THE ZOCALO, December 9, 2007

WHAT'S NEW

THE CHANGELING NEWS
JMS writes:
In terms of Changeling...we have about two more weeks of shooting and
that'll be in the can. I've seen some assembled scenes, and it looks
truly amazing. Everybody's doing an outstanding job on this, and I
think we've got a real winner on our hands.

BILL MUMY INTERVIEW
Ranger Michael recently conducted an interview with Bill Mumy
(Lennier). He sent along the URL so that everyone could enjoy the
chat they had on December 2. Use this link to find the interview
<http://www.stargate-project.de/babylon5/index.php?
seite=artikel&aktion=show&id2=257>. This is in German and English.

BE A SANTA
A reminder that Pat Tallman needs your help this year more than ever.
Because of the writer's strike, the support she has had in the past
from studios and networks is not as strong. As the holidays approach,
I hope you will all think about the good fortune you have -- and want
to share it with some of the kids at Penny Lane. (More information is
below on this very worthwhile program.)

JMS UPDATE
First, it's important to emphasize that I support the strike
wholeheartedly, it's necessary and a decade overdue. I wish it
could've come at a different time, but everyone wishes that whenever
it does come.

On the TV project I co-wrote and would produce with the two mega-film
makers (henceforth just "the group"), we took the first three scripts
out to auction in the weeks leading up to the strike. Everybody
wanted to be in business with the group given the massive reps of the
film-makers (and me, I suppose).

The up-side of the project was that everyone agreed that they had
never seen anything like it before. The down-side was that they had
never seen anything like it before. This is a business where people
are comfortable with what they've seen. Some found it too
controversial/weird. Some wanted it and made offers, but only on the
condition that we tone it down a bit and make it more conventional.
At the eleventh hour, one that had passed turned around to say
yes...but by then it was too late and everyone stopped buying things
with the strike about to happen.

So the group conferred, and what we'll probably end up doing is
financing the project ourselves, first as a ten hour miniseries, and
take it from there. There's no question, given the names involved,
that we can turn around and get financing from a studio and/or DVD
distributer and from worldwide television pre-sales. So when the
strike is over, we'll pick up that thread again, write the next 7
episodes, shoot the thing, then sell it to whichever network wants it
the most.

This means we won't have to compromise anything creatively, it'll be
exactly what we want it to be.

On the film front...there are two dream projects I've always wanted
to write (I'm omitting Trek here to eliminate the rumors that might
follow), two things I've wanted to do my whole life. Both of them
fell into my lap right before the strike. But the underlying rights
had to be obtained by the studios in writing, and it took time to do
that...to the point that they finished their negotiations to obtain
the rights the day before the strike, and the day before they could
start negotiations with me.

So again, this is something that, with luck, we can pick up again
after the strike, assuming that their interests don't cool in the
intervening months, which is always a risk on any project.
Paramount is still looking for an a-list director for World War Z,
and the moment they find one who says yes, that will go into
production. These are solid production offers.

Surfer and Sunlight were both turned in long before the strike, so
for now it's a matter of writing comics, catching up on the B5 script
books (we're targeting January for the next one), and writing specs
for myself. (Under the strike you cannot write for, or turn anything
in to, the studios, but you can write for yourself as much as you
want.) I'm writing one spec based on a true story from about 60 years
ago, as well as some others more in line with fictional work.
Because I've known without question for over a year that we'd go on
strike, and that the strike had the potential to last at least six
months, I've been able to arrange my finances so that I should be
able to get by reasonably well for the duration of the
unpleasantness. Others, who kept telling themselves it wasn't going
to happen, are going to have a harder time of it.

But this...this was inevitable.
jms

BE A SANTA - PLEASE ACT NOW
Pat Tallman (Lyta Alexander) will be delivering gifts to the children
on December 12 so ship any items donated before then. Money can be
donated at any time -- so now is the time to act!Below is a note Pat
sent along about this year's effort.

We need your help! This is a very small & personal program. We need
everyone to help to make it work. Anything you can give is greatly
appreciated! The Be A Santa program will bring the magic of the
Holidays to the Children of the Penny Lane Home for abused Children
who would not have a holiday otherwise. We will bring your personal
message of caring to these special children. Your much needed Tax
Deductible gift or donation will allow us to give or purchase
requested Holiday Gifts to the kids, reminding them that people do
care about them. Thank you for your support!

Penny Lane is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to those
youngsters commonly known as the hard-to-place children, providing a
safe and congenial, nurturing atmosphere for them as well as
transitioning them when ready to the most appropriate environment and
integrating them into the community.

