Fantasy SF Blog

Fantasy SF Blog
Fantasy and science fiction news

Home
Linking to Us
RSS Feed
WWFeeds.com





Add to MyYahoo

Add to MyMSN

Add to Bloglines



Add to Google

Add to Netvibes





Posts with tag: sf | Return to FantasySFBlog.com Homepage

Another Transformers 2 Trailer

As the U.S. premiere date of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen approaches, the studio is releasing more trailers. Here's the latest one. The film opens in wide release on June 24. Take a look:



Posted on June 15, 2009
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)



New Photos From Transformers 2

Screen shot from Transformers 2


New photos are out from the set of Tranformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. You can see all the new photos here. Shia LaBeouf just had the second surgery on his hand to help restore full function after his car crash earlier this year. His bandaged hand was written into the film: he had the first surgery while the film was still in production.

The film is set for a June 26, 2009 release.

Posted on December 30, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Fringe Gets Full Season Pickup

Photo from Fringe


Fox has ordered up a full season of Fringe.
Fox is feeling fine about Fringe, ordering a full season of the freshman series from creators J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The network has ordered nine additional episodes of the sci-fi thriller, for a total of 22. The Bad Robot/Warner Bros. TV-produced series has averaged a 4.2/11 in adults 18-49 and 10.7 million total viewers since bowing last month, making it the top-rated new show of the season to date in the key demographic.

"We're having a blast working on this show with this great team of producers," said Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly. "The series has really taken off creatively, and it's exciting to see that the audience is responding. We believe this is the first full season of many years to come."
Fringe is a very weird show, which is really growing on us. We especially like Joshua Jackson and Josh Noble's portrayals. Joshua is the brilliant son who must babysit his genius, certifiably nuts scientist father, played by Josh Noble. You will remember John for his amazing performance as Denethor in Lord of the Rings. As for the lead, Anna Torv, well, she's sort of growing on us too. But she's not who we would have cast in the role. But we do love seeing Mr. Abaddon from Lost as her mysterious boss. We're committed for the season.

Posted on October 9, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)



Teresa Nielsen Hayden Hospitalized

Teresa Nielsen Hayden was hospitalized following a heart attack. Tests are continuing, but she is reportedly doing well. You can leave get well messages at her and her husband's popular blog. We wish her a speedy recovery and a healthy future!

Posted on September 15, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Shia LaBeouf's Injury Written Into Transformers Script

Shia LaBeouf's hand injury he suffered in a car accident has been written into the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen script. Shia had extensive hand surgery before any of the major action sequences had been shot. Screenwriters Robert Orci said they were worried about safety issues.
"Shia just got back to the set last week," Orci said in an interview in New York on Aug. 25, where he was promoting his upcoming Fox TV series Fringe. "We incorporated his injury into it. Not because it was absolutely necessary, but [director] Michael [Bay] in particular wanted to be able to protect him on the set."

LaBeouf injured his left hand in an auto accident earlier this month. Orci said the film, which is halfway through production, is not being shot in sequence, but that the most demanding action sequences for LaBeouf are still yet to be shot. (Photos of LaBeouf on set, with his hand clearly bandaged, have recently surfaced on the Web.)

"He's still going to be running around in this movie," said Orci, who co-wrote the sequel with his partner, Alex Kurtzman, and Ehren Kruger. "[Bay] literally just wanted, for [LaBeouf's] safety, ... to make sure that we weren't playing around with his injury. ... That's why we put it in." Orci added: "The stuff ... where it would be dangerous ... has not been scheduled yet, and that stuff, it's important to put [the injury] in there."
The film has a proposed release date of June 26, 2009.

Posted on August 25, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)



Transformers 2 Posters Are Here

Photo of Transformers 2 poster


The Transformers 2 posters are out. Reportedly, Shia LaBeouf has returned to the set, although his car accident and subsequent hand surgery have adversely impacted the filming schedule. It appears that the rumors that he would need his little finger amputated weren't true, which must have made Shia and his family happy. Not to mention Michael Bay.

Posted on August 18, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Eos Offers Free Ebook Download

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of its Eos imprint, HarperCollins is offering a free download of City of Pearl by Karen Traviss. The free download lasts until August 31, 2008 and is available in Adobe, Microsoft or Mobipocket formats.

Posted on August 4, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Dr. Who Fans Furious Over Fake Phone Number

Dr. Who fans are furious that the Dr.'s phone number flashed during the show numerous times didn't work at all.
Doctor Who finished its latest series on Saturday night watched by a huge audience of nearly 10million. But it was another set of figures that got some fans really worked up - the Time Lord's phone number. The digits had been flashed up on screen several times in the previous week's episode as the Doctor's sidekicks Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones and the Torchwood team contacted him.

