THE ZOCALO TODAY – August 27, 20006

What's New

Just wanted to make sure everyone saw the latest update from JMS.
As you can see, he is one busy guy – but he still finds time to keep
us up to date on his many projects. I used to think Jerry
Bruckheimer was busy – JMS is going to give him a run for his money!

UPDATE FROM JMS

Date: Sat, Aug 26 2006

Boy howdy, has it been a hectic few weeks.
Okay, where to start? The second draft of the script for Ron Howard
will be going to him next week, and sometime in September we'll
learn where this all lands in terms of production schedules. It's
looking very good at the moment.

Hot on the heels of finishing that script, we've closed the deal for
me to write another feature for Universal, the big-budget
historical/action film alluded to earlier. That deal is now set, and
I'll be starting the writing shortly. So that's two firm done-deals
in feature films in the last few months, and if a recent meeting at
Paramount provides the expected results, I may have a third deal in
hand for the coming year, another big-budget film to be based on a
novel coming out in September.

I've also started in on the writing for the first B5: Lost Tales
script, and we've now spoken to several of the original cast
members, who are on board with the idea. It's still going to be a
factor of what deals can be made and with whom, as well as story
elements that are now being worked out, but things are moving ahead.
Because some of the crew and others we wanted won't be available
until October, we've pushed a bit, which is fine, since it gives me
a bit more time to get the script where it needs to be and start
laying out my shot list as director.

The pilot script for "Borrowed Lives" has been very well received by
Touchstone, and with a few minor notes we should be able to get this
in to the network in a few weeks. Then we shall see what we shall
see, but it looks promising for now.

For the comics fans out there...the solicitations went out this week
for the first issue of my miniseries "Bullet Points" for Marvel. I'm
really, really proud of this thing, and I commend it to you highly.
So if you're interested, let your comic store know to set aside
copies, because I think it's gonna sell out fairly quickly.
I should be receiving the approval CDs containing the final versions
of "The Adventures of Apocalypse Al" this week from the CBC.
Assuming no tweaks are needed, that should be it. I think they're
talking about October for an airdate, but that depends on their
scheduling windows. After that, as noted previously, it goes to
Sirius and a bunch of overseas markets.

Finally, I've cleared out a window of time so I can get the next B5
script book out the door on schedule. It's the only thing that I've
had any flexibility on in terms of deadlines, so it got pushed, but
I'm now in a position to come up for air a bit.

As you can guess, the last few weeks have been nonstop meetings and
nonstop writing. This is the busiest I've been since years 4 and 5
of B5. It's been pretty breathtaking at times, a lot of deadlines
that I wasn't always sure I could make, but in the end it seems to
be laying out pretty clean. The best part, to be honest, has been
working with Ron Howard and the Imagine folks on the script. When
I've heard people say "Each draft got better than the one before
it," I've never believed it because my experience of studio people
was that each draft generally got stupider. Not this time. It really
has gotten better with each iteration, more filmic, for lack of a
less moronic term. I like learning from people, and the learning
curve here has been both steep and deeply satisfying.

So I'm very happy. Tired beyond description just now, but happy
nonetheless.
jms

For more information on the Babylon 5 Scripts, go to
<http://www.babylon5scripts.com> . Be sure to visit the Script Book
Store as well as the review all the other material available for
Babylon 5 fans.

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
I went over to Café Press this morning to see how the sale of the
Declaration of Principles was coming. SOLD OUT! Yes, the 500
copies of this wonderful document are gone – but the Babylon 5
Script Team is encouraging people to sign up on a waiting list. If
any orders do fall through, you may be able to pick up a copy of
this fantastic Babylon 5 item. Go to
http://www.declarationofprinciples.com for more details.

BABYLON 5 DISCUSSION TOPIC:
It's been a while since we had a real Babylon 5 discussion. Here's
one for you. What was your favorite special effect? I know, there
are lots of them -- but if you had to pick one or two, what would
they be? My favorite is the starfury turning in space and firing.
What's yours?

Send your favorites to sgbruckner@... so that I can post
them for everyone to read on the Discussion Page.

