Aug 29 2008
Friday, Aug. 29
Phew. Looks like the premiere of "Australia" is moving two weeks away from the James Bond flick "Quantum of Solace." It'll open Nov. 26, reports Variety.
* * *
David Duchovny seems like a fun-loving, good-natured guy when he's a talk-show guest. But I can't imagine how the "X-Files" star is going to cope with questions about this:
David Duchovny, who plays a sex-obsessed character on Showtime's "Californication," has entered a rehabilitation facility for sex addiction.
The 48-year-old actor said he did so voluntarily, in a statement released Thursday by his lawyer, Stanton Stein. He added: "I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family.
Duchovny's publicist, Flo Grace, confirmed the report, which first appeared on the Web site People.com. She and Stein both declined further comment.
"All of us at Showtime wish David and his family the best during this very private time," the network said in a statement.
The second season of "Californication" begins Sept. 28.
Duchovny starred as the conspiracy-minded Fox Mulder on "The X-Files" TV series and in two films. "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" opened in theaters earlier this summer.
He and his wife, actress Tea Leoni, have two children. The couple married in 1997. (Associated Press)
Aug 22 2008
Friday, August 22
First "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" pulled out of the fall film schedule and ran to an opening during the summer 2008 blockbuster season. That created an opening on Nov. 21 that was grabbed by "Twilight," which moved up three weeks. Now James Bond wants to get into the act.
Sony has moved its next 007 film, "Quantum of Solace," back one week to Nov. 14. That puts "Quantum" head-to-head against another film I'm really looking forward to: Baz Luhrmann's "Australia," with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.
I'm hoping the release dates settle into a solid schedule before the Post-Gazette's fall movie preview, but I have little hope that will happen. Just want you to know, it's as frustrating for us as it is for you.
* * *
Little by little, Sci Fi Channel and MGM Television Entertainment is letting us know about "Stargate: Universe": An announcement today says production on the first season of the new weekly series will begin in early 2009, "with the show targeted to premiere that summer."
In a joint statement, showrunners Brad Wright and Robert Cooper said: "In ‘Universe,' we plan to keep those elements that have made the franchise a success, such as adventure and humour, while breaking new ground in the relationships between mostly young and desperate explorers, thrust together and far from home. Above all, we believe the Stargate itself remains an enduring icon with infinite potential as a jumping off point for telling stories."
Further details of the show from the announcement:
"After unlocking the mystery of the Stargate's ninth chevron, a team of explorers travels to an unmanned starship called the Destiny, launched by The Ancients at the height of their civilization as a grand experiment set in motion, but never completed.
"What starts as a simple reconnaissance turns into a never ending mission, as the Stargate Universe crew discovers the ship is unable to return to Earth, and they must now fend for themselves aboard the Destiny.
"The crew will travel to the far reaches of the universe, connecting with each of the previously launched Stargates, thus fulfilling the Destiny's original mission. Challenges will arise though as the ship comes into range of Stargates placed centuries ahead of the Destiny and the crew is unable to control the ship's navigational schedule. If someone is left behind, there is no way to go back for them, adding to the drama of encountering new races, enemies and adventures."
There was no word on casting today. The series will debut as a two-hour movie event before settling into an hourly weekly series.
Aug 21 2008
Thursday, Aug. 21
I love press releases that attempt to bury the bad news.
Sci Fi Channel sent out this interestingly worded release today:
"Building upon the successful Stargate franchise, SCI FI Channel today announced it has greenlit a two-hour movie based on the hit science fiction adventure series ‘Stargate: Atlantis.' SCI FI will have the exclusive worldwide television premiere of the yet to be titled ‘Stargate: Atlantis' film, which will then be released on DVD by MGM. The movie will be written by Stargate Atlantis' executive producers Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, who also serve as series showrunners. The movie is set to follow the fifth and final season of Stargate Atlantis, as it draws to its thrilling conclusion in January 2009. ..."
Isn't the news there that the series has been canceled?
Maybe the folks at Sci Fi learned a lesson from the cancellation of "Farscape" after four seasons, with a fifth one already announced. Fan uproar eventually led to a miniseries that capped "Farscape" in 2004, two years after it was cancelled. So this is a way of easing the blow.
Besides, everyone knows that Stargate franchises have a way of re-inventing themselves, as "SG-1" did after 10 years on first Showtime and then as a Friday-night staple on the Sci Fi Channel. When SG-1 ended it's run with the aptly named episode "Unending," along came two straight-to-DVD films, "Ark of Truth" and the recently released "Continuum." The latter finished No. 3 for MGM in DVD sales it's first week, behind the theatrical releases "Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay" and "21."
"Continuum" was released July 29 and, according to the-numbers.com, it opened with 367,030 and earned $6,353,675. So moving "Atlantis" into the realm of movies seems to irk fans more than TV and studio execs.
"We share in the producers' enthusiasm to move forward in this direction and we look forward to a strong and continued relationship on Stargate Atlantis in this new format," said Sci Fi's Thomas Vitale, senior vice president programming & original movies, in a statement.
"Atlantis" had undergone a "Law & Order"-style revolving door recently, with first Tori Higginson's Dr. Weir making way for "SG-1's" Amanda Tapping. Then Tapping left to get her new Sci Fi series, "Sanctuary" up and running, and Robert Picardo moved to "Atlantis" full-time.
The show, about a team of of military and civilian explorers who travel the distant Pegasus galaxy by means of a "stargate," which creates a wormhole linking worlds, will reach its 100th episode in January 2009.
