Sci-Fi network signs Singer and Devlin for an 8-part miniseries

[Jul]

from Variety:

SCI FI'S HIGH ON 'TRIANGLE'
Singer, Devlin mini's production cost not yet set
Still basking in the glow of record cable ratings for the Steven Spielberg-produced 20-hour miniseries "Taken," the Sci Fi Channel has roped in two more Hollywood heavyweights, Bryan Singer and Dean Devlin, to create and produce "Triangle," an eight-hour mini about the Bermuda Triangle.

does anybody have access to the whole story??

[kechara420]

Posted: Wed., May 21, 2003, 10:00pm PT

Sci Fi's high on 'Triangle'

Singer, Devlin mini's production cost not yet set

By JOHN DEMPSEY


NEW YORK -- Still basking in the glow of record cable ratings for the Steven Spielberg-produced 20-hour miniseries "Taken," the Sci Fi Channel has roped in two more Hollywood heavyweights, Bryan Singer and Dean Devlin, to create and produce "Triangle," an eight-hour mini about the Bermuda Triangle.
Sci Fi prexy Bonnie Hammer said the project will be "a character-driven, human story set in the present day that will focus on the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. There'll be special effects, but they'll be secondary to the emotion" generated by the characters.

Devlin ("Independence Day") said he and Singer (the "X-Men" pics) are working on the descriptive blueprint for "Triangle." "It will involve people who've gone through a number of different experiences with the Bermuda Triangle," Devlin said, "who come together and decide to confront the mystery."

Considered idea as feature

"Brian and I originally started talking about the Triangle idea for a feature film," he continued, "but the outline became too broad to fit within the confines of a movie. We realized we'd need a longer format."

Devlin said he was impressed by "Taken" and Sci Fi's adaptation of Frank Herbert's series of "Dune" novels, giving a nod to the way the network "marketed and handled" the projects so that they reached the widest possible audience.

Devlin said Singer is between theatrical-movie projects so he's giving "Triangle" his full attention.

Sci Fi Channel commissions more miniseries than any other network, cable or broadcast. Net is developing miniseries adaptations of Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars" and Ursula Le Guin's "Earthsea" trilogy.

Devlin said the production cost of "Triangle" will determine whether his Electric Entertainment company is sole producer of the mini. If the budget migrates too far north, Devlin and Hammer said Sci Fi's sister company USA Cable Entertainment could step in as the co-production partner.

[vhsiv]

First we had a multi-generational adbuction story and now what - a multigenerational Bermuda triangle story?

Idunno - I don't know the details, but I'm unsure if this can hold water (pun intended). I'd sooner expect that Skiffy went crawling on their hands and knees to Devlin and Singer, and instead of doing the adult thing and asking them to develop a real series, like Devlin's 'The Visitor' (anyone remember that one - it might have lasted about half a season on NBC c.1999, John Corbett as a 'Starman'-type character), Skiffy asked for a crack-blast miniseries.

I suspect management will change before this one comes to fruition...

[kechara420]

Devlin said he was impressed by "Taken" and Sci Fi's adaptation of Frank Herbert's series of "Dune" novels, giving a nod to the way the network "marketed and handled" the projects so that they reached the widest possible audience.


Yeah, and if only Skiffy had put half as much effort into promoting its GOOD, WORTHWILE regular series, it might not be in such trouble right now, and we'd still have Farscape!!

[MediaSavant]

Originally posted by vhsiv
First we had a multi-generational adbuction story and now what - a multigenerational Bermuda triangle story?

I recall some people here predicting Taken would fail and it didn't.

Idunno - I don't know the details, but I'm unsure if this can hold water (pun intended). I'd sooner expect that Skiffy went crawling on their hands and knees to Devlin and Singer, and instead of doing the adult thing and asking them to develop a real series, like Devlin's 'The Visitor' (anyone remember that one - it might have lasted about half a season on NBC c.1999, John Corbett as a 'Starman'-type character), Skiffy asked for a crack-blast miniseries.[/B]

I wouldn't be sure either Devlin or Singer are interested in running a longer project like a series at this point in their careers. There's a lot of advantage of mini-series production for people who don't want to diminish their film careers.

As to SciFi pursuing them hard....well, Hell yeah! Why wouldn't they pursue name producers/directors with every effort they can muster? That's their job and it fits with their current tentpole strategy.

I suspect management will change before this one comes to fruition... [/B]

Which managment are you referring to? The ownership of the network or the specific names involved.

In both cases, I could cite former projects that made it through ownership changes AND changes in who was running the network.

Farscape is an example of the latter.

[waltersgirl]

deleted for manners

[Stargate2077]

MediaSavant and vhsiv: um...is it just me or are we comparing two different things. Taken had a greater chance of success since it had the name Steven Spielberg on it. Triangle, on the other hand, if it airs, will not have that benefit.

To MediaSavant:


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I suspect management will change before this one comes to fruition... [/B]
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Which managment are you referring to? The ownership of the network or the specific names involved.

In both cases, I could cite former projects that made it through ownership changes AND changes in who was running the network.

Farscape is an example of the latter.


Ok. You have a slight point there; however, circumstances were different for the channel during the sale from Seagram to Vivendi Universal. It was before 9/11 and the economy was still doing well. The channel itself was doing well. But after the sale, executive attitudes toward Farscape became negative and (this is only a guess from quotes in articles) we would not have gotten the two-year renewal if it had not been for the support of Bonnie Hammer.

Note: Everything I have said is based on information from quotes by David Kemper, Rockne S. O'Bannon, and Bonnie Hammer from the past 8 months.

[Shipscat]

Eh..Singer was supposed to do Battlestar Galactica and that didn't happen...this really doesn't sound terribly interesting.

What's a tentpole strategy?

[Digger]

Huh? I could have sworn that Brian Singer was quoted as saying he'd like to do some smaller projects before the next X-Men movie. This doesn't seem to qualify. But just because it's been proposed doesn't mean it will ever get through the development phase.

[waltersgirl]

Brian was set to do Battlestar Galactica until it conflicted with the X2 schedule.


tentpole...as in support.

[DangerWillRobinson]

Deleted:cool: