Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost, Heroes, Smallville, Doctor Who + more March 7, 2009
by Rosario T. Calabria , Filed under: Sci-Fi , trackback
Watchmen continues to dominate in theaters and in genre news this week, but we also have updates on the upcoming films in the Terminator, Tron, Tranformers (and even Mad Max) Franchises. In TV news we have news on who is coming back next season (Smallville & Heroes) and who probably isn’t (sorry Knight Rider fans), plus a new TARDIS for Who? All that and the usual TV and movie previews and images…all below.
MOVIE NEWS
Watchmen Opening Weekend: $55M+ And Other Odds and Ends
Zack Snyder’s did strong business for Warner Bros., pulling in an estimated $4.6 million from midnight screenings and finishing off its first day with a solid $25.1 million from a record — for an R-rated movie — 3,611 theaters. While that’s a lower first-day gross than Snyder’s last film "300" — which took in $28.1 million on its first day en route to a March record $70.8 million opening — it’s still an impressive tally for an R-rated picture, especially one with such a long runtime (2 hours and 40 minutes). While it’s hard to estimate a full weekend from just one day’s gross, most analysts expect the film to top out at around $55-60 million. Of course, a strong Saturday haul, instead of an expected dip, could significantly alter it’s gross but the long run time is not boding well for a higher gross. io9 has some excellent coverage of the film, here are a few bites you might be interested in checking out:
- Interview with Billy Crudup (Jon Osterman/Dr. Manhattan). [io9]
- Snyder talks about the type of movie the studio initially wanted, specifically about how they wanted to take it out of the 80s and into modern times. [io9]
- What didn’t make the translation from graphic novel to big screen? [io9]
And to close out this week’s "Watchmen" coverage, we leave you with the following new videos, beginning with a neat bit of marketing courtesy the film’s international distributor, Paramount Pictures and ending with a look at the film’s opening title sequence:
Dr. Manhattan brought to life in London [details and more videos at /Film]
Character profile TV spots [watch the other five: Rorschach, Ozymandias, Nite Owl II, Silk Spectre II and The Comedian -- also posted at NBC.com/Watchmen]
Viral: World In Focus: 6 Minutes to Midnight
COMEDY: Hitler’s reaction upon learning the changed ending
Opening Title Sequence
More:
McG Explains the Title of Terminator Salvation
During a group interview at WonderCon last week, McG offered reporters more insight into "Terminator Salvation" including how the film will stay away from comedy and the basis behind the word ‘Salvation’ in the title. Here’s an excerpt courtesy SCI FI Wire on the latter bit (SPOILERS):
What does the "salvation" in the title mean?
McG: Salvation, you know, is just sort of forgiveness for sins, all right? And we start this picture with Marcus [Sam Worthington] committing a rather substantial infraction. In fact, he’s ultimately put to death, which is how he ends up with some metal rods in his body. And he learns that people—he doesn’t believe that—but he learns from hanging out with these people that everybody deserves a second chance. Look around this table—where would any of us be without a second chance? You know what I mean? And he’s slow to understand that, but that’s effectively the expression of salvation, and that’s why we elected that to be the title of the picture. …
Head on over to SCI FI Wire for much more. Also, the third theatrical trailer for the film was released a few days ago. Watch it below [watch the HD version at Yahoo].
Mad Max 4: Animated 3D?
Director George Miller tells MTV that a fourth installment in the "Mad Max" movie, but it’ll differ significantly from the franchise’s predecessors. The site reports that Miller is "resurrecting the idea as an R-rated, stereoscopic anime flick for theatrical release." Miller says he’s "always loved anime…" and it’s something he’s "…always wanted to do." Read the rest of the interview at MTV.
Tron 2.0 Plot Details + Soundtrack News
Described as a "trustworthy" and "reliable tipster" AICN has new details for "Tron 2.0" (whose title will contain a colon, something like TRON: _______). The tipster reports that story takes place 25 years after the original film:
The movie starts in 1989. Kevin Flynn (Bridges) has created some of the world’s top selling games based on his Game Grid challenges in the first film, and has marketed the hell out of what he saw there (action figures, Recognizer night lights, yadda yadda yadda).
Head on over to AICN to read the full report. In other "Tron" news, Billboard has confirmed that Daft Punk will be scoring the soundtrack to the movie.
Cast for Snyder’s Next Film, Sucker Punch
Described as "’Alice in Wonderland’ with machine guns", the all-female cast for Zack Snyder’s next project "Sucker Punch" is filling out. Amanda Seyfried is in negotiations to star as the lead role of Baby Doll, described by Entertainment Weekly as "a young woman who has been committed to an insane asylum and fantasizes about escaping with the help of her fellow inmates, who take on fantastical roles in her mind." The other roles in the film will be played by Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Evan Rachel Wood and Emma Stone.