Your tax deductable donation will help us provide decorations & a
holiday dinner, a gift bag of goodies including a gift card to the
Westfield Mall for as much $ as I can give them. We divide what we
take in amongst the 104 kids. Last year we were able to give each
child a $65 dollar card! Thanks to you!

All Angels, Santas and Elves are needed and greatly appreciated!
Because of you, these kids have a real Holiday!!!
Sincerely,
Patricia Tallman
Be A Santa

For more information about the Be A Santa program, send messages to
beasantaelf@... or visit their website at
http://www.thegalacticgateway.com/pl/plneed.htm.
Unfortunately, the Be A Santa has been having a few problems, so
enter the site through Pat's site at The Galactic Gateway.

Send checks made to Penny Lane , with Be A Santa in the memo to:
Be A Santa
6433 Topanga Canyon Blvd. #207
Canoga Park, CA 91303
Thank you!!!

KEEPING UP WITH CAST AND CREW
NEW ITEMS AT CAFÉ PRESS: Looking for something different for your
office/home/car? Cafe Press has something you can proudly display and
show your support of your favorite candidates. Go to
http://www.cafepress.com/thejoestore/3950485 to find signs, mugs,
magnet, t-shirts and sweatshirts for your favorite candidates. Your
choices are London/G'Kar or Zathras and Zathras.

While you are over at Joe's Store, be sure to check out the new 2008
calendars. The 2008 Babylon 5 Concept Art Calendar - contains images
from the private collection of creator, J. Michael Straczynski. The
2008 Babylon 5 Quotes Calendar - Fresh quotes for 2008 hand-picked by
JMS.

JEFFREY WILLERTH, PATRICIA TALLMAN, ROBIN ATKIN DOWNES
FOR PETE'S WAKE
"For Pete's Wake," a film starring Patricia Tallman and Robin Atkin
Downes, directed by Downes, and produced by Jeffrey Willerth, is
screening December 9th, 2007 at the Two Roads Theatre in Studio City.
Tickets are available exclusively through Goldstar.com. Some of the
cast will be in attendance. If you are in the California area and
interested, here is the link for tickets -
http://www.goldstar.com/events/studio-city-ca/for-petes-wake.html.
Hurry, there is only a limited number of tickets available.

NEW DVDS COMING

TEEN TITANS - COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON
For more information, go to www.superheroesdvd.com
THE CAPED CRUSADER STRIKES AGAIN AS THE BATMAN: THE COMPLETE FOURTH
SEASON AND TEEN TITANS: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON

Currently airing on Saturdays on the Kids WB!, The Batman: The
Complete Fourth Season features a redesign of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Batgirl returns as an official member of Batman's team and Dick
Grayson's arrival as his trusty sidekick Robin comes just in time as
evil villains Killer Moth, Black Mask, and Everywhere Man try to
invade Gotham City. Watch as the Dynamic Duo becomes a trio in the 2-
Disc edition of the Emmy-winning animated series. The Batman: The
Complete Fourth Season contains 13 episodes and amazing bonus
features including:

"The Batman: Season 4 Unmasked - This featurette highlights "Robin,
the Boy Wonder." Discover how the series creators decided on this
incarnation of Robin as well as the character's impact on the Dark
Knight and his rocky relationship with Batgirl.
WHV will also release Teen Titans: The Complete Fourth Season which
currently airs on the Cartoon Network. Not only do Robin, Starfire,
Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven cope with the woes of being a teenager,
but as young superheroes they also struggle with the weight of the
world on their shoulders. The Teen Titans are forced to question
their friendships and the limitation of their powers when they
undertake a battle with the "Terror of Trigon"." This 2-Disc Edition
from the smash TV series follows the Teen Titans on 13 exciting
adventures and features behind the scenes bonuses including:
"Teen Titans: Know Your Foes - This featurette contains five distinct
vignettes that give the viewers access to "top secret files" and
examines up close the villains the Teen Titans face in Season Four.
The vignettes include:
1.) Control Freak
2.) Bob & the Source
3.) Billy Numerous
4.) Mother Mae-Eye
5.) Trigon
"The important values of strength, friendship and loyalty are similar
themes among The Batman: The Complete Fourth Season and Teen Titans:
The Complete Fourth Season," said Dorinda Marticorena, WHV Vice
President, Kids and Sports Marketing. "We're proud to release two
fantastic series that feature adventurous characters as well as non-
stop action for the next generation of DC Super Hero fans."

