THE ZOCALO TODAY – July 31, 2004

WHAT'S NEW

Nothing new to report on the Babylon 5 front. We'll keep watching
for some information on JMS' new projects and post what information
we find.

I want to welcome all the new subscribers to The Zocalo Today. I
hope you enjoy the site and the newsletter.

JEREMIAH

Ranger Dave sent along the following schedule for JEREMIAH on
Showtime Two. Hopefully some of you have access to the channel and
can watch these early episodes of the series:

08/06/04 8:00 PM The Long Road
08/06/04 9:35 PM Man of Iron, Woman Under Glass
08/07/04 8:00 PM And The Ground ... Sown With Salt
08/07/04 8:45 PM To Sail Beyond the Stars
08/07/04 9:30 PM The Bag
08/13/04 8:00 PM City Of Roses
08/13/04 8:45 PM Firewall
08/13/04 9:30 PM The Red Kiss

RANGER SIGHTINGS

Ranger Judy reports that David Wells (Sleeping in Light) appears in
TWIN SITTERS, presently airing on Showtime.

DISCUSSION TOPIC:
I have been a comic book lover for years -- not as deep into it as
my nephew, but I like to read them just the same. With TV series
like STARGATE, CSI, CSI: MIAMI, SMALLVILLE and other spinning off
into comic book issues, so you enjoy reading your TV series? Do you
feel that this medium can continue the story? Would you like to see
more BABYLON 5 comic books (hint, hint)?

Send in your thoughts and ideas to sgbruckner@.... I post them
on the Discussion Page for everyone to share and enjoy. See what has
come in so far. If you see an old topic you want to respond to, go
right ahead. We enjoy hearing from you.

KEEPING UP WITH CAST AND CREW

PAT TALLMAN: Ranger Anne reports that the SciFi Channel will
show "Army of Darkness" this Saturday (7/31) at 5pm ET. Along with
Bruce Campbell (as Ash), Pat Tallman (B5's own Lyta) has a dual role
as "a possessed witch and a present-day co-worker."

Patricia is looking for any recordings of her speaking appearances
at conventions. She will reimburse anyone who can send in a video or
DVD of Pat telling stories at a convention. She will also send along
a new autographed photo (one that no one has yet) and will pay
postage and the cost of the vide tape. Here is an address you can
use to contact Pat:
Patricia Tallman
6433 Topanga Canyon Blvd. #207
Canoga Park, CA 91303

REMEMBERING RICHARD BIGGS

Donna at Pipeline Productions writes that she and Jason Carter have
been working on a web-page to replace The Biggs and Carter
Experiences page. Since The Biggs and Carter Experiences had been a
long time dream of Rick's, they thought it best to dedicate it to
rising funds for the RJ and Hunter Educational Fund.

They are taking donations of items and putting them on the page for
interested parties to buy. All donations are welcome and should be
sent to the Pipeline Productions, P.O. Box 522, Allen Park, Mi
48180. Please remember to mark the name of the item or name of actor
as well as how much you feel it should go for or the fair market
value.

This will be an on going project that Jason and Donna will need as
much help as possible to raise as much money as they can. So if you
do have any items or if you see anything you like let me know by
email at donna@.... The web address is still
www.biggsandcarter.com .

VIDEO OFFER

Ranger Mark was Dragon-Con's OFFICIAL videographer for 1998 and 1999.
He has quite a number of interviews from various conventions over
the past 10 years available and they are now available on e-bay.
This includes footage from Dragon-Con with Peter Jurasik hosting the
Dawn Look a Like Contest , and 2 panels of the B5ers , one all women
the other the men. Mark's Ebay page is
http://stores.ebay.com/markscelebrityinterviews
and his text page is http://members.tripod.com/cosmicmc/. If you
are interested, drop over and give this a look-see.

WHAT'S ON TONIGHT

CABLE AND NETWORK SHOWS:
8:00 on HBO
Dreamcatcher
Telepathic friends and the military confront aliens. Based on a book
by Stephen King.

8:00pm on UPN
Star Trek: Enterprise
Doctor's Orders
Dr. Phlox and T'Pol are in charge of the ship after the crew is put
into a sleep state.

8:00pm on Hallmark
The Gambler V: Playing for Keeps An Old West gambler tracks his son,
a college dropout running with outlaws. Bruce Boxleitner stars with
Kenny Rogers.

9:00pm
Unexplained Mysteries
Psychic Healers People say psychic healers cured them.

ON SCIFI TONIGHT:

7:00pm
Thirteen Ghosts
A widower, his daughter, his son and others become trapped in a
house with vengeful spirits.

9:00pm
Out for Blood
After a vampire bites him, a detective's only hope for survival is
to kill his undead attacker.

ON SYNDICATED TV THIS WEEKEND:

Andromeda
Fear Burns Down to Ashes
The Collectors trap Dylan in a life-or-death situation using Rev Bem
as bait.

Angel
Heartthrob
An old friend from the past seeks revenge for Angel's staking his
undead love.

BeastMaster
The Choice
The sorceress, yearning for Sharak to be returned to human form,
makes a deal with the devil.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Never Kill a Boy on the First Date
When Buffy goes on a date, the Master plots her demise.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World
The Secret
An assassin linked to Marguerite's past threatens the explorers'
lives.

Mutant X
The Hand of God
The team embarks on a mission to locate and powers.