Weaving Returning as Megatron, Bay Finally Confirms Character Is Back
Hugo Weaving was interviewed by the Australian newspaper The Advertiser (via io9) and revealed that he’s already recorded the voice of Megatron for "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen". Asked by the paper how the character can return when he was killed in the first movie, Weaving responds: "I think in the last one, doesn’t Optimus Prime pick up a little bit of, a shard of the cube, or the thing that’s left, and he takes it with him. Maybe there’s something there… but I don’t know. [Laughs]". The reveal by Weaving has forced director Michael Bay to finally confirm what has been suspected — and separately confirmed last week by writer Roberto Orci — for some time: Megatron is back.
"Okay cat is out of the bag. Megatron is back —– but you will only get to see him from the long lost past. We go way back in time as this movie explains the mythology of the Primes. He is not a tank like everyone suggests, but an alien vehicle. But sadly he does not has much screen time."
NEW IMAGES
Dragonball Evolution [DB The Movie]
H2
First images of Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) on the set [three more images at STYD]
Pandorum
Poster (from WonderCon 2009) [Latino Review]
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Character photos [six total at USA Today]
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool [Superhero Hype!]
NEW VIDEOS
Dragonball Evolution
Japanese TV spots [two others at DB The Movie]
Featurette: includes new clips, interviews with cast and crew and behind-the-scenes footage [DB The Movie]
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Theatrical Trailer #2 [HD Version]
Pandorum
Teaser trailer
Up
Theatrical Trailer #2 [HD Version]
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Final trailer
MOVIE BITES
- Warner Bros. has set a April 16, 2010 release date for music video-turned film director Samuel Bayer’s "A Nightmare on Elm Street" remake. [via Box Office Mojo]
- South By Southwest has announced that Sam Raimi will premiere a work-in-progress print of Sam Raimi’s "Drag Me To Hell". [/Film]
- The rumor that Judd Aptow would be producing "Ghostbusters 3" has been debunked. [LA Times]
- For the next few weeks, director Alex Proyas ("Knowing", "The Crow" and "Dark City") will be a guest blogger at film site /Film.
- Producers Ray Haboush and Brian Yuzna are working on a 3D remake of the original "Re-Animator" film. [STYD]
- Chris Columbus’ 1492 Entertainment has picked up the film rights to the IDW horror graphic novel "Welcome to Hoxford". [Variety]
- Universal Pictures will distribute Matt Damon’s Philip K. Dick adaptation of "Adjustement Bureau". [Variety]
CASTING BITES
- "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" beauty Megan Fox is in final negotiations to star opposite Josh Brolin and John Malkovich in "Jonah Hex", WB’s action western based on the DC Comics character. Fox will play Brolin’s (Hex) love interest Leila…
- …Fox is also attached to star and develop "Fathom", Fox Atomic’s comic-book based underwater adventure. [THR]
- Walt Disney Pictures has cast Alfred Molina as an evil sorcerer in "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice". The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced film stars Nicolas Cage as the lead sorcerer and Jay Baruchel as Cage’s apprentice. [/Film]
- Leonardo DiCaprio has been tapped to star in Christopher Nolan’s original sci-fi action film "Inception". Written and directed by Nolan, the film is described as a contemporary sci-fi action film set within "the architecture of the mind." [THR]
- Keira Knightly has been cast to star in the cloning-themed love story "Never Let Me Go". [Variety]
TV NEWS
Heroes Will Return for Fourth Season + Bryan Fuller on Season Three Finale
Despite as stretch of series low ratings, NBC entertainment president Angela Bonstad tells THR that "Heroes" is in no way "on the bubble" of shows in danger of cancellation and the network is expected to renew it for a fourth season, albeit at a reduced 18-20 episode order. Apparently one thing the show still has going for itself is international appeal, something Bromstad says she experienced first hand in her prior job role of head of NBC international: “Every single place you go has heard about ‘Heroes’ — whether you’re in China or Japan or Russia,” she said. “And to me, that is global content.” However, Bromstad also admitted that the network has discussed setting an end-date for the series, ala "Lost" and "Battlestar Galactica", but even still, they don’t plan for season four to be the show’s last. Also, producer Bryan Fuller tells EW.com that the season finale will set "up arcs for a variety of characters", especially Claire and the Petrelli’s.
"We set all the pieces up in terms of Claire’s attitude and what her trajectory is going to be in season 4. You will have a very strong idea by the end of this season’s final episode where Claire is going and what’s going to be happening with the Petrellis."
Rounding out this week’s "Heroes" news (first two via EW.com):
- There are three deaths expected by the end of the season: two for real and one fakeout.
- In terms of next season, they are planning an origin story type episode for Angela Petrelli: "We’re going to understand her in a way that we hadn’t before," teases Fuller.
- Katherine Boecher ("Mad Men", "Supernatural") has been cast in the role of Alena, a Russian call girl. Boecher’s character will be involved with Matt Parkman (Greg Grunberg). [OK! Magazine]
- Ali Larter talks about episode 20 "Cold Snap", which is a Tracy-centric episode and is returning producer Bryan Fuller’s first since he came back to the show. [E! Online]
- We’ll also learn the identity of Rebel in "Cold Snap". [The ODI]
And here’s the promo for episode 19, "Shades of Grey"
Knight Rider Likely Canceled
While "Heroes" appears to be sticking around, another NBC series isn’t as likely to. TV Guide is reporting that "Knight Rider" will not be returning for a second season. The season one finale last Wednesday drew 5.68 million viewers and a 1.7 A18-49 rating. That’s a decline of a 23 and 32 percent, respectively, from its September premiere (7.35M viewers and a 2.5 A18-49 rating). NBC had no comment about the report.
