vhsiv
02-07-2004, 10:55 PM
Here's Skiffy's 2004 self-published profile for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Not a lot is new here - it is mundane, for their choices of new programming, yet it is made interesting by at least ONE of the things they chose to keep in their statement.
Oh yes, it also seems as though they've single-handedly redefined the mini-series: A two-night event with a total running time of 180 minutes now qualifies as a 'miniseries'.
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http://www.ncta.com/guidebook_pdfs/SciFi.pdf
SCI FI CHANNEL PROFILE
SCI FI Channel, a division of the Universal Television Group, was launched in September 1992 into ten million homes. More than a decade later, SCI FI continues to attract industry-wide interest in its achievements, most recently winning an Emmy for its history-making Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN – the biggest miniseries ever on television. In the last few years, the Channel has undergone a massive re-design and become one of cable’s leaders in the production of high-quality original programming. With major investment from its parent company and notable programming successes, SCI FI continues to generate buzz among advertisers, affiliates and consumers.
Programming Highlights
SCI FI Channel features a continuous stream of cinematic hits, new original series and special events, as well as classic sci-fi, fantasy and horror programming. Established original hits like Stargate SG-1 have been paired with new original shows like Scare Tactics, both of which premiered to record-setting ratings. SCI FI has also made a name for itself with special movie and miniseries events, including the Emmy Award-winning miniseries Frank Herbert’s Dune, Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN and Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, and the recently premiered Battlestar Galactica. SCI FI Channel also boasts one of the most heavily-visited science fiction Web sites on the Internet, SCIFI.COM (www.scifi.com).
For 2004, SCI FI has doubled its dramatic series slate with a dozen new shows in development, a full slate of “alternative reality” series and two major miniseries events. Add to that 22 original Saturday night action movies and the Channel’s very first animated series, and SCI FI is poised for its most explosive year yet.
In addition to its numerous original program offerings, the network also features the best of futures past, with popular vintage series ranging from The Twilight Zone to digitally-remastered episodes of the original Star Trek series. The Channel also recently added such popular sci-fi series to its line-up as The X-Files, Roswell, Roar, Tracker, Earth: Final Conflict and Babylon 5. Continued airings of SCI FI originals like the critically-acclaimed Farscape, the quirkily sexy LEXX and The Outer Limits have also proven popular with viewers.
SCI FI ORIGINALS SERIES
SCI FI Channel’s SCI FI Friday night block of originals continues to enjoy unprecedented success, currently anchored by the consistent ratings winner Stargate SG-1.
SCI FI FRIDAYS
9 PM – Stargate SG-1 – Currently airing all-new episodes from its seventh season, with Michael Shanks returning as a regular cast member, Stargate SG-1 follows Air Force Colonel Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and his team, as they travel through the Stargate – an ancient portal that allows instantaneous travel across the galaxy – to explore the uncharted regions of the universe and save the Earth from destruction.
10 PM – Code Name: Eternity – A shape shifting alien (Cameron Bancroft) crash lands on Earth and loses his memory. With the help of a beautiful doctor (Ingrid Kavelaars), he begins a long journey to figure out his mission on Earth, while attempting to elude a slew of otherworldly enemies. Also features Andrew Gillies, Olivier Gruner (SCI FI’s Interceptor Force movies) and Billy Dee Williams. COMING TO THURSDAYS IN MARCH ‘03 9 PM – Mad Mad House – Welcome to the voodoo days and vampire nights of Mad Mad House, where your perceptions are turned on their ear. Five practitioners of “alternative lifestyles,” referred to collectively as “the Alts,” rule the roost as their “conventional” guests strap in for the ride of their life— and compete for a $100,000 jackpot. Produced by Arthur Smith and Kent Weed from A. Smith & Company, the series will be distributed by USA Cable Entertainment.
10 PM – Scare Tactics – Hosted by Shannen Doherty, this delightfully wicked half-hour weekly series takes the hidden camera to all new heights. Set up by friends and loved ones, unwitting victims take center stage in elaborately staged “sci-fi” hoaxes, skillfully designed to tap into their wildest fears – from a mock alien encounter to babysitting in a haunted house.
