06/11/17 @ 8:47 pm EST

Source: Hollywood Reporter | Categories: Battlestar Galactica

The cast of Battlestar Galactica reunited Saturday at closing night of the ATX Television Festival and while it marked the first official reunion, those behind the Syfy drama revealed they've kept in close contact since the series went off the air eight years ago.

"It is profoundly different than I think what happens to a lot of casts when it's time to run away from each other," Mary McDonnell told the crowd.

Battlestar was developed as a reimagining of the 1978 series of the same name and originally premiered as a miniseries on Syfy in 2003. The following year, the project returned as a full-fledged series and ran for four seasons, wrapping in 2009. Over its run, the drama quickly became a critical darling, and went onto win Peabody and Television Critics Association awards.

Looking back on the original miniseries, showrunner Ronald D. Moore recalled watching every episode but said "it didn't light the fire in me," despite his love of other sci-fi projects in the '70s like Star Trek and Star Wars.

When he got a call in early 2002 about potential coming onboard the reboot, Moore was hesitant after logging 10 years on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. "I wasn’t sure if I want to go back into space again," he said. However, Moore thought it over and rented the original tape from Blockbuster.

"It had completely different resonance," Moore said of watching the original in a post-9/11 world. "I just sort of immediately thought if you did that show now, it was an opportunity to talk about the thing that were happening in the world." He then took the job.

When asked how Battlestar would be different if it launched in present-day, Moore said the show "would take advantage of the current political situation," he said, but added, "It's hard to imagine doing it today if it was just from zero."

However, McDonnell pointed out the current administration was made some of Battlestar's key themes even more relevant."We're living in a time where the powers that be are trying to create as much difference between us as their pockets books will allow. With Battlestar, we have a reminder that it could go away," McDonnell said. "We're unfortunately living on the edge at the moment of the planet. Perhaps we can stop dividing each other and seeing each other as the other."

Moore and stars including McDonnell, Edward James Olmos, Katee Sackhoff, Tricia Helfer, Grace Park, James Callis and Michael Trucco reflected on their auditions, Olmos' big speech to the cast and what Moore calls "one of the stupidest things" the writers ever wrote into the show. Read on for more highlights from the show:

Olmos Initially Said No

When he was offered the role, "I said no at the beginning. I said, 'Thank you very much but I'm working,'" he said. But his agent urged him to read the script anyway. "And then I read it, and I immediately said, 'I want to be with them. Let's do this.'

The Female President

Mary McDonnell never saw the original Battlestar. "I didn't have a television. I didn't know anything about it. I didn’t understand. It was presented to me as you have the opportunity to do the reboot or the reinventing of Battlestar Galactica. I just giggled," she said. However, when she the script, "I was attracted to these people in the first readthrough." McDonnell also found the script extremely prescient to the current times, particularly playing a female president. "We were shooting this when Hillary [Clinton] was running [for the Senate] and it became a very timely event for me," McDonnell said. "We started it not too long after September 11th so there was a strong emotional connection for me as well."

A Female Starbuck?

Moore said one of his first ideas was to change Starbuck from a male character to e a female. "This was a moment in time when we ere just starting to see women in combat, female combat pilots for the first time," he said. "I really didn't think it would be a thing," he said. However, it quickly drew ire from fans. "I was surprised and sort of like really? People are getting upset about this?" he said. "It seemed like the dumbest thing in the world. It was just kind of baffling." However, Moore quickly learned to embrace it. "Yell about it, get angry," he recalled thinking. "I need publicity."Sackhoff recalled being told she was "too girly" for the part. "I was told so many times that I was not right for this part. There's a piece of you that goes, 'Oh my God, I'm not right for this part.'" She subsequently had to audition six or seven times. "I cut my hair in the process. I took off my stiletos and eventually, I got the part," she recalled. When she learned about the controversy surrounding her character in a chat room at an Internet café, "I thought, f– 'em,'" she said.

The Other Starbuck

Park recalled it was down to her and Sackhoff for the role Starbucks. "When I was told I got Boomer, I was pissed," Park said with a laugh. "I was like, 'Who the 'eff is Boomer?'" Subsequently, it took part a while to figure out her character was a Cylon. "I just hadn't realized because I wasn't reading for that and I probably wasn't picking up on the clues," she said.