The Outer Limits
Hearts and Minds
Buglike aliens try to steal an energy source.

The Outer Limits
The Tribunal
A time-traveler helps bring a war criminal to justice.

SCIENCE FICTION PUBLICATIONS

Cult Times #107: FARSCAPE: PEACEKEEPER WARS - Ben Browder talks
about returning to the Farscape universe; Shawn Reaves takes a deep
look at his TRU CALLING character Harrison Davies and reveals what
he would do if he got the chance to relive a day and ALIAS Producer
Jesse Alexander gives us a look at season three and provides some
information on what's in store for Season Four.

Time Zone Special #179: Executive producer and writer Russell T
Davies tells us about his plans for the BBC's revival of Doctor Who,
the designers from STARGATE ATLANTIS give insights into the Pegasus
galaxy, and Spencer Banks talks about playing boy hero Simon in the
classic children's Sci-Fi series, THUNDERBIRDS, and legend David
Graham, who played Simon's older self.

Smallville Issue #2:The second issue of Smallville Magazine is here!
This month Michael Rosenbaum talks about his role as Lex Luthor.
John Schneider and Annette O'Toole discuss life on the farm as
Clark's parents, and you'll get a look at the effects of meteors on
Smallville. The issue also includes a free Lex poster and Emmanuelle
Vaugnier, a.k.a. the ex-Mrs Luthor, talks about life with Lex!

Alias #7: This issue will uncover the secrets of The Covenant and
examine the history of Milo Rambaldi! There's a report of death
defying action as the magazine spends a day with the Alias stunt
team and J.J. Abrams previews the eagerly anticipated fourth season
of Alias!

Starburst #313: This issue takes a hard look at the new I, ROBOT.
How much of Asimov is really in the new feature? The magazine will
also look at other robots in the movies -- and count off the top
ten! Also in this issue, SPIDERMAN's Tobey McGuire and Sam Raimi
drop in for a chat and we'll hear more about the The Dead Zone from
John L. Adams.

NEW ON THE BOOK SHELVES

HANGING OUT WITH THE DREAM KING SC
edited by Joe McCabe
The most intimate look yet into the life and mind of the bestselling
author and creator of The Sandman. He is an award-winning comic book
writer (Sandman), novelist (American Gods), children's book author
(The Wolves in the Walls), and television screenwriter (Neverwhere).
Hanging Out With the Dream King presents a thorough look at Gaiman's
work not only through his eyes, but through the eyes of his many
collaborators. Artists, writers, editors, musicians - over two-dozen
creators share their thoughts on working with Gaiman and present a
unique mosaic portrait of the writer whose name has become
synonymous with modern fantasy. The book features comprehensive
interviews with all of the major Sandman artists, including Charles
Vess, P. Craig Russell, Bryan Talbot, and Jill Thompson, as well as
rare and exclusive interviews with Sandman co-creators Sam Kieth and
Mike Dringenberg. Illustrated with many unpublished photos and comic
pages, this is the book Gaiman's fans have been waiting for.
Introduction by Tori Amos. SC, 6x9, 280pg, PC..........$17.95

COMIC BOOKS

RISING STARS #22
by J. Michael Straczynski & Brent Anderson
"Phoenix In Ascension" Pt. 1 of 3. J. Michael Straczynski's
superhero tour-de-force returns and speeds toward its whipsaw
conclusion! The superpowered "Specials" set out to change the world.
Now that one of the Specials is elected President of the United
States, the world will change...whether it wants to or not!
FC, 32pg..........$2.99

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #513
"Sins Past," part 5 of 5. The worst defeat that Peter Parker ever
endured -- a moment frozen in the minds of Spider-Man fans
everywhere -- was supposed to be far in his past. But now, two
villains -- ripped, perhaps, directly from that very moment -- have
emerged, and they threaten to destroy everything that he holds dear.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Oct. 27.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #512
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, art and cover by Mike Deodato.
"Sins Past," part 4 of 5. The worst defeat that Peter Parker ever
endured -- a moment frozen in the minds of Spider-Man fans
everywhere -- was supposed to be far in his past. But now, two
villains -- ripped, perhaps, directly from that very moment -- have
emerged and they threaten to destroy everything that he holds dear.
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Sept. 29.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #510
Sins Past, part 2 of 6. The second part of a Spider-Man arc that
will have people talking for years. Featuring art by new series
regular Mike Deodato." Amazing Spider-Man #510 will be 32 pages and
will cost $2.25.

SUPREME POWER #13
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, art and cover by Gary Frank.
"The Squadron," part 1 of 6. In their first adventure as a team,
Hyperion, Blur and Nighthawk -- the newly formed Squadron --
encounter a super-powered serial killer! But will they live long
enough to stop him? 32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Oct. 27.

STRANGE #2
Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Samm Barnes, art and cover by
Brandon Peterson.
Brash young surgeon Dr. Stephen Strange is on a collision course
with destiny -- a journey that will force him to search the deepest
corners of his own heart...and the outer reaches of the cosmos. The
adventures of the Master of the Mystic Arts in the year's most
highly anticipated origin story. 32 pages, $3.50, in stores on Oct.
13.