10:30 PM – Tripping the Rift – This edgy half-hour CGI-animated series is based on the award-winning short film of the same name. Tripping follows the adventures of The Free Enterprise, a smuggling vessel led by a stumpy purple alien called “Chode,” who, along with his colorful group of misfit shipmates, battles arch enemies and new obstacles in space each week. Gina Gershon (Bound), Stephen Root (News Radio) and “Stuttering” John Melendez (The Howard Stern Show) head the ensemble cast.
OTHER SERIES IN DEVELOPMENT
Stargate: Atlantis (in development) – A whole new adventure with a new team begins in the successful Stargate universe. In this spin-off from MGM Worldwide Television, a secret base left by the originators of the Stargate is found in the most unlikely of places—on Earth buried within the ruins of the legendary civilization Atlantis. The implications of this discovery lead the team to a distant universe, where they find a primitive human civilization threatened by a sinister new enemy. Slated for Summer ’04.
Dead Lawyers (in development) – DreamWorks Television (TAKEN) produces this one-hour series with a deliciously judicious concept. Sean Patrick Flannery and F. Murray Abraham star. Sleazy unscrupulous lawyers, in order to redeem themselves, come back from the dead to defend everyone they screwed when they were alive – and it’s all pro bono! When hotshot defense attorney Jimmy Quinn (Flannery) is run over by a bus, he finds himself in his own version of hell: a law firm on earth composed of other dead lawyers, all trying to right miscarriages of justice in order to redeem themselves. Executive produced by The Zanuck Company and DreamWorks Television. Distributed by USACE. Story by Christopher Murphey and Andy Lieberman. Script by Murphey.
Total Eclipse – Jeremy Cross arrives at his new teaching and research position at Greylock, a beautiful and prestigious college, only to discover that the school is a nexus of the otherworldly, arcane, and supernatural. As if tenure wasn’t hard enough to get, the faculty's IQ goes up every year, intelligent wolves roam the forests, and the research covers time travel, extrasensory perception, and anything else on the edge of science. Distributed by USACE. Executive produced and written by Steve Aspis.
Painkiller Jane (in development, 2-hour backdoor pilot) – Based on the Event Comics series, SCI FI and MGM Worldwide Television once again partner, this time to bring to life a virtually indestructible super-heroine for the new millennium, Painkiller Jane. This action-hero series is based on a young marine officer, Jane Browning, who is exposed to a biochemical weapon that changes her genetically, endowing her with incredible self-healing powers. She becomes an ultra-covert agent fighting crime while struggling to remain free from those who would now use her gifts for sinister purposes. Written by John Harrison (writer/director SCI FI’s Frank Herbert’s Dune & writer/co-producer Children of Dune) and Don Opper. Harrison, Opper and Greg Gold are attached as executive producers. Harrison will direct.
SCI FI continues to impress in the miniseries category. In recent months, the Channel has made a number of deals with some of SCI FI’s brightest luminaries for “big event” projects. Most recently, Martin Scorsese joined the list, which includes fellow Hollywood heavyweights Bryan Singer, Dean Devlin and Gale Anne Hurd (and Steven Spielberg is back in 2005 for a second helping with the television’s first true miniseries trilogy, Nine Lives), to produce a number of the groundbreaking miniseries that have quickly become SCI FI’s signature.
With its Emmy Award-winning Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN, Frank Herbert’s Dune and Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, SCI FI has single-handedly revived the concept of “event television.” 5 Days To Midnight (in production; 5-hour miniseries) – SCI FI takes yet another scheduling risk with this big event miniseries, which unfolds over five consecutive nights. In this intriguing premise, J.T. Neumeyer (Timothy Hutton) stumbles upon a mysterious briefcase foretelling his own gruesome murder – in just five days. In this high stakes race against time, J.T. scrambles to uncover the truth and change the course of the future – if he can. Brought to SCI FI by executive producer David Kirschner (Frailty, Earth: Final Conflict and The Flintstones), the miniseries is produced by Lions Gate Films (USA’s The Dead Zone).