Smallville Season Eight and Nine Bites
Here are some news bites for season eight, and nine, of The CW’s "Smallville" [SPOILERS]:
- Two characters will die, for good, in the season finale : "These characters will die and they will stay dead…This is the real deal." [EW.com]
- Wrestler Matt Morgan has been cast to play Doomsday on the series in season nine. [via OSCK]
- The Legion will make a return for the season finale, which will focus on a manhunt for Chole and Doomsday [EW.com]
Images and promo for episode 15, "Infamous
Promo images [14 more at KryptonSite]
CW TV promo
Doctor Who Casting and 2009 Special #2 News + Tardis Redesign?
Model Gemma Chan will be playing a character named Mia Bennett in the second "Doctor Who" special which has now been confirmed will air during Christmas. Also, former "Neighbours" star Peter O’Brian says he begins filming next month to play a villain in as part of David Tennant’s final storyline. The Christmas airdate for special two was confirmed in the latest issue of "Doctor Who Magazine" by series writer Gareth Roberts. Roberts says that "the Easter Special is pretty much all we’ve got until Christmas." And rounding out this week’s "Doctor Who" news, The Daily Mirror is reporting that The Tardis will be undergoing a complete redesign in time for the arrival of Matt Smith as the new doctor. BBC bosses have apparently given the go ahead to "completely refit the interior for a radical new look." They will also improve the quality of the exterior. The decision was made by new show runner Stephen Moffat, who wants to distance himself from previous show runner Russel T. Davies. A couple new images from the set have surfaced online. Check them out below.
Set images [several more images at Alun Vega's Flickr page]
More of Ben’s Backstory Expected on Lost
When "Lost" returns with new episodes in two weeks (March 18th), viewers will get even more background on the character Ben. Actor Sterling Beaumon will be reprising his role as "young Ben" for an upcoming four-episode arc that will delve deeper into the character’s history. Sterling says that the story is "very major, and it’s going to change Ben forever," adding that the event "involves himself and yes, it is a trauma…Before the change Ben’s a nice, good kid…and then one second will change his life forever." And it looks like we’ll definitely be getting some answers, especially when it comes to the most secretive aspect of the series: the island:
"Ben will [come to] know everything about every little bit about the Island. We’re not going to learn more about the past with Dharma, we’re going to learn more about the past of the Island."
Head on over to E! Online to read their excellent roundup of last week’s Sawyer-centric episode, "LaFleur". Also, images and a promo for the episode, titled "Namaste" (March 18th), follow below.
Promo images [34 more images at Doc Arzt]
ABC promo
ABC Cancels Life on Mars
The producers of ABC’s British import "Life on Mars" have been informed by the network that they won’t be ordering any episodes beyond the 17 currently in the works. The early decision by ABC — who could have waited until as late as May — will allow for the show’s producers to write and film a worthy ending for the series. Production is expected to continue for a few more weeks and at the moment, the finale is scheduled to air on April 1st. ABC’s executive VP Jeff Bader says that given the show’s low ratings, even the show’s producers weren’t pushing for the show’s continuation:
"The producers were really pushing for it… Based on the ratings the way they are now, it didn’t look like it would be back. So (the producers) said, ‘Let us end it.’ We thought, Let’s do the right thing and give viewers a satisfying ending."
TV IMAGES
Chuck
First look at Chevy Chase and Scott Bakula [via ChuckTV.net]
Dollhouse
Promo images from episode six, "Man on the Street" [four more at DollhouseWeb]
Reaper
Season two behind-the-scenes image [16 more at SpoilerTV]
TV VIDEOS
Dollhouse
Promo from episode five, "True Believer"
Kyle XY
Promo from episode 21, "Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner" [new clip at io9]
Reaper
Promo from episode two, "Dirty Sexy Mongol" [Watch another promo here]
And here’s an extensive (6-minutes+) clip from the episode
Supernatural
Sneak peak from episode 15, "Death Takes a Holiday" [three more sneak peaks: 2, 3, 4]
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Promo from episode 18, "Today is the Day"
Interview with Garret Dillahunt (Johny Henry) — important plot point revealed
Interview with Stephanie Jacobsen (Jesse)
Plus, watch an extended trailer for the remaining episodes of the season at EW.com
TV BITES
- "Chuck" producer Chris Fedak says that future episodes of the NBC series will incorporate more sci-fi elements.. More roundtable impressions at io9.
- Expressed through a series of back stories, we’ll learn more of the mythology of "Dollhouse" including the "why" and the "how" Echo ended up in the Dollhouse beginning with the April 3rd episode "Needs". [EW.com]
- Check out a new interview with the two female Terminators in "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles", Summer Glau and Shirley Manson, at io9.