A First Day Kiss

Helfer had been acting professionally for about a year when she got the gig, and recalled the nerves she had the first day on the set, particularly when it came to shooting a steamy scene with Callis. "He was getting nervous. I was getting nervous We were both sweating," she said. "I finally said, "James, there's a basement, let's go downstairs.'"One thing led to another and "I just planted a kiss on him," Helfer said. "Genuinely it was a really good move because we were both really self-conscious," Callis said. "It’s a thing about trust and I think that was what helped us and helped us establish that relationship."

Another Apollo?

Trucco remember auditioning for the role of Apollo originally. "Rumor has it that I got initially, initially not very close at all," he said with a laugh. "I wrote in my journal, 'This is the greatest television show ever made.'" In season two, he came onboard for what was originally supposed to be two-episode arc. "Something incredible happened: The majority of the people f—ing hated my character and I think that fueled Ron," Trucco said. Interjected Moore: "He's coming back now." Trucco also remembered the early days of internet chat rooms, saying "People said horrible things."

The Admiral's Speech

When shooting the miniseries that led then to the series, Callis recalled the speech Olmos gave to the entire cast in which he foreshadowed the show's success. "The show's going to go for five years. Every episode is going to be like a movie. Keep your powder dry. We're in here for the long haul. You are not to make fun of this," Callis said Olmos told the cast. "Nobody needs to take this as seriously as we do." Looking back, Callis called it a "galvanizing" moment. "At the time, you don't realize how important something like that is."

Six's Big Moment in the First Episode

Helfer's Six killed a baby in first episode, specifically by cracking its neck. "The network didn’t want it in there," Helfer said, but said she believed the moment added "depth" to her character. "To me, that was a very integral moment of showing that this other side, you're very quickly going to learn that this the other side, this the evil side, has some sort of empathy."However, because of that moment, Helfer's sister never watched the series because she had given birth shortly before. "It was just a hard thing, the crack sound," she recalled.

The Evolution of 'Frak'

While muttered once on the original series, it became a popular (and frequent) part of reboot. "I just said this a brilliant opportunity to say f– over and over again," Moore said. "This is just a license to kill so I'm just going to do it over and over."

The Big Debates Behind the Scenes

Moore remembered, "when I pitched it, I could have done anything. They really don't care. You can do whatever you want with this, was the attitude." However, that changed once the series was in full swing. ""All the big ticket items we never fought about," Moore said. "We fought about stupid things. We fought about how much blood you're going to show, how many pilots you're going to kill. … Is it too dark? Is it too depressing?"Another concern from the network was the show's serialized nature which is why many of the show's early hours are standalone episodes. "Serialized TV was really unusual and frowned upon and networks didn't like it," Moore said. "The network was terrified that people would watch them out of order."

Starbuck's Death (Kind of)

When asked about her favorite moment, Sackhoff recalled getting the call from Moore and David Eicks that her character was going to get killed but then brought back. "'We're going to kill you but we're going to bring you back so don't worry,'" she said. "So I went to Mexico for a couple episodes but the problem was I was lying to everyone."Moore interjected: "This is one of the stupidest things David and I did in the entire run of the show." Sackhoff eventually told Olmos, who then told the entire cast at a magazine shoot she wasn't really dead, "and I felt like such an asshole."Meanwhile, Moore recalled "We're getting calls in Los Angeles saying they're really upset. You don't understand. People are really freaking out that you're killing [her]," Moore said, particularly Olmos. "Eddy is walking around saying this is death of the show. … It just spiraled completely out of control." (Via THR)

05/10/24 @ 2:29 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: MIsc

Hiroyuki Sanada, star and producer of FX‘s limited series Shōgun, has closed a deal to return as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, Deadline reports. Securing Sanada, whose character’s journey to become shōgun and lead Japan to an era of peace was chronicled in the 10-episode adaptation of James Clavell’s novel, has been considered crucial to any plan to extend Shogun beyond its original installment.Other elements are still being worked out and deals are being finalized as part of an effort by FX to take Shogun to a second season in light of the big commercial and critical success of the limited series. The outcome of the effort would determine whether Shōgun would be considered a limited or drama series going forward, which could have major ramifications on the 2024 Emmy race, with the timing of the decision tied to the deadline for Emmy submissions.Shōgun is looking to move into the drama series category from the start if a determination about a potential second installment is made in time to adjust Emmy submissions. Not all the pieces are in place for that, sources said, but the significant deal with Sanada is a great start.