The Triangle (in development; 8-hour miniseries) – Sci-fi power players Dean Devlin (Independence Day, Stargate) and Bryan Singer (X-Men, X-Men 2, The Usual Suspects) join SCI FI in creating an epic adventure set against the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. The saga focuses on a disparate group of people who are haunted by their experiences within the Bermuda Triangle – and driven to confront its dangerous truths.
The Twelve – (in development; miniseries) Acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese brings on the apocalypse with the new SCI FI Channel thriller The Twelve. Set against the twelve days of Christmas, a rash of mysterious and unexplainable events are reported around the world. As fear and confusion spread, FBI Special Agent John Ferguson discovers that these catastrophes perfectly mirror biblical predictions that suggest the world is coming to an end. And if the prophecies are true, Armageddon is set for the twelfth day of Christmas. Scorsese and Barbara De Fina will executive produce the miniseries through Cappa/De Fina Productions, in conjunction with Adrian Bate and Zenith Entertainment Ltd. Based on a concept originated by David Pirie (Murder Rooms), The Twelve is currently in development and slated for 2005.
A Tale of Two Cities – (in development; 4-hour miniseries) – Heads roll, mobs riot, monarchs fall, but true love still wins out in this futuristic adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, brought to life on two planets long ago and far away.
Earthsea Trilogy – (in development; 6-hour miniseries) Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy of novels are being adapted into a 6-hour original miniseries for SCI FI to be executive produced by Kevin Brown (Roswell) and Lawrence Bender (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown). A reckless youth is destined to become the greatest sorcerer the magical land of Earthsea has ever known. In this tale of his journey to manhood and his quest to master the ancient arts, he will defeat dragons, rescue a princess, cross death's threshold and gain the power to reunite a kingdom. Frequently listed alongside Tolkien's Middle-earth and C.S. Lewis' Narnia as one of fantasy's greatest literary creations, the stories of Earthsea have been translated into 16 languages, with millions of copies currently in print.
Nine Lives – (in development; miniseries) – Television’s first-ever trilogy, Nine Lives marks the first time a single story has been developed and presented as three related but distinct miniseries events. The new mega-project re-teams the network with Steven Spielberg, Les Bohem and DreamWorks Television, the creative forces behind TAKEN. Nine Lives unfolds as an epic story of love, death and beyond. As he did with TAKEN, Bohem (The Alamo) will pen the entire saga, as well as executive produce it with Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television. The project is slated to launch in 2005.
Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars – (in development; 4-hour miniseries) This adaptation of Kim Stanley Robinson's best-selling Mars Trilogy (Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars) chronicles the lives of the first hundred colonists on Mars and their epic struggle to create a new world. Executive produced by Gale Anne Hurd (The Hulk, Terminator 3), Red Mars is classic science fiction steeped in mystery, suspense, and romance. It is considered one of the masterpieces of modern science fiction. Author Robinson, a member of NASA’s Mars Committee, will consult on the project.
The Thing (in development; 4-hour miniseries) – It’s everywhere. It’s anything. And it can’t be stopped. SCI FI re-envisions the terrifying suspense classic, The Thing, which follows a team of American scientists who discover a bloodthirsty alien life form in the frozen expanse of Antarctica. Swift, stealthy and cunning, this shape-shifting monster assumes the appearance of its victims with the aims of earning the scientists’ trust – and decimating the group from the inside. Who can be trusted, and who is a threat? The miniseries, written by Gary L. Goldman (Minority Report, Total Recall), will be distributed by USACE.
The Chronicles of Amber (in development; 4-hour miniseries) – Corwin is a prince of Amber, the “immortal city from which every other city has taken its shape.” He has spent centuries on Earth as an amnesiac but when someone in the family tries to kill him, Corwin begins a search for his past. Based on award-winning writer Roger Zelazny’s classic international best-selling 10 volume “Chronicles of Amber” series (over 3.5 million copies worldwide have been translated into ten different languages), this story revolves around a royal family with amazing powers over time and space, who are plagued by infighting as they try to unite against a sinister enemy.