More than 2,500 fans - whipped into a frenzy of anticipation after a cliffhanger ending in which it appeared that star David Tennant might be leaving as the Doctor began regenerating - dialled it before the last episode aired on Saturday. One fan complained: 'They showed that number so many times, as if they were asking for it to be called.' But their attempts to contact their hero on his personal number - 07700 900461 - came to nothing when they discovered that it would not connect.

Writing on the BBC's website, one disgruntled viewer said: 'Grrr - I phoned the Doctor's phone number but there was just an annoying network message. 'What's the point in showing a phone number if you're not gonna use it?!' Ofcom, the TV industry watchdog, said the number was simply one reserved for use in television dramas.
In the U.S., tv writers usually use the "555" prefix so everyone knows it's not a real number. How odd that the British register phone numbers solely for use in television shows.

Posted on July 11, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)



Terry Pratchett Talks God, Religion

Terry Pratchett writes about his relationship (or lack therof) with God for The Daily Mail. The results are classic Pratchett.
There is a rumour going around that I have found God. I think this is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.

But it is true that in an interview I gave recently I did describe a sudden, distinct feeling I had one hectic day that everything I was doing was right and things were happening as they should. It seemed like the memory of a voice and it came wrapped in its own brief little bubble of tranquillity. I'm not used to this.

As a fantasy writer I create fresh gods and philosophies almost with every new book (I'm rather pleased with Annoia, the goddess of Things That Get Stuck In Drawers, whose temple is hung about with the bent remains of bent egg whisks and spatulas. She actually appears to work in this world, too). But since contracting Alzheimer's disease I have spent my long winter walks trying to work out what it is that I really, if anything, believe.

*****

As a boy I had a clear image of the Almighty: He had a tail coat and pinstriped trousers, black, slicked-down hair and an aquiline nose. On the whole, I was probably a rather strange child, and I wonder what my life might have been like if I'd met a decent theologian when I was nine.
It's well worth your time to read the whole essay.

Posted on June 30, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

AFI Names Greatest SF Films of All Time

The American Film Institute announced the top ten greatest genre movies of all time. The Science Fiction list has some notable omissions.

#1 2001: A Space Odyssey

#2 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

#3 E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial

#4 A Clockwork Orange

#5 The Day the Earth Stood Still

#6 Blade Runner

#7 Alien

#8 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

#9 Invasion of the Body Snatchers

#10 Back to the Future

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope is a classic that began the Star Wars series. But really, The Empire Strikes Back should be on the list. And we're sorry, but E.T. is not one of the best science fiction films of all time -- not by a long shot. What about Planet of the Apes? And The Matrix (the first one)? The list needs some changes.

Posted on June 18, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Ridley Scott's Brave New World

Ridley Scott is returning to his SF roots.
Having tentatively dipped his toe back in the water by co-producing the recent TV version of Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain, Sir Ridley Scott will finally make his return to the sci-fi genre that made his name. Scott enjoyed cult (and sometimes commercial) success in the sci-fi and fantasy genres with early entries Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982) and Legend (1985), but has since concentrated on real-world and period drama such as Gladiator (2001), Thelma and Louise (1988) and American Gangster (2007). The director has often spoken of a return to the genre, but many mooted projects over the years have come to nothing, including the increasingly unlikely - but often talked about - Alien 5 (what's a predator?).

*****

"I waited for a book for 20 years and I have got the book." Scott told Eclipse. "I am not going to tell you what the book is but that film is going to probably be written within the next month. That will definitely be what I do next after Nottingham". Nottingham, currently in pre-production, is Scott's take on the Robin Hood myth, and constitutes his fourth outing with Russell Crowe after Gladiator (2001), A Good Year (2006) and American Gangster (2007).
Rumors making the rounds as to what the film will be include Brave New World with Leonardo DiCaprio starring and Ender's Game. We're looking forward to more Ridley Scott SF: whatever project he chooses is sure to be interesting.

Posted on June 10, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

Sci Fi Channel Asks What If?

Sci Fi Channel LogoThe New York Times reports that the Sci Fi Channel plans to broaden the focus of its content to include shows that many fans might feel are outside the realm of fantasy and science fiction. They have run wrestling shows on the channel which doesn't seem like science fiction to anybody.
The Sci Fi Channel, still viewed by many as a niche network, is no longer a repository for failed fantasy shows cast aside by the broadcast networks. Instead, through a mix of original shows, movies and syndicated reruns (including old "Jericho" episodes but no new ones), the network has expanded its audience, especially among women, chiefly by stretching the definition of science fiction.

It is not just "Star Trek" or "Star Wars" that would fit the definition. Superheroes, Indiana Jones and even the baseball fantasy movie "Field of Dreams" would all be considered part of the genre as defined by Sci Fi's programmers.

"It's not just aliens, spaceships and the future," said Dave Howe, who was promoted to president of Sci Fi from general manager in January. "It's about asking that simple question, 'What if?'"

