The SciFi Diner Podcast
SciFi Diner Podcast Ep. 79 – Our Interview with David Nykl from Stargate Atlantis, Fringe, Human Target, and the Beast of Bottomless Lake
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Tonight’s Diners: Scott & Miles
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Listener Question:
How important is Science Fact in Science Fiction? We'll be discussing it in our next show on October 12!
Internet Site of the Week: On the menu tonight: Interview David Nykl Star Trek Trivia Warehouse 13 renewed Wonder Woman comes to the Small Screen The Hobbit Burns Transformers 3 The Superman Reboot Monty Python turns 41 Superman/Batman Apocalypse DVD This week in Star trek: Miles brings an interview with Patrick Stewart and a new clip from a trailer for Star Wars VS Star Trek SciFi Five in Five: Jen from NY brings us her top Five Time Travel Movies for girls who are not really into SciFi Our Interview with David Nykl:
David Nykl: known to Sci-Fi fans worldwide as Stargate's Dr Radek Zelenka, David is a veteran character actor with over 20 years experience in film, television and theatre. He has appeared in Fringe, Human Target, Sanctuary, Psych, Eureka, and many more science fiction shows. Born in Prague and a native of Vancouver; David has appeared in dozens of film and television projects in the U.S., Europe and Canada. As founder and former Artistic Director of Prague's famous Misery Loves Company Theatre, David appeared in dozens of productions in central Europe in both Czech and English. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and three children.
He currently promoted the movie The Beast of Bottomless Lake which won the Best Canadian Indie Feature Film at the Okanagan International Film Festival, and won the People’s Choice Award! Below is a synopsis of the film:
Deep in the waters of the bottomless lake known as Okanagan, lives the serpent like creature, Ogopogo. Some say it’s a myth, others say they’ve seen it. For Dr. Paul Moran, Cryptozoologist, it could be his ticket to fame and fortune and the validation he’s always been searching for.
Follow Dr. Moran and his team of dedicated and not so dedicated adventurers as they embark on a hilarious and sometimes tragic expedition to prove the existence of the creature and change our perception of the world as we know it. Oh, and claim the two-million dollar bounty that goes along with it.
Here is the trailer:
This Week’s Trivia:Trivia Question: What popular African American comedian back in the 80s was originally considered to play the cetacean biologist in Star Trek The Voyage Home?
Prize: An autographed photo of Catherine Hicks with William Shatner.
You will have until October 12th to answer this question. Send your answer with your mailing address to scifidinerpodcast@gmail.com, call us at 18885084343, or DM us on Twitter at @scifidiner.
Podcast Promos:The Main Course: TV News:
From Allison Scagliotti: It's true... Season 3 is officially official.
Syfy's "Warehouse 13" is getting a third season.
After weeks of rumors, the cable network is set to announce a 13-episode pickup. Showrunner Jack Kenny will on board for another round and has signed a development deal with Universal Cable Prods.
During its second season, "Warehouse" averaged 3.4 million viewers and 1.5 million in the adults 18-49 demographic, making it Syfy's most-watched series this year.
"Jack Kenny's superlative leadership and the incredible talent of his cast and crew delivered an outstanding second season of ‘Warehouse 13,' " Syfy programming chief Mark Stern said. "We're excited to see this successful series return next year and to developing our next hit with Jack."
From TrekJen: Happy 41st Anniversary to Monty Python's Flying Circus! The first episode was broadcast on October 5, 1969.
Wonder woman back to small screen
This has to be the highest-profile effort to bring Wonder Woman to television: One of TV's best-known creators, The Practice's David E. Kelley, has come on board to write and produce a new series project about the female superhero. The project, from Warner Bros Television where Kelley is based, and Warner Bros' DC Entertainment, will be taken out to the networks shortly. Kelley, who has created several female centered shows like Ally McBeal, has wanted to tackle a contemporary take on the World War II-era Amazon. He recently met with the DC team who also have been looking for ways to launch a new Wonder Woman TV franchise.
