Merlin returns with its core cast of Colin Morgan (Merlin), Bradley James (Arthur), Katie McGrath (Morgana), Angel Coulby (Gwen), Richard Wilson (Gaius) and John Hurt (Voice of the Dragon), along with newest cast member Alexander Vlahos as Mordred.
Special guest stars in season five include Lindsay Duncan (Alice in Wonderland), Janet Montgomery (Entourage), Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Josette Simon (Cry Freedom), Sophie Rundle (Episodes) and the return of Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Uther Pendragon.
Merlin is produced by Shine TV Ltd and BBC Wales, and distributed by FremantleMedia Enterprises. Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy are co-creators and executive producers.
Syfy Ventures, in partnership with Bossa Studios, also announced the U.S. launch of the official Merlin game under the Syfy Games label. Merlin: The Game — syfy.merlingame.com — is an exciting role-playing game that enables viewers to aid Merlin and Arthur in completing quests, defending the realm and exploring the exciting world of Albion. Gamers can become engrossed in the Arthurian legend as Merlin commands them and six of their best friends to embark on a magical adventure to become the Heroes of Camelot.
Merlin: The Game is the latest addition to the Syfy Games portfolio of games targeting genre fans and core gamers.
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 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
Things are taking off right now for video game software giant Ubisoft and Tom Hardy. Just last month we reported that Michael Fassbender had been recently tapped to star in the film adaptation of the popular Ubisoft video game series Assassin’s Creed, and in November, it’s finally been announced that Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell will be hitting the big screen, as well, with Tom Hardy cast in what can only assumed to be the role of the series’ main protagonist, the gruff super-spy/assassin, Sam Fisher (voiced by fan-favorite, Michael Ironside in the games). Eric Warren Singer (The International) will pen the script.
Hardy, who you can’t back out of your driveway without seeing nowadays, has been one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood for the past couple of years with hits such as Warrior, Lawless, This Means War, Inception, and of course, he was the main villain Bane in this summer’s blockbuster finale to the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises will be assuming the iconic SciFi role made famous by Mel Gibson in Mad max: Fury Road which will be released next summer. He’s a perfect fit for the role of Sam Fisher and like Fassbender, he brings a level of credibility to the project that video game-adaptations have often lacked. To put it simply, if it’s going to be crap, he wouldn’t attach his name to it, because he doesn’t need to the paycheck. As exciting as the addition of Hardy is, it also can’t be understated how cool the addition of Warren is. If you’ve seen The International you know that this guy can certainly write a spy-thriller in his sleep.
Jean-Julien Baronnet, chief executive officer, Ubisoft Motion Pictures:
“Tom Hardy is one of the biggest talents in the film industry, and he has a phenomenal ability to take on complex and varied roles with his broad range of acting skills. His involvement in the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell movie is exciting news for movie and video game fans alike. In addition, Eric Singer is one of the most talented writers today. We’re confident he’ll bring a fresh approach and create a thrilling story for the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell movie, while still respecting all the codes and traditions of the franchise that are so important to fans.”
Sometimes all I can say is, “Wow” because I’m just speechless. This is definitely one of those times. Simon Pegg announced the other day that there would be a teaser trailer for the new J.J. Abrams film Star Trek: Into Darkeness, the sequel to 2009’s blockbuster hit Star Trek,on Thursday and true to his word, at 12:00 a.m., this one-minute-and-six-seconds of awesomeness was released.
Guess why I don’t think he’s Khan (Besides the fact that he’s British).
Now, for the record, as you may or may not know (scroll down and read my bio if there is some confusion), I am a huge Trek Fan but when I saw the first film, although I was impressed by the visuals and the more contemporary and inclusive approach to the franchise, I felt the story left a lot to be desired and I had that feeling going into it because I knew they were going to spend half of the film as an “origins story.” I only gave the film a 7.5/10. This sequel appears to be a lot different. Established characters and a strong plot led by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) as the terrifyingly haunting (as of yet, unnamed) villain (and I don’t think it’s Khan only because of the description from Paramount and the pic to the right) make even this little snippet of a trailer look far more epic in scale and story than the first film.
Dr. Carol Marcus, perhaps?
Oh, and who is that unnamed pretty blonde played by Alice Eve? Could that possibly be Dr. Carol Marcus? And did we mention that his awesomeness, Peter Weller (Robocop) is also in this and not to mention Nathan Drake himself, Nolan North (Sony Playstation 3’s Uncharted video game series). Cool stuff, indeed.
Star Trek: Into Darkness opens May 17, 2013.