05/10/24 @ 2:20 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: DC

Frank Grillo has been cast in Season 2 of James Gunn‘s popular DC series Peacemaker. Gunn announced the news Friday on Instagram, revealing Grillo will reprise the role of Rick Flag Sr., the character he voices in Gunn’s upcoming animated series Creature Commandos. The Suicide Squad spinoff series starring John Cena follows the escapades of Peacemaker, a role that Cena originated on Gunn’s 2021 film. Peacemaker is a vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it. The show’s cast includes Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick. Gunn teased last month that Season 2 had begun production. (via Deadline)

05/10/24 @ 2:15 pm EST

Source: Image Comics | Categories: Witchblade

Top Cow Productions is pleased to share an exciting peek into the new world of Witchblade with a trailer video featuring New York Times bestselling writer Marguerite Bennett and the legendary Marc Silvestri on what's in store for readers this July from Image Comics. This new Witchblade #1 will be penned by Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and drawn by fan-favorite artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo will work closely with Silvestri (Top Cow CEO, Image Comics co-founder, and original Witchblade co-creator). Together, the team will reintroduce the this popular action-packed, crime noir series to longtime die-hard fans and new readers alike. This forthcoming Witchblade #1 will feature a reimagined origin, with contemporary takes on familiar characters, as well as fresh story arcs to hook new fans and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the '90s Image Revolution. New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini's life is forever fractured by her father's murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power? ...Or will she be consumed by it?

Witchblade #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17, at only $4.99 for 48 pages. The Final Order Cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, June 24:

Cover A by Silvestri and Arif Prianto - Lunar Code 0524IM221

Cover B by Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto - Lunar Code 0524IM222

Cover C Blank Sketch Cover - Lunar Code 0524IM223

Cover D (1:10 copy incentive) by Dani and Brad Simpson - Lunar Code 0524IM224

Cover E (1:25 copy incentive) by Silvestri and Prianto, virgin cover - Lunar Code 0524IM225

Cover F (1:50 copy incentive) by J. Scott Campbell - Lunar Code 0524IM226

Cover G (1:100 copy incentive) by Bill Sienkiewicz - Lunar Code 0524IM227

Cover H (1:250 copy incentive) line art by Marc Silvestri, virgin cover, B&W inks - Lunar Code 0524IM228Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

...

05/09/24 @ 8:01 pm EST

Source: Hollywood Reporter | Categories: Marvel

Ralph Ineson, the British actor whose three-decade career ranges from the Harry Potter movies to recent horror prequel The First Omen, has landed the plum part of Galactus, the antagonist in Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four. The high-profile, big-budget outing, the Fantastic Four’s first under the Marvel Cinematic Universe umbrella, has been casting up in recent weeks ahead of a planned mid-summer shoot in England. On the call sheet are Perdro Pascal as scientist Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as her hot-heated brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richards’ friend with body issues, Ben Grimm/The Thing. Also cast are Julia Garner as a female Silver Surfer and Paul Walter Hauser in an undisclosed role, which some have theorized could be Mole Man or the robot H.E.R.B.I.E. John Malkovich is also signed on. Matt Shakman is directing the new Fantastic Four feature, which has Marvel taking the interesting creative choice of setting the story in the 1960s, the era when the super-team was first created. Eric Pearson, Josh Friedman, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer wrote the screenplay. Peter Cameron (WandaVision) has also done some writing on the project. (via THR)

05/09/24 @ 7:49 pm EST

Source: Dynamite | Categories: Dynamite

Mr. ZIP™ is back for a whole new generation, and his latest mission for kids is a deep dive into S.T.E.A.M. subjects across a fun-filled activity book, from the United States Postal Service® (USPS), under license with Curiosity Ink Media (a division of Grom Social Enterprises, Inc.), and distributed by Dynamite Entertainment.