DOCTOR SPECTRUM #3
Written by Samm Barnes, art by Travel Foreman, cover by Dale Keown,
creative consultant J. Michael Straczynski.
Part 3 of 6. From the pages of Supremere Power, the limited series
that reveals the dark secrets of Joe Ledger¹s past. And while
figures from Dr. Spectrum¹s past continue to haunt him, the
government searches for a way to solve the Hyperion problem. 32
pages, $2.99, in stores on Oct. 13.

INSIDE SCI-FI THIS WEEK:

SYRIANA: Actress Michelle Monaghan has landed a role in SYRIANA, the
thriller that stars George Clooney, Matt Damon, Max Minghella and
Amanda Peet. The movie is about the instability of the middle east,
the influence of oil on world capitalism and the involvement of the
CIA in the politics of the region. The picture is being directed by
Stephen Gaghan (ABANDON). She appears next year in CONSTANTINE with
Keanu Reeves and can be seen on screens right now in THE BOURNE
SUPREMACY.

KING KONG: A couple more actors have been added to Peter Jackson's
remake of KING KONG; Jamie Bell (BILLY ELLIOT) will play a cameraman
on Carl Denham's exploration mission to Skull Island while Evan
Parke (ALIAS) will play the first mate on the Venture, the ship
Denham hires to transport his crew to Kong's home. Parke's character
eventually winds up becoming the de facto leader of the rescue team
that goes after Kong to rescue Ann Darrow's character. The duo join
Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody who have already been hired
for the remake. The film will out in theaters in December 2005.

NEW WORLD: Photos are coming out of New Line's THE NEW WORLD, the
upcoming historical drama set during the early colonialist days in
America. Colin Farrell stars as explorer John Smith; Christopher
Plummer will be Captain Christopher Newport, the first president of
the colony. The film's story will present its own take on the
Pocahontas love story between Smith and the Indian princess. Filming
is scheduled to start in July. Also in the cast are Christian Bale,
David Thewlis, Wes Studi, Noah Taylor, Q'orianka Kilcher and August
Schellenberg star in the Terrence Malick directed picture. It's due
out in theaters in November 2005.

ELEKTRA: Ben Affleck will have a cameo role in Jennifer Garner's
Daredevil spin-off, ELEKTRA. Word is that Jennifer Garner has asked
him to shoot a cameo in her Daredevil spin-off movie, so Affleck is
heading for the set. "They haven't even told me what it is," Affleck
says. "I guess it's some kind of fantasy - I shouldn't say fantasy."
He laughs. "It's a dream sequence."

ANDROMEDA: Brandy (The Invisible Man) Ledford has joined the cast of
the Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda.

TOP SF NETWORK SHOWS:
Joan of Arcadia 3.13
Smallville 1.7
Kingdom Hospital 1.6
Enterprise 1.4
Charmed 1.3
Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 7/5/04 - 7/11/04.

FANTASTIC FOUR: Jessica Alba (Dark Angel) will play Invisible Girl
Sue Storm in the upcoming FANTASTIC FOUR movie. It was an
opportunity she just couldn't pass up. At San Diego Comi-Con, Alba
said, "Honestly, I was worried. But at the end of the day, when this
opportunity came, I couldn't say no. I feel I wouldn't be able to
sleep at night if I turned this movie down, because it's such a
great story. And I'm going to work my a-- off and hopefully people
will be pleased." Alba has already gotten a glimpse of the skin-
tight outfit she and her fellow cast members—which include Michael
Chiklis (The Shield) as Ben Grimm/The Thing and Ioan Gruffudd (King
Arthur) as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic—will be wearing. "I've tried
mine on," she said. "And the zippers are on the inside. I was so
scared. [The costumer] had to use a tool. ... The costumes are very
cool. They are spandex, and we have gloves and boots ... and fours
on our chests." Shooting for the project begins next month.

PUNISHER 2: After much deliberation, PUNISHER star Thomas Jane
indicates that a sequel to the comic-book adaptation is planned for
a 2005 start. Jane is set to reprise his role as Frank Castle/The
Punisher, with the comics' Jigsaw as the villain. Jane said in an
interview, "If we all have our way, Jigsaw will be the villain. I
think Michael Keaton would be awesome [for the role]. Hopefully
we're going to shoot that next year, hopefully in the first part of
next year, not the second part. But it'll probably be the second
part of next year." Jane said that he expected it to be even more
physically demanding than the original. "I know that the scene at
the end of the first Punisher, where I go up there and just take
everybody out, that's going to be the opening of The Punisher 2. In
another context, I'll be taking on a whole other set of guys in
another place, but the film Punisher 2 will open with that kind of a
scene, and it'll just get worse from there."

THE TRAVELER: Universal Pictures has bought the film rights to a
forthcoming science fiction novel by first-time author John
Twelvehocks. THE TRAVELER, the first in an intended trilogy, was
sold to Doubleday Publishing where it attracted the attention of
screenwriters Carlo Bernard and Doug Miro. The writers took it to
producer Kathleen Kennedy, and Kennedy and her producing partner
Frank Marshall are now set to develop the property for Universal,
with Bernard and Miro as exective producers. THE TRAVELER looks at
the history of the world as an ongoing struggle between two groups,
the Travelers and the Tabulas. The primary characters in the book
are two brothers and a young woman who are trying to avoid detection
by the agents of the Tabulas. Bernard told The Hollywood
Reporter, "The author did a really great job of creating a world
that is at once recognizable and another world that supersedes it."