But wait - there's more Stargate to come. Unlike "Law & Order," which spins off to different branches of the justice system, or "CSI," which heads to different U.S. cities, Stargate is heading into the past with the upcoming spinoff "Stargate: Universe."
In April, details were released explaining that "Universe" would explore how an alien race known as the Ancients arranged Stargates throughout multiple galaxies millions of years ago. Apparently, they sent out two ships: an automated ship to seed Stargates throughout multiple galaxies in our universe and a second ship to follow up and explore, according to gateworld.net.
It also will introduce the Stargate's ninth chevron: A standard, seven-symbol gate address allows for travel within the same galaxy. The eighth chevron allows for travel to a different galaxy. And the ninth chevron will allow a team to reach this second, still unmanned Ancient ship.
All of this happy talk about the expansion of the Stargate universe is probably little solace to "Atlantis" fans. I know how annoyed I was when "Farscape" was unexpectedly cancelled.
But I also know that, as TV editor Rob Owen keeps reminding viewers whose favorite shows are cancelled or whose favorite channels are moved around the dial, it's all a business. If more people watched "Farscape" or "Atlantis" or "SG-1" and they attracted more advertisers, then they'd all probably still be on the air. And in the end, it's not like, say, "Now and Again" or "Sports Night," which never saw the light of day again.
At least the "Stargate" franchises give us movie send-offs.
Aug 20 2008
Wednesday, Aug. 20
Can you hear it? Listen closely ... that battle cry you hear is from fans hotly anticipating the "Watchmen" film who are incensed with Twentieth Century Fox's gambit to squelch Zack Snyder's highly anticipated film.
Some online hotheads are merely wondering what's the deal with Twentieth Century Fox waiting until "Watchmen" is nearly completed and slated for a March 2009 opening to stop release of the Warner Bros. film. Other theories have Fox trying to kill the much buzzed-about "Watchmen" because it is competition for its biggest upcoming releases, "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
Jeff Jensen of EW.com says a source tells all of us not to worry: "Despite the legal mess over rights, Fox isn't actually interested in suppressing Snyder's film - they just want affirmation of ownership and/or restitution, and there are many scenarios by which Fox could get paid, including a cash settlement or distribution rights to the film. Either way, look for 'Watchmen' to be released, as scheduled, on March 6, 2009."
Fox filed a copy infringement and breach of contract lawsuit against Warner Bros. earlier this year, alleging that it had the "exclusive copyright and contract rights" to "produce and develop the picture and to distribute the work throughout the world." A California judge recently denied a motion by Warner Bros. to dismiss the suit, thought the studio insists that they have the sole rights to the project.
A movie adaptation of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons complex graphic novel has been floating around Hollywood for years, with many directors and writers attached at various times. Let's hope that the two studios can settle their squabbling amicably (or at least, with enough money changing hands to soothe both sides) and the film made by Snyder -- the guy who finally got it done, and with Gibbons enthusiastically on board -- can be seen on time.
The exclusive clips of the film shown at Comic-Con in July and the sincere pitch by the director and stars of the film left fans thirsting to see it.
At some point, moviegoers will decide if Fox was right to try to get in on the action.
Aug 18 2008
Monday, Aug. 18
Word came this week about "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" moving from the fall to July 2009 -- to the same week, movie editor Barbara Vancheri pointed out to me today, that saw the release of "The Dark Knight," thus ruining my argument that July is the wrong time to release a movie with dark subjects. Now Summit Entertainment gleefully announces that "Twilight" will move up its release by three weeks to Nov. 21, taking advantage of Warner Bros.' decision to wait out 2008.
"Twilight" was a featured panel at Comic-Con, with author Stephenie Meyer on hand to join director Catherine Hardwicke and the young cast. The two stars of the vampire-human romance fantasy, 22-year-old Robert Pattinson (Cedric Diggory in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") and Kristen Stewart, 18, seemed overwhelmed by the screaming fans in San Diego and Pattinson, in particular, could barely get a word out without deferring to a co-star. Stewart was more articulate but equally nervous -- Pattinson pulled and tugged at his thick hair throughout the ordeal and Stewart almost matched him for hair-pulling and jitters. Now they have a shorter time now to prepare for the media onslaught; I hope that Comic-Con gave them each a hint of what's to come and they've figured out a way to relax and enjoy the adoration.
Back to Harry Potter for a moment. The buzz in the media yesterday wasn't so much about Entertainment Weekly (along with the UK's Empire magazine) featuring "The Half-Blood Prince" as cover stories for their fall movie previews. Even weekly magazines have to go to press well in advance of publication and can get left in the lurch by breaking news. What surprised (and amused?) most insiders was that the studio's parent company and EW's are one in the same: Time Warner Inc.
The studio had been considering the date change for three or four weeks, "but it really didn't kind of get on the front burner until sometime within the last seven days," Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. head of distribution, said Sunday, The Associated Press reports. Entertainment Weekly's "deadline must have been earlier than the decision, than when we started to get serious about making the decision."
Saturday, Aug. 10
I attended the preview of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and walking through the AMC Loews at the Waterfront was like being back in San Diego's Exhibit Hall -- except the Stormtroopers in Pittsburgh had more authentic-looking costumes. Stormtrooper TK-1085 of 501st Legion, Garrison Carida ("First to Advance, Last to Retreat"), also known as Tom Kness of Kittanning, was one of the costumed invitees lending a live-action air to the animated feature. There was another Stormtrooper, Jango Fett, Obi-Wan and Darth Vader ... no George Lucas, but their presence did him proud.
