Steven Moffat Producing

FILM CALENDAR: November – Quantum Of Solace; Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa; and, Bolt. December – The Day The Earth Stood Still; Twilight; The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button; The Tale Of Despereaux; and, The Spirit. Winter 2009 – Coraline; Watchmen. Spring 2009 – Race To Witch Mountain; Dragonball Z; X-Men Origins - Wolverine. Summer 2009 – Star Trek; Terminator - Salvation; Transformers 2; Ice Age - Dawn [/] Dinosaurs; G.I. Joe.

SILVER SCREEN: In addition to writing and directing “Doghouse”, Noel Clarke will be starring in the upcoming “comedy horror flick”, along with Mary Tamm and Christina Cole.

STAGE & TELEVISION: Norman Jacobs and Rita Eisenstein have left Starlog Group to pursue the development of “3-D TV” - without the need of those glasses! Jim Caviezel and Sir Ian McKellen will star in “The Prisoner”, a British mini-series for ITV-AMC, written and executive produced by Bill Gallagher. David Tennant may reprise his ‘Hamlet’ when the RSC production is moved to New York. Christopher Eccleston is playing ‘Fred Noonan’ (Earhart’s navigator) in “Amelia” and is being sought to reprise his “Heroes” role for NBC. “Secret Diary Of A Call Girl” (starring Billie Piper) will return for it’s second season on Showtime, January 2009.

COMICS & ANIMATION: Rawson Thurber will write, direct and produce “Elfquest” for Warner. Marvel is bringing new Iron Man and Hulk animated series’ to Nicktoons. Peter Berg is set to direct and produce “Hercules [The Thracian Wars]” for Universal, from a Ryan Condal script [based upon the Radical Publishing series]. Nu Image - Millennium has acquired the rights to [Robert E. Howard’s] “Red Sonja” with Robert Rodriguez [among other] producing; Douglas Aarniokoski directing; and, Rose McGowan starring. Lawrence Kasden is writing “Robotech” for Warner, Louis Leterrier will direct. Freddie Highmore has been [voice] cast as “Astroboy” for Imagi Studios upcoming film, featuring Nicolas Cage; Donald Sutherland; Bill Nighy; Nathan Lane; and, Eugene Levy. Darguad Media is producing a new “Garfield” for Cartoon Network.

OUTSIDE GENRE: Meg Ryan; Carrie Fisher; Eva Mendes; Jada Pinkett-Smith; Annette Bening; Debra Messing; Cloris Leachman; Bette Midler; and Candice Bergen star in “The Women”, written [from the 1930s Clare Luce play] and directed by Diane English. Robert Downey Jr will play Sherlock Holmes in a film directed by Guy Ritchie for Warner. Kevin McKidd has joined the cast of “Grey’s Anatomy”. Shiri Appleby can be seen in “ER”. Scott Bakula; Ray Romano; and, Andre Braugher set to play “Men of a Certain Age” for TNT.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES: Steven Moffat received a Hugo Award for [a 2007 Doctor Who episode entitled] “Blink”.

VIDEO LOG: A Watership Down [Deluxe Edition] (Warner); Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection (MGM); Ben 10 - Season 4 (THE); Charlie Chan Collection - Volume 5 (FOX); Dark City [Director’s Cut] (New Line Cinema); Doctor Who - The War Machines (BBC); Doctor Who - Trial Of A Time Lord (BBC); Doctor Who [Season 4] (BBC); Duckman [Seasons 1 & 2] (Paramount); Fat Albert - Halloween Special (Classic Media); Filmation Super Heroes Adventures (WHV); Final Approach (Genius - RHI); George Of The Jungle [Season 1] (Classic Media); Get Smart [Season 1] (HBO); Ghost Whisperer [Season 3] (Paramount); Goosebumps - A Night In Terror Tower (FOX); Goosebumps - Monster Blood (FOX); Goosebumps - One Day At Horrorland (FOX); He-Man [Masters / Universe] - Volume 3 (Navarre); Heroes [Season 2] (NBC); It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Warner); Masters / Science Fiction [Complete Series] (Anchor Bay); Medium [Season 4] (Paramount); Nim’s Island (FOX - Walden); Robin Hood [Season 2] (BBC Warner); Robin Of Sherwood [Complete Series] (Acorn Media); Sarah Jane Adventures [Season1] (BBC); Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries [Season 1] (WHV); The Man From U.N.C.L.E. [Complete Series] (Warner); Torchwood [Season 2] (BBC); Transformers [Ultimate Collection] (Hasbro); and, Tru Calling [Complete Series] (FOX); and, Wizards / Waverly Place - Wizard School (Disney).