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: There is quite a mix available for you at the
box office this weekend. There is suspense, politics, comedy or
children's fare. For only the second time this summer, four studios
are bringing out wide national releases with the hope that there is
enough differentiation for all of them to score well with audiences.
The Hollywood Reporter feels that the weekend's top film is likely
to be M. Night Shyamalan's "The Village" from Buena Vista Pictures,
but Paramount Pictures' political drama "The Manchurian Candidate,"
New Line Cinema's stoner comedy "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle"
and Universal Pictures' family film "Thunderbirds" are all clamoring
for their share of the pie. "The Village" is out to test the brand-
name appeal of its writer-director. Shyamalan has become a franchise
unto himself with his past three movies. But this time around, the
Indian-born thriller buff reaches out to audiences without the help
of the significant star power that marked his previous entries.
Shyamalan scored his biggest opening in 2002 with "Signs," which
opened to $60.1 million during the first weekend in August and
marked Buena Vista's first hit of that year. The Walt Disney Co.'s
distribution outlet is hoping for the same phenomenon this time
around, as the studio has struggled at the boxoffice this year.

SUPERMAN: "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!" The man who
bellowed those words to introduce the "Superman" radio show has
died. Jackson Beck was 92. A friend said Beck died Wednesday. He had
suffered a series of small strokes several years ago. He worked well
into his 80s. Beck was a master of the voice-over, using his voice
to promote everything from Aqua Fresh toothpaste to Combat roach
killer. In addition to narrating Superman's adventures, Beck doubled
as villains, supporting characters and the Daily Planet copy boy on
the popular radio broadcasts of the 1940s. He also portrayed Bluto
in more than 300 "Popeye" cartoons.

PRINCESS OF MARS: Kerry Conran, helmer for SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD
OF TOMORROW, is on board to direct the sci-fi adventure action film
A PRINCESS OF MARS. The project is based on the first book in
Burroughs' 11-book series, "John Carter of Mars," which centers on
John Carter, a Civil War officer from Virginia who is transported to
Mars and finds himself a captive of the savage green men from Thark.
Eventually, he rises to become the greatest warrior of all time,
marries the beautiful Dejah Thoris, raises a family and embarks on
numerous adventures.

HERBIE: FULLY LOADED: Variety reports that Michael Keaton will join
Lindsay Lohan in Disney's HERBIE: FULLY LOADED, the studio's
retooled "Love Bug" franchise. Written by Tom Lennon and Robert
Robert Ben Garant, "Herbie" sets the famous Volkswagen in the world
of NASCAR racing. Angela Robinson (D.E.B.S.) is directing. The
original 1968 film THE LOVE BUG starred Dean Jones and Buddy Hackett
in a comedy about a car with a mind of its own. As an owner of one
of these wonderful cars, I can't wait to see the beautiful beetle
return.

TOP SF DVD SALES:
1. Star Wars trilogy
2. Hellboy
3. The Passion of the Christ
4. Aqua Teen Hunger Force, volume 2
5. V: The Complete Series
6. Stargate SG-1 season seven
7. Sealab 2021 season one
8. Angel season four
9. Return of the King
10. Buffy season six
Source: Amazon.com, top-selling genre DVDs, 7/26/04

EARTHSEA: SMALLVILLE's Kristin Kreuk plays a young priestess in SCI
FI Channel's upcoming original fantasy miniseries EARTHSEA. X-Men's
Shawn Ashmore co-stars in the miniseries as Ged, a young man who is
attempting to master his magic abilities when he unwittingly
unleashes a dark force. The miniseries is based on two of Ursula K.
Le Guin's EARTHSEA novels, A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of
Atuan. Kreuk is Tenar, a member of a religious order led by Thar,
the High Priestess of Atuan (Isabella Rossellini). Kreuk added that
Tenar is an orphan who has found her way to the temple at Atuan,
where she was accepted into the order. "She's strong," she
said. "She has her beliefs, and she sticks by them, and she's
willing to fight for them. But she's a little different from a lot
of the other priestesses in the sense that she's a little more laid
back. She can relax a bit more and laugh, and she gets affected by
things a bit more. ... She's still very self-contained, but
incredibly strong." EARTHSEA also stars Danny Glover and comes from
Emmy-Award- winning producer Robert Halmi Sr. and Pulp Fiction
producer Lawrence Bender. It premieres in December.

BATMAN BEGINS: The first trailer for Christopher Nolan's BATMAN
BEGINS has finally arrived and it's online at
http://batmanbegins.warnerbros.com/. Not a lot of action yet, but
you will get glimpses of a young Bruce Wayne at his parents' wake,
Bruce finding what will become the Batcave; see the older Bruce
travel the world, learning the skills that will allow him to fight
crime; and then wonder whose ominous silhouette rises above Bruce
during the trailer's final moments. June 17, 2005 is the date set
for when BATMAN BEGINS opens in theaters