Jul 31 2008
Thursday, July 31
Sharon:
I got a great (and somewhat embarrassing) question in an e-mail from Rob Ullman of Richmond, Va., who wrote:
"Enjoyed the Comic-Con blog, but as an illustrator and cartoonist, couldn't help but wish you'd found time to talk a little more about, y'know, COMICS. Still, it was fun to read, and I hope you manage to do it again next year!"
Rob's so right about me. I go because Hollywood's there, and for moments like Hugh Jackman showing up with exclusive content on "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," which won't be in theaters until May 2009, or for being among the first few thousand fans to see the season-opening episode of "Heroes."
I tend to read comic-book story arcs after they're bound as books, like the Marvel "Civil War" series and Brian K. Vaughn's "Y: The Last Man," which real fans like PG columnist Tony Norman would probably call cheating.
What I didn't write about was visiting Artist's Alley at Comic-Con, where some of the most talented artists you'll find anywhere show their varied work. When I was studying art in high school and struggling with human perspective, a smart teacher advised, "Get some comic books." With just a few strokes of the pen, he said, these artists can convey anything: a hand or fist seemingly thrust out of a panel; feet jumping out at the reader, soles first; human flight ...
Take a look at early frames from your favorite superhero comic and you'll see what I mean. Amazing.
Some of the stylists are so sophisticated in their realism - Alex Ross, for example - that it's a shame that they're only appreciated by comic-book enthusiasts. And storytellers like Vaughn combine modern-culture sensibilities with near-cinematic work (Pia Guerra draws "Y") that not only appeals to real fans, but lends itself to fly-by-night fans like me.
All of this is to say, yeah, I don't have a lot to say about the comic-book side of Comic-Con. Sorry. The truth is, I was spending all of my time in line to see movie and TV panels while the masterminds who give those guys their material were meeting the public.
Jul 30 2008
Tuesday, July 29
Josh:
Sorry I'm writing this two days late, but I didn't get in on Saturday
night until 11:30 and was too tired to blog. Now that the jet lag has worn off
and I'm officially home, I'm ready to refute the beginning of my last entry. I
did attend the Heroes panel, and I'm incredibly glad that I did!
Not only was the entire cast there (except for Kristen Bell who I'd love
to see in person), but creator Tim Kring brought the first episode of Season 3,
entitled Villains! Believe me, I want to talk about it. Oh well, you'll just
have to wait until it airs in late September. Suffice it to say if you
considered last season a stumble, the worldwide phenomenon that is Heroes is
back to form.
In the 3 and a half hours after the Heroes panel ended, I kept making
one unfortunate decision after another. First I waited in line for the room
where the Office and Pushing Daisies panels would be held. Then I learned the
cast of Chuck was signing autographs down on the show floor, so I left the line
for that. It turned out that even 45 minutes early, the line was already maxed out. So then I
waited in line for the Chuck panel, which waisted another hour and a half. I
was able to pass the time watching the costumed. I even got two girls dressed
as Sakura and Hinata from Naruto to pose for a picture. I've got to say,
Comic-Con really does attract the nicest people in the world.
When I finally got in, it was perfect timing for the Chuck panel. The
entire cast showed up with a very titillating teaser for season 2. Zachary Levi
is one of the most charismatic people you could ever meet, and the rest of the
cast are very fun as well. Later that day, I saw Sarah Lancaster's limo parked
across from the convention center and waited about five seconds before I
realized how stalkerish that would be.
Anyway, we spent the rest of the day on the show floor. The voice
actors for Code Monkeys, a profane G4 animated comedy of "8-bit proportions",
were at their booth signing autographs on what can only be described as barf bags and paper dolls. I wouldn't expect anything less from G4.
I also got some hands on time with Naruto Clash of Ninja: Revolution 2
for the Wii. Playing in a frenzied mulitiplayer brawl is some of the most fun a
person can have, especially in the group I found.
I capped off the day with a showing of Step Brothers at a local movie
theater just to satiate the R-rated comedy void left by Tropic Thunder. It was
funny in a lowest-common-denominator way. Will Ferrel and John C. Reilly (Walk
Hard is one of the most under appreciated movies ever!) are just pleasures to
watch together in all their comic antics. It wasn't as good as Forgetting Sarah
Marshall or Superbad, but it served its purpose of killing an hour and a half.
I don't recommend seeing it with your mother however. Trust me it's very
awkward.
Well, that's my Comic-Con experience. Long lines, as much free stuff as
we could get home, and one of the best experiences ever. And if the two awesome
Naruto girls who posed for me read this, you can contact me at ... never mind. My mother won't let me use my e-mail.
Once again, Comic-Con really does attract
great people that I wish I could have had more time with.
Jul 27 2008
Late Sunday, July 2
Sharon:
PHOENIX - It's 104 outside but we're inside, waiting for our connecting flight to Pittsburgh, and there's nowhere nearby to get an Internet connection. So I'm writing in Word until I arrive home at around 10:30 p.m. East Coast time.
Back in San Diego, as Comic-Con was wrapping up, the cab and limo drivers were abuzz with overheard conversations about moving the growing con to Las Vegas. True, this Comic-Con International is bursting at the seams for hotel rooms and exhibit space, but what a shame it would be if it left this city for a place that certainly doesn't need another convention. San Diego's ideal weather gives conventioneers a respite from the indoor traffic jams that Las Vegas wouldn't, not to mention the beautiful harbor and sailboats that pass alongside the center.