- And speaking of those two Fox Friday night shows, they both continued their downward spiral in the ratings with new lows last night. ‘TSCC’ sank to just 3M overall viewers and a 1.0 A18-49 rating (-12 and -17 percent, respectively from the week prior) while "Dollhouse" was down 17% among viewers and 6% in A18-49 rating from the week prior.
- Marvel has begun streaming episodes of the 1970s Japanese "Spider-Man" TV show on their site. You can watch the first episode embedded below. New episodes will be posted on the site every Thursday. [Marvel]
BSG NEWS
In case you missed it, be sure to check out Friday’s weekly BSG column to get your fix on the latest BSG news, images and videos. In the mean time, here’s the promo for next week’s episode — the first part of the three-part/two-week series finale — "Daybreak, Part 1".
MISC VIDEO
I’m a Marvel (Wolverine) and I’m a DC (Rorschach)
Spoof on the I’m a Mac/ I’m a PC commercials
SCI FI RATINGS (2/9/2009 to 2/15/2009)
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Comments»
Smallville back again? Geez, this guy is going to turn 40 before he becomes Superman!
regarding Smallville: I fully expect the characters to die will be Tess Mercer and the Davis side of Doomsday…although it could be Tess Mercer and Chloe… but if thats gonna happen they need to bring in replacement hottie female characters…either the return of Kara or of Maxima and bring Alexz Johnson back too…have her Legion of Superheroes character stay around…also itd be cool to see Wonder Woman pop up sometime…but who to play her??? LOL
Well, looks like Doctor Who is going right down the drain. Replace or redesign everything all at once, that’s one sure way to lose viewers. Not so sure I’ll be sticking around for anything other than Daleks after this.
Too bad if they get rid of Chloe….Mack is the best actor on the show. The Legion angle is great and should be played up.
Finally — a little bit is exposed in a the Terminator trailer. That was a good one.
That’s really getting me excited. The special effects look GREAT. The terminator skeletons seem to be coming at them with an aggression that surpasses the original movie, with an impressive physicality.
I bored with the good terminator here to help us routine — it’s become part of a format that the writers never seem to realize — isn’t actually totally necessary. You need a Terminator but not good Terminator on bad Terminator, it’s stale. At least they seemed to put a unique spin on it “You think your human.” And good to see John Connor looks heroic — they only had to cast the role FOUR TIMES to get it right.
Right on!
#3 The original series has had several changes of producer, actor, set, theme tune arrangement, titles, you name it. Aside from the broad details of the Doctor himself, virtually everything has been changed and it’s not the first time it’s all been done at the same time.
Series 6 to 7 for example.
The classic series got old and stale when the reins were held by the same producer for too long, when he took a step back during the shows last year it started to get interesting again, but by then it was too late. (sound familar – see the various Star Trek series).
I really don’t think this will be the death knell you think it is. Steve Moffat wrote (IMO) some of the best new Who so far, the only thing I’m not so sure on is how Matt Smith will perform, but the same was true for Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Billy Piper & Catherine Tate. Happily they have all proven me wrong.
Have faith :)
Change the look of the exterior of the Tardis?!? That would like changing the look of the Enterprise.
>;>}
#7 – I think the reporters, the Daily Mirror, may just have heard a rumour. Its like that with them…
That Terminator trailer is a good one … but I just feel odd about it. I think the TV show went from “pretty good, more or less” in S1 to “rocking the house down with badass groovitude from heaven” in S2 … and that’s the Terminator I’m engrossed in right now. Dunno if that kind of mental split-screening is something I’d enjoy, so maybe I’ll save that one for DVD down the road, after Sarah Connor Chronicles is suddenly and tragically cancelled (checks wristwatch, figures it won’t take long; it’s FOX after all …)
Loved the Rorschach/Wolverine fanclip.
The Doctor has ALWAYS been about change.
But still I hope they don’t try too hard to”distance themselves”.
Remember after Peter Davidson we got Colin Baker and that God-awful tacky suit. But it wasn’t just that the stories got horrible.
Remember when the 6th Doctor ran into the 2nd Doctor?
Not one of my favorites.
DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT! THEY ARE CANCELLING LIFE ON MARS! ABC did this to themselves by not promoting it enough and putting it at a 10:00 pm time slot RIGHT AFTER LOST! They Wanted this series to die, just as much as CBS wanted Jericho to die AGAIN! All these networks care about these days are fricking UNREALITY SHOWS! I hate what modern TV has become!
Sorry Anthony, had to spill my guts out.
Nero: “Fire everything!!”
couldn’t help myself, the trailer gave me chills and I’m pumped for the movie now!
•BSG
“this is likely to be a one way trip!”
NOOO!! I’m not ready to let go of BSG yet! That promo just made it even more real now. :(
•Dollhouse
just cancel that piece of sh!t show already. The numbers clearly say NO ONE is watching! And the people that do, they’re not even bothering to watch it again.
•Smallville
2 real deaths? Besides Lois & Clark, theyll never kill off Chloe cuz thwy need her for her computer skills and Lana is already gone. The expendales are Jimmy Olson, Tess Mercer, and Oliver Queen. and maybe Doomsdays human form, Davis Bloom.