THE INCREDIBLES: This November Dark Horse Comics, in conjunction
with Disney Publishing Worldwide and Pixar Animation Studios, will
publish a comic book adaptation of the Walt Disney Pictures
presentation of a Pixar Animation Studios film, THE INCREDIBLES, a
new animated feature about a family with extraordinary powers. THE
INCREDIBLES premieres in theaters November 5, 2004. During the
golden age of Supers, heroes protected the populace from harm. The
era's main champion was the ultra strong Mr. Incredible. But things
went awry for Mr. Incredible and the rest of the Supers when they
were hit with a series of frivolous lawsuits brought against them by
those they once saved. To diffuse the situation, the government
created a relocation program for the Supers, who, in exchange for
protection from further lawsuits, went into hiding and promised
never to use their powers again. Fifteen years later, Mr. Incredible
is simply Bob Parr, living the quiet suburban life with his wife
Helen, and their three children. However, family life and the daily
nine-to-five routine aren't enough for Bob, who frequently sneaks
out to do "hero work" in the evenings. Bob's inability to move on
from past glories soon puts a strain on his home life. But one day
things take an unexpected turn when Bob is contacted by a mysterious
woman who recruits him for some top secret hero work. This four-
issue comic book series is adapted from the original film story,
which was written by director Brad Bird ("Iron Giant") and will
feature illustrations by Incredibles storyboard artist Ricardo
Curtis. "The Incredibles" issue #1 (of 4) arrives on sale November
24 with a retail price of $2.99.

SMALLVILLE: Following a panel discussion and autograph signing
session for SMALLVILLE at the San Diego Comic Con, cast and crew
members answered some questions for the press about what to expect
from the coming season. One of Executive Producer Alfred Gough's
answers was not new territory in the least; but, if you've been
spoiler-free so far and want to wade into some very general
information, here's what he had to say:
"Season 4, you will meet Lois Lane. You will also meet a character
named Jason Teague, played by Jensen Ackles, who will be Lana Lang's
new love interest. You will see Lionel Luthor in jail. And in the
opening episode, we will see some flying."

BIG FRIENDLY GIANT: Paramount's big screen adaptation of Roald
Dahl's children's book, THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT, has signed up writer
Ed (The In-Laws) Solomon to prep the script.

TOP SF SYNDICATED SHOWS:
Stargate SG-1 2.0
Andromeda 1.9
She Spies 1.7
Mutant X 1.6
3rd Rock 1.3
The X-Files 1.3
Beastmaster 1.2
Buffy 1.2
John Edward 1.2
The Outer Limits 1.2
Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 7/5/04 - 7/11/04

CONSTANTINE: While the upcoming supernatural film is based on the
Vertigo graphic novel Helblazer, director Francis Lawrence said
recently that he avoided using that style for CONSTANTINE. "My
approach to this from the beginning was to never shoot it like a
comic-book movie. I think that's been done before." Lawrence
added, "It was done very, very well with Tim Burton's original
BATMAN. From then [on], I don't think anybody's really topped that.
Everybody's built Gotham City again, whether it's called Gotham City
or not. Everybody's done the dutched angles and all the bright
colors and made things super- campy. And what I wanted to do, and
what I always loved about the comic, was it was rooted in a reality
and in real places. What I really wanted to do was make it really
feel real. And it seems to be working. It seems to be what people
are responding to. It's not all hyper-real. It's not super-stylized.
It's rooted in a gritty reality." CONSTANTINE stars Keanu Reeves as
supernatural detective John Constantine, who is facing death by lung
cancer and must find a way to stave off the demonic forces that want
to drag him to hell. "There are plenty elements of horror in this,"
Lawrence said. "There are plenty of scares. It's creepy throughout.
What's interesting about this movie, and what I'm really proud of,
too, is that it's not really genre-specific. It's not a supernatural
thriller. It's not a horror film. It's not four kids in a van going
off and getting chopped up by an ax murderer. It's not just fantasy.
It's this weird blend of all these things."

SMALLVILLE: When SMALLVILLE returns for its third season on
September 22, we'll find a number of changes. Among the changes --
Lana Lang will loose that small-town character and gain confidence
in herself. She has traveled to Paris and has a new boyfriend,
played by Jensen Ackles (Dark Angel). "Lana this season is actually
really great," Kristin Kreuk said in an interview. "I'm really
excited to play her this year. Not that I wasn't before, but ... my
character gets a drastic change this year. She goes to Paris. She
has a wonderful, ... fantastic time. So she's being an artist. She
has this awesome apartment that I want. ... She meets this guy, this
wonderful guy, who's funny and easy, unlike Clark, who was this big,
huge heaviness." What about the long-suffering relationship between
Clark and Lana? Kreuk added. "The two of them together, ... their
issues would just like combine and cause tension," she said. "But
[Lana's] happy and confident in herself and interested in art and in
style. ... Before, she was kind of directionless. She didn't know
what she wanted. And I think ... she's getting perspective on her
life." Lana also has a new wardrobe and a new look. "No more, like,
really tight jeans with pink T-shirts," she said with a
laugh. "She's a more mature woman, and ... it's so much fun."

After nearly two years in limbo, the final issues of J. Michael
Straczynski's RISING STARS comic book series will be issued. Top Cow
announced that the final three issues of the maxi-series will be
published -- RISING STARS #22 will arrive on store shelves this
coming October followed by issue #23 in November and the final book
to be released in January 2005. "We've got all the remaining scripts
in hand, and JMS does a great job in tying up all the loose ends to
this story," remarks Top Cow Managing Editor Renae Geerlings. "It's
a great ending; I think everyone's going to love it!" A preview of
RISING STARS #22 will appear in HUMANKIND #1, which goes on sale
next month. When the final issue of the series comes out next
January that won't be the end of Straczynski's self-contained world;
a five-issue mini-series by Fiona Avery titled RISING STARS
UNTOUCHABLE will cover the untold story of Laurel Darkhaven, one of
RISING STARS' Specials.

