Well well well, looks like Flash Forward is gonna be called FlashForward after all.
Gonna change the label later…
In the meantime, I forgot to post about this longer promo from last month:
Continuing on another mythological show, Dollhouse added to its staff the two Reaper creators, Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters.
The duo is replacing Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain who have both joined Lie to Me, reuniting with fellow Angel and The Shield alumni (as well as creator), Shawn Ryan.
I’m starting today’s post with a news that might disappoint: Christopher Nolan is far from returning to Batman 3.
Although the source for this news is what one might describe as being a fansite, Batman-On-Film is a reliable 11-year-old source stating the following:
* The death of Heath Ledger in January of 2008 rocked Mr. Nolan hard. So hard that Chris was convinced that TDK was going to be it for him and Batman on film.
* The Joker was going to return in BATMAN 3.
* “You are correct in reporting that he is developing story ideas with [Jonathan Nolan] and David Goyer, but it will be until AT LEAST 2012 before we see the Caped Crusader back [in theaters]. And that is only an EARLY ESTIMATE at best right now. They are even saying it might not be until 2013.”
* Basically, the BATMAN film franchise is back to square one. As far as a story or a BATMAN 3, “Right now, there is none,” says our guy.
If Warner Bros. do change directors, I highly doubt they would re-reboot the franchise so soon after Batman Begins.
On the other hand, continuing on Nolan’s Batman legacy is a pretty big challenge.
I’m thinking either a fake sequel through a new take on Batman, or some kind of spin-off movie…or nothing at all for a decade.
Perhaps a whole new set of characters save for Batman and Alfred, since basically almost everyone seems to be gone by the end of Dark Knight.
Moving on to TV news, Battlestar Galactica‘s Rick Worthy is in talks to join next season’s Heroes as Matt Parkman’s new partner in the police (yes, he’s going back to being an LA cop).
After ABC and FOX, it’s also now time for The CW to announce its fall premiere dates:
Tuesday, Sept. 8
8:00-9:00 p.m. “90210” (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “MELROSE PLACE” (Series Premiere)Thursday, Sept. 10
8:00-9:00 p.m. “THE VAMPIRE DIARIES” (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “SUPERNATURAL” (Season Premiere)Monday, Sept. 14
8:00-9:00 p.m. “ONE TREE HILL” (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “GOSSIP GIRL” (Season Premiere)Wednesday, Sept. 16
9:00-10:00 p.m. “THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE: TBL” (Series Premiere)Friday, Sept. 25
8:00-9:00 p.m. “SMALLVILE” (Season Premiere)
I’m most likely watching a whopping 0% of those shows this fall.
A few new interesting tidbits, including some from Sci Fi Wire who had a bunch of major Q&A these last few days.
Terminator‘s James Middleton first discussed what the future might have hold for the Sarah Connor Chronicles, explaining what would have been if the show hadn’t been canceled:
One theory about the ending is that by leaping to the future, John Connor never grew up to become the leader of the human resistance. That would free him of the burden of saving humanity.
“I think that that’s the right interpretation, because in the actual footage of the show, we see that Derek doesn’t recognize him,” Middleton said. “So, by jumping into this future, he has erased his existence in a certain way, and we see that. We see that nobody recognizes him.”
Middleton added that leaping to the future changes John Connor’s fate. “We would have to have explored that if we did get a third season,” he said. “If we had gotten a third season, I should say, we definitely would have explored what it all meant, but I think there’s a great moment where we see Allison [Summer Glau], and John’s look to her is very meaningful. I think that also would have been a great thing in terms of dramatic potential. Like I said, the show has ended, and it would all be speculation, and I really don’t want to raise anybody’s expectations.”
Another very interesting Q&A they had is one with Marc Guggenheim, executive producer on Flash Forward.
Here’s an extract:
Viewers will undoubtedly be happy to hear that you’ll be answering questions in the first season, because one thing viewers have grown to hate—partly as a result of Lost—is the feeling that the writers are vamping to keep it going, with an indeterminate end in the future.
Guggenheim: Well, I am very sensitive to that, actually, as a fan and as a writer. I actually understand that feeling, and I’m very, very sensitive about it. And towards that end, I can actually tell you a couple of things to make those fans who are concerned feel better. The first is, we don’t have a choice. We can’t vamp. We say in the pilot that the characters are going to see … a vision of their future [on] April 29, 2010. Which means we’ve got six months. There ain’t no vamping to be done.
We plant a very specific flag, so even if we wanted to vamp, we no longer have the option. That’s point number one. Point number two is, there are things laid into the pilot that don’t pay off until the very end of the series. So David and Brannon, in writing and directing the pilot, have also planted flags right there in the pilot that … you’ll be able to look back on and go, “Oh, they really did know what they were doing.” So my point always is, we are not only telling you that we have a plan, there are several reasons why you don’t have to just take our word for it.
Last but not least, Sci Fi Wire had another interesting Q&A with Pushing Daisies/Heroes‘ Bryan Fuller about the show and…Star Trek:
“I’m hoping that by the time they’re ready to do a television series that I am available and can participate, because, I mean, even if it’s J.J. Abrams’ team, I would love to join that team for a new Star Trek series. I think it would be a ball,” Fuller said.
Looks like he agrees with me that it’s Bad Robot’s way or the highway for everything Star Trek-related from now on.
And with all that, following ABC’s lead, FOX announced today its Fall premiere dates:
Wednesday, Sept. 16
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “GLEE” (Series Premiere)Thursday, Sept. 17
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT “BONES” (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “FRINGE” (Season Premiere)Friday, Sept. 18
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT “BROTHERS” (Series Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT “‘TIL DEATH” (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “DOLLHOUSE” (Season Premiere)Monday, Sept. 21
8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “HOUSE” (2-Hour Season Premiere)Sunday, Sept. 27
8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT “THE SIMPSONS” (Season Premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT “THE CLEVELAND SHOW” (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT “FAMILY GUY” (Season Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT “AMERICAN DAD” (Season Premiere)Monday, Sept. 28
8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT “HOUSE” (All-New Episode)
9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT “LIE TO ME” (Season Premiere)
I can’t wait for this new season to begin.