BABYLON PODCASTS
Babylon Podcast: Show #29
by Summer —
Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Tim and Summer discover that Vorlons do occassionally nap, and
Jeffrey gives us an update on his busy schedule, and provides some
news on an upcoming guest for the show. We also chat about the long-
proposed B5 graphic novels, and whether or not we'll ever see them,
and Jeff regales us with an excerpt from a column he'd written for
Babylon 5 Magazine ("Vorlon Perspective"; April 1998, Vol 1, Issue
7: pg 6).

Yes, I looked it up. It was in one of the UK only issues that I
actually hadn't opened yet because I only just obtained them earlier
this year. Maybe I'll scan in the covers one of these days…
Tim and Summer's episode discussion this week is about "The Quality
of Mercy".

In "The Quality of Mercy", we focus on Dr Franklin's investigation
of what he perceives as a medical scam targeting lurkers in Down
Below, and with Talia's struggle to perform a mind wipe on a
convicted murderer. As those two storylines converge, we also see
Londo's life through Lennier's eyes as Londo takes him on an
exploration of the more exciting recreational diversions available
on Babylon 5.

Listener Feedback: Tim, Summer and Jeff address a few listener
emails and comments: First, Rick lets us know what the Hokey Pokey
is really all about, and unfortunately Tim runs with a bad joke;
Drongo Mollari gives us a scenario about the possibility of
Garibaldi retrieving Lise's first daughter. Tim also reads some JMS
posts that Jim Carr dug up about residuals and monies that the
actors might still receive.

For voicemails, Josh in Pennsylvania is a brand new B5 fan, and has
some questions about "War Without End" and the time paradoxes
involving Sheridan and Londo, and we do our best to cover the
various time strands.

Babylon Podcast: Show #28
by Summer —
Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Tim and Summer envy Jeffrey as he enjoys Dodger Dogs to kick off the
show, and discuss how good food and an appreciation for baseball
were integral parts of life on Babylon 5, discuss a little about the
upcoming B5 movies that JMS is working on, and start an informal
pool on which stories might be the first ones to be completed.
Tim and Summer's episode discussion this week is about "Babylon
Squared".

In "Babylon Squared", the return of the Babylon 4 station that
mysteriously disappeared without a trace 4 years earlier creates
more questions than it resolves, and in the process we begin to get
a sense of the much larger picture surrounding the story arc so far.
And don't forget that most important of philosophical posits:
Fasten, then zip?

Listener Feedback: First, Jeffrey tells us about his memories of Tim
Choate, the actor who potrrayed Zathras so unforgettably. Next, Tim,
Summer and Jeff address a few listener emails and comments: Tim
reads an email from Jim with info on what happened to the first 3
stations; Scott submits links about Babylon 5 Cookbook recipes; and
Mike comments on our opinions about the quality and content
of "Voice in the Wilderness".

For voicemails, Alexis in Florida wants to know more about royalties
and if the B5 cast will get more money from the resurgence of the
show in new outlets; Jarsto from the Netherlands corrects us on
which wife the dancer was, comments on the use of the Great Machine
throughout the rest of the series, and wants to know how we view
Londo's capacity for self-sacrifice.

Welcome to Show #27!
Tim and Summer dive deep into episode discussion again with "Voice
in the Wilderness" parts 1 and 2.

In "Voice in the Wilderness", the station becomes threatened by
unforseen violent seismic activity on Episilon 3, the planet below
that everyone thought was dead.

After several expeditions prove that there's highly advanced
technology far below the surface, the command staff scrambles to
discover if the threat to the station is insurmountable or not,
before it's too late.

The violence on Mars escalates into open violence, and the lack of
news sends Garibaldi into a frenzy to find out if the lost love of
his life is still alive and safe.

Delenn's old mentor shows up on the station, having lost his purpose
for living, and all three storylines collide and form a good story
that's enjoyable despite some of the teasers and danglers that
didn't make sense.

Listener Feedback: Tim, Summer and Jeff address a few listener
emails and comments: Tim reads an email from Edmund notes how the
best parts of the series fit together like a jigsaw puzzle; Edmund
has comments on negotiation tactics used in "By Any Means
Necessary"; Jack is curious about Vorlon motivations to get involved
with humans; and Jim wants to know what Vorlons eat.