HERCULES: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Sean Astin, Leelee
Sobieski and Timothy Dalton are set and Angie Harmon is in
negotiations to star in NBC's four-hour miniseries HERCULES, from
Hallmark Entertainment. British newcomer Paul Tefter has been
selected from more than 200 candidates to play the title role in the
project, which chronicles the life of the Greek hero who, after
killing his two sons and two of his brother's sons, performs 12
labors to repent. Astin will play Linus, Hercules' music teacher.
Sobieski will play Hercules' second wife, Deianeira. Harmon will
play Hercules' mother, Alcmene, and Dalton will play the hero's
stepfather, Amphitryon. Roger Young is directing the mini, budgeted
at more than $20 million, from a script by Charles Pogue.

JAMES BOND: According to Entertainment Weekly, Pierce Brosnan says
he's done with the James Bond franchise, opening the door for
possible replacements. "That's it," says the now former 007, "I've
said all I've got to say on the world of James Bond." He says that
Die Another Day will be his last Bond film and he's not returning
for a fifth movie. "Bond is another lifetime, behind me." If Brosnan
can't be wooed back with a larger salary -- as Sean Connery was when
he quite the franchise -- Eon Productions will have to find another
actor to fill the role for "James Bond 21," scheduled for a November
18, 2005 release.

WAKE OF DEATH: Reports indicate that Joel Schumacher has signed to
direct Dimension's WAKE OF DEATH. The film reportedly tells of four
college kids who attempt to re-animate the dead. It is based off of
a comic book series written by "30 Days of Nights" scribe Steve
Niles and published through IDW Publishing. Schumacher's next flick
is PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, due out for Christmas.

STARGATE ATLANTIS: For those of you who missed episodes #1 and #2 of
this new STARGATE series, you will be delighted by tonight's
schedule at SCIFI. Episode #1 begins at 8:00 and Episode #2 starts
at 10:00.

SPIDER-MAN 2: Danny Elfman's score for SPIDER-MAN 2 hits stores
today! You can listen to four sound clips that have been posted at
http://www.cinemusic.net/reviews/2004/spider-man_2.html. This is
Elfman at his best!
Also in SPIDER-MAN 2 news, Variety reports that SPIDER-MAN 2 swung
into India over the weekend and knocked aside all box office records
by a foreign-language movie. Released on 303 screens, the equivalent
of a major Hindi-language release, the sequel raked in 77.5 million
rupees ($1.6 million) in its opening weekend. It was a 45%
improvement on the previous record, held by the first Spider-Man.
The movie also notched a record opening-day gross for any foreign-
language film in India, with $474,000 Friday. Sunday, it set the
record for the largest single-day gross for any foreign-language
film in India, taking in $570,000. The sequel is expected to become
the top Hollywood grosser in India and top the $11.2 million posted
by "Titanic."

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, one of the most
successful shows in the history of Broadway, has been lured to the
desert with the promise of a lavish new theater and a seemingly
endless stream of tourists. Clear Channel Entertainment will produce
a 90-minute, $35 million version of the Tony Award-winning musical,
set to open in the spring of 2006 at the Venetian hotel-casino,
according to a source familiar with the hotel's negotiation. ABC
News reported that an official announcement is expected shortly.

FANTASTIC FOUR: This weekend at San Diego Comi-Con, Michael Chiklis,
who will play Ben Grimm (The Thing) in the latest comic-book-to-film
adaptation, FANTASTIC FOUR -- said that he took the role based on
assurances from the producers that his character would not be
computer-generated. "I did not want to do this if Ben Grimm was
going to be a CGI [character]. If he was going to be done in the way
that the Hulk was done, then I felt that I would be wasted. And I
was assured from the get-go that that wasn't going to be the case.
And I was thrilled." Chiklis, who won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for
the role of Vic Mackey on the FX TV series THE SHIELD, said there
are some similarities to the two characters he portrays. "I'm a thug
that you want to hug," he joked. "[Ben] is a guy who can be very
scary and also be really likable and downright cuddly. So, yeah,
there's kind of through line in that way. But his problems ... are a
lot different than Vic Mackey or other characters I've played. So
there are broad-stroke similarities and some specific differences."
Chiklis has been a fan of the FANTASTIC FOUR comic book from an
early age. He is eager to begin filming and see how the script will
be realized by director Tim Story (Barbershop). Filming for the
project begins in August in Vancouver, B.C.

VAN HELSING DVD: On October 19, Universal Home Video will release
Stephen Sommers' VAN HELSING to the home video market. The film
stars Hugh Jackman as the legendary monster hunter; Kate Beckinsale
as Anna, his ally; Richard Roxburgh as Count Dracula; and David
Wenham as Carl, Van Helsing's holy right-hand man. Universal will be
offering two different DVD editions of the film, with one being a
limited Ultimate Collector's Edition that will include additional
bonus material and the three classic Universal monster movies that
inspired Sommers' film: DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN and THE WOLF MAN.
Bonus features available on the VAN HELSING Ultimate Collector's
Edition DVD include:
"Explore Frankenstein's Lab": Venture through Dr. Frankenstein's
bizarre laboratory in a 360-degree interactive tour.
"Van Helsing: The Stort, the Life, the Legend": Short documentaries
examine all of the characters from the movie.
"Track the Adventure: Van Helsing's Map": Unlock the secrets behind
each locale that Van Helsing visited in the picture through this
ancient monster map.
"The Music of Van Helsing"
"Darkness Falls: Dracula's Lair is Transformed": Time-lapse
photography shows how Drecaula's coffin room is changed to his
laboratory through this sequence.