The growth in buildings, hotels and restaurants near the San Diego Convention Center just since last year is obvious. One driver looked up and announced that the city bird was the crane. He was talking about construction cranes, which do seem to be everywhere. There's no question a convention of this size - perhaps 150,000 people - is a boost to a local economy in a city that works hard at being a good host. So I hope what's already in Vegas stays in Vegas, and Comic-Con stays in S.D.
Jul 27 2008
Sunday, July 27
Sharon:
Time to go, even though Comic-Con winds down today. I got an e-mail from Mark Tierno while I was out yesterday that Pittsburgh filmmaker Chris Preksta
would be showing his short film "The Mercury Men" at just about the time I will be boarding the plane for home. "Chris will be in attendance along with co-star Curt Wootton. The film stars Curt
and myself," Mark wrote.
Like everything else in these frantic days, there's always a timing conflict. But it reminds me that this is also a place where the artists, writers and filmmakers of today, tomorrow and yesteryear mingle and network and new projects may be born. Aspiring comic book artists bring their portfolios to be accessed by professionals and meet the best in the business. So while the masquerading folks in costumes -- like the family of five (mom, dad and three elementary school and younger kids) -- walk by in head-to-toe spandex or the scantily clad women in Elvira-style costumes strut their stuff all day long at the con, there's some serious business going on as well.
For us, there was very little serious business other than getting in line in time to see what we most wanted to see. So we weren't there when Kevin Smith said he would oversee a three-issue "Dark Knight" storyline, titled "Batman: Cacophony," with illustrator Walt Flanigan. But we were there for Hugh Jackman's surprise appearance and the exclusive clips from "Heroes" and "Caprica" and "Chuck," and the demos on the Exhibit Hall floor and the chat with Samuel L. Jackson about "Afro Samurai" and his many, many other projects (more on that soon). I'll keep this going for a while with a little bit of the fun and fallout from this adventure. Meanwhile, it's time to fly.
Jul 27 2008
Saturday, July 26
Sharon:
SAN DIEGO -- Today began at 7 and I'm writing now at 11:40 Pacific time. It's been a long four days.
Did I mention that Disney announced that a "Tron 2" is coming? That's Comic-Con for you. Something is always happening, and sometimes you have to read about it elsewhere even if you're here.
Not so today, when I made sci-fi TV a priority and was rewarded with the exclusives that are the reason this city is jammed to its borders.
Josh and I checked the line for "Heroes" before making any rash decisions and realized we were in the first few thousand people, so we'd get in with only an hour and a half wait. Not bad for this week. We spent some of the time writing down all of the costumes that strolled past, like the Storm Trooper from the waist up who was wearing a kilt. Couldn't figure that one out.
Finally inside, we were rewarded by Tim Kring, creator of the NBC series, and the full cast of "Heroes" with a screening of episode 1 from the upcoming season 3, which long ago was themed "Villains."
I won't be a spoiler, but I will say that some key questions are answered right away, such as: Does Sylar (Central Catholic's Zachary Quinto) eat his victims' brains to steal their powers?
Who are the good guys and bad guys this season? We may start to wonder and begin to doubt the motives of people we thought we understood. I won't say if I think "Heroes" is back from an off season last year, but I will say that there's plenty for fans to ponder and discuss from the first episode alone, and isn't that why we became fans in the first place?
Kring also revealed that there would be some never-before-seen episodes on the season 2 DVD, which may fill in some creative blanks.
After the "Heroes" cleared the stage, we cleared out of Hall H and made a dash to the FedEx booth in the lobby to mail home some of the goodies both bought and bestowed as freebies, as happens all day long here. Studios want you to wear T-shirts about their upcoming movies, and most people here are thrilled to oblige. It's free advertising plus bragging rights, all in one.
Next came another long, long wait to get into Ballroom 20, the second largest hall here, and the "Battlestar Gallactica" panel. Here's where I final found myself in an auditorium with the ominpresent Kevin Smith, who explained that he wished he had been involved in the best frakkin' scifi series ever, but he was forced to settle for his position as panel moderator.
Smith set the sex-obsessed tone of the panel, and even left Katee Sackoff speechless when he called her kick-ass characterization of Starbuck both a great female role model and a gay icon.
The folks from BSG brought clips of the remaining episodes in the series and its upcoming spinoff, "Caprica," to keep the crowd in a frenzy. I'm always amazed at how sweet and polite James Callis seems to be, and how unlike his insanely wonderful character, Gaius Baltar.
More on BSG another time. Following the panel onto the stage is one of my favorite shows that no one seems to be watching, NBC's "Chuck." I love and worry that the writers are addressing the growing attraction between the main characters, Chuck and superspy Sarah, early in season 2. It's always a gamble to play push-and-pull with characters that the audience wants to see together, but they way they go about it here, I'm all for it. "Chuck" is a spy show with lots of heart, and the cast and creators know that's the selling point. Another selling point is Adam Baldwin, a fave of fans here from "Firefly." He would utter a single syllable,and the fans would go nuts, much to star Zachary Levi's bemusement.
We spent the next two or so hours on the Exhibit Hall floor, shopping, gaming (at least Josh did) and meeting people. I'm going to let him get some sleep tonight and talk about the video games tomorrow. After dinner, we caught a late show of "Step Brothers," to make up for missing "Tropic Thunder" the day before.