When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew. – Paramount
As we predicted last year with the announcement of the Blu-ray release of Star Trek The Next Generation, CBS has announced that the next series in the franchise to be released on the high-definition format would be Star Trek: Enterprise. If you don’t recall, we said this was a no-brainer simply due to the fact the series was produced entirely in full-HD resolution from beginning to end so the process to produce the series in Blu-ray would seem to require a minimal amount of work compared to its other counterparts which would require a recompositing of their standard definition elements in HD. The only complication to the process would be producing the DTS-HD MA track that will no doubt be a part of the offering, but then again, there’s only four seasons of ENT as opposed to seven of TNG. So, this being said, never doubt our awesome powers.
For those inevitibly butt-hurt Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fans who are going to whine about how their show should be the priority, you have to think outside the box a bit on this one. The TNG Blu-ray release has done very well so far and is expected to keep growing but the release of all seven seasons has been spaced out over the course of almost two years. There has been no announcement as to when the remastered series will find its way to weekly syndication or on digital platforms so for right now, the cashflow and capital required to keep these Trek HD projects projects going is at a bit of a trickle. It simply makes sense to kickstart the revenue flow with an easier and far less expensive product to produce like ENT to keep the projects funded without deficits (or with significantly lower deficits) and to keep the ball rolling on them.
Do we have any proof that this is the thought-process of the big cheeses over at CBS Television Distribution? Nope, it’s purely speculative, but we know how businesses and cashflow works.
To celebrate the Blu-ray release of ENT, StarTrek. com is giving fans the opportunity to choose their favorite cover for the new sets on Facebook. Go here to cast your vote!
Here are the options:
Sign me up for this soundtrack.
Via Press Release:
STARZ TEAMS UP WITH CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED COMPOSER BEAR MCCREARY FOR ANTICIPATED ADVENTURE SERIES “DA VINCI’S DEMONS”
Los Angeles, CA – November 13, 2012 – Starz Entertainment and BBC Worldwide Productions announced today that groundbreaking composer Bear McCreary (“The Walking Dead,” “Battlestar Galactica”) will serve as the musical composer for the upcoming historical fantasy “Da Vinci’s Demons,” which will premiere on STARZ in the U.S. and will be distributed by BBC Worldwide in international territories in Spring 2013. The eight-episode series, written by David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Man of Steel) who also directed the first two episodes, follows the ‘untold’ story of the world’s greatest genius, Leonardo da Vinci, during his turbulent youth in Renaissance Florence.
Goyer commented, “I’ve been a fan of Bear’s since hearing his score for ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ which was inspired and unexpected. We wanted something similarly grand, but unconventional for ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’.”
Emmy® Award nominated, McCreary is one of the leading musical composers in television and has worked on some of the most successful shows in the medium. At the age of 24, he received widespread acclaim for his groundbreaking score to SyFy’s hit series “Battlestar Galactica,” for which he composed, “the most innovative music on TV today,” according to Variety. He was declared as one of the “Ten Best Science Fiction Composers of All Time,” by io9.com, listing him alongside legends John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith and Bernard Herrmann.
McCreary’s recent credits include AMC’s smash hit, “ His score for the FOX series “Human Target” featured the largest orchestra ever assembled in the history of series television and earned him his first Emmy® nomination. McCreary’s many other credits include: “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” “Eureka,” “Caprica,” “Trauma” and “The Cape.” His feature film work includes the upcoming Knights of Badassdom (starring Peter Dinklage and Summer Glau) and his videogame credits include Sony’s successful SOCOM 4: U.S. NAVY SEALs. With degrees in composition and recording arts from the prestigious Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, McCreary’s professional training came from film music legend Elmer Bernstein (The Magnificent Seven, The Ten Commandments). He has also conducted orchestral performances of his music in North America and Europe and has been invited to conduct at film music festivals such as Fimucité in Tenerife and the International Film Music Festival in Úbeda, Spain. The Walking Dead,” on which he collaborated with writer / director Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) and producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator).
“Da Vinci’s Demons” will star Tom Riley, who has received wide critical acclaim in the UK for his performances in theater, film and on television and was nominated by the Drama Desk Awards for his performance in the 2011 Tony® Award nominated Broadway play, “Arcadia.” Riley’s co-stars include Laura Haddock (The Inbetweeners Movie, “Honest,” Captain America: The First Avenger) who plays the celebrated beauty with obscure motives, Lucrezia Donati; Elliot Cowan (“Marchlands,” “The Fixer,” “Lost in Austen”) who plays the shrewd de factor ruler of Florence, Lorenzo Medici; and Lara Pulver (“True Blood,” “Sherlock,” “Robin Hood”), who plays his wife Clarice Orsini. David S. Goyer, co-writer of blockbuster and critically-acclaimed films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and writer of the upcoming Man of Steel, is showrunner. Julie Gardner is Executive Producer, along with BBC Worldwide Productions’ Head Jane Tranter. The series is currently in production in Wales.
