 Archive for the 'Sci-Fi & Fantasy' Category‘Avatar’ trailer rammed down sports spectators’ throatsOctober 29th, 2009, 10:02 pm by Jayson Peters
 Images: Twentieth Century Fox The trailer for James Cameron’s upcoming sci-fi epic Avatar will screen Sunday on the world’s largest high-def video display at Cowboys Stadium before kickoff at the Dallas-Seattle game. Twentieth Century Fox says Avatar ads will also be shown Sunday on all Fox-affiliate regional football games and during the Phillies-Yankees World Series game. The film, shot entiredly in 3-D, opens in theaters everywhere Dec. 18. See also: Is this how the zombie apocalypse begins?October 28th, 2009, 12:13 am by Jayson PetersIn a Mexican food restaurant … in Iowa??? A Very Browncoat HalloweenOctober 27th, 2009, 10:21 am by Jayson PetersGet ready to squee, Firefly fanatics! Your favorite “space cowboy,” Serenity Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, showed up briefly on a Halloween episode of ABC’s Castle, starring Nathan Fillion: 
Weekend ReadingOctober 25th, 2009, 3:01 pm by Jayson Peters
Bradbury’s biographer to speak Friday at Changing HandsOctober 21st, 2009, 4:45 pm by Jayson Peters
Bag lunches for the event are available for $5.50 at the adjacent Wildflower Bread Company; just call (480) 838-9773 and as for the “Food for Thought” special. 12th ‘Wheel of Time’ book out Oct. 27; author visits Nov. 16October 21st, 2009, 10:19 am by Jayson Peters Photo: Tor Books Author Brian Sanderson, who was chosen in 2007 to complete Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series after the novelist passed away, will appear next month in the Valley to promote the release of The Gathering Storm. Sanderson will meet fans Nov. 16 at the Scottsdale Public Library. The book, which releases Oct. 27, is the 12th volume in the fantasy epic that fuses elements of European and Asian mythology. Sneak peek at ‘Doctor Who’ RPGOctober 19th, 2009, 9:45 pm by Jayson Peters
Priced at $59.95, the release is described as a deluxe box set that contains a 144-page Gamemaster’s Guide, an 86-page Player’s Guide, a 30-page Adventures Book, a four-page Quick Start Guide, pregenerated character sheets, blank character sheets, gadget sheets, tokens and dice. The game, originally set for release this month, will be out in November. This is the third official tabletop RPG based on Doctor Who: FASA published one in the ’80s and Virgin in the ’90s. The new game naturally focuses on the 2005 relaunch of the classic series that ran from 1963-89. But with 45 years of accumulated lore from TV episodes, original novels and plays and two spinoffs to date, there is plenty of material to support a full range of gaming supplements — if the market is there for them. See also: ‘Doctor Who’ RPG set for fall release Is the time of making movies Down Under over?October 18th, 2009, 3:23 pm by Jayson Peters
The reason is the power of green — or the lack thereof. As the falling U.S. dollar continues its slide, the once-sound financial strategy to film Down Under has become more expensive. George Lucas took production of his Star Wars prequels to the then-new Fox Studios Australia in Sydney. In 1998, it was a bargain. With a live-action Star Wars television series on the way, the land of koalas and kangaroos has been floated as a possible base of operations for that lucrative venture — but these days even Lucas isn’t so sure. Read the rest of this entry » Weekend ReadingOctober 18th, 2009, 8:24 am by Jayson Peters
Local conventions update: Horror & Sci-Fi Film FestivalOctober 16th, 2009, 2:25 pm by Jayson PetersThe International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival is now under way through the weekend at MADCAP Theaters in Tempe.
In addition to more than 50 films, the festival will also include parties, a gore girl competition, and discussions with filmmakers and directors. A VIP all-access pass costs $100, a flex pass of four individual screenings costs $25 and single-screening tickets cost $10. Monument to gaming god Gygax planned in WisconsinOctober 14th, 2009, 12:01 am by Jayson Peters
The monument, which Gail Gygax is hoping will be placed in the city’s Library Park, first must go through parks board approval before going to the City Council. Troubled ‘Stargate’ game shows up on Syfy series premiereOctober 12th, 2009, 9:22 am by Jayson Peters
After the Universe pilot aired, reports circulated online that the game’s official website trumpeted the cameo as a sign of life — but since then, the site and its community forums have been offline. The company and its founder and principal owner, Gary Whiting, were recently sued by investors who claim misuse of company funds. The Mesa company was granted a license by MGM in 2006 to develop an online roleplaying game based on the Stargate film and TV series, but those efforts have repeatedly stalled as the game’s financial backing came into question. Images: NBC Universal/Syfy, via GateWorld The Force is with the practical jokers at ThinkGeekOctober 8th, 2009, 12:02 am by Jayson Peters
According to the e-tailer’s website, the not-so-funny-now item should be available in limited quantities in early November. Currently priced at $99.99 (though that may be just a placeholder amount), the item is described as having an inner lining of cozy “intestines” and a lightsaber zipper pull. Supplies are sure to vanish faster than lightspeed — so don’t waste any time with your friends at Tosche Station, OK? Via Sci Fi Wire New ‘Doctor Who’ logo revealedOctober 6th, 2009, 12:06 am by Jayson PetersDoctor Who is getting a new logo to go with its new leading man — and it’s TARDIS-riffic!
The new design, inspired by the Doctor’s police box-shaped craft, was unveiled at 8 a.m. London time Tuesday on the show’s official website. It’s a wonderful nod to the show’s history and its timeless quality. Here’s a look back at the Who logo — and accompanying theme tune — through the years, from 1963 to the present. Read the rest of this entry » ‘Dollhouse’ debut is ratings deja vuSeptember 27th, 2009, 5:06 pm by Chris "KeL" Adams
The Eliza Dushku vehicle only managed to garner 2.5 million viewers. While the show has a terrible timeslot at 9 p.m. Friday, it was also soundly defeated by every other major networks’ offerings. Even the third-highest show, a rerun of ABC’s ‘Modern Family’ racked up 4.28 million viewers. Though Fox did manage to defeat the CW’s showing of ‘America’s Next Top Model,’ so that’s something to be proud of I suppose.
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On Friday Sam Weller, the authorized biographer for sci-fi author Ray Bradbury, will appear at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe as part of the store’s “Food for Thought” series. Weller, a journalist and professor at Columbia College in Chicago, is the author of The Ray Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury, which describes the writer who envisioned rocket travel to outer space but never learned to drive a car or operate a computer.
Publisher Crucible 7 has released a 
Production of Warner Bros.’ Green Lantern has pulled up stakes from Australia, part of an overall decision by the movie studio to reassess its overseas filming operations, 
Stargate Worlds may be in limbo as developer Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment struggles with financing, but that didn’t stop the roleplaying game from making an appearance in the Oct. 2 series premiere of Stargage Universe on Syfy.
Footage from the game was used in the early part of the episode, as geeky character Eli Wallace (David Blue, pictured) solves a puzzle hidden in the game by Dr. Nicholas Rush (Robert Carlyle), who is looking for a brilliant young mind to unlock the final mystery of the Stargate.
Just in time for your holiday shopping, ThinkGeek has delivered on its promise to try and make its 