We'll be back in Pittsburgh late tomorrow night, when I can finally start to sort through notes, images and audio tapes from four wild and crazy days. So I'm not done with Comic-Con just yet.
Jul 26 2008
Friday, July 25
Sharon:
SAN DIEGO -- Today started out early and ended a lot earlier than we expected. We arrived 3 hours early for a 10 p.m. screening of "Tropic Thunder" that we had been invited to, but we never made it near the front door to the theater before they said, "All full," and invited us to wait around until 1 a.m. So here I am, writing instead. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
The day began with much more promise. While Josh held our space in line for the highly anticipated "Watchmen" panel, I inched my way through the crowds in Exhibit Hall for must-haves, such as the Comic-Con exclusive Marvel MiniMates figures.
What, you missed the "must" there?
Last night we did some missing, too, as in not attending the "RockNRolla" panel with director Guy Ritchie and star Gerard Butler ("300"). One of the hundreds of red-shirted volunteers told some of us now waiting for the "Watchmen" gang about people -- OK, women -- who had come straight from work the night before and waited overnight to see Gerard Butler. All I could think of was, these are the older versions of the screechers at "Twilight." The middle-aged me realized not only am I not a screamer, I would never wait that long for anyone I don't know. Of course, I once drove to Detroit to see a Bruce Springsteen concert and made it back to work the next day. But I digress ...
On Thursday night, during the "Stargate: Continuum" and "Stargate: Worlds" event, I realized that my electronics had died: My batteries were dead in both my tape recorder and camera. I was standing next to Shaun Farrell of Adventures in Scifi publishing, who volunteered that I link to his podcast, which I am doing now. It's amazing the number of bloggers out here who do this for a living.
This morning, we hustled to be at the con by 9 a.m. for the 11:55 "Watchmen" panel and felt lucky to be in the first couple of thousand people in line. Someone announced that the big Hall H seats 6,500 people -- it seems like at least twice that.
Everyone from "Watchmen" was here, including artist Dave Gibbons, who collaborated on the book with writer Alan Moore. Gibbons couldn't say enough about watching his work come to life during the time he spent on set, but Moore was still keeping his distance.
That's OK, because director Zack Snyder and his excited cast were all assembled on stage: Bill Crudup, Malin Ackerman, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and CMU's Patrick Wilson. An extended version of the trailer that precedes "The Dark Knight" in theaters was shown, and then Snyder and cast members talked with awe about the project and the work that they had tried to re-create. While Crudup buffed up for this role -- part of which was spent covered in a suit with dots all over his body to play the tall, blue Dr.Manhattan -- Patrick Wilson got to pack the pounds on his usually slim frame as Nite Owl. He joked about being able to "sit around with a carton of Haagen Daz and a couple of beers" while everyone else was getting into shape, but then he got serious about he fell hard for his character.
"He's so down all the time yet he has this light in his eyes," Wilson said of Nite Owl, who's down on his luck when we first meet him. Wilson wound up rooting hard for him even as he portrayed him. And then, of course, there's the costume. "Every day I got in the suit was a gift." The suit gives Nite Owl an identity and helps him feel more like a man. Overall, "it was just awesome," Wilson summed up the experience.
We spent the rest of the afternoon avoiding Kevin Smith,who was all over the place promoting the Pittsburgh-filmed "Zack and Miri make a Porno." He's even emceeing the "Battlestar Gallactica" panel tomorrow. But today, we went where our hearts led us,and mine led me to Joss Whedon's "Dr. Horrible" panel, with all the stars and creators of the Internet sing-along sensation.
Nathan Fillion (Capt. Hammer) was particularly silly, just like his character. He and Whedon have been collaborators for a long time, on "Buffy" and "Firefly/Serenity," so they have an easy rapport. Neil Patrick Harris, who plays Dr.Horrible and is newer to the Whedon-verse, was soaking it all in. The Whedon clan who worked on the Web version of "Dr. Horrible" said there would be a contest for the upcoming DVD: Fans can submit videos to join the Evil League of Evil, where Dr.Horrible longs to be, and the top 10 will appear on the DVD. So, if you've always dreamed of being a bad guy in a superhero suit, get out that video character and watch the Net for details.
We hung around in the same Ballroom 20 after Whedon & Co. left to see the Seth MacFarlane panels for the Fox TV animated shows "American Dad" and "Family Guy." I did this because I know how much Josh likes these shows, especially "Family Guy," and had the best time watching these talented and incredibly un-PC creative types. MacFarlane, in particular, has an amazing voice that he says he works on with a couple of 90-year-old former radio stars who were voice coaches for Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand.
For "American Dad," we watched the process from table reading to ink drawings to full-color animation. For "Family Guy," we saw what I have to say was an hysterical episode about an annoying song that is played over and over again ... I won't give it away. But Josh has vowed to download it and play it over and over again.
An interesting moment came when some of the suggestions for script changes (to the "Family Guy" Star Wars episode) from Standards & Practices were read aloud. Don't worry. There's no evidence that there are any plans for these guys to ease up on they craziness and the tweaking of all cultures and ethinicities, including "The Cleveland Show" spinoff, which will feature the voices of Nia Long and Sanaa Lathan.
When Mike Henry, who voices Cleveland, said their names and there was little reaction from the crowd, he felt compelled to note that they were a couple of great actresses of color, but he didn't know what that might mean to this audience -- perhaps the only serious moment of the day, until we were told sorry, no more seats for "Tropic Thunder."