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: THE BOURNE SUPREMACY reigned supreme at the box
office this weekend. The film took in an estimated $53.5 million
dollars, making it one of the best opening weekends for a summer
movie so far. Last week's number one movie, I, ROBOT, dropped to
second spot, down 57% from its opening weekend. CATWOMAN placed
third but only netted $17 M and change. With SPIDER-MAN 2 now
playing on IMAX screens, another $15 M was added to the sequel's
nine digits tally. Michael Moore's FAHRENHEIT 9/11 also crossed the
$100 M barrier this weekend, setting another record for
documentaries. Counterprogramming efforts such as Warners' A
CINDERELLA STORY and New Line Cinema's THE NOTEBOOK are proving that
romance can find its own niche amongst the special effects
blockbusters of the summer. Next will find a new group of premieres -
- including the latest thriller from M. Night Shyamalan -- THE
VILLAGE, the live-action THUNDERBIRDS movie, and Jonathan Demme's
remake of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE. Here are the estimated box
office receipts of the top ten films from July 23 through to July 25
with their weekend gross and the movie's total domestic gross to
date.
1. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY $53,520,000 - $53,520,000
2. I, ROBOT $22,050,000 - $95,445,000
3. CATWOMAN $17,155,000 - $17,155,000
4. SPIDER-MAN 2 $15,000,000 - $328,453,000
5. A CINDERELLA STORY $8,040,000 - $29,814,000
6. ANCHORMAN: THE LEGENDY OF RON BURGUNDY $7,100,000 - $71,185,000
7. FAHRENHEIT 9/11 $5,000,000 - $103,356,000
8. THE NOTEBOOK $4,450,000 - $62,500,000
9. KING ARTHUR $3,064,000 - $45,198,000
10. SHREK 2 $2,400,000 - $429,525,000

NOWHERE MAN: According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ben Affleck is
attached to star in the Walt Disney Pictures adventure film, NOWHERE
MEN. The studio has acquired the pitch for for Peter and David
Griffiths to pen. Based on a treatment by Soren Garcia Rey, a
longtime friend of Affleck, and Chris Angulo, the ensemble adventure
revolves around a group of people, one of whom will be played by
Affleck, who pursue covert missions, aided by their personal
extraordinary gifts.

COURTNEY CRUMRIN: Variety reports that Fox 2000 Pictures has
optioned Ted Naifeh's COURTNEY CRUMRIN series of Oni Press comic
books to develop as a potential fantasy franchise. The series
follows a teenager who must contend with being a social outcast at a
snobby new school while simultaneously moving in with her warlock
uncle and learning how to harness magic. Makeup and creature F/X
maven Stan Winston will produce the film with Brian Gilbert. Sheryl
Longin has been hired to write the script. Variety also says the
deal includes Naifeh's comic books "Courtney Crumrin and the Night
Things," "Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics" and "Courtney
Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom."

THE LEGEND OF ZORRO: The Hollywood Reporter reports that British
actor Rufus Sewell is joining the cast of Columbia Pictures' THE
LEGEND OF ZORRO. Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are
reuniting with director Martin Campbell for The Mask of Zorro
sequel. Sewell portrays Armand, Zorro's rival for the affection of
Elena (Zeta-Jones).

BEST SELLING BOOKS: 1. The 9/11 Commission Report by National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks
2. Imperial Hubris by Anonymous
3. The American Prophecies by Michael D. Evans
4. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Author)
5. Maximum Influence by Kurt W. Mortensen, Robert G. Allen
(Foreword)
6. Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
7. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
8. My Life by Bill Clinton
9. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
10. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

SERENITY COMIC BOOK: At San Diego Comi-Con this weekend, Joss Whedon
told fans that he also intends to write a new series of comic books
based on the SERENITY universe and characters. Whedon said, "We have
every intention of putting out a comic book of Serenity as well."
Having written the Dark Horse title Fray, a futuristic take on the
universe introduced in Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
as well as the current Marvel title The Astonishing X-Men, Whedon
added, "We're talking with Dark Horse right now about doing a
Serenity comic book, because of Fray." SERENITY picks up the story
of the short-lived FIREFLY, set 500 years in the future, about the
ragtag crew of a transport ship traveling the galaxy in the wake of
a galactic civil war. The movie, from Universal Pictures, is
currently in production, with an eye to a spring 2005 release.

HARRY POTTER: J.K. Rowling, author of the HARRY POTTER series,
announced on her official Web site that she is expecting her third
child, but promised that the pregnancy would not delay her writing
the much-anticipated sixth novel, HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD
PRINCE. "I am really delighted to say that I am expecting a third
baby, who is due next year," Rowling wrote. "I always wanted three
children, so I could not be happier."