•Heroes
next season sounds even more boring and retarded now. The focus will be on Angela, Claire, Matt and a call girl? Why do they keep giving those 3 useless and expendale characters any stories at all?!?
King of all blacks, they’re not going to continue BSG if those shows that YOU don’t like are cancelled. So calm down and let me enjoy my “piece of sh!t” shows.
14. Ann
BSG is done and that’s fine BUT…
Dollhouse is losing viewers every week. When is enough…enough? It was a nice try by Joss Whedon but audiences aren’t embracing him no more.
Heroes is only good when Syler is onscreen.
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
Hell Yeah NIN on the T4 Trailer.
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
Although I never watched Life on Mars, I give out props to the network for airing something completely different…and not another procedural Law and Order clone…or…ech…another reality show…
Knight Rider needs yet ANOTHER reboot to survive…that show is horrible…AND YES I did watch every single ep.
TSCC? One of the best written and produced shows on tv right now…no one mentioned the article from SciFi.com this week about its ratings INCREASED almost 30% whn you factor in DVR viewing!!!! DVR!!!People! Who actually watches tv now when it is aired?????? We have jobs! And lives!!!!! Listen to us!!!!!
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
#11 – Just a little bit of back history for you… any show whose pilot was re-shot from beginning to end rarely if ever survives beyond its first season. I saw the original pilot for the US version of Life on Mars and it was a far better effort then the version that made it to the airwaves regardless of what the suits at the network thought.
Wolverine: This movie is about me!
Rorschach: Weren’t “ALL” the X-men movies about you? They sure weren’t about Hale Berry, at least she didn’t think so.
/clears throat…………………………nailed it.
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
UP looks so good.
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
Have to admit I can’t stand to watch too much of G4. Everyone’s just a little too smuggly hip for me. But man, I dig that chick on Attack of the Show. They’ve been looking for a WonderWoman but there it is for me.
Japanese Spider-Man pretty interesting. Didn’t know.
LMAO… The Japanese spiderman is hilarious!!!!! (yes, I actually watched it all). Talk about a reboot!!!! If you’re the least bit worried about JJ’s Star Trek, watch this. It’ll put your concerns in perspectice.. lol
Life On Mars being cancelled. It’s about time. The ABC version sucked. I loved the original BBC version.. and now it’s new spin off.
Terminator Salvation… When the huge robot grabbed the humans… I thought of Transformers for a sec… but the movie looks interesting.
Terminator…. on TV…. I love this show. I have no idea why the rating are so low! They will surely cancel it soon. What will cancelling it do for the movie? Hmmm…
Dollhouse…. that will be cancelled too. The show is slow to start… putting it on Friday was a death blow.
Smallville… come on.. he’s gotta run on the suit soon. But love the show. I think they will kill off Tess & the human Davis. They will keep their core characters. They won’t kill Chloe.
I love the giant robot in the spider-man show. Very Japanese.
#22 I hope the US version of “Life on Mars” comes out on DVD with the re-shot pilot and the original pilot with Colm Meaney (O’Brien DS9) I would love to see the difference in the two pilots.
Mr. McG: Forgiveness of sins is absolution and Grace. Salvation is the saving of the sinful soul from damnation through this Grace and its admittance to God’s presence.
Just thought these needed a little clarification.
[...] TrekMovie – Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost, Heroes, Smallville,.. http://tinyurl.com/asropw* TrekWeb – J.J. Abrams on Trying to Emulate Star Trek The Motion Picture [...]
the DC/Marvel clip comes from the youtube guy ‘itsjustsomerandomguy’, and there’s lot’s of great and funny stuff that he’s done, check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=88B6F74F4DC499A2
As far as heroes goes, why is ‘rebel’ such a secret? Who’s the only kid that can talk to computers?
#3
“Well, looks like Doctor Who is going right down the drain. Replace or redesign everything all at once, that’s one sure way to lose viewers.”
How? As others have pointed out, Dr. Who has ALWAYS been about change. Originally Dr. Who was a feeble old man who travelled with his grandaughter and two teachers, one male and female. Ian, the male teacher, did all the action, while the Doctor did all the thinking. Contrast that with where the Doctor is today with Tennet.
The third Doctor was trapped on Earth for the bulk of his run, and the show during this period was like an early version of X-Files.
So not only have things like the Doctor or Console Room changed, but the format itself has been tinkered with as well. And Pertwee is considered by many to be one of the definitive Doctors.
And I’ll be honest…I like Tennet, but he’s become stale. His mannerisms too predictable and tiresome. I’m ready for Matt Smith. In the same vein, I’m ready for a new Console Room. Don’t hate the current one, but I’m ready for something new and fresh.
One of the major reasons for the change of the Tardis interiors and exteriors is not listed in the article on this site: Doctor Who is about to go Hi-Def and the current Console Room is not up to snuff, neither is the exterior. The Console Room will be changed to make it ready for HD, and the exterior will be touched up, not changed, as well for the same reasons.