SATURDAY POPCORN MOVIES
SCI FI unleashes a little testosterone, with a new series of original Saturday night action movies. Aiming for at least 22 new films to air next year – including two films with sci-fi cult favorite Bruce Campbell – upcoming highlights include:
The Man with the Screaming Brain – (In development) – Written, directed by and starring Bruce Campbell, this film centers on an uptown banker (Campbell) who suffers an injury to part of his brain, which is replaced with part of the brain of a Latino street hustler. Produced exclusively for SCI FI by Creative Light Entertainment.
Earwigs – (In development) Also starring Bruce Campbell, focuses on mind control and was inspired by the creatures made famous in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Produced exclusively for SCI FI by Creative Light Entertainment.
Dragon Storm – Stars Maxwell Caulfield, John Rhys-Davies and Angel Borris, and recently completed production in Sofia, Bulgaria with UFO Films. Alien dragons are transported to Earth inside a meteor crash, forcing two enemy kingdoms to join forces and fight off the alien dragon threat before they scorch the countryside bare. Premieres in January 2004.
Alien Lockdown – Stars John Savage and Michelle Goh, and recently completed production in Sofia, Bulgaria with Nu Image. The government experiments with using an alien creature as a weapon. When the trial fails, the creature is locked inside a government facility and must be destroyed before it can escape. Premieres in February 2004.
Phantom Force – Stars Richard Grieco, Tangi Miller and Nigel Bennett and has completed filming in Sofia, Bulgaria with UFO films. A spin-off from the Interceptor Force movies, Phantom Force follows another section of elite government soldiers. Instead of aliens, this special military division has to protect the human race from the supernatural. Premieres in March 2004.
Snakehead Terror – Stars Bruce Boxleitner and Carol Alt and has completed production with Cinetel Films. In a small town in Maryland, a school of freakishly-large Snakehead fish overrun a lake and take to the land. The scaly mutants can survive out of water, and their idea of fish-food has a decidedly human flavor. It’s up to the local sheriff to reel the creatures in before they can go on a massive feeding frenzy. Premieres in March 2004.
“ALTERNATIVE REALITY” SERIES & SPECIALS In Development – Slated for Debut in ‘04
M. Night Shymalan Project [untitled] (in-production) – SCI FI Channel goes inside to reveal the true story of renowned writer, producer and director M. Night Shyamalan. This extraordinary project will delve into the filmmaker’s intensely private world, going underground to explore the deeply personal side that has shaped Shyamalan’s vision. Partially filmed on the set of The Village, Shyamalan’s upcoming summer theatrical release, this multi-part television event will push the boundaries of convention with incredibly personal footage of one of the great filmmakers of today. Helming the project is director/producer team Nathaniel Kahn (My Architect), and Callum Greene (Lost in Translation/3AM), who were both approved by Shyamalan and granted unprecedented access to the filmmaker and his mythology. Slated for Summer ’04.
Life on Mars – Trying to survive on a deserted island is for weaklings! In this weekly one-hour reality drama, two colonies of people (12 total) take on the struggle for survival off-planet, as they attempt to live in a realistic Mars base. The two teams will contend with physical hazards and psychological obstacles in an ultra-convincing simulation of what life on the fourth planet might be like. This high-octane, low- oxygen series will be distributed by USA Cable Entertainment and produced by Wall To Wall. SCI FI Declassified – A new series of original two-hour documentary specials, in the spirit of the highly successful The Roswell Crash: Startling New Evidence (SCI FI's highest-rated original special). The franchise launched with the successful debut of The New Roswell: Kecksburg Exposed. With groundbreaking investigations that uncover new and explosive evidence using the forensic tools of modern science – future specials will continue to explore the often-blurry line between science fiction and science fact.