The changes evolved over several years. One result is a widening audience, especially among women. In April, for example, Sci Fi ranked sixth in cable networks in the 25-to-54 age group. Growth in female viewers outpaced that in men; 43 percent of Sci Fi's viewers are female.
Field of Dreams does have a supernatural element but it really is more of a sports or drama film. Just how far is the Sci Fi Channel planning to go? They may even change their name according to the Times. Some of the new name ideas include SCF and The Imagination Channel.

Here's an idea: What if the Sci Fi Channel tried sticking to fantasy and science fiction?

Posted on May 20, 2008
Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

The 85 Weirdest Storytellers of the Past 85 Years

Weird Tales has listed the 85 weirdest storytellers of the past 85 years. Here are the top 10:
  • DOUGLAS ADAMS
  • CHARLES ADDAMS
  • LAURIE ANDERSON
  • J.G. BALLARD
  • NICK BANTOCK
  • CLIVE BARKER
  • ART BELL
  • BJORK
  • DAVID BOWIE
  • RAY BRADBURY
  • Not surprisingly, it's a weird list. And a pretty fabulous one.

    Posted on March 29, 2008
    Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

    Goodbye to The Bionic Woman

    Bionic WomanProducer David Eick confirmed that The Bionic Woman has been put on the scrap heap, never to rise again. He sounds pretty frustrated about it.
    "I just felt that the process was so frustrating, and the conditions under which we were making that show never really came to fruition in such a way that I felt like we could make the show well," Eick said in an interview at SCI FI Channel's upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on March 18. "The actress [Michelle Ryan] we found was wonderful. Some of the writing was good."

    But, he added: "We just didn't ever bring it all together like we did with Battlestar. At a certain point, when it becomes that frustrating, I think you're better off to say, 'Let's try again another time,' and let it go."

    Bionic Woman, a reboot of the 1970s series of the same name, debuted to strong ratings last fall, but its numbers dropped precipitously after that, and behind-the-scenes problems persisted. Cancellation was expected after the network failed to order additional episodes once the writers' strike ended.
    Bionic Woman was a disaster: the show never gelled. Katee Sackhoff stole every scene she was in, for one thing. She is just a much more charismatic actress than Michelle Ryan. Although Michelle may have sounded a bit dull and flat because she was covering up her English accent. In the one episode they had her do her normal accent, she was so much more compelling.

    Posted on March 19, 2008
    Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

    Jumper Director Meets the MIT Physicists

    Screenshot from the film JumperFilmmaker Douglas Liman was a physics prodigy who landed a scholarship to Brown University. He never took a physics class and ended up as a successful director. He and actor Hayden Christensen agreed to attend a symposium at MIT with two MIT physicists, Dr. Farhi and Dr. Tegmark, to discuss the physics behind Limon's new SF film Jumper. The hero of Jumper can teleport himself wherever he wants, just by thinking about it. So what did the real physicists have to say?
    In real experiments recently, Dr. Farhi told the movie fans, physicists had managed to "teleport" a single elementary particle, a photon, which transmits light, about one and a half miles, "a little less exotic than what you see in the movie." What is actually teleported in these experiments, he explained, is not the particle itself but all the quantum information about the particle.

    To accomplish this is no small matter. Among other things, the teleporters have to create a pair of so-called entangled particles, which maintain a kind of spooky correlation even though they are separated by light years. Both of them exist in a kind of quantum fog of possibility until one or the other is observed. Measuring one particle instantly affects its separated-at-birth twin no matter how far away. If one is found to be spinning clockwise, for example, the other will be found to be spinning counter clockwise.

    In order to use this magic to "teleport" a third particle, Dr. Farhi emphasized, you have to send a conventional signal between the entangled twins, and that takes time, according to Einstein. "You cannot get that thing over there faster than the speed of light," Dr. Farhi said, to cheers from the crowd.

    *****

    Dr. Tegmark said that even inaccurate science fiction movies could inspire scientists to think. You could see something that you think is impossible, he said, but that might start you thinking. "Why is that impossible? It can trigger a train of thought," he said.
    Dr. Farhi is bringing us down with his bummer news that there won't be transporter technology by the end of the year, but he and Dr. Tegmark did like the movie. We can't wait to see it.

    Posted on February 9, 2008
    Permalink | Subscribe | | | Comments (View)

    The Writers Write
    Lifestyle Network
    Bloggers Blog
    Book Blog
    Crafters Craft
    Drivers Drive
    Fantasy SF Blog
    Gamers Game
    Health News Blog
    HowToWeb.com
    The IWJ Blog
    Lovers Love
    Media Cynic
    Petosphere
    Pleasant Morning Buzz
    Science News Blog
    Shopping Blog
    Singers Sing
    Surfers Surf
    Traders Trade
    Video Nacho
    Watchers Watch
    Workers Work
    The Write News
    Writer's Blog













    www.fantasysfblog.com

    Copyright © 2007-2009 by Writers Write, Inc. All Rights Reserved.