Josh:
I can't believe the thought even crossed my mind, but I might actually not go to the Heroes panel tomorrow! I know, crazy, but hear me out. Before the disappointment of missing Tropic Thunder (which my mother the editor will probably get Pittsburgh preview tickets for anyway), I had planned to sleep in a little bit and miss it. Now I'm debating whether to skip it for the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles or not. I'm such a finnicky fan.
Oh well, I'll worry about tomorrow when it happens. I didn't exactly argue with today's offerings. Unlike yesterday, I was able to get some time with some anticapted games. My highlight was at the booth for the Afro Samurai game. It's a beautiful, gory hack-and-slash experience sprinkled with show references and bad language.
I also got some time with Soulcalibur IV, which looks beautiful in motion on an HD screen. I played with Darth Vader, a PS3 exclusive character, and he played exactly the way he should have. I won't pretend like I was any good, but it was still fun. I also got some time with the Ghostbusters game and it was kind of lame. The voiceovers by Dan Ackroyd and Bill Murray were a nice touch, but the blasting gameplay was boring and that stupid book monster wouldn't die! Okay, I'm chilled again. I didn't manage to get in any time with Stargate: Worlds, because we blew a scheduled appointment for a one-on-one demo, but from a conversation I had with one of the creators, the mmorpg sounds like Star Wars Galaxies with more of an emphasis on long range combat. I hope to see more of it on Saturday.
The highlights of the day by far were the panels for American Dad and Family Guy starring the amazingly talented voice of Seth MacFarlane. We were shown a suprisingly funny episode of American Dad detailing the whole creation process, from table readings to storyboards to the finished product. And who knew that Seth's wife Rachel was the voice of Haley?
It was kind of a disappointment that Mila Kunis (voice of Meg) didn't make an appearance at the Family Guy panel, but the half episode they showed more than made up for it. The episode featured a random song from the 60's that is stuck in my head and will annoy my mom for weeks, but made for some of the best jokes I've even seens in a Family Guy episode. The preview for the Cleveland show, which features a really talented voice cast as mentioned in the blog post above, was also hilariously un-PC. The real treat though was getting to see the iintereaction between MacFarlane and Seth Green (Robot Chicken) who are obviously good friends who just happen to have competing shows.
Today also happened to be awesome T-Shirt day. I came back to the hotel with something from Watchmen, The Spirit, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Stargate Worlds, and Blue Dragon. If only I had gotten my Captain Hammer shirt! Oh well, there's always tomorrow. Good night world! I know I'll sleep well.
Jul 24 2008
Thursday, July 24
Sharon:
SAN DIEGO -- The 20th Century Fox exec was saying goodbye after introducing panels for a remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Max Payne," inspired by the video game, when he was handed a piece of paper. He muttered, "Geez," and announced that there was someone else ready to come out who wasn't in the program.
And out walked Hugh Jackman, in full Wolverine hair, just arrived from Australia. No panel, no planned speech. It was the big surprise this con is known for, and it made my day.
Jackman grabbed the microphone and said, "I know what you're thinking -- he's too tall to play Wolverine," which was the online buzz three movies ago, before he made Wolverine his own. He said he wouldn't have missed this year's con, the summer before his "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" opens the 2009 blockbuster season, adding that he'd never been to Comic-Con as Wolverine. He ran into the audience to shake hands with Wolverine creator Len Wein, saying he owed his career to the character, then presented a few minutes of the movie, which just wrapped filming, he said.
The fans (including this one) went wild.
Liev Schreiber appears to have a bigger role then I had expected, and I loved seeing Gambit (Friday Night Lights' Taylor Kitsch), Kestrel (will.i.am) and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). There was a young Stryker (this is an X-Men origins story, after all) and a lot of screaming from the audience. It certainly made my day.
So when I complain that a lot of Comic-Con is spent in line or in a seat in a darkened auditorium, waiting, waiting, waiting ... sometimes it's even worth it. I figure the fangirls who waited overnight to get up close for the "Twilight" panel feel like it was time well spent. Josh and I arrived at the convention center at 9:30 a.m. and waited in line for only about an hour to get into Hall H, the center's largest space, for the 20th Century Fox and Summit Pictures movie panels that included the stars and author of "Twilight."
Setting the stage for Jackman were Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly with the "The Day the Earth Stood Still," which I'm eager to see more of, because I think the story of the original movie holds up well in today's world. Next was the action of "Max Payne," and a panel with the personable Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Ludacris. At that point, all of the teen girls in the auditorium, and there were many, were getting antsy for "Twilight."
Then Wolverine made his unexpected leap onto the stage, and for a while they were drowned out by the long-time fans.
Next came Summit's first visit to Comic-Con, with first "Push" and "Knowing." Chris Evans, Camille Belle and Djimon Hounsou were there to support "Push" while co-star Dakota Fanning was caught in terrible traffic (she came onto stage much later, just to say hi and bye to the crowd."
Next came the screaming girls and the "Twilight" stars, plus the director and author Stephenie Meyer. I have to say, I felt so old. As excited as I was to see Jackman, my screeching days are over. It was like The Beatles had arrived, except it was a bunch of little-known actors playing beloved book characters. Well, it's nice to know kids are reading these days.