BLUE PLANET: THE SEAS OF LIFE - Special Edition
Website: http://www.bbcamericashop.com

Synopsis: Blue Planet, The: Seas of Life - Special Edition Before
creating the monumental Planet Earth, producer Alastair Fothergill
and his team from the BBC put together one of the most breathtaking
explorations of the world's oceans ever assembled, The Blue Planet:
Seas of Life. The winner of two Emmy(R) Awards, The Blue Planet: Seas
of Life is the definitive exploration of the marine world,
chronicling the mysteries of the deep in ways never before imagined.
It is now being re-released in an all-new special edition, with an
added 5th disc of bonus programming not included in the original DVD
release. See it again, like never before!

NEW PUBLICATIONS:
Starburst Issue #357: BLADERUNNER: One of the greatest Sci-Fi movies
of all time is about to hit DVD! Director Ridley Scott reflects on
his Science Fiction masterpiece and reveals why its appeal has grown
over time&#65533; THE GOLDEN COMPASS: Visual effects and animation
supervisors Ben Morris and Dadi Einarsson discuss the bear
necessities of producing the creature effects for the first of the
Pullman trilogy! HEROES: Hayden Panettiere, aka the regenerative
Claire Bennet, chats about the show&#65533;s first hit year and what lies
ahead for the hero in Season 2&#65533; SUPERNATURAL: One half of the spook-
battling Winchester brothers, star Jenson Ackles, aka Dean, promises
the third season of the show will be the best yet!

TV Zone Special #79: THE YEAR IN TV ZONE: An extensive month-by-month
review of the highs and lows from the world of Cult Television looks
back on the past year as seen through the eyes of TV Zone&#65533; TV Zone
Year Index 2007 - A handy reference guide to the reviews, interviews
and features from our last year. TV Zone Year in Review Opening page -
88-page reviews section with more than 500 episode and merchandise
reviews. The entire year assessed in detail, complete with our expert
overviews of your favorite shows.

CONVENTION CALENDAR
February 15 ~ 17, 2008
Farpoint
Place: Hunt Valley, Maryland (Baltimore area)
B5 guest: Mira Furlan
Other Guests: James Callis, Harve Bennett
For more information, go to http://www.farpointcon.com
This is a fan-run convention and one of the best in the country. Be
sure to check it out.

Creation Entertainment has a large number of conventions planned for
the next several months. They include stars from STARGATE,
ENTERPRISE, FARSCAPE, XENA, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, etc. Check out
their calendar to see if one will be in your neighborhood soon. Don't
miss their Videos page as well. It is full of some priceless video
from a number of conventions.
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.

NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF SCIENCE FICTION:

INKHEART
The first trailer for the upcoming fantasy adventure INKHEART has
been launched this weekend by New Line via their new official website
at http://www.inkheartmovie.com/. The film stars Brendan Fraser,
Eliza Bennett, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, Andy
Serkis, Rafi Gavron and Sienna Guillory. Iain Softley directed the
fantasy. Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire scripted the bigscreen
adaptation of German author Cornelia Funke's fantasy novel, the first
of a trilogy. The second novel Inkspell was published last fall and
the third tale Inkdawn will hit book shelves in 2008. Plot Concept:
"Inkheart" revolves around a girl whose father has the power to bring
characters from books to life by reading aloud. When a villainous
ruler and his band of rogues from a children's fable kidnap the man,
his daughter and her friends, both real and imaginary, must rescue
him. INKHEART hits theaters March 19, 2008.

LOST
As everyone waits for season four of LOST to begin (February 6,
2008), the producers of the show are offering a few answers behind
the mysteries in season three and a few hints about the upcoming
fourth season. The third season drops on DVD on Dec. 11. Executive
producer Carlton Cuse admitted that the people who were on the jet
that crashed into the island all have to pay a price for being
there. "Yes, and that price is $3.95," he kidded. "In seriousness,
the show is about redemption. All the characters on this island are
confronting the failures of their past and revisiting issues that go
to the core of their emotional makeup." Cuse also 'fessed up about
the person in the coffin seen at the very end of season three. Was it
someone we've seen before? "Yes," he said without elaboration. Damon
Lindelof, a co-creator and producer, was asked about why the
expectations set up for the return of young Walt (Malcolm David
Kelley) never seemed to materialize in the third season. Will he be
seen again? "Oh, you'll see him again. But you're going to have to be
patient. Sorry." Fans first complained that not enough answers were
revealed in the first half of the split-up season, but Cuse said, "We
think the balance at the end of the season was right. We see each
season of the show like a book. The answers were essential for this
book of the show to feel complete." One of the pressing questions by
hardcore fans is how many days the survivors have been on the island.
Lindelof said, "By the end of season three, the survivors have still
been on the island for less than a hundred days ... but don't forget
that you may be jumping into the future next year, so anything goes!"
The space-and-time-travel element was explained when the creators
nailed down an end-time for the series. "When ABC/Disney allowed us
to end the show in 48 more episodes, it was time to begin a new
modality of storytelling, which includes flash-forwards," Cused
said. "The show is like a mosaic. There are tiles in the present, in
the past and now in the future as well. When all the tiles are in
place, the story of Lost will be complete." The third season seems to
push Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Jack (Matthew Fox) even further
apart and more toward Sawyer (Josh Holloway), but the last episode
muddied the waters a bit. Cuse teased, "The Jack/Kate/ Sawyer
triangle is something that will go on for a long time. And who says
they don't have a chance?" The creators don't think of their
characters as ambiguous when it comes to good and evil, specifically
Ben (Michael Emerson) and Locke (Terry O'Quinn). "We would use the
word complex," Cuse said. "We are interested in exploring how good
and evil can be embodied in the same characters and the struggles we
all have to overcome the dark parts of our souls." The unveiling of
Jacob, the mysterious leader of the Others, didn't necessarily
satisfy questions in season three. "If you felt the unveiling of
Jacob provided answers, you are probably in the minority! We felt it
was important to introduce Jacob as more than just a name at this
point, as he will become important downstream," Cuse said.