STAR WARS: We finally have the title of the third and final STAR
WARS adventure. LucasFilms has named the film, STAR WARS: EPISODE
III - REVENGE OF THE SITH. The announcement was made at Comic-Con
International in San Diego Saturday. The film, set for release next
May, will be the link between George Lucas's prequel trilogy and the
first three sci-fi blockbusters which began a long time ago in 1977
with "Star Wars," which is now titled "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New
Hope." The large convention of sci-fi and superhero fans is often
the setting for major announcements. This one, done a bit more
subtly, was announced when the LucasFilm fan relations chief Steve
Sansweet wore a black T-shirt to the convention with "Revenge of the
Sith" printed on it. Bits and pieces of information are beginning to
emerge. Natalie Portman, who plays Senator Amidala, also known as
Padme Skywalker, says she is heading for London next month for re-
shoots for the film. This storyline will show how she becomes mother
to Luke Skywalker and how her husband, played by Hayden Christensen,
becomes Darth Vader.

THE SOUND OF THUNDER: Over at SciFi Wire you will find exclusive
links from Warner Brothers for the new trailer for A SOUND OF
THUNDER, based on the Ray Bradbury short story. The trailer is
available in multiple formats, so pop on over and give it a look-
see. A SOUND OF THUNDER stars Ed Burns and Ben Kingsley in an SF
story about a time travel safari that goes wrong, with disastrous
consequences for the world.

DEAD LIKE ME: DEAD LIKE ME returns for its second season tonight --
and we are going to see some changes! Last year, George (short for
Georgia), spent much of Season 1 in a vile mood, and understandably
so. This bright but aimless teenager was fatally killed by a toilet
seat from the plummeting Skylab space station. George meets her new
mentor, Rube (Mandy Patinkin), a crusty pragmatist who quickly
recruited her for his team of Grim Reapers, the beings assigned to
remove the souls of the living and point them toward their
designated afterlife. The "team" consists of: cranky meter maid Roxy
(Jasmine Guy); Daisy (Laura Harris), a dazzlingly self-absorbed
former actress; and Mason (Callum Blue), a feckless Brit slacker who
has carried his penchant for substance abuse beyond the grave. "I'm
playing George quite a bit differently this season, and I'm glad you
picked up on the fact that she kind of made peace with her situation
at the end of last season," Muth says during a production break on
the show's Vancouver set. "This season is a lot funnier, not as
dark, mainly because, well, she has accepted the fact that she is
dead. She knows she cannot go back to where she was when she was
alive. DEAD LIKE ME premieres tonight at 10:00pm ET/PT on Showtime.

CONVENTION CALENDAR

Aug. 7-8, 2004
STARGATE SG-1 CONVENTION TOUR 2004
Location: Meadowlands, NJ
Guests Michael Shanks. Christopher Judge, Don Davis
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.creationent.com/ .

August 12, 2004
Kevin Sorbo Events
Location: Quality Hotel, Glasgow
August 13-15, 2004 Location: Radisson Edwardian Hotel City:
Heathrow, London, UK
Added guest: Gordon Michael Woolvett
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.wolfevents.com .

Aug. 13-15, 2004
VULKON
Location: Cleveland, OH
B5 Guests: Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Claudia Christian, Andrea
Thompson
Other Guests: William Shatner, Kurt and Cody Wetherill, Alexi Cruz,
Keir Dullea, Chase Masterson and more
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.vulkon.com/ .

Aug. 19-22, 2004
GENCON
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Guests TBA
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.gencon.com/ .

Aug. 20-22, 2004
Orlando Heroes and Wizards
Location: Orlando, FL
Guests: Kevin Sorbo, John Rhys-Davies, Robert Trebor, Bruce Hopkins
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.vulkon.com/ .

Aug.27-29, 2004
CANADIAN NATIONAL SCI-FI EXPO
Location: Toronto, Canada
Guests TBA
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.hobbystar.com/torontomain.html .

Aug. 27-29, 2004
Oakland Buffy Convention
Location: Oakland, CA
Guests: James Marsters, Alexis Denisof, Anthony Stewart Head, Andy
Hallett, Mercedes Mcnab, Juliet Landau and more
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.vulkon.com/ .

August 28-30, 2004
JAMES DOOHAN FAREWELL CONVENTION
Location: Los Angeles
Guests: James Doohan, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takei,
Walter Koenig, Grace Lee Whitney and Majel Roddenberry.
More Guests TBA
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.planetxpo.com/ .

Aug.28-29, 2004
CREATION CONVENTION
Location: Sacramento, CA
Guests TBA
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.creationent.com/ .

August 27-29, 2004
STARGATE SG-1 CONVENTION TOUR 2004
Location: Radisson Airport
City: Chicago, IL
For more information, visit their website at
http://www.fansofstargate.com .

Be sure to visit the referenced sites to see if there have been
changes in dates/guests attending. Visit our Convention Calendar for
a full listing of upcoming conventions.

That's about it for now.

I want to thank all those who sent in news to be reported on at The
Zocalo Today. We enjoy the sighting information and want to make
sure everyone can watch a B5 cast member in another role on TV if it
is possible. So continue to send in that sort of information – or
any information you think other B5 fans would enjoy
hearing/receiving.

Have a great weekend.
Be safe,
Sandy

Sandra Bruckner
Editor/Publisher
ISN News: The Zocalo Today
http://www.isnnews.net