About Starz Entertainment
Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 17 premium channels including the flagship STARZ®and ENCORE® brands with approximately 20.8 million and 34.3 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands. Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LMCA).
About BBC Worldwide Productions
BBC Worldwide Productions is one of five core businesses under BBC Worldwide America, the U.S. division of the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), BBC Worldwide. Led by Jane Tranter, BBC Worldwide Productions is based in Los Angeles and develops and produces scripted and non-scripted projects for U.S. cable and broadcast networks, as well as digital platforms. The production company is responsible for various titles currently on air and in production including Da Vinci’s Demons (Starz), Criminal Justice (HBO), Getting On(HBO), Top Gear (HISTORY), Torchwood: Miracle Day (Starz) Breaking Pointe (CW), Richard Hammond’s Crash Course (BBC AMERICA), What Not to Wear (TLC), The Week the Women Went(Lifetime) and the cultural phenomenon, Dancing with the Stars (ABC).
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Via Press Release:
SYFY WILL PREMIERE NEW ORIGINAL SERIES CONTINUUM MONDAY, JANUARY 14 AT 8PM
TIME TRAVELING POLICE DRAMA IS CANADA’S HIGHEST-RATED SCRIPTED BASIC CABLE SERIES
NEW YORK – November 12, 2012 – Joining recent original series acquisitions such as the hit Lost Girl and the upcoming Primeval: New Worldand Sinbad, Syfy today announced it will premiere the time traveling police drama Continuum – Canada’s highest-rated scripted basic cable series – beginning Monday, January 14 at 8PM (ET/PT).
Continuum stars Rachel Nichols (Criminal Minds, Alias) as Kiera Cameron, a cop from the future who finds herself trapped in the present day. When a group of fanatical terrorists escapes their planned execution in 2077 by vaulting back in time to 2012, they inadvertently sweep along Kiera, a dedicated City Protective Services officer.
With unexpected assistance from teen tech genius Alec Sadler, played by Erik Knudsen (Jericho, Scream 4), Kiera infiltrates the local police department and forms an uneasy alliance with her new partner, detective Carlos Fonnegra, portrayed by Victor Webster (Castle, Melrose Place). Though desperate to get back to her husband and son, Kiera concentrates on bringing down the terrorists before they change the course of history.
The January 14 premiere of Continuum will lead into the third season premieres of Syfy’s hit series Being Human at 9PM and Lost Girl at 10PM.
Executive producers of Continuum are Simon Barry (The Art of War), Jeff King (Stargate SG-1, White Collar), Tom Rowe (Tin Man), Pat Williams (Smallville), and Reunion Pictures. Writer: Simon Barry. Director: Jon Cassar (24, Terra Nova).
In addition to the first two seasons for on-air, Syfy has also acquired the U.S. home entertainment rights to Continuum. Universal Studios Home Entertainment will handle the DVD distribution and are targeting a DVD release shortly after the season finale on Syfy.
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 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)
Via Press Release:
THE FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON OF “FRINGE”
CONCLUDES WITH A TWO-HOUR SERIES FINALE,
INCLUDING THE 100TH EPISODE,
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, ON FOX
Climactic Nine-Episode Countdown Continues with an All-New Episode Tonight
November 2, 2012 – As the Fringe team fights for humanity’s future in the fifth and final season, the imaginative journey toward the end of the acclaimed series will culminate in a climactic conclusion during the two-hour final-two-episodes event Friday, Jan. 18 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. This milestone date will also celebrate the series’ 100th episode.
Series Co-Creator and Executive Producer J.J. Abrams reflected on the show’s run: “It has been an absolute honor to have been a part of the weird and wonderful world of FRINGE. I will always owe the cast and crew for pouring their hearts and souls into every dimension of this series. Creating the show with Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman was a joy, but watching it evolve over the years into such an imaginative, insane and heartbreaking ride is nothing less than a thrill. I am grateful to our blessed fans, and to Kevin Reilly and Peter Rice and everyone at the glorious Fox network for allowing FRINGE to reach its bittersweet conclusion.”
Executive producer and showrunner J. H. Wyman said, “Above all else, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to personally thank everyone involved with FRINGE. From the most amazing fans, to our incredible cast, writers and crew, and our wonderful partners at FOX and Warner Bros. – we would not be here without you. It simply cannot be overstated how grateful I am for the ongoing and unconditional support we have received over the past five seasons. It has been both mind-blowing and humbling. I’ve always been a fan of science fiction, and to be able to tell this story about a family – a family that, through everything, fought together for survival – has been a highlight of my career. As we approach the final chapter, I can hardly believe it, and I’m just truly thankful for this unparalleled experience.”