Producers of ABC's LOST told reporters that they did a lot of soul-
searching before they killed off characters at the end of the third
season to pave the way for the upcoming fourth. "This year was about
the Others," co-executive producer Carlton Cuse said. "The ending of
the show we felt had to resolve the story of the Others. We promised
a showdown. That showdown had profound consequences on both sides."
Damon Lindelof, the show's co-creator and producer, said the
character of Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) was the hardest for him to
accept. "It was incredibly hard to say goodbye to Charlie," he
said. "We really felt the season needed to end with the loss of one
of the major characters and began setting it up very early in the
year. Charlie's sacrifice was brutal for us to write, and Dom's
performance made it particularly brutal to watch. The reverberation
of that death echoes right into the premiere of season four." Less
difficult to lose were Nikki Fernandez (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo
(Rodrigo Santoro), who were buried alive in the middle of the third
season. They were introduced at the beginning of the third season
because "people asked questions about the other characters on the
beach," Cuse said. "Are we ever going to learn anything about them?
So we decided to bring Nikki and Paulo out of the chorus. But once we
did it, people were angry that we were taking time away from our main
characters and giving it to Nikki and Paulo, so we listened to the
fans and decided to bury them alive." The fourth season of LOST
starts Feb. 6, 2008. The DVD of the third season hits retailers on
Dec. 11.

THE PUNISHER: WAR ZONE
Lexi Alexander, who directed the upcoming action-adventure sequel THE
PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, said during a recent interview that the new
incarnation will have more in common with the Marvel Max comic-book
series than it will with the previous Punisher films. "The last
Punisher movie really wasn't relevant to us," Alexander
said. "There's a lot of comparison to it, but none of us or any of
the people on the team ever looked at it and said, 'OK, how can we be
different or better?' We just kind of made our own film, and the one
thing I concentrated on was to really make it as close to the Marvel
Max series as possible. I think we really achieved it in terms of the
look as well as the tone. When I look at the dailies I'm getting,
seriously I think I'm looking at a Max comic book in front of me,
because it's the same tone." In the latest installment in the
Punisher film franchise, ROME star Ray Stevenson takes over the title
role as the vigilante anti-hero. Dominic West co-stars as Jigsaw, a
mob boss who targets the Punisher for vengeance. Julie Benz, Dash
Mihok and Wayne Knight also star. The German-born Alexander, a former
international karate champion and stuntwoman, said that although the
film is a departure, it won't change the backstory of the main
character. "Castle [has] one story," she said. "The mythology seems
the same. I think I just have a very, very different take on it. Or I
was lucky enough to put it in the right environment, where I think
Frank Castle belongs, which is very dark and cold." THE PUNISHER may
have been testosterone-driven up to now, but Alexander said that her
background as a martial artist and stuntwoman has helped her as a
director. She points out that her first feature, Green Street
Hooligans, prepared her for this project because of its similar
themes and intense fight sequences. "My previous film, as well as my
background, is so related to the subject that I think it wasn't
really far-fetched for the studio and for Marvel to come to me with
this," she said. "I don't think the fact that I'm a female was ever
relevant. I like it that way. I think that everybody kind of sees me
as a director and compares me to other directors, and it doesn't
matter what gender. I think personally, just because of the person I
am, I really like vigilante stories. I can totally relate to it. A
little bit, Green Street Hooligans was about vigilantism or honor and
standing up for yourself. So I really related to this story. And I
think that part is really coming through. There's a lot of action,
there's a lot of violence. But the real essence of what happened to
Frank Castle and how he's dealing with it will really come through.
There's a lot of quiet scenes in this film as well." PUNISHER: WAR
ZONE is now filming for release sometime next year.

