SyFy have announced another Battlestar prequel, Blood and Chrome, telling of a young William Adama in the First Cylon War. Originally planned as webisodes, it’ll serve as a backdoor pilot for a possible series. Sadly the next news isn’t as good – the final bell has tolled for Caprica, with the series being cancelled this week. The remaining episodes will air sometime in 2011 (presumably to be closer to a DVD release) rather than burning through them now and doing something to please the show’s fans.
There’s been plenty of Hobbit news, with Sylvester McCoy saying he’s been offered the role of Radagast the Brown (One of the 5 wizards, along with Gandalf and Saruman). There was a big rally to try to keep the film in NZ, with thousands attending. (Insert ‘that’s half the country’ joke here.) Tempers have been heated – several actors have had death threats while debate has raged in the NZ parliament over the tax break to be issued to the films. UPDATE: According to sources the films will be staying, though there’s been no statement from Peter Jackson yet.
There’s been more news with sequels – James Cameron has said Avatar 2 and 3 are on, but don’t hold your breath, as the second film is due in 2014. Cameron’s ego appears to be Unobtanium powered with comments like ‘the movies will be self contained stories that also fulfill a greater story arc’ and that ‘we will not back off the throttle of Avatar’s visual and emotional horsepower and will continue to explore it’s theme and characters’. Anyone got a large pin? I feel the need to puncture an ego…
Meanwhile speculation has returned that George Lucas wants to make Star Wars episodes 7, 8 and 9. Lucas is also reported to be converting the Indiana Jones films to 3D, a piece of news that makes me less than happy. If it’s not shot for 3D, then don’t convert it! Warner Brothers have improved my mood though, with news they’re planning a movie set in the ACME Warehouse. It’d better be good, or Chuck Jones will rise from the grave and believe me, you don’t want that…