Psychic Investigators – A body is found. Another crime unsolved. For a detective without any leads, there is only one option left: a psychic. From the producers of The FBI Files and The New Detectives comes an exciting new investigative series, Psychic Investigators. Follow real life criminal investigations in which a skilled psychic conducts surveillance on a suspect or provides the key to solving a crime. Produced by New Dominion Pictures. # # #
Oh yes, it also seems as though they've single-handedly redefined the mini-series: A two-night event with a total running time of 180 minutes now qualifies as a 'miniseries'.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
http://www.ncta.com/guidebook_pdfs/SciFi.pdf
SCI FI CHANNEL PROFILE
SCI FI Channel, a division of the Universal Television Group, was launched in September 1992 into ten million homes. More than a decade later, SCI FI continues to attract industry-wide interest in its achievements, most recently winning an Emmy for its history-making Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN – the biggest miniseries ever on television. In the last few years, the Channel has undergone a massive re-design and become one of cable’s leaders in the production of high-quality original programming. With major investment from its parent company and notable programming successes, SCI FI continues to generate buzz among advertisers, affiliates and consumers.
Programming Highlights
SCI FI Channel features a continuous stream of cinematic hits, new original series and special events, as well as classic sci-fi, fantasy and horror programming. Established original hits like Stargate SG-1 have been paired with new original shows like Scare Tactics, both of which premiered to record-setting ratings. SCI FI has also made a name for itself with special movie and miniseries events, including the Emmy Award-winning miniseries Frank Herbert’s Dune, Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN and Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, and the recently premiered Battlestar Galactica. SCI FI Channel also boasts one of the most heavily-visited science fiction Web sites on the Internet, SCIFI.COM (www.scifi.com).
For 2004, SCI FI has doubled its dramatic series slate with a dozen new shows in development, a full slate of “alternative reality” series and two major miniseries events. Add to that 22 original Saturday night action movies and the Channel’s very first animated series, and SCI FI is poised for its most explosive year yet.
In addition to its numerous original program offerings, the network also features the best of futures past, with popular vintage series ranging from The Twilight Zone to digitally-remastered episodes of the original Star Trek series. The Channel also recently added such popular sci-fi series to its line-up as The X-Files, Roswell, Roar, Tracker, Earth: Final Conflict and Babylon 5. Continued airings of SCI FI originals like the critically-acclaimed Farscape, the quirkily sexy LEXX and The Outer Limits have also proven popular with viewers.
SCI FI ORIGINALS SERIES
SCI FI Channel’s SCI FI Friday night block of originals continues to enjoy unprecedented success, currently anchored by the consistent ratings winner Stargate SG-1.
SCI FI FRIDAYS
9 PM – Stargate SG-1 – Currently airing all-new episodes from its seventh season, with Michael Shanks returning as a regular cast member, Stargate SG-1 follows Air Force Colonel Jack O’Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) and his team, as they travel through the Stargate – an ancient portal that allows instantaneous travel across the galaxy – to explore the uncharted regions of the universe and save the Earth from destruction.
10 PM – Code Name: Eternity – A shape shifting alien (Cameron Bancroft) crash lands on Earth and loses his memory. With the help of a beautiful doctor (Ingrid Kavelaars), he begins a long journey to figure out his mission on Earth, while attempting to elude a slew of otherworldly enemies. Also features Andrew Gillies, Olivier Gruner (SCI FI’s Interceptor Force movies) and Billy Dee Williams. COMING TO THURSDAYS IN MARCH ‘03 9 PM – Mad Mad House – Welcome to the voodoo days and vampire nights of Mad Mad House, where your perceptions are turned on their ear. Five practitioners of “alternative lifestyles,” referred to collectively as “the Alts,” rule the roost as their “conventional” guests strap in for the ride of their life— and compete for a $100,000 jackpot. Produced by Arthur Smith and Kent Weed from A. Smith & Company, the series will be distributed by USA Cable Entertainment.
10 PM – Scare Tactics – Hosted by Shannen Doherty, this delightfully wicked half-hour weekly series takes the hidden camera to all new heights. Set up by friends and loved ones, unwitting victims take center stage in elaborately staged “sci-fi” hoaxes, skillfully designed to tap into their wildest fears – from a mock alien encounter to babysitting in a haunted house.