For voicemails, Jonathan in California comments on how maybe the
uneven episodes during Season 1 were because they weren't written by
the same person, or by someone with a different interpretation of
the source vision; a comment on Garibaldi's motorcycle quest being
necessary to show us a more human side of the character; Jonathan in
California on the fates of Babylon Stations 1, 2 and 3. Plus a big
shoutout to Jim for taking the Vorlon to a Dodgers game!

Babylon Podcast: Show #26
by Summer —
Wednesday, August 2, 2006 1:30
Guest: Steve Thorpe, Snackman.

First, Tim and Summer ponder the ironies of taking a week off during
one of the biggest weeks of new B5 news in recent years. Thanks to
the many fans who all let us know what we missed: JMS creating new
direct-to-DVD stories in the B5 universe, leaving complete story
control in the hands of The Great Maker.

We will keep on top of any future news regarding this project.
Next, Tim, Summer and Jeff explore the wheels behind the wheels, the
true secret success that really kept Babylon 5 running: the food.
Steve "Snackman" Thorpe drops by to tell us all about the food that
kept production going. Definitely take care if you're drinking
beverages while listening to this episode.
When you're hungry, you're hungry.

Listener Feedback: Tim, Summer and Jeff address listener emails:
Mark is disappointed by the lack of ZIMA discussion in the brief
chat about "TKO"; Brent has his own theories about the destruction
of Babylon Stations 1-3; Mark P comments on Delenn's actions
in "Legacies", and we discover another B5 fan at a NASA
installation; Jack is curious about Vorlon motivations to get
involved with humans.

Your feedback does matter, and is welcome! You can call us at 206-
338-2259, or email us and tell us what you think… and likely hear it
played or read on the show. Please try to keep the voicemail
messages under 2 minutes, if possible.

Babylon Podcast: Show #25
by Summer —
Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Tim and Summer dive deep into episode discussion again with "Eyes"
and "Legacies".

In "Eyes", the political backlash from some of Commander Sinclair's
command decisions come home to roost, in the form of an official
Internal Investigation. Colonel Ari Ben-Zayn intends to probe the
current command staff to test their loyalties and their protocols as
a means to put himself in command of the station, but his vindictive
power play backfires, thanks to the integrity of his reluctant
assistant, a Psi Corps operative named Harriman Gray. And yes, we
talk about the Kawasaki Ninja. Za ba ga bee.

In "Legacies", the discovery of a burgeoning new telepath puts
Ivanova and Talia at odds with each other, and relations between
Earth and the Minbari become strained when the body of a respected
Minbari Warleader disappears while on a stopover at the station. We
see in Susan and Talia how deeply ingrained their passions for Psi
Corps run, in the lengths they'll try to go in order to get the new
telepath's choice to fall their way, and we meet Neroon for the
first time.

Listener Feedback: Tim, Summer and Jeff address more than a few
listener emails and comments that want to know all about The Vorlon:
Tim reads emails from Shelly asking how Jeff made Kosh glide so
well; Edmund has comments on negotiation tactics used in "By Any
Means Necessary"; Jack is curious about Vorlon motivations to get
involved with humans; and Jim wants to know what Vorlons eat.
For voicemails, James in Dallas liked how B5 showed pieces of the
characters lives beyond the usual scope, and anticipates us
discussing some of his favorite episodes; Chris in Indianapolis lets
us know that the podcast is mentioned in Volume 8 of JMS's Script
Books.

NEW DVDS

SUPERNATURAL: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (DVD)
Widescreen, Original Aspect Ratio - 1.78
Original Product Release Date: 09/05/2006

Synopsis:
Bound by tragedy and blood to a dangerous, otherworldly mission, two
brothers travel in mysterious back roads of the country in their '67
Chevy Impala, searching for their missing father--and hunting down
every evil supernatural force they encounter along the way. Bring
home all 22 episodes of the first season of the thrilling new show,
Supernatural along with must-own bonus features. Supernatural is a
completely new kind of thrill ride that takes viewers on a journey
into the dark world of the unexplained.

For clips from the DVD, please go to
http://www.isnnews.net/zocalo/supernatural2.shtml Supernatural.