16,18,24,25,26,28,29,36
WTF is this bullshit? Is this even a poster or is it some kind of bot? In either case, this garbage needs to go.
The Tardis looks enormous in those pics. I hope that’s retained in the makeover.
Chuck:
New images look interesting. Glad to see Scott Backula back on in the role as Chuck’s long lost father. Great casting. This show has gotten better this season! Hopeful for a 3rd season…(If they cannot fit it on NBC’s schedule next season, why not move it to USA Network..the built in fan base would work well on cable)
Smallville:
It will be interesting on who is killed off. I would hate to see Chloe leave the show, but her character is one the the expendable characters since she is not part of DC Comic Lore. Tess Mercer would be another one since she is a mixture of characters from the comics. The producers would not be able to kill off Jimmy, Louis, Oliver Queen (The Green Arrow would make for a good spin off series once Smallville ends), and Doomsday (although the human side could die as suggested). Hopefully they will announce that the new season will be the last so we can finally move forward with Clark’s growth into Superman and into a true relationship with Louis Lane. The story arcs this season have been great, even with the loss of Lex Luthor (although seeing him as a Darth Vader type is funny).
I’ve commented on this before….Wolverine’s hair sure looks great. Even when he’s fighting in all those wars. It even looks great when he’s having under water surgery. There have been pic after pic of how great Hugh Jackman looks. He’s in super shape. I hope the movie’s good too. I look forward to it.
Warners will be thrilled if Watchmen pulls in 200 million, but it will probably fall short of that. Nonetheless they’ll make some money on it and since the measure of the film’s success could never have been sequels that’s all that matters.
Excellent movie, BTW. This is the only film I was more looking forward to than the new Trek movie, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Is there not a moderator around to keep some a-holes form making posts that are nothing but links to news stories?
[...] Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost … [...]
About the Dr. Manhattan rising in London–I saw Watchmen, and I was wanting Dr. Manhattan to rise too. (ba-dum-bum) Sorry, was that a little blue? Wow, I’m on a roll here. I’m here all week, please tip your wait staff generously….
We saw Watchmen at an IMAX, and they showed the previous ST trailer, not the most current one. We saw the one that starts with the corvette and ends with “the wait is over…” Still, it was awesome to see a (tiny) bit of the new movie on the (really) big screen.
PS – anyone in the Oregon area who is wanting a great cinema treat, try the Bridgeport Mall theater (near Portland). It’s really cool, with an IMAX and also regular screens. We drive 90 minutes out of our way when we have time and want to spend the money….We’ll be seeing ST09 there on the IMAX…
11: Actually it’s maybe not a bad idea to limit LoM. The original stretched the wonderful conceit to 16 eps over 2 series, and got a jaw-dropping fantastic conclusion, rather then elongating it out into a third or even fourth series where Sam’s ‘am I mad? Am I in a coma?’ storyline would have become jaded and background material. As it stands, the UK LoM is bookended and works even more powerfully because of that.
(Shame Ashes was so bloody awful……..)
Hahaha! That DC vs. Marvel thing cracked me up. xD I’m with Marvel; my parents wouldn’t even let me go see Watchmen because the producers just HAD to make it “R” rated. Bah. D:
But, y’know, Dark Knight owned ‘em both. :3
why does spiderman needs a power ranger megazord lol ?
Wow, I didn’t know Spider Man owned a huge robot and had battled the Borg :)
On other note, just got from seeing the Watchmen to see the last ST trailer on the big screen and got… “the second trailer”. The only redeeming factor was a kid (no more than twelve year old) next to me yelled “Dad that’s the Enterprise” and TOS and TNG doen’t air where I live in more than ten year.s
First up, lost in this week’s report is something I skimmed upon and totally forgot to report. As of this past Thursday, WB has stopped tracking The Dark Knight.
Final box office was $533.3M domestic (over $1B WW).
40. Not going to happen. Chuck gets less, or barely more, viewers than most high-profile USA Network shows (WWE, Monk, Psych, Burn Notice for example). For USA to consider picking it up, it has to do better than their current programming, or at least be extremely cheap to produce. Chuck’s chances rest with NBC, and NBC alone.
42: We’ll see how it holds up down the line, but, at the moment, it looks like its domestic take will end up somewhere around $145-160 million.
I hope they still plan to release the extended director’s cut in July, but we’ll see.
The studio estimate is out by the way: $55.655M
Friday: $25.135M (includes Midnight screenings)
Saturday: $19.000M
Sunday: $11.520M
With a budget of $120-150M, it’ll do fine, but WB was apparently shooting for around $60M first weekend. Long run time hurt it. I also have a feeling it’ll do a good deal better in foriegn markets. Of course due to legal issues, in that situation it helps Fox AND Paramount in addition to WB.
Being a long time Doctor Who fan, and hanging around through all the various changes throughout the years, redesigning the TARDIS interior doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, I’m looking forward to it. I never did like the coral look of the console room. My favorite interior was the 1996 tv movie one, that really gave you a sense of how big the TARDIS really was inside.
Some great shows like Life on Mars get cancelled after one season and Smallville, a show with half the ratings, gets a ninth season!!!