10:30 PM – Tripping the Rift – This edgy half-hour CGI-animated series is based on the award-winning short film of the same name. Tripping follows the adventures of The Free Enterprise, a smuggling vessel led by a stumpy purple alien called “Chode,” who, along with his colorful group of misfit shipmates, battles arch enemies and new obstacles in space each week. Gina Gershon (Bound), Stephen Root (News Radio) and “Stuttering” John Melendez (The Howard Stern Show) head the ensemble cast.
OTHER SERIES IN DEVELOPMENT
Stargate: Atlantis (in development) – A whole new adventure with a new team begins in the successful Stargate universe. In this spin-off from MGM Worldwide Television, a secret base left by the originators of the Stargate is found in the most unlikely of places—on Earth buried within the ruins of the legendary civilization Atlantis. The implications of this discovery lead the team to a distant universe, where they find a primitive human civilization threatened by a sinister new enemy. Slated for Summer ’04.
Dead Lawyers (in development) – DreamWorks Television (TAKEN) produces this one-hour series with a deliciously judicious concept. Sean Patrick Flannery and F. Murray Abraham star. Sleazy unscrupulous lawyers, in order to redeem themselves, come back from the dead to defend everyone they screwed when they were alive – and it’s all pro bono! When hotshot defense attorney Jimmy Quinn (Flannery) is run over by a bus, he finds himself in his own version of hell: a law firm on earth composed of other dead lawyers, all trying to right miscarriages of justice in order to redeem themselves. Executive produced by The Zanuck Company and DreamWorks Television. Distributed by USACE. Story by Christopher Murphey and Andy Lieberman. Script by Murphey.
Total Eclipse – Jeremy Cross arrives at his new teaching and research position at Greylock, a beautiful and prestigious college, only to discover that the school is a nexus of the otherworldly, arcane, and supernatural. As if tenure wasn’t hard enough to get, the faculty's IQ goes up every year, intelligent wolves roam the forests, and the research covers time travel, extrasensory perception, and anything else on the edge of science. Distributed by USACE. Executive produced and written by Steve Aspis.
Painkiller Jane (in development, 2-hour backdoor pilot) – Based on the Event Comics series, SCI FI and MGM Worldwide Television once again partner, this time to bring to life a virtually indestructible super-heroine for the new millennium, Painkiller Jane. This action-hero series is based on a young marine officer, Jane Browning, who is exposed to a biochemical weapon that changes her genetically, endowing her with incredible self-healing powers. She becomes an ultra-covert agent fighting crime while struggling to remain free from those who would now use her gifts for sinister purposes. Written by John Harrison (writer/director SCI FI’s Frank Herbert’s Dune & writer/co-producer Children of Dune) and Don Opper. Harrison, Opper and Greg Gold are attached as executive producers. Harrison will direct.
SCI FI continues to impress in the miniseries category. In recent months, the Channel has made a number of deals with some of SCI FI’s brightest luminaries for “big event” projects. Most recently, Martin Scorsese joined the list, which includes fellow Hollywood heavyweights Bryan Singer, Dean Devlin and Gale Anne Hurd (and Steven Spielberg is back in 2005 for a second helping with the television’s first true miniseries trilogy, Nine Lives), to produce a number of the groundbreaking miniseries that have quickly become SCI FI’s signature.
With its Emmy Award-winning Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN, Frank Herbert’s Dune and Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune, SCI FI has single-handedly revived the concept of “event television.” 5 Days To Midnight (in production; 5-hour miniseries) – SCI FI takes yet another scheduling risk with this big event miniseries, which unfolds over five consecutive nights. In this intriguing premise, J.T. Neumeyer (Timothy Hutton) stumbles upon a mysterious briefcase foretelling his own gruesome murder – in just five days. In this high stakes race against time, J.T. scrambles to uncover the truth and change the course of the future – if he can. Brought to SCI FI by executive producer David Kirschner (Frailty, Earth: Final Conflict and The Flintstones), the miniseries is produced by Lions Gate Films (USA’s The Dead Zone).