VERONICA MARS - SEASON TWO
Original Product Release Date: 08/22/2006

Synopsis:
In the wealthy, seaside community of Neptune, California, the rich
and powerful make the rules. Unfortunately for them, there's
Veronica Mars, a smart, fearless 17-year-old apprentice private
investigator. In season two, the Mars family finds themselves
embroiled in another season-long mystery hitting closer to home,
following a new local tragedy. Meanwhile, after a summer of
surprises and sordid murder trials, Logan and best friend Duncan
Kane find themselves at odds, while Veronica must deal with her
increasingly complicated romantic life and a whole new school year
with familiar and surprising

INVASION
Official Release Date: August 22, 2006

Synopsis: From famed writer/producer Shaun Cassidy comes a
suspenseful tale of a blended family trying to recover from a
devastating hurricane and its mysterious aftermath For park ranger
Russell Varon (Eddie Cibrian), a divorced father of two who is
expecting a third child with his new wife, the hurricane proves to
be merely the beginning of a long journey into the unknown. As the
tiny town of Homestead, Florida struggles to rebuild itself, Sheriff
Tom Underlay (William Fichtner) - who is married to Russell's ex-
wife - suspiciously orders the entire area quarantined. Russell
starts to investigate the strange goings on and unknowingly begins a
fight for the survival of his family, his community, and what might
ultimately be the whole human race. Actors: Tyler Labine, Eddie
Cibrian, William Fichtner, Alexis Dziena, Lisa Sheridan, Kari
Matchett, Evan Peters, Ariel Gade, Aisha Hinds.

REVIEW:
I missed INVASION when it aired on TV last season. It was probably
on opposite some other program I usually watch (or sleep through.
However, I started watching the DVD series this weekend and find
that this is a good program. The writing is good; the acting is
superb and you are always wondering what will happen next. I'm up to
episode #3 and I can't wait to see what happens next.

For more information about the series, go to
http://www.warnervideo.com/invasion/

NEW SCI-FI PUBLICATIONS:

DOCTOR WHO SPECIAL #15
For more than 27 years, Doctor Who Magazine has documented the
making of this unique television series, interviewing every major
player, be they actors, directors, producers, designers, writers...
even monsters! Now for the very first time, DWM gathers together the
best of these interviews, as the cast and crew themselves recall
their part in the legend of Doctor Who, making for a frank,
forthright, and insightful memoir — in turns funny, poignant,
provocative, and surprising. This second volume covers the start of
the 1970s, as the series moved into colour, and Jon Pertwee arrived
as the Third Doctor. Featuring contributions from Jon Pertwee, Tom
Baker, Barry Letts, Terrance Dicks, Robert Holmes, Philip
Hinchcliffe, Nicholas Courtney, Caroline John, Katy Manning,
Elisabeth Sladen, and hundreds more!

Cult Times #132:
STARGATE ATLANTIS: Stargate Atlantis' star Joe Flanigan looks around
and finds to his surprise that he's still starring in the successful
spin-off. We discover why he expected to have moved on to another
project by now. THE 4400's Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, looks back over a
difficult third year for his character Richard Tyler and to what the
future holds. GHOST WHISPERER - Jennifer Love Hewitt talks about the
woman who breathes life into Melinda Gordon, helper of the dead.
EUREKA Sheriff's daughter Zoe Carter, aka Jordan Hinson, talks about
how she fits into the odd little genius-packed town of Eureka, and
all about her past life as a gate.

Starburst #341:
STAR TREK: As the eleventh big-screen Trek voyage is announced with
LOST creator JJ Abrams at the helm, take a look to the past and the
future of the Starship Enterprise. BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's Edward
James Olmos gives an on-set interview and chats about the show's
upcoming third season and his role as Commander William Adama.
CHILDREN OF MEN - Clive Owen and producer Eric Newman talk on
location about their Apocalyptic new Science Fiction movie set in a
sterile Britain of the near future. HEROES - Greg Grunberg is well
known from appearances in Alias, Lost and Monk. He talks about his
new role as an LA cop with super-powers in NBC's new superhero
series, and a possible appearance in Star Trek XI. LOST: Producer
Damon Lindelof reveals the theme to Season Three of adventures on
the mysterious island - and ponders the question 'Who are the
Others?'