I agree with one of the posters above, Clark will be 40 years old and still will not be Superman.
Changing the interior of the Tardis is a fine idea; I never liked that organic tree look. I always like the set during Tom Baker’s run and seeing the rest of the interior of the Tardis. I wold like to see more of the interior again. “Improving the quality of the exterior” sounds OK i they don’t really alter it. It is based on a real thing, the British police call box. so they can’t really alter it too much and still keep it as a police call box, but I am sure there can clean it up a bit..
@38: #3’s just making excuses so he doesn’t have to handle Steven Moffat’s oncoming nightmare fuel. Wuss.
:D
Sorry for double post, but had to mention Dr. Who. The TARDIS has been changed before.
The interior has been “updated” with almost every Doctor and Tom Baker (Dr. #4) actually had two control rooms: The glossy white control room and the wood panel control room. Then Peter Davison got a new control room half way thru his time as The Doctor and finally
McCoy/McGann got a really alien looking control room for the TV movie.
The exterior has had slight changes thruout the 40+ year run.
Like Trek, as long as the stories are good that’s what matters most in my opinion.
Remember, the TARDIS interior was recently revealed to be a type of desktop theme, so a change is not all that unexpected. And I can accept the explanation that it needs to be HD-friendly.
I love the Marvel/DC spots. Especially the one that SKEWERS the whole “Superman is a father” crap.
The Trek Trailer was more exciting than the Watchmen film
#13–what ru smokin??? in nearly every version if Superman Jimmy us alive…he is NOT expendable…as for Chloe being essential, I love the character but someone else could take over for Chloe…in the computer department…*coughcoughjimmycoughcough* plus honestly theyve taken chloe as far as they can…and since allison mack has productions going on with kristin kreuk its very likely chloe is being killed off… and the other to be killed off is likely davis but not doomsday…either davis or tess…
as for the doctor who thing..,the TARDIS needs an overhaul…ON THE OUTSIDE…ditch the wooden look and go with a metallic blue or red made of metal…you know, something that looks like it could handle the stresses the TARDIS goes through..,
also…any word on who the doctor’s companion will be in the 2010 season??
as for the Wolverine film, nice to see in the pix that theyre incorporating Gambit in there, since he was bizarrely absent from the first X-Men trilogy… and moreover wouldve probably made X-Men The Last Stand bearable…LOL
Not much of a surprise that the TARDIS Interior is being redesigned for the Eleventh Doctor…
I never thought I’d say this, but— well said, Hitler.
I sat for three hours waiting to see that %#@%$ squid.
48. mike,
The Japanese Spider-Man series was a co-production between Marvel and Toei Co. , who would later produce all the Super Sentai (Power Rangers in America) series. So maybe it’s just a given with their series. :)
Wow, after seeing all the stuff they wanted to change in the Watchmen movie, I really am thankful now it was the way it was. Seriously, taking it out of the 80’s would have killed it, and…well yeah, the list goes on. I honestly didnt mind the new ending, I kinda had a WTF reaction in the theater, but when I thought about it, it kinda fits better actually. I still say that movie’s biggest downfall is that it wasnt made into 2-3 movies, then wayyyy less woulda been cut from it.
Wouldn’t making the exterior of the Tardis metal counter the idea that the chameleon circuit is stuck in the ’50s? No problem with the interior, they have mentioned before the interior is just a desktop theme.
Ah Smallville- how I miss what you used to be before you become completely unwatchable. Though I haven’t watched regularly in two seasons, every time I have stopped in I got really bad writing, and Clark and Lana still pining for one another. It’s been eight years, move on. The fact he didn’t leave Smallville and start traveling the world after the “Justice” episode just alienated me. That was such a good episode, just to have it go back to Dawson with super speed the next week. And really, he still can’t fly? Really? Bah. How I used to love that show, but the only character who hasn’t developed is Clark- how do you make a show about how a teenager becomes Superman, and have him still acting just like it’s season one eight years later? Grrrr.
End of rant. I think more shows should set an end date and work toward it. Keeps your motorcycle away from the shark tank, and your fridge out of the nuclear test site.
63. Weerd1
Lana, Lex, Ma Kent, Kara, and Lionel are no longer on the show.
Lana left after she became a superhero.
Senator Martha Kent moved permanently to the Capitol of Kansas.
Lionel was killed off after Lex pushed him out of his LuthorCorp office.
Kara (Supergirl) was sent to the Phantom Zone by Brainiac but was rescued by Clark earlier this season. She then left Earth to search for rumored survivors of Krypton.
Lex found out Clarks secret and they had a confrontation at the Fortress of Solitude where Lex ended up disfigured. He was supposedly blown up 2 episodes ago.
Brainiac infected Chloe but was defeated by the Legion of Superheroes. They took Brainiacs remains back with them to the 30th century.
I have read the Watchman Graphic Novel and thought it was a marvelous read, saw the movie and liked it. It was not a bad adaptation of the Graphic novel at all.
I stopped watching Smallville after season 3, or whichever one had Christopher Reeve in it. In those days, it was almost as cool as “Buffy” but the whole promise was that this guy would develop into Superman.