JUSTICE LEAGUE
George Miller, the director of the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, has
went on record stating that there was no WGA issues in relation to
this upcoming project out of Warner Bros. The director wouldn't
confirm any casting rumors but told the Sydney Morning Herald that
the news of the WGA strike affecting his film are not true. The plans
are still in place to begin production in early 2008.

Casting news for JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA has been wildly
speculated, but confirmed names are beginning to come out. Empire
Online and IESB have confirmed that supermodel Megan Gale will be
playing the Amazon Princess, Wonder Woman, and that Arnie Hammer will
take the role of Batman. Arnie Hammer is an imposing 6' 5" tall young
man who has previously been seen on Desperate Housewives and Veronica
Mars. He's a young looking guy, but his height and strong jaw might
work perfectly beneath the Batman's cape and cowl. Megan Gale is a
well-known supermodel in Australia, and previously appeared in the
film Stealth as Dr. Orbit's secretary. She certainly has the right
look for the part of Wonder Woman, though it remains to be seen if
she can properly capture the Amazonian Princess's majestic aura. If
all of these casting announcements prove to be true, it looks like
the major roles for Justice League of America are nearly complete. We
will see whether or not George Miller will be able to complete the
film in time for it's originally announced 2010 release date.

MEDIUM RETURNING
NBC announced that MEDIUM will return for a fourth season on Jan. 7
and will air in its original timeslot on Monday nights at 10 p.m. In
season four, the lives of psychic Allison DuBois (Emmy winner
Patricia Arquette) and her family are turned upside down after her
abilities are publicly exposed, resulting in sweeping changes both
professionally and personally. For the past three seasons, Allison
has served as a part-time consultant to the district attorney's
office in Phoenix, using her psychic abilities to solve violent and
horrifying crimes that have mystified authorities, including her now
former boss D.A. Devalos (Miguel Sandoval) and others within the
criminal justice system. The new season will feature guest-star
Anjelica Huston, who joins the cast for a six-episode arc as Cynthia
Keener, an investigator for a national firm called "Ameritips," who
forms an unusual professional arrangement with Allison for her crime-
solving abilities. Jake Weber co-stars as Allison's exceptionally
supportive husband Joe, who is left looking for work after recent
traumatic events. Also returning in the new season are Sofia
Vassilieva, Maria Lark and Madison Carabello, who play Allison's
daughters, and David Cubitt as Det. Lee Scanlon.

RUN FOR MONEY
SCI FI Channel has greenlit the reality competition pilot RUN FOR
MONEY, based on a successful Japanese game show. Production is set to
begin in January on the series, which pits a group of contestants
against each other in the quest for cash prizes, while being stalked
by relentless "hunters." The action takes place over 60 minutes of
real time in various landmark locations. As the clock winds down, the
competition gets harder as more hunters appear on the streets, the
game perimeter gets smaller and tasks are assigned that test fraying
nerves. Contestants earn money for every second they "stay alive" and
may opt out at their choosing. If they keep playing and are overrun
by a hunter, they lose everything. The last person standing takes the
prize. "Run For Money is a fun, fast-paced, thriller of a show," said
Mark Stern, SCI FI's executive vice president of original
programming. "[It] fits nicely with our reality agenda of putting
ordinary people in wild, extraordinary situations. It's high-
adrenaline fun; part sport, part real-life video game."

SPEED RACER
Entertainment Tonight debuted the first trailer for SPEED RACER the
other night and it is now online. The upcoming adaptation of the 60's
anime stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan
Sarandon, John Goodman, Kick Gurry, Paulie Litt, Roger Allam, Ji Hoon
Jung, Melvil Poupaud, Richard Roundtree and Christian Oliver. The
Wachowski Bros. handled the direction of the film, based on a
screenplay they co-wrote together.
Plot Summary: Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and
through the competition, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a natural
behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive
and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory
of the brother he idolized—the legendary Rex Racer—whose death in a
race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill.
Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops
Racer (John Goodman), the designer of Speed's thundering Mach 5. When
Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton
Industries, he not only infuriates the company's maniacal owner
(Roger Allam) but uncovers a terrible secret—some of the biggest
races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate
the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won't drive for Royalton,
Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish
line. The only way for Speed to save his family's business and the
sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support
of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie (Christina Ricci),
Speed teams with his one-time rival—the mysterious Racer X (Matthew
Fox)—to win the race that had taken his brother's life: the death-
defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible. Based on the
classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, the live-
action "Speed Racer" will showcase the kind of revolutionary visual
effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks
of the Wachowski brothers' films. SPEED RACER will hit theaters May
9, 2008.