TV Zone #206:
STARGATE SG-1: Stargate SG-1 - Join the cast as they party to
celebrate its 10th season and the 200th episode, talking with
original stars Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge,
new recruits Ben Browder and Claudia Black. Plus, original star
Richard Dean Anderson discusses his celebratory return to the show.
SUPERNATURAL's Jensen Ackles talks about surviving the first season,
and reveals the secrets of its success. Erica Durance from
SMALLVILLE talks about looking to broaden horizons… THE 4400's
Richard Kahan tells everyone about how his spectacles-wearing geek
character Marco has won Agent Diana Skouris's heart

THE WORKS #9:
A Scanner Darkly - Keanu Reeves and director Richard Linklater talk
about their innovative adaptation of the Philip K Dick novel. The
pair also discuss the unique style of the film with its use of
rotoscoping and why they believe their interpretation is the truest
to Dick's vision. The cast of GREY'S ANATOMY chat about playing
doctors and nurses, and much more…

EXPOSE #99 CHARMED:
Derek Johansen shares highlights of his seven years experience of
working with the show, from the early days of 1999 to his latest
achievements for the final season. Relive four sagas of love, death
and suburban sorcery with our extensive episode guides: Season Five -
All manner of creatures from a mermaid, a siren and a wicked witch
escaped from her mirror prison, get the ball rolling for a fifth
dose of witchly wonder; Season Six - Paige celebrates her birthday
and gets a new job, while Piper takes a trip to the 60s,. And that's
just the start of things…Season Seven - More spellbinding sisterly
adventures as the Avatars carry out their plan to create Utopia on
earth… but at a cost. Season Eight - They say parting is sweet.
Don't miss our recap of the final drama-packed season. 10 Things You
Never Knew About… the last of the witches, Kaley Cuoco

NEWS FROM AROUND THE SCI-FI UNIVERSE

BATTLE IN SEATTLE
According to Production Weekly, Charlize Theron is attached to star
in BATTLE IN SEATTLE. Theron's boyfriend, Stuart Townsend, wrote the
film and will be making his directorial debut. Set in 1999, during
the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle, an eclectic group
of demonstrators, including environmental activists, doctors,
anarchists, attorneys, eco-terrorists and just plain folks, brings
the city to a state of near-chaos, and chases the WTO straight out
of town.

24
More cast members are being added to Fox's 24 series. Harry Lennix
has been hired for a recurring role. Also joining the Imagine
TV/20th Century Fox TV series next season in potentially recurring
roles as terrorists are Adoni Maropis and Steven Schub. Lennix most
recently played White House chief of staff Jim Gardner on
ABC's "Commander in Chief."

BLACK DAHLIA AVENGER
Variety reports that New Line has acquired screen rights to BLACK
DAHLIA AVENGER, a book by ex-L.A. homicide detective Steve Hodel.
The book details Hodel's investigation into Hollywood's most
infamous unsolved crime that led him to finger his own father as the
killer. Ralph Pezzullo is set to write the script; Hodel will be
executive producer. The deal comes two weeks before the release of
Brian De Palma's, The Black Dahlia, an adaptation of the James
Ellroy novel. Ellroy wrote the intro to Hodel's book and declared
that the author had probably correctly identified Dr. George Hodel
as the killer.

THE GRUDGE 2
Ghost House Pictures has posted a third The Grudge 2 behind-the-
scenes Webisode at the company's official website. In the latest
installment, you will follow director Takashi Shimizu and crew as
they scour Japan for the perfect spots to shoot. The Grudge 2,
starring Amber Tamblyn, hits theaters on October 13.

CINCINNATI
According to Production Weekly, Austin Nichols ("Wimbledon", "Glory
Road", "The Day After Tomorrow") has been cast in the title role
of "John From Cincinatti Meets The Surfing Yosts", the new HBO
Southern Californian surfing drama. David Milch, creator
of "Deadwood", is executive producer of the series which also stars
Bruce Greenwood, Luis Guman and Brian Van Holt. Shooting begins next
month in Los Angeles under the helm of Mark Tinker. Nichols has
worked in both recurring and guest roles on various shows in the
last decade including "Surface", "Six Feet Under", "Pasadena", "Wolf
Lake", "Sliders", "She Spies", "CSI", "CSI: Miami" and recently
played Morgan Earp on "Deadwood".