Today was also my day to talk to Samuel L. Jackson, who is here to support his anime show on Spike, "Afro Samurai," and Frank Miller's "The Spirit." He was the same guy talking to the crowd, the press and the folks from Bandai who are putting out the new "Afro Samurai" video game, due in January when the show comes back for its second season -- charming and commanding presence. In his trademark beret, he talked about how honored he felt to be involved in the TV show that merges Western culture with his own sensibilities. He said he wished 12-year-olds could see it, but realized that the violence was a bit much, so he figured 16 and up was more like it. When I asked to take a picture of him, he offered to take one with Josh. More with Samuel L. at a later date ...
We ran from to the USS Midway to the red carpet for the straight-to-DVD "Stargate: Continuum," which arrives next week. I talked to Michael Shanks about a disabling injury that befalls his character and how little it was covered in the story. He agreed it would have been great to explore that storyline as an actor but in action-driven shows, character development often is the first thing to go. There is plenty of action and excitement in "Continuum," which is in stores next week, as there was on the red carpet. Like when Beau Bridges goosed Ben Browder, who said, "I just got felt up by Beau Bridges."
Stargate: Worlds was also represented, but I'll let Josh tell you more about that. He had a conversation about it that, I have to admit, was mostly a foreign language to me.
The fun was followed by a screening of Continuum as the sun came down over the harbor. Very cool.
My son tells me that I've been writing for over a half-hour, and this is supposed to be a blog post. More tomorrow ...
Josh:
If yesterday was just a taste of what was to come, today might have been the appetizers. It was an action packed day full of surprises and free stuff, but I have the feeling that tomorrow will be even bigger.
I used to think Harry Potter fans were the most obsessive group on the planet. Then I met Twilight fans, mostly teenage girls screaming their lungs out. Luckily for them everyone showed up for that panel, including author Stephenie Meyer, director Catherine Hardwicke, stars Rob Pattinson (Harry Potter IV's Cedric Diggery) & Kristen Stewart and most of the supportting cast.
They showed some footage from the movie, which was kind of lame -- mostly because I had seen most of it online already. The only suprising thing was how inarticulate some of the cast was. Stewart seemed to be suffering from a combination of OCD and stage fright, but Pattinson was either too flustered by all the hysterical screams and applause to utter a coherent sentence or is just kind of dim. Either way, fangirls got what they wanted, even the one who asked Pattinson, "What's it like being the hottest guy ever?!" (paraphrased)
So that was a lowlight, but the highlights were great. Some footage of Max Payne (based off the popular video game series) was shown. and it looked pretty awesome. Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and Ludacris (who according to Wahlberg is a great actor) all made for a great panel.
The most fun I had was on the show floor. Even though it was impossible to move more than an inch at a time, just about everything offered was worth your time. I got an autograph from Amanda Walsh (a cute actress who has a number of cool credits), some actors from "The Mist" and Pamela Jean (whoever that is).
I love that my friends are incredibly jealous that I'm in San Diego while the weather back in Pittsburgh is pretty dismal. I'll go bask in that glory and I'll talk more tomorrow!
Jul 23 2008
Later Wednesday, July 23
Sharon:
SAN DIEGO -- Tonight was supposed to be the easy night, when Comic-Con attendees could casually stroll the Exhibit Hall, buy a T-shirt, grab free stuff, not wait on long lines for video game demos ... wrong!!
After waiting in line to see a preview of J.J. Abrams' pilot for the new Fox show, "Fringe" (I'll leave the reviewing to our TV editor), Josh and I went downstairs to the floor, where thousands of people were already walking around carrying the gigantic bags that are given out for fans to carry around more stuff than the late George Carlin could fit into his comedy routine about "too much stuff" (example: at the Sci Fi Channel "booth" -- actually, an organic looking ice-cave sort of thing -- they were handing out a purple bad with the letters "big frakkin' bag," a take on Bloomingdales' brown bags and a real hoot).
I had to wait in a long, long line to pluck down $17.99 for a Comic-Con '08 T-shirt and was happy to do it, because they've been known to sell out. And the lines to try out LEGO Batman, Stargate Worlds and various Star Wars video games were so long, Josh only got a short time with the LEGO version of the Dark Knight on this supposed "preview" night.
I did, however, find Mt.Lebanon's (soon to be South Park's) Chris Moeller as he was packing up his illustrations for the 9 p.m. close. He said it was the busiest he's even seen Exhibition Hall on a Wednesday, perhaps because there were no panels, just the "Fringe" screenings for competition. Whatever the reason, it was packed. I'll stop by tomorrow to admire his work.
While waiting for "Fringe" to start, we realized we were standing next to some first-timers who had come from Youngstown. They were first in line and waited 3 hours to get into a room with thousands of seats for the screening. We waited over an hour. Tomorrow, when more people arrive, it's more likely that if you're not in line early for any panel you really want to see, you'll be shut out. Our first stop will probably be the 20th Century Fox panels for the remake of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" with Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly and "Max Payne," starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Ludacris. It conflicts, though, with a panel for BBC America's "Torchwood," and star John Barrowman will be there. Maybe I can sneak out of one and back into another ... we'll see.
Josh:
It's been a long day. It's hard to believe I've been up for about 20 hours. That three-hour time difference really kicks in once the day's activities are done. And there was a suprising amount of them for a supposed "slow" preview night.
Let's start off with the part I'm not allowed to spend that much time on: "Fringe" was awesome! It was weird, graphic, mysterious, and could potentially be the beginning of another J.J. Abrams hit. And Anna Torv can now join Lena Heady, Anna Friel, and Yvonne Strahovski as another fanboy favorite. I'll definitely tune in when the show premieres this fall.