The comic book Wonder Woman character has evolved significantly since she first appeared in a 1941 issue of All Star Comics and recently underwent a controversial makeover. Details on Kelley's TV series are being kept under wraps, and it is not clear if the new Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince will be the old familiar Wonder Woman or the redesigned reboot announced with great fanfare this year by DC Comics Co-Publisher Jim Lee that looks like she's ready for Goth Day at the Galleria. (DC Comics Has Ruined Wonder Woman!) Or whether she'll keep her signature powers and weapons, including her Lasso of Truth, her indestructible bracelets, her tiara and her invisible airplane.
Wonder Woman has presented a challenge both for feature and TV creators. That's probably because she is the most famous female superhero in the testosterone-dominated comic world. And because she also is a big feminist icon. The most successful screen adaptation of the Wonder Woman comic books was the TV series The New Adventures of Wonder Woman starring Lynda Carter in the title role, which aired from 1975-1979, first on ABC and then on CBS. Carter has since become synonymous with the character. That will certainly present a challenge in casting the role if the project goes to pilot.
On the feature side, a Wonder Woman film has been in development hell for a decade at Warner Bros, with Joss Whedon at one point attached to write and direct for producer Joel Silver. In May, Warner chairman and CEO Barry Meyer confirmed that a new Wonder Woman feature is in development. There has been a concerted effort on part of Time Warner lately to better mine the DC properties across different platforms. The film division is expected to announce a slate of DC movies by the end of the year that would probably include Wonder Woman.
Warner Bros TV has brought DC characters to the small screen before: most recently with the CW's Superman-themed Smallville, which is in its 10th and final season, and Fox's Human Target, which returned for a second season. A notable recent effort to launch a new Wonder Woman series came a decade ago with Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman creator Deborah Joy LeVine as the writer.
Movie News:Many of us were disappointed by “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”
If you were one of them (and I was), actor Shia LaBeouf has good news. He says the currently filming “Transformers 3″ is the best of the series.
“The script is the best script we’ve had,” he said. “The first movie, we had the discovery, and this movie really is the fruition of the rhythm we’ve created out of five years working together. I’m super proud of this movie.”
He also vows this will be the last time we see him in the series.
There’s no more for me, at least. I’m never going to do it again. This is the last one, so it’s balls-out.” he says. “This is the best movie we’ve made, period, and that’s a unanimous decision by everybody. The sizzle reel that [director Michael Bay] has been showing everybody on set, it’s so outrageous. I’m very, very, very, very proud of it.”
The film is still in production.
From Herne: The Hobbit Studio Hit By Blaze
A movie studio in New Zealand which was due to host filming of The Hobbit has been wrecked in a serious fire. The Portsmouth Miniatures Studio in Wellington was used to film iconic scenes for Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings trilogy and his monster movie remake King Kong, and had been booked for use on the upcoming blockbuster, which the director will produce. Fire crews were called to the building on Friday afternoon and they spent three hours tackling the monstrous blaze, which caused extensive damage to the structure. No one was hurt, according to local reports. Matthew Dravitzki, a spokesman for Jackson’s Wingnut Films production company, has confirmed they had been due to film scenes for The Hobbit there. He tells NZPA, “It would have been used in the shooting of The Hobbit, yes. It’s a specialist miniatures shooting facility, it’s one of the only ones in the world, and I can’t comment at this point as to whether (the damage) will cause a problem. I probably won’t know that until after the weekend.” Dravitzki also revealed items of “commercial sensitivity” relating to the project were stored in the building. The news is the latest in a long line of setbacks to hit The Hobbit – the film has been languishing in pre-production due to the ongoing financial problems at MGM Studios, and director Guillermo Del Toro quit due to the lengthy delays. The movie hit headlines again last week when a New Zealand actors’ union announced plans to boycott the film over working conditions for local performers. The action has prompted movie bosses to consider moving the shoot away from New Zealand if the dispute is not resolved.First Full Trailer for Sci-Fi Thriller 'Skyline' Sees the Alien Creature - AceShowbiz
The first full trailer for small-budgeted yet impressive alien invasion movie "Skyline" has made its way out via Apple. It starts right when the aliens come to Los Angeles and wake up the citizens. Once humans stare at the light coming out from the spaceships, they are swallowed.