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA
Variety reports that John Leguizamo, Hector Elizondo and Fernanda
Montenegro have joined the cast of New Line's "Love in the Time of
Cholera," directed by Mike Newell. The trio join Javier Bardem,
Benjamin Bratt and Giovanna Mezzogiorno in the adaptation of the
Gabriel Garcia Marquez book. "The Pianist" scribe Ron Harwood is
adapting the tale of a man in romantic pursuit of a woman over five
decades. Production is slated to begin September 4th in Cartagena,
Colombia, and London.

THE DARK KNIGHT
While chatting about his new feature, THE PRESTIGE, director
Christopher Nolan also talked about the Batman Begins sequel THE
DARK KNIGHT. He says that while the first film dealt with fear and
the line between revenge and justice as themes, the second deals
with escalation and in loose terms "[how] things have to get worse
before they get better". He also suggests the title plays a key
part - "The title has been chose very specifically. It's quite
important to the film". Also interesting is what's planned for his
take on The Joker - "I would certainly point to The Killing Joke but
I also would point very much to the first two appearances of the
Joker in the comic. If you look at where the Joker comes from
there's a very clear direction that fits what we're doing very
well".

DIARY OF THE DEAD
According to Variety, George A. Romero will write and direct GEORGE
ROMERO'S DIARY OF THE DEAD, a new zombie movie that his Romero-
Grunwald Productions will produce with Artfire Films. The storyline
revolves around a group of film students who encounter real zombies
when making a horror film in the woods. Voltage Pictures has picked
up worldwide sales rights to the film, which Artfire is fully
financing. Production is slated to begin Oct. 11 in Toronto. Romero,
Peter Grunwald, Sam Englebardt and Artfire president and chief
executive officer Artur Spigel will produce. Dan Fireman and John
Harrison are executive-producing, while Ara Katz will co-produce.
Romero's last zombie movie was LAND OF THE DEAD, which he wrote and
directed.

STAR TREK MAGAZINE
Titan magazines brought its U.K.-based Star Trek magazine to the
United States starting on Aug. 22 to commemorate the franchise's
40th anniversary; the first issues features an article on "40
Reasons We Love Star Trek."

FANTASTIC FOUR SEQUEL
Andre Braugher ("Homicide") will quit a role on TVs "E.R" to film
his role in the upcoming FANTASTIC FOUR movie. Braugher will play a
military general in "Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer".
The sequel sees our heroes in blue learn that they aren't the only
super- powered beings in the universe when they square off against
the power Silver Surfer and the planet-eating Galactus. "Hellboy"
star Doug Jones is playing the CGI character, The Silver Surfer,
alongside returning cast members Julian McMahon, Ioan Gruffudd,
Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans.

SIX DEGREES
The Hollywood Reporter writes that Peter Horton has been called in
to lend a hand with the production of the new ABC drama "Six
Degrees," from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Prods. and Touchstone
Television. Horton, an executive producer on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy,"
is heading to New York to help the creative team on the ensemble
drama series about six strangers in New York who are drawn into a
mysterious web of coincidence that gradually brings them closer
together.

HOLIDAZE
Fred Willard, Fred Savage, Paul Rodriguez and John O'Hurley are
among the actors set to provide the voices for a new stop-motion
animation holiday special that is being shopped to major broadcast
and cable networks by Madison Road Entertainment. "Holidaze: The
Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen" was executive produced and
created by Jonathan Prince (NBC's "American Dreams") and penned by
Peter Murietta (WB Network's "Greetings From Tucson"). The special
will be distributed on DVD via Wal-Mart stores starting Nov. 14, but
Madison Road and WMA are shopping the project to network outlets as
well.

