Category: News

Much to our collective surprise, NBC has ordered four additional scripts for the revival and reviled Knight Rider. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series’ ratings have been somewhat encouraging after a few airings.

Meantime, producers of Fox’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, report they too have reason to be hopeful.

On the show’s official blog, they wrote: “Because so many of you, our most devoted fans, have been asking, we wanted to set the record straight!

“While the fate of the show past production on episode thirteen is still unclear, FOX has given us the go-ahead to write two more additional episodes for this season — fourteen and fifteen.

“We are hard at work writing those episodes and await news of a potential pickup for the full ‘back nine’ (additional episodes to complete the season) in the near future. We’re crossing our fingers (and dotting our i’s) that we’ll have more good news to share with you soon…

“In the meantime, keep tuning in! Get your friends interested! And thanks for all of your support.”

Meantime, its companion series, Fringe, has been given a full-season pick-up.

Last Thursday night, ABC debuted its adaptation of Life on Mars, opposite CBS’ adaptation of Eleventh Hour. Much has been made of both shows’ pilots being almost shot for shot remakes of their British counterparts.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, “None of this stopped viewers tuning in with all the shows scoring strongly in the overnight ratings despite a real mixed bag of reviews ranging from the scathing to the glorious.”  This also includes NBC’s Kath and Kim, remaking an Australian sitcom that received horrendous reviews from coast to coast.

“Though fourth in its timeslot, the show did grow from the 4.6/7 rating lead-in of My Name is Earl. This is very shaky ground however and coming weeks, not to mention the word of mouth, will determine if it will stay on the schedule,” the paper noted.

Eleventh Hour was second in the competitive 10 p.m. slot, following Life on Mars. Some concern was raised over the new series losing half the audience from the previous show, CSI. In third was NBC’s ER, now in its final season.

Of the shows debuting Thursday night, the best reviewed, and cast, was Life on Mars. “Audiences seemed to dig it though with the pilot scoring a 8.2/14 rating – winning its timeslot and coming third for the night. Better yet it managed to maintain over 80% of its lead-in audience from Grey’s Anatomy,” the trade noted.
 

Remember back in July when we told you about the Spider-Man musical? The one with the questionable plot device involving a Spider Goddess spinning Peter Parker’s story. Oh yeeaaah, that one.

Michael Riedel, the Broadway beat reporter for the New York Post is reporting that the budget has swelled to $40 million, for now, with a weekly running cost of $1 million per week of its run. To break even, the show would have to become one of the longest running shows in history.

The show is in one of New York City’s largest theaters, a score written by U2’s Bono, and brought to life by an army of designers.

Director Julie Taymor, who rose to fame for Disney’s Lion King musical, has a spotty track record.  The story reports that investors are becoming worried. It doesn’t help that in this economy, theater attendance is expected to dip.

Is your Spider Sense tingling, Peter?

No matter what era of comics you enjoy, chances are Two Morrows has a magazine or trade PB covering it. We give you a rundown of what’s new and on the way, plus:

• That Captain Action statue finally debuts
• The latest ratings are in for pop culture series
• We have some watercooler stories about new cartoon series you will NOT believe

Kung Fun Magoo? Really! Just Press the Button!

And remember, you can always subscribe to ComicMix Radio podcasts via or RSS!

Metatropolis is an audio anthology edited by John Scalzi for Audible.com. Subtitled "The Dawn of Uncivilization", the project can be downloaded October 21.

The book’s contents include:

"In the Forests of the Night" by Jay Lake (read by Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica)

"Stochasti-city" by Tobias Buckell (read by Scott Brick, who won the 2008 Audie Award for Dune)

"The Red in the Sky is Our Blood" by Elizabeth Bear (read by Kandyse McClure, Battlestar Galactica)

"Utere Nihil Non Extra Quiritationem Suis" by John Scalzi (read by Alessandro Juliani, Battlestar Galactica)

"To Hie from Far Cilenia" by Karl Schroeder (read by Stefan Rudnicki, who previously read Ender’s Game)

Audible describes the book: "Welcome to a world where big cities are dying, dead, or transformed into technological megastructures. Where once-thriving suburbs are now treacherous Wilds. Where those who live for technology battle those who would die rather than embrace it. It is a world of zero-footprint cities, virtual nations, and armed camps of eco-survivalists. Welcome to the dawn of uncivilization."

Fangoria’s comic book line appears ready for resurrection.

The editors recently posted on their MySpace page:

“That’s right, kiddies. We’ve gotten the band back together! Troy Brownfield, Fangoria Graphix Associate Editor here. I don’t have to tell you all that’s it been a weird couple of years. But Executive Editor Scott Licina, Production Manager Jason Moser, Director of New Media Development James Zahn and I are thrilled to be back where it all started. Ever since Tom DeFeo and The Brooklyn Company took over, we’ve been talking about what new horrible things we could do to all you, er, do together. The logical first step was to put the work that we originally did under the Fango umbrella in its natural place: right here, right in front of you, our most loyal readers.

“SO . . . knowing that, what are you going to see? There will be Bump. There will be the complete Rage and the complete Strangeland: Seven Sins. And in multiple languages. But there will also be new and frightening things in the offing. Like the Death Walks the Streets series. Like Ellium. Like Doubloon. Like online and downloadable comics. Like novels. Like graphic novels. And more.”

At present, the magazine’s website is down for retooling so this is the sole source for information at present.
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Taylor Kitsch is breaking out from under the Friday Night Lights to play on the big screen in next May’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine from 20th Century Fox. Kitsch plays Remy LeBeau, commonly known as the smooth-talking mutant called Gambit. The actor spoke with Media Blvd about his role in the film.

"He’s just another comic book character that has kinetic energy," Kitsch describes of Gambit. "It’s a fun role. You’ll have fun watching it."

Kitsch admits that he was largely unfamiliar with the character before working on Wolverine, but has since gained a fondness for the heart-breaking antihero.

"I love the character, I love the powers, and I love what they did with him," Kitsch says. "I didn’t know that much [about the role], but in my experience, it was a blessing to go in and create my take on him."

At the moment, Kitsch is best known as Tim Riggins on NBC’s Friday Night Lights. That’s bound to change in a few short months when the X-movie is released.

"I haven’t [been] bombarded yet for the X-Men stuff," Kitsch admits. "I’ve been told enough about [X-Men fans] that I’m excited for it. I feel the project went incredibly well, and I’m excited to see the result."

For Kitsch, the biggest perk of filming Wolverine was meeting Logan himself. The actor calls Hugh Jackman a huge influence in his life as both an actor and as a person.

"He’s incredibly disciplined and free," Kitsch describes Jackman. "He’s just this person that’s so grounded and so open that you question whether it’s real or not. I’ve met nobody like him."

Some years ago, Lost‘s Josh Holloway was said to be in talks to play the Ragin’ Cajun in X-Men: The Last Stand. He pulled out due to TV commitments, but was linked to return if a fourth X-Men flick ever got off the ground. The part eventually went to Kitsch.

"The reason we didn’t use Gambit was because in a sense his persona is a bit like Wolverine in that he’s got attitude and his power is not quite as exciting as the others," said Lauren Shuler Donner, producer of both X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, in an interview in 2006.

"That’s why we went to Nightcrawler," she continues, "because he looked different than everybody else and he had a great power."

For someone who doesn’t speak too kindly about ol’ Remy, it’s a bit surprising that the character wound up in Wolverine‘s solo film. Guess you can only stay away from that sexy gumbo for so long, right?!