“FRINGE has truly imagined the impossibilities over its five seasons and will go down in the books as one of FOX’s most riveting and creatively brilliant series,” said Kevin Reilly, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “It has been a blast to work with J.J., Joel and their masterful creative teams, as well as with Anna, Josh and John and the rest of the most talented cast and crew in the business.”
Throughout FRINGE’s thrilling five seasons, the series has followed Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (Anna Torv), enlisted institutionalized “fringe” scientist WALTER BISHOP (John Noble) and his globe-trotting, jack-of-all-trades son, PETER (Joshua Jackson) as the Fringe team explored mysterious occurrences linked between parallel universes, doppelgängers, Observers and unimaginable threats. The unlikely trio supervised by Special Agent PHILLIP BROYLES (Lance Reddick) and assisted by ASTRID FARNSWORTH (Jasika Nicole) – often led them to science and technological corporation Massive Dynamic, founded by WILLIAM BELL (guest star Leonard Nimoy), and its enigmatic chief executive, NINA SHARP (Blair Brown).
The fifth and final flash-forward season of FRINGE is set in 2036, when the “Observers” have become ruthless rulers of a dystopian society. As the battle for the world’s future continues to unfold, the Fringe team is in the midst of making its final stand to save humanity. In the aftermath of the devastating loss of Peter and Olivia’s daughter, ETTA (guest star Georgina Haig), the intensity escalates as the combat continues and Peter makes a pivotal and game-changing move in the all-new “An Origin Story” episode airing tonight (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Created by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, FRINGE is produced by Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Abrams, Bryan Burk and J.H. Wyman serve as executive producers, while Akiva Goldsman is a consulting producer. “Like” FRINGE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Fringe. Follow the series on Twitter @FRINGEonFOX and join the discussion at #fringe.
-FOX-
What better way to celebrate Christmas Day after all the presents are opened, you’ve visited your friends and family and finally settled down at the end of the day then to enjoy the latest adventure with your favorite time-traveling Time Lord and his newest companion? we certainly cam’t think of any and if you haven’t seen any of the Doctor Who Christmas specials in the past, you are in for a treat. Last year’s The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe was by far the best of the lot and just a fantastic adventure for the whole family. Below is the announcement on BBC America’s website regarding the latest entry following that is the press release providing all sorts of cool news about the upcoming second have to season seven.
From BBC America:
Following the epic mid-season finale, the Doctor gets in the holiday spirit in the all-new Christmas special written by lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat (Sherlock). Accompanied by his newest companion, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman, the Doctor’s latest adventure through space and time sees him once again crossing paths with the homo-reptilian Silurian Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh) and her cohort Jenny (Catrin Stewart). The Doctor Who Christmas Special premieres December 25, 9:00pm ET. Twitter: #DoctorWho
Via Press Release:
Nov 07, 2012 | BBC AMERICA
BBC AMERICA CONFIRMS CYBERMEN AND STELLAR CAST FOR DOCTOR WHO IN 2013
BBC AMERICA confirms that the Cybermen will be menacing the universe once again when Doctor Who returns for a run of eight epic episodes in spring, 2013. The iconic enemies will be featured in an adventure directed by Stephen Woolfenden and written by the acclaimed Neil Gaiman whose previous Doctor Who episode, “The Doctor’s Wife,” garnered a Hugo Award.
Starring Matt Smith as the Doctor and Jenna-Louise Coleman as the new companion, the episode co-stars Warwick Davis (Life’s Too Short, Harry Potter), Tamzin Outhwaite (EastEnders, Law & Order: UK) and Jason Watkins (Being Human, Twenty Twelve) as a band of misfits on a mysterious planet…
Steven Moffat, Lead Writer and Executive Producer, told us, “Cybermen were always the monsters that scared me the most! Not just because they were an awesome military force, but because sometimes they could be sleek and silver and right behind you without you even knowing.” He added, “And with one of the all-time classic monsters returning, and a script from one of our finest novelists, it’s no surprise we have attracted such stellar names as Tamzin, Jason and Warwick.”
The Cybermen last appeared in 2011’s “Closing Time,” but debuted in 1966 opposite William Hartnell’s Doctor in the classic “The Tenth Planet.” Over the years they have proven constant in their attempts to terrorize the Time Lord, invade our planet and destroy humanity… Secrecy surrounds all future adventures but we can’t wait to find out more about the Cybermen’s latest deadly gambit.
Doctor Who returns to BBC AMERICA on December 25 for the Christmas Special and is back for a run of eight episodes in spring, 2013.
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