The Triangle (in development; 8-hour miniseries) – Sci-fi power players Dean Devlin (Independence Day, Stargate) and Bryan Singer (X-Men, X-Men 2, The Usual Suspects) join SCI FI in creating an epic adventure set against the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. The saga focuses on a disparate group of people who are haunted by their experiences within the Bermuda Triangle – and driven to confront its dangerous truths.
The Twelve – (in development; miniseries) Acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese brings on the apocalypse with the new SCI FI Channel thriller The Twelve. Set against the twelve days of Christmas, a rash of mysterious and unexplainable events are reported around the world. As fear and confusion spread, FBI Special Agent John Ferguson discovers that these catastrophes perfectly mirror biblical predictions that suggest the world is coming to an end. And if the prophecies are true, Armageddon is set for the twelfth day of Christmas. Scorsese and Barbara De Fina will executive produce the miniseries through Cappa/De Fina Productions, in conjunction with Adrian Bate and Zenith Entertainment Ltd. Based on a concept originated by David Pirie (Murder Rooms), The Twelve is currently in development and slated for 2005.
A Tale of Two Cities – (in development; 4-hour miniseries) – Heads roll, mobs riot, monarchs fall, but true love still wins out in this futuristic adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, brought to life on two planets long ago and far away.
Earthsea Trilogy – (in development; 6-hour miniseries) Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy of novels are being adapted into a 6-hour original miniseries for SCI FI to be executive produced by Kevin Brown (Roswell) and Lawrence Bender (Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown). A reckless youth is destined to become the greatest sorcerer the magical land of Earthsea has ever known. In this tale of his journey to manhood and his quest to master the ancient arts, he will defeat dragons, rescue a princess, cross death's threshold and gain the power to reunite a kingdom. Frequently listed alongside Tolkien's Middle-earth and C.S. Lewis' Narnia as one of fantasy's greatest literary creations, the stories of Earthsea have been translated into 16 languages, with millions of copies currently in print.
Nine Lives – (in development; miniseries) – Television’s first-ever trilogy, Nine Lives marks the first time a single story has been developed and presented as three related but distinct miniseries events. The new mega-project re-teams the network with Steven Spielberg, Les Bohem and DreamWorks Television, the creative forces behind TAKEN. Nine Lives unfolds as an epic story of love, death and beyond. As he did with TAKEN, Bohem (The Alamo) will pen the entire saga, as well as executive produce it with Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks Television. The project is slated to launch in 2005.
Kim Stanley Robinson’s Red Mars – (in development; 4-hour miniseries) This adaptation of Kim Stanley Robinson's best-selling Mars Trilogy (Red Mars, Blue Mars, Green Mars) chronicles the lives of the first hundred colonists on Mars and their epic struggle to create a new world. Executive produced by Gale Anne Hurd (The Hulk, Terminator 3), Red Mars is classic science fiction steeped in mystery, suspense, and romance. It is considered one of the masterpieces of modern science fiction. Author Robinson, a member of NASA’s Mars Committee, will consult on the project.
The Thing (in development; 4-hour miniseries) – It’s everywhere. It’s anything. And it can’t be stopped. SCI FI re-envisions the terrifying suspense classic, The Thing, which follows a team of American scientists who discover a bloodthirsty alien life form in the frozen expanse of Antarctica. Swift, stealthy and cunning, this shape-shifting monster assumes the appearance of its victims with the aims of earning the scientists’ trust – and decimating the group from the inside. Who can be trusted, and who is a threat? The miniseries, written by Gary L. Goldman (Minority Report, Total Recall), will be distributed by USACE.
The Chronicles of Amber (in development; 4-hour miniseries) – Corwin is a prince of Amber, the “immortal city from which every other city has taken its shape.” He has spent centuries on Earth as an amnesiac but when someone in the family tries to kill him, Corwin begins a search for his past. Based on award-winning writer Roger Zelazny’s classic international best-selling 10 volume “Chronicles of Amber” series (over 3.5 million copies worldwide have been translated into ten different languages), this story revolves around a royal family with amazing powers over time and space, who are plagued by infighting as they try to unite against a sinister enemy.