Obviously, this is not Richard Donner’s version, or anything I recall from comics.
It makes sense that he perhaps this time gets a college diploma (does he?), then becomes Superman. Or becomes Superboy first. But he’s already too old (Welling is over 30, and 2 years older than Brandon Routh).
This series passed its sell-by date a long time ago.
Dollhouse is an awesome show and anybody who doesn’t think so can kiss a donkey’s butt.
As people have mentioned on here already, the reason they are revamping the Tardis interior set for Doctor Who is that they are about to begin shooting it in HD and the current set won’t hold up to such scrutiny. It is also reportedly beginning to show its age. The set in the original series changed several times and had different looks and design elements to them, but all retained the same basic setup and were very recognizable as being the Tardis. As for the exterior, they aren’t changing it to something else, they are just touching up the familiar Police Box outer shell to make it look better. Steven Moffat is a long time fan of the show like Russell T Davies was, and he is not going to mess with the most traditional element of the series’ long run. I have total faith in him and his team.
#54 Carlg
“#3’s just making excuses so he doesn’t have to handle Steven Moffat’s oncoming nightmare fuel. Wuss”
LOL! I’m glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read this, otherwise you’d prolly owe me a new laptop! :)
Bring on Moffat already! I love everything that I’ve been seeing for the past few years, but I’m ready for something new and fresh. I like that Dr. Who can not only do that, but it’s written into the show itself as well.
#51 SerenityActual
“My favorite interior was the 1996 tv movie one, that really gave you a sense of how big the TARDIS really was inside”
Yeah, I have to say that I agree with you. Even though I wasn’t as big a Who fan then as I am now, that one kinda threw me at first. It was so un-control room like, because it was huge and unconventional as far as console rooms go. More like a living room or library with a console in the center.
Looking back, I would say that it’s prolly my fave. The second would have to be the Verne-esque backup console room from the Baker years, followed by the original from the Hartnell years. You could see an alcove in it, or a hallway out of it.
#58 NaradaAlpha
“you know, something that looks like it could handle the stresses the TARDIS goes through..,”
As long as it can withstand the stresses, why does it have to LOOK like it can handle the stresses? That’s part of it’s charm and why it gets underestimated by those who don’t know what it is.
CANCELLING LIFE ON MARS? I knew they should of kept Colm Meaney!
64- Exactly- everyone has gone through that, and Clark is still wondering what he should do with his life. Lana left? What, again? How many times will we have to see her leave… just to find an excuse to come back and have Clark pine over her again? I appreciate your efforts on the part of the show, but like when I did watch the Legion episode, every time a member of the Legion said, “what? you mean you can’t (fill in the blank)?” I could only agree with them.
Yep, Lionel gone. Lex gone. Martha gone. Chloe possibly leaving. So, all the most interesting characters are gone. The real problem there isn’t that the most interesting characters are gone, its that Superman isn’t the most interesting character on a Superman show! I used to live it, but they let me down. Makes me wish everyone who started a TV show would do like Lost, BSG, and Babylon 5 and plan on a certain run. Set an end point and work toward it. Alas…
71. Weerd1
Lana left 2 episodes ago.
She absorbed kryptonite from a bomb that the Toyman and Lex were going to use to destroy Metropolis.
Lex was testing Lana to see if she would sacrifice her love for Clark or the people of Metropolis.
Lana went to go see the doctor who created her new superpowered skin and see if he could reverse the process but he couldn’t.
with all the kryptonite radiation Lana absorbed, she couldn’t be near Clark without him collasping in pain.
Lana told Clark she was leaving Metropolis and him to be a hero in other cities that needed help.
Mad Max – resurrected as anime??? nope sorry. If the story was good I’d have seen another installment – replace Mel Gibson with someone younger? Yep if it was the right fit. Anime? Nope sorry u’ve lost me I won’t waste my time.
Anybodoy know offhand what film the Hotler footage is actually from?
OK – Let’s try that again in English… “Anybody know offhand what film the Hitler footage is actually from?”
72- two seasons too late for me… And again, such a shame because I really used to love that show.
Bah humbug.
Apparently my post was deleted because it was deemed too funny.
Your loss, Trek community!
Missed the trailer again.
I believe that Hitler is actually Anthony Hopkins from 1981’s :The Bunker”.
79 – “I believe that Hitler is actually Anthony Hopkins from 1981’s :The Bunker”.”
No – don’t think so. For one thing, compare “Hitler’s” ears and eyes to a picture of Hopkins in charcater as Hitler. For another, the dialog is clearly original German (the lip synch is right, etc.) and “The Bunker” was done in English.
my daughter watches Kyle XY. There was a discussion about Star Trek on he show Monday! The dad told Kyle he would take him to the new movie….told him he would relate to Spock.
Paramount is serious about marketing to a broader market I guess! Good exposure for the franchise I suppose.
[...] Saturday, March 7, 2009 Sci-Fi Saturday: Watchmen, Terminator, Transformers, Tron + Lost, Heroes, Smallville, Doctor Who + m… [...]