THE INCREDIBLE HULK
In a recent interview, Tim Roth, who co-stars in the upcoming comic-
book movie THE INCREDIBLE HULK, said that he agreed to play the
villainous Abomination for one reason and one reason only: his
children. "What's such fun about it is that I'm purely doing it for
my kids, purely," Roth said. "So I'd be on set and go, 'OK, is this
scene cool for my kids?' And if it's not, we'd check into it and
say, 'OK, now we can't do that, because they'll find that silly and
childish.'" In the comic books, the Abomination, aka Emil Blonsky,
was a KGB agent who turns into a beast much like the Hulk and becomes
Bruce Banner/the Hulk's adversary. The film, which stars Edward
Norton as Banner/the Hulk, puts a slightly different spin on the
story. "I play him as a Londoner," Roth said. "He's a guy. He's a
Special Ops guy who goes a little too far. ... I watched [the old
television series,] and I used to like it when I was a kid. And I
used to get the comic books, too. So it was fun." Universal Studios
will release THE INCREDIBLE HULK, which also stars Liv Tyler and
William Hurt, on June 13, 2008.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN
Disney and Walden Media have unveiled a teaser trailer for THE
CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN on Yahoo! Movies and will soon
unspool it everywhere, Variety reported. The studios will release the
trailer on television around the world and across the Web. It debuted
on Entertainment Tonight over the weekend, after which it was
distributed to the evening news and morning talk shows in more than
60 countries. Online, Disney is debuting the trailer to Narnia fan
sites and Narnia groups on social networking sites such as Facebook
and MySpace. The sequel premieres in May 2008.
Plot Summary:
The characters of C.S. Lewis's timeless fantasy come to life once
again in this newest installment of the "Chronicles of Narnia"
series, in which the Pevensie siblings are magically transported back
from England to the world of Narnia, where a thrilling, perilous new
adventure and an even greater test of their faith and courage awaits
them.
One year after the incredible events of "The Lion, The Witch and The
Wardrobe," the Kings and Queens of Narnia find themselves back in
that faraway wondrous realm, only to discover that more than 1300
years have passed in Narnian time. During their absence, the Golden
Age of Narnia has become extinct, Narnia has been conquered by the
Telmarines and is now under the control of the evil King Miraz, who
rules the land without mercy.
The four children will soon meet an intriguing new character:
Narnia's rightful heir to the throne, the young Prince Caspian, who
has been forced into hiding as his uncle Miraz plots to kill him in
order to place his own newborn son on the throne. With the help of
the kindly dwarf, a courageous talking mouse named Reepicheep, a
badger named Trufflehunter and a Black Dwarf, Nikabrik, the Narnians,
led by the mighty knights Peter and Caspian, embark on a remarkable
journey to find Aslan, rescue Narnia from Miraz's tyrannical hold,
and restore magic and glory to the land.

FRANKLYN
While out promoting her upcoming film, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, Eva Green
said that she's completed production on an upcoming SF drama entitled
FRANKLYN. "It's a crazy movie," Green said. "It's a first-time
director, Gerald McMorrow, and it's with Sam Riley and Ryan
Phillippe. It's about three people who are completely schizophrenic
and lost. And I play two characters. It is impossible to summarize."
Green (Casino Royale) admitted that the film is set in the future,
explores religious themes and features several SF elements. "Ryan
Phillippe is in the parallel world, and it's a sci-fi universe," she
said. "And then, we all live in a parallel [universe], a bit like His
Dark Materials. But one of my characters is ... a tormented artist.
She's a bit like Sophie Calle, Tracy Emin, and then the other one is
very light, full of life, very witty, and big sense of humor. She's
the opposite of the other one." Green will next be seen as a witch in
THE GOLDEN COMPASS, which is based on the first book in Philip
Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy; it opens on Dec. 7. FRANKLYN,
which also stars Bernard Hill and Susannah York, will be released in
2008.

BEASTLY
The Hollywood Reporter writes that CBS Films has signed on to its
first potential project, optioning the supernatural high-school novel
BEASTLY. The book tells the story of a modern-day teacher who turns
into a beast after a student in his class puts him under a spell.
Young-adult author Alex Flinn penned the novel, which News Corp.
imprint HarperTeen released in the fall. No writers have been
attached to the project, which would have to wait until the end of
the writers' strike to move forward. Before the strike began,
executives had said they hoped CBS Films could release its first
movie by the end of 2008. They're now aiming for the slate to launch
in winter 2009. CBS Films intends to make between four and six movies
per year at budgets in the sub-$50 million range. BEASTLY is a youth-
oriented project, though the company had not previously delineated
the teen market as a potential target for its releases.