Children can explore science, technology, engineering, math, and even art alongside the hardworking hero of the Postal Service in this new summer release. Writer Carrie Rodell and artist Laura Catrinella have assembled 80 pages full of fun. Each page is jam-packed with mazes to solve, differences to spot, cool activities, and much more.

The book focuses on S.T.E.A.M. subjects, as educators and parents look to integrate the arts alongside traditional science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines. This innovative approach to education emphasizes critical thinking, imaginative and creative approaches to academic challenges, and real-world problems.

Mr. ZIP's Super Steam Activity Book is a top choice for 3-to-5-year-olds getting a head-start on critical skills and seeking fun!

The USPS introduced Mr. ZIP, or “Zippy” in 1963 as a fun cartoon personification to help spur widespread usage of the new ZIP Code™ system. The USPS, Curiosity, and Dynamite are excited to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this classic American icon as he stars in a new series of licensed books. Young readers can also seek out Mr. ZIP's Windy Day to follow an adventure and have fun with liftable flaps throughout and can look forward to Mr. ZIP’s Day in the Countryside and Where’s MR. ZIP?, coming this fall.


MR. ZIP'S SUPER STEAM ACTIVITY BOOK will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ May 2024 Previews catalog and slated for release in July 2024. ...

05/09/24 @ 1:24 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Lord of The Rings

The first of two new Lord of the Rings films at Warner Bros. Discovery — working title Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum — will be directed by and star Andy Serkis (Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle), with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens set to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim). The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish. Release has been set for 2026. Serkis said, “Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth, Peter [Jackson, producer], Fran and Philippa. With Mike [De Luca] and Pam [Abdy], and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”. No plot points have yet been revealed about the film. (via Deadline)

05/09/24 @ 12:58 pm EST

Source: Marvel | Categories: X-Men

From the New Mutants to the Hellions, discovering you’re a mutant in the Marvel Universe has never been easy, and in the wake of Krakoa, it’s going to be harder than ever! While the X-Men reintegrate into society after the fall of their mutant nation, mutants around the world still need protection, community, and guidance. In EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN, a group of young mutants will luckily be trained by two of the greatest teachers in X-Men history—Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost! Today, fans can learn more about the series and see the reveal of the first issue cover! Written by acclaimed author Eve L. Ewing and drawn by superstar Marvel Stormbreaker artist Carmen Carnero, EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN will be the final flagship X-Title to launch in the upcoming From the Ashes era. The series will introduce three all-new mutants who turn to Kitty and Emma for help with their emerging gifts: the metallic and whip-wielding Bronze, the emotion-stirring Axo, and the stealth-skilled fighter Melee! Under Kitty and Emma’s tutelage, they’ll learn not just how to survive—but to thrive! But Kitty and Emma haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, and they’ll also have lessons to teach each other, as they take up the call once more—for the children! EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN begins with Kitty trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. After the actions she took during Fall of X, Kitty craves normalcy and takes a job as a regular-degular bartender. She’s definitely NOT getting ready to head up an all-new team of wayward young mutants while avoiding the watchful gaze of Emma Frost. Nothing but work, dating and staving off depression. That’s it. Let’s see how long it lasts… "Longtime fans of Kitty Pryde can count on the kinds of adventures you expect from her as a classic favorite, while I hope new and old readers alike will get to love this all-new team of young mutants," Ewing shared. "Kitty, the one-time kid sister figure of the X-Men, has to reckon with her own memories—good and bad—of being a child of Xavier as she navigates a role as leader and mentor for a new generation of mutants who are trying to make their way in a time of crisis." “The story Eve brought up really hooked me from the beginning,” Carnero said. “I found it very interesting to see Kitty away from the X-Men and trying to live a normal life in Chicago, but finding herself with young mutants who have to deal with this post-Krakoa world and Emma's plans.” On how the new cast will connect with both new and longtime fans, Ewing said, "I always try to strike a chord between appealing to veteran comics fans and new readers, but since so many people fell in love with the X-Men as teens and this book is about a team of young folks, that feels especially important to me here.” “Regarding the young mutants, I think the whole team fell in love with all three of them,” Carnero added. “I love that they are such opposites. Eve had very clear personalities, hobbies, musical tastes, how they feel… And when it came to designing them, it all developed naturally, and the whole team had a clear vision of what their final looks would be. I can't wait for readers to meet them.” With three flagship titles and a host of additional satellite series, the upcoming From the Ashes era will present fans with a wide range of different approaches to the X-Men storytelling! Gail Simone and David Marquez’s Uncanny X-Men are outlaw heroes protect a world that hates and fears them from their home in New Orleans. Jed MacKay and Ryan Stegman’s X-Men navigate the uncertain future of mutantkind while preparing for the worst in their base in Alaska. Meanwhile, Ewing and Carnero’s EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN exemplify that even in the darkest times, hope can always be found in the next generation! See Emma, Kitty, and the three new mutants they take under their wing in the debut issue’s cover and pick up EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN #1 when it arrives in September.