SATURDAY POPCORN MOVIES
SCI FI unleashes a little testosterone, with a new series of original Saturday night action movies. Aiming for at least 22 new films to air next year – including two films with sci-fi cult favorite Bruce Campbell – upcoming highlights include:
The Man with the Screaming Brain – (In development) – Written, directed by and starring Bruce Campbell, this film centers on an uptown banker (Campbell) who suffers an injury to part of his brain, which is replaced with part of the brain of a Latino street hustler. Produced exclusively for SCI FI by Creative Light Entertainment.
Earwigs – (In development) Also starring Bruce Campbell, focuses on mind control and was inspired by the creatures made famous in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Produced exclusively for SCI FI by Creative Light Entertainment.
Dragon Storm – Stars Maxwell Caulfield, John Rhys-Davies and Angel Borris, and recently completed production in Sofia, Bulgaria with UFO Films. Alien dragons are transported to Earth inside a meteor crash, forcing two enemy kingdoms to join forces and fight off the alien dragon threat before they scorch the countryside bare. Premieres in January 2004.
Alien Lockdown – Stars John Savage and Michelle Goh, and recently completed production in Sofia, Bulgaria with Nu Image. The government experiments with using an alien creature as a weapon. When the trial fails, the creature is locked inside a government facility and must be destroyed before it can escape. Premieres in February 2004.
Phantom Force – Stars Richard Grieco, Tangi Miller and Nigel Bennett and has completed filming in Sofia, Bulgaria with UFO films. A spin-off from the Interceptor Force movies, Phantom Force follows another section of elite government soldiers. Instead of aliens, this special military division has to protect the human race from the supernatural. Premieres in March 2004.
Snakehead Terror – Stars Bruce Boxleitner and Carol Alt and has completed production with Cinetel Films. In a small town in Maryland, a school of freakishly-large Snakehead fish overrun a lake and take to the land. The scaly mutants can survive out of water, and their idea of fish-food has a decidedly human flavor. It’s up to the local sheriff to reel the creatures in before they can go on a massive feeding frenzy. Premieres in March 2004.
“ALTERNATIVE REALITY” SERIES & SPECIALS In Development – Slated for Debut in ‘04
M. Night Shymalan Project [untitled] (in-production) – SCI FI Channel goes inside to reveal the true story of renowned writer, producer and director M. Night Shyamalan. This extraordinary project will delve into the filmmaker’s intensely private world, going underground to explore the deeply personal side that has shaped Shyamalan’s vision. Partially filmed on the set of The Village, Shyamalan’s upcoming summer theatrical release, this multi-part television event will push the boundaries of convention with incredibly personal footage of one of the great filmmakers of today. Helming the project is director/producer team Nathaniel Kahn (My Architect), and Callum Greene (Lost in Translation/3AM), who were both approved by Shyamalan and granted unprecedented access to the filmmaker and his mythology. Slated for Summer ’04.
Life on Mars – Trying to survive on a deserted island is for weaklings! In this weekly one-hour reality drama, two colonies of people (12 total) take on the struggle for survival off-planet, as they attempt to live in a realistic Mars base. The two teams will contend with physical hazards and psychological obstacles in an ultra-convincing simulation of what life on the fourth planet might be like. This high-octane, low- oxygen series will be distributed by USA Cable Entertainment and produced by Wall To Wall. SCI FI Declassified – A new series of original two-hour documentary specials, in the spirit of the highly successful The Roswell Crash: Startling New Evidence (SCI FI's highest-rated original special). The franchise launched with the successful debut of The New Roswell: Kecksburg Exposed. With groundbreaking investigations that uncover new and explosive evidence using the forensic tools of modern science – future specials will continue to explore the often-blurry line between science fiction and science fact.
Psychic Investigators – A body is found. Another crime unsolved. For a detective without any leads, there is only one option left: a psychic. From the producers of The FBI Files and The New Detectives comes an exciting new investigative series, Psychic Investigators. Follow real life criminal investigations in which a skilled psychic conducts surveillance on a suspect or provides the key to solving a crime. Produced by New Dominion Pictures. # # #