JERICHO RETURNS IN FEBRUARY
Good news for JERICHO fans! CBS is bringing back JERICHO for an
abbreviated second season on Feb. 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Variety
reports that the show, resurrected following a massive fan campaign,
will take the place of CANE, which has aired all of its original
episodes. The ongoing writers' strike has limited the network's
ability to field new episodes of its usual comedies and dramas, the
trade paper reported. Seven new episodes of JERICHO have been
produced. The show's ratings and the resolution of the writers strike
will likely determine if any more are ordered. For those of us who
love this program, we'll have to keep our fingers crossed that it
finds an audience.

I AM LEGEND - NEW ENDING
Francis Lawrence, director of I AM LEGEND, said during a recent
interview that he reshot the film's ending recently and changed
it. "I don't want to actually discuss the ending, just because I
don't want, I want people to make up their own minds, but maybe
there'll be an alternate version at some point," Lawrence said. I AM
LEGEND, based on Richard Matheson's classic novel of the same name,
stars Will Smith as the last apparent survivor of a viral holocaust
that has left New York empty and abandoned. Lawrence changed the
ending just before the film's upcoming release this month. "We reshot
stuff, ... but we couldn't reshoot stuff until we had the effects"
finished, Lawrence said. "Because you have to sort of wait ... [to]
have effects, then you can kind of show people, see if you have
anything weird, then you can go back and do little pickups." Lawrence
said he also reshot other bits of the film. "We reshot little pieces
here and there throughout," he said. "A little piece at the
beginning, a little piece in the middle, some of the end. Different
things." I AM LEGEND opens Dec. 14.

TIN MAN
The Dec. 2 premiere of SCI FI Channel's original miniseries TIN MAN
was the most- watched telecast in the channel's history, drawing a
4.2 household rating and an audience of more than 6.3 million
viewers. The first night of the three-night series, based on L. Frank
Baum's THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, also delivered the channel's best
audiences in key demographics, including adults aged 25-54 and adults
aged 18-49. The miniseries also delivered better ratings than SCI
FI's previous miniseries, including the Emmy-winning Steven Spielberg
Presents TAKEN. You can catch it all tonight beginning at 5:00pm on
the SciFi Network.

RATATOUILLE
ASIFA-Hollywood announced that Disney/Pixar's RATATOUILLE tops the
feature-film nominations for the 35th Annual Annie Awards. The awards
recognize the year's best animation across film, television,
commercials, video games and short subjects. Winners will be
announced at an awards ceremony on Feb. 8, 2008, at the University of
California, Los Angeles. RATATOUILLE got 13 nominations, including
animated feature, directing, writing, character animation, animated
effects, production design, storyboarding, character design,
character animation, music and voice acting. Sony Pictures
Animation's SURF'S UP nabbed 10 feature nominations. DreamWorks
Animation's BEE MOVIE, Sony Pictures Classics' PERSEPOLIS and 20th
Century Fox's THE SIMPSONS MOVIE also received nominations.

HEROES RENEWED
NBC has given the first-year hit an early pickup for the 2007-08
season, network \ chief Kevin Reilly told reporters Wednesday at the
Television Critics Association press tour. HEROES has been one of
NBC's top shows in both viewers and the coveted adults 18-49
demographic, drawing better than 15 million viewers per week. HEROES,
which returns from hiatus next week, has also added one more episode
to its order for this season, bringing the total to 23.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS
Wondering if you should go to see this movie? This may help you make
up your mind. New Line Cinema and Yahoo have joined together to
provide you with the first five minutes of THE GOLDEN COMPASS. The
film, which hits theaters this Friday, stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel
Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Dakota Blue Richards, Ian McKellen,
Ian McShane, Freddy Highmore and Kathy Bates. Chris Weitz wrote and
directed the big screen adaptation of the Philip Pullman novel. Use
this link to view the video
<http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808718640/video/5305481>. Be sure to
watch the other videos there as well. THE GOLDEN COMPASS hits
theaters December 7, 2007.