A band of survivors plans to go as far as they can from the city before the entire population is taken from the Earth. But their efforts and the help sent for them are easily destroyed by the huge alien creature.
"Skyline" is made by director brothers Colin and Greg Strause with only a crew of about 20 people. Donald Faison, Eric Balfour, David Zayas, Scottie Thompson and Brittany Daniel are among the cast ensemble of this sci-fi movie, which will open wide in U.S. theaters on November 12.
Kneel before Zack Snyder: Zod confirmed for Superman reboot
Now that we know who'll be directing the Superman reboot, what do we know about the reboot itself? Only the most important thing—the identity of the villain who'll be facing off against the Man of Steel as the film's Big Bad. According to geektyrant: David Goyer wrote the script for the film and it's rumored to have a connection to the Richard Donner Superman films as well. That connection is the villain ... General Zod. What do you think? Is Zod the right choice for the film's major villain? Or would you have preferred the Zack Snyder reboot go with some other member of the rogues gallery, such as Bizarro or Brainiac?
Myst, best-selling adventure game EVER, heads to the screen
The classic weird-ass-island-based adventure video game is on its way to the big screen, courtesy of the producers behind the Chronicles of Narnia films and Donnie Darko. Dorm room lava lamp not included.
For a good long while there, 1993's Myst was the best-selling PC game of all time, and what enticed players was the immersive, mysterious world they could explore, filled with magic, secrets, feuding brothers and books that served as portals to other worlds. It was like Lost, but without the plane crash. Or Walt.
Aside from a number of game sequels, Myst also spawned a trio of novels—Myst: The Book of Atrus, Myst: The Book of Ti'ana and Myst: The Book of D'ni—that filled out the game's mythology and that will serve as a foundation for the feature film's story.
"Our aim with this project is to stretch the genres it operated within, much like the source material did," said Mysteria Film Group's Adrian Vanderbosch, who is partnering with Mark Johnson (Narnia) and Hunt Lowry (Donnie Darko) for the film.
"It is such an innovative property, and by utilizing the novels as our primary resource, we have the opportunity to offer audiences the essence of Myst without being limited only to the famous island of the first game. Our focus has always been on creating an entirely new visual experience driven by engaging characters and an epic narrative."
Now available on DVD:
Superman/Batman Apocolypse Tim Daly: Superman Kevin Conroy: Batman Supergirl: Summer Glau Darkseid: Andre Brauer
This Week in Star Trek
Star Wars vs. Star Trek Trailer
Sir Patrick Stewart InterviewPatrick Stewart once feared that Star Trek – and his iconic status as Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation – would prove to be an “albatross” around his neck. It didn’t turn out that way, of course. Post-Star Trek, Stewart has engaged in a remarkably expansive array of work that includes starring roles on Broadway and the West End and in films and televisions programs. His voice – that sonorous, authoritative voice – has been heard in everything from documentaries and commercials to videogames and animated shows/features. Some credits include: the blockbuster X-Men features, The Lion in Winter, Antony and Cleopatra, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, Macbeth, Eleventh Hour, Hamlet, American Dad! and Waiting for Godot
The SciFi Five in Five:Jen from NY brings us her top Five Time Travel Movies for girls who are not really into SciFi.
"Frequency" I absolutely loved this movie! "Kate & Leapold", "Forever Young", I had a hard time @ first trying 2 remember the name of this movie that came out in 1991, was kind of a low budget type of movie called, "Late for Dinner", & since I realized I seemed to be going with a time travel theme with this 5 & I don't know about guy's liking this last movie but still a nice 1, called, "Somewhere in Time", starring Christopher Reeves & Jane Seymour! Classic stuff! Sigh.