...

05/09/24 @ 1:03 pm EST

Source: Dynamite | Categories: Space Ghost

Dynamite is excited to announce a thrilling addition to the new Space Ghost comic series through its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products. One of the most influential and historic creators of all time has made his own special contribution to the saga, as Joe Quesada has illustrated a variant cover for issue #2 that will be exclusively available for retailers and fans to order at Final Order Cutoff.

Space Ghost has been soaring off to a strong start already, with the first issue in stores May 1 and being showered with praise from readers, critics, and retailers. It continues the incredible momentum of Dynamite's new efforts collaborating with Warner Bros. Discovery on an expanding library of beloved licenses that kicked off with ThunderCats, one of the biggest hits of the year. Space Ghost is starting off strong as well, with practically unheard of jumps in order numbers from initial orders to the Final Order Cutoff deadline, and expected sell-through from fans.

"Nobody is more blown away than me that the legendary Joe Quesada has graced us with this sensational cover for Space Ghost," said series writer David Pepose. "From his work on Daredevil to spearheading Marvel Knights, I've been a tremendous fan of Joe for years as both an artist, an editor, and as one of comics' most enthusiastic ambassadors. I truly could not be more excited to have him lend us his extraordinary talents to Space Ghost with this instantly iconic image."

Joe Quesada is one of the most impactful people in the history of the American comic book industry and culture. In the early 1990s he rose to blazing success with his one-of-a-kind artwork on titles like Batman: Sword of Azrael, X-Factor, The Ray, and Ninjak. Then alongside frequent Dynamite collaborator Jimmy Palmiotti, he founded the upstart publisher Event Comics, with their flagship characters Ash and Painkiller Jane. Following that, the duo were brought on by Marvel Comics to spearhead the Marvel Knights imprint. By the year 2000, Quesada ascended as the editor in chief of Marvel, and later roles like Chief Creative Officer. In 2022 he stepped away from the publisher, returning to a focus on art as well as other ventures.

Space Ghost #2 is on Final Order Cutoff the weekend of May 13. Readers can contact their Local Comic Shop to reserve this jaw-dropping cover for their collections. ...

05/08/24 @ 5:10 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: MIsc

Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator) will re-team with his Unhinged director Derrick Borte on the action-thriller Bear Country. Crowe will play aging but formidable club owner Manco Kapak who has been robbed by a masked gunman. Now, his aspirations of selling his club and riding off into the sunset alongside his girlfriend appear more distant than ever. Cartel bosses are breathing down his neck and a young upstart has been posing as the new guy in town eager to purchase the club. Borte, alongside Daniel Forte (American Dreamer), wrote the screenplay based on the Thomas Perry novel, Strip. A Higher Standard will handle sales at the Cannes market. The production is due to begin principal photography in October on the Gold Coast of Australia. (via Deadline)

05/08/24 @ 5:09 pm EST

Source: Hollywood Reporter | Categories: MIsc

The actress, best known for her key role in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, has been cast as the titular heroine in Nickelodeon Studios’ new live-action Dora the Explorer feature being made for Paramount+ and Nickelodeon.Alberto Belli, who directed Disney+ holiday feature The Naughty Nine and episodes of Disney show Ultra Violet and Black Scorpion, is helming the new production that has a working title of Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado.Written by J.T. Billings , the script follows as Dora, her cousin Diego and their new friends trek through perilous dangers of the Amazonian jungle in search of the ancient treasure of Sol Dorado in order to keep this powerful treasure out of enemy hands. (via THR)