THE 10TH MUSE
NBC/Universal-based CastleBright Studios has optioned TTHE 10TH MUSE
comic book series by Darren G. Davis and Blue Water Productions.
CastleBright's Jay Douglas and Nav Gupta will produce. Created by
Darren G. Davis (The Legend of Isis, "Ray Harryhausen Presents"
and "Judo Girl"), THE 10TH MUSE is vastly unique in the comic book
universe with its deeply enriched themes of Greek mythology. THE 10TH
MUSE debuted in 2002 by breaking records as the 6th highest selling
comic, outselling nearly every Marvel and DC property and has been
flying off book shelves ever since. Darren G. Davis knows how to
build compelling characters and stories ripe for the big screen, as
his The Legend of Isis is currently at Paramount Pictures. Greek
mythology has documented the nine Muses, the inspirational daughters
of the almighty god Zeus. But history forgot one, the 10th Muse. Emma
Sonnet, mysteriously disappeared five years ago during a summer trip
to Greece celebrating her graduation from law school. Yesterday, she
resurfaced just as mysteriously as the newly appointed District
Attorney, with a unique take on the law. Battling evil in the
courtroom by day and in the shadows at night, Emma Sonnet is tipping
the scales of justice her way, as the 10th Muse. Davis, who is
managed by Golden House Entertainment says, "CastleBright shares my
vision for this to become a film and I am excited to be a part of
this." Douglas and Gupta freshly set up shop at NBC/Universal, and
even without a formal studio deal, they are quickly establishing
themselves as adventure guys, recently picking rights to the best-
selling "Scorpion" novel and the acclaimed "Broken Sword" video game
series. "We know there were many suitors vying for this property, but
somehow the Greek Gods smiled upon us." said Gupta from CastleBright.
Talks have already begun with starlets for the headliner role.

THE PRETENDER
Steven Long Mitchell and Craig Van Sickle, who created the 1990s NBC
SF series THE PRETENDER, said recently that they want to resurrect
the show in a new digital medium. "We created the show THE PRETENDER,
and we're working on bringing that back in a whole new form, in a
digital form and in a digital platform," Mitchell said. Van Sickle
hinted that the new PRETENDER could also feature original star
Michael T. Weiss, who played Jarod, a man whose ability to assume
other people's identities allowed him to assist those in need. THE
PRETENDER aired from 1996-2000 and also spawned two 2001
telemovies. "We had breakfast with Michael today," Van Sickle said
last week. "He just finished up a play out here in New York. I guess
kind of the best thing we can say is that we have a timetable of
within, hopefully, the next five or six months that we can have
something really unique and different out there." Van Sickle
added: "We'll be certainly reeling things out along that same time
period, but there will be things that the fans can tap into and kind
of see our progress on that front and other things in the digital
world."

KINGS
Filmmaker Francis Lawrence (I AM LEGEND) is moving to television to
executive-produce and direct KINGS, an NBC pilot that updates the
biblical story of King David and sets it in modern-day America. "It
takes place in an alternate reality," Lawrence said in a recent
interview. "Basically, it takes place in New York City, but it's not
[our] New York City, and it takes the story of David, starting with
David and Goliath, [and] transplants it into a modern world. And it's
the story of him being chosen to be the new king, and the king trying
to have him basically assassinated." Lawrence, who directed the
feature films CONSTANTINE and the upcoming LEGEND, will helm the
pilot. Michael Green (Heroes) wrote the script. NBC gave a green
light to the pilot's production last month.

NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS
While NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS doesn't open for another
three weeks, Nicolas Cage already has some thoughts as to what he'd
like to see in a third installment: "NATIONAL TREASURE, I believe,
should become more and more International Treasure. I was very happy
to see that we went to [in the second one] London, England and Paris,
France. But I'd like to see us go wider still. I could go to Africa,
Egypt, Asia and keep going. My hope is that Ben [would be] recruited
and gets a dossier from these other countries about their history and
he has to download it and learn and try to go on these hunts on their
behalf." NATIONAL TREASURE marks the first time Cage has returned for
a sequel, explaining that he views the role as on the same lines as
Basil Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes, designed for many ongoing
adventures.

TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE FUTURE BEGINS
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Christian Bale is in
negotiations to star in TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE FUTURE BEGINS.
There's still the issue on which character Christian Bale would be
playing in the film. The trade didn't say which character he's in
negotiations to play so that's still up for debate until we get a
confirmation from the studio or Bale. Plot Concept: "T4's" story, by
David Campbell Wilson, John Brancato and Michael Ferris, focuses on
John Connor, now in his 30s, as he leads what is left of the human
race against the machines. TERMINATOR SALVATION: THE FUTURE BEGINS
hits theaters in summer of 2009.

That is about it for now. I hope you all are having a wonderful
weekend and that you have a terrific week ahead. Be sure to drop
over to the website for the latest news from JMS and the world of
science fiction. If you see a cast member in a new movie or TV show,
be sure to drop a Ranger Sighting report.

Take care.
Sandy

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