AOL MOVIE DEAL
On Thursday, AOL disclosed agreements with four major studios to
offer downloaded movies and on-demand television from a single
Internet portal. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox,
Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will
offer downloadable movies through AOL Video, including such titles
as "Hitch," "Spider-Man 2," "Batman Forever," "The
Matrix," "American Pie" and "Doctor Dolittle." AOL executive vp
Kevin Conroy said the deals were fulfilling the Internet's promise
as a platform for new entertainment opportunities. "I personally see
this as a particularly important milestone, not only for the online
video marketplace but also for AOL," he said. "Consumers will see
that they have more choice -- easier to find, on-demand, enjoyable
to consume entertainment."

THE TATTOOIST
According to Variety, Jason Behr (The Grudge) has signed on to star
in the upcoming thriller THE TATTOOIST. The film will be commercial
director Peter Burger's feature film debut. The plot casts Behr as a
tattoo artist who becomes fascinated by the Samoan tatau tradition,
but his desire to learn the ancient skill brings him into conflict
and danger with the island mysticism and a deadly spirit is released
as a result. Th script was penned by Matthew Grainger and Jonathan
King. Filming is expected to begin next month in New Zealand.

YANGTZE RIVER 7
According to Variety, Stephen Chow will direct, produce and star in
an upcoming sci-fi comedy titled YANGTZE RIVER 7. The film's plot
drew it's inspiration from China's Shenzhou 6 space mission which
took place last year. The film is expected to begin shooting
sometime this month in the Chinese city of Ningbo and is aiming for
a mid-2007 release.

SUPERMAN ENGAGED
People magazine reported that SUPERMAN RETURNS star Brandon Routh
and his actress girlfriend Courtney Ford are engaged. Routh, 26,
first met Ford, 28, on the job, but not an acting job. The actor was
working as a bartender at hip bowling alley Lucky Strike in
Hollywood when Ford's brother had his wedding rehearsal dinner party
there. Three years later, Routh proposed to Ford. The couple plans
to wed next fall and co-star in the short film DENIAL.

28 WEEKS LATER
According to Variety, Jeremy Renner (North Country) has been cast in
a lead role in 28 WEEKS LATER, the Fox Atomic sequel to the zombie
thriller 28 DAYS LATER. The sequel picks up the story six months
after the end of the first movie, in which a virus spreads, leaving
few survivors. Special Forces is working to restore order and
helping repopulate London when a carrier of the virus unknowingly
ignites a reinfection. Renner will play Sgt. Doyle, one of the
heroes of the sequel. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is directing from a
script by Rowan Joffe. Andrew MacDonald, Andrew Garland and Danny
Boyle produce. Boyle directed the first installment.

RAY BRADBURY - HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Legendary SF author Ray Bradbury turned 86 yesterday, but he still
has his eye on the stars, both celestial and earthbound. In an
interview with the Associated Press, the author of such classics as
The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked This Way Comes said that
he believes that humans will return to the moon, then go to Mars and
eventually to other worlds. Bradbury also said he is working on a
screenplay for a new movie version of CHRONICLES that he hopes will
start shooting within two years. A 1980 TV miniseries version
starred the late Rock Hudson. Bradbury also said he hopes shooting
will start within 18 months on a new version of FAHRENHEIT 451,
which was optioned years ago by Mel Gibson. Bradbury's novel about a
futuristic fireman whose job is to burn books was made into a 1966
film directed by Francois Truffaut.

HEROES
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Nora Zehetner has signed to do
an arc on NBC's new drama "Heroes," playing a hip, Bohemian
struggling actress in New York. Zehetner, who most recently appeared
in the indie "Brick," is on the big screen in "Conversations With
Other Women." Zehetner also had a recurring role on WB
Network's "Everwood."

LOST
ABC has released a new promo poster for the upcoming third season of
the hit TV show LOST. LOST will begin on Wednesday, October 4 at 9pm
ET

That's about it for now. I think that brings you up to date --
pretty much. Be sure to visit the website for more information on
comic books, new publications and cast/crew information.

If you've read a good book, seen a good movie, watched a fantastic
DVD, send along the information to share with the readers here at
The Zocalo Today. You may find others have enjoyed the same
material – or you could be pointing someone to something they had
missed all together.

Hope you all are enjoying the weekend.
Be safe.

Sandy

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