After that the rest of the day was spent in the exhibit hall. Last year seeing the hall for the first time was a huge thrill. It was kind of anticlimactic this year realizing how little everything really changed. My second Comic-Con and I'm already jaded. Whatever, just walking the hall is always a special experience, even though my mom kept complaining every five seconds about her lack of a "big frakking bag".
I got to play LEGO Batman for about 5 seconds and I got to shoot cops as the Joker and jump super high as Harley Quinn and lose the little LEGO Joker head I was given. I hope to get more time on it tomorrow.
I've been texting a friend for the last half-hour bragging about the awesomeness of San Diego. She's jealous, exactly the reaction I was going for. Right now I'm tired. I'll have more to say tomorrow when the interesting stuff starts.
Jul 23 2008
Wednesday, July 23 -- Preview Night
SAN DIEGO -- Sorry to hear about the storms and tornadoes back home, because it's glorious here in San Diego. Sunny, 70s and an ocean breeze.
Heading over to the convention center soon for what they call "Preview Night," a chance to view the Exhibit Hall without missing panels and with fewer people to jostle, or so we think. We didn't make it last year.
After writing my first story, I heard from an artist and former Pittsburgher, Christopher Moeller, who does beautiful, realistic work in the comic book/fantasy genre and has been a Sterling Award winner. My son and I plan to stop by his booth tonight.
As I feared, we're further away than I thought, so the game plan is, cabs today, then try the trolley line that runs in front of the convention center tomorrow.
A lot of the buzz about this Comic-Con is, where is Marvel? After Marvel Studios came last year with it's own movie versions of Iron Man and Hulk, it's got nothing to show for a while. Meanwhile, DC is riding high with "The Dark Knight" shattering records, leaving its Marvel rivals -- despite their own box-office success -- in the dust. All eyes may be on "Terminator: Salvation," which stars Christian Bale -- the latest, greatest on-screen "Dark Knight" -- who was recently caught up in an odd dispute with is mother and sister in London, resulting in his being brought to a police station and released. The upcoming "Watchmen" and "Twilight," a teen vampire romance, also are high on everyone's list, along with the animated "Stars: The Clone Wars."
But you don't need to have a particular favorite. On the plane from Phoenix to Pittsburgh, I sat across the aisle from a fanboy who was talking about the new J.J. Abrams version of "Star Trek" to a couple of casual TV watchers, and the conversation devolved to Kirk, Picard and -- Janeway! I'm sure I'll be hearing more talk like that the next few days.
Jul 22 2008
Monday, July 21: California, here we come . . . almost
Guess you'd have to call this a working vacation, because here I am writing and there you are reading. No matter. Come along with me as I prepare for the trip to San Diego and Comic-Con International ... I'm a little nervous because my son, Josh Axelrod, and I are staying farther away from the site than we did last year, in a hotel closer to the San Diego Zoo than the massive convention center by that houses the world's biggest comic-book get-together. Let me stop right here and say "comic book" has become a bit of a misnomer for this gathering of tens of thousands of fans. While comic book venders and representatives still dominate Exhibit Hall and the panels that run morning till night, Wednesday through Sunday, this is also a mecca for lovers of movies, television, video games, toys, books and graphic novels ... if it's entertainment, it's represented here in some form.
Choosing what to see and getting around will be an issue, so I have my San Diego street map ready and I'm exploring the shuttle and cab service for the city. Last year, we fell in love with this city, its sunny skies, bustling streets and ocean-side views, and this year, we're probably going to see more of it, including the USS Midway, home to a VIP screening of "Stargate: Continuum" and demos of "Stargate: Worlds" MMPORPG (massive multiplayer online role-playing game), in the harbor.
Unlike last year, when we missed the booth that had the official T-shirt of the convention, I have scoped out the booth number and vow to make a bee-line for it during preview night Wednesday.
Josh is looking forward to gaming news about "LEGO Batman" and "Fallout 3" (set in a post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C., where players can kill the enemy in "ridiculously violent ways," as its executive producer, Todd Howard of Bethesda Softworks, told The Associated Press). We're both psyched about Entertainment Weekly's Visionary Panel that includes Kevin Smith (director of "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," filmed in Pittsburgh recently), graphic novel god Frank Miller ("300," "The Spirit"), Zach Snyder (director of "300" and the upcoming "Watchmen") and Judd Apatow, whose comedies rule at the box office.
Looks like I'm going to get about 10 minutes to talk to Samuel L. Jackson, who's "official business" in San Diego is "Afro Samurai," an edgy animated show on Spike TV. But how can I not ask about his appearance as Nick Fury at the end of "Iron Man" and the hype about an Avengers movie? I once called Samuel L. the coolest dude on the planet (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06232/714391-60.stm) - in print.
The man even hosts the annual Video Game Awards on Spike. So maybe he won't mind if I steer the conversation in a few directions.
Mostly, Josh and I will try to pick our "must-sees" from blocks of panels, events, screenings and time in the gigantic Exhibit Hall, which houses stuff for sale like a Comic-Con exclusive "Battlestar Gallactica" Toaster - a working toaster with a logo, not a big, scary Cylon. There are also autograph signings, meet-and-greets, TV and movie booths ("Heroes" and "The Golden Compass" had cool booths for picture-taking last year) and, of course, toys, figures and comic books galore.
One thing we made sure to do this year: We're arriving Wednesday for preview night and leaving midday on Sunday, so we'll only miss things when we can't be in two places at once -- which is to say, I could use that magic wand about now.