BOOK LOG: “[Iron Elves 1 -] A Darkness Forged In Fire” by Chris Evans (Pocket); “City At The End Of Time” by Greg Bear (Del Rey); “Doctor Who - Companion Chronicles” (Big Finish);“Doctor Who: Dalek Empire” [editor Nicholas Briggs] (Big Finish); “Doctor Who - The Boy That Time Forgot” (Big Finish); “Doctor Who - The Doomwood Curse” (Big Finish);“Doctor Who: Farewells” [editor Jacqueline Rayner] (Big Finish); “Doctor Who: Short Trips - The Centenarian” [editor Ian Farrington] (Big Finish); “Doctor Who - Sisters Of The Flame” (Big Finish); “Doctor Who: Time Reef” (Big Finish Audio); “Doctor Who: Time Signature” [editor Simon Guerrier] (Big Finish); “Doctor Who - Vengeance Of Morbius” (Big Finish); “Mr. Monk Goes To Germany” by Lee Goldberg (NAL); “Mr. Monk In Space” by Lee Goldberg (Signet); “Nurk - The Strange, Surprising Adventures Of a [Somewhat] Brave Shrew” by Ursula Vernon (Harcourt); and, “Too Many Curses” by A. Lee Martinez (Tor).

LAST FAREWELL: George Carlin (actor; comedian); Don S. Davis (actor); Thomas M. Disch (author); Sandy Howard (producer); and, Michael Turner (graphic artist and novelist).

CLONING THE WARS by Bob Miller: ^To quote Princess Leia, “It’s not over yet.” More Star Wars adventures are coming. The CG-animated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” [the 7th film of the saga] is set between [Episodes 2 and 3 of George Lucas’ saga] and will lead into the all-new Cartoon Network series bearing the same title.^

HIS NEW MATERIALS by Joe Nazzaro: ^Ever since the climactic publication of “The Amber Spyglass”, fans of Philip Pullman have been clamoring for more of “His Dark Materials”. In 2003, he released “Lyra’s Oxford” a short novel featuring Dark Materials’ heroine. He followed Oxford with “Once Upon A Time In The North”, a prequel to Dark Materials. New Line Cinema recently brought “The Golden Compass” [and adaptation of Pullman’s popular Dark Materials trilogy] to the big screen. And, finally, the wait for a new Pullman HDM novel is over! “The Book Of Dust” is expected to be published in 2009.^

THE ORIGINAL SPIDER-MAN by Pat Jankiewicz: ^Nicholas Hammond is the Amazing Spider-Man! So, he was, when the misunderstood hero made his live-action debut in 1977. Before then, Marvel’s flagship hero had only been seen in cartoons and on “The Electric Company”. “I was the very first Spider-Man. And, it was cool to be him,” declared Hammond. ^

INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE by pat Jankiewicz: ^Known as “Le Incroyable Hulk” in France and “The Green Beast” in Saudi Arabia, the Hulk has achieved worldwide fame. With a new movie, “The Incredible Hulk” [recently in theaters], it’s time again to consult an eyewitness to genre history. Kenneth Johnson , producer-creator of “The Incredible Hulk” television series [as well as “V”; “Alien Nation”; and, “The Bionic Woman”] is responsible for much fan favorite television – which, like Gene Roddenberry’s creation, has remained popular and grown into something new for modern audiences.^

SECRETS OF ‘VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA’ by Mark Phillips: ^ A thief among the cast. That’s just one of the many secrets of the [1964-1968] television series developed from Irwin Allen’s [1961] film. Casting of Richard Basehart and David Hedison almost didn’t happen. Why was the [rarely syndicated] first season shot in black and white? Hailed as “juvenile”, skeptical writers needed some persuasion to develop scripts. ^

IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR by Benjamin Cook: ^”Every year, you wait for it to fail. Every year, you wait for the ratings to die. Because, no good luck lasts forever - no matter how hard you work at it,” said Russell Davies, introducing his reasoning for leaving “Doctor Who”. Having resurrected the popular television series after a 16-year hiatus and turning it into another commercial and critical success, “It’s achieved everything I wanted it to achieve. I’ve pushed it as far as I can. [Now,] it’s time for a completely new eye.” He’ll produce four specials for 2009 before departing the program. The fifth season will debut in 2010 with Steven Moffat producing.

Screen Things

By Frank Jaymes

October 2008

With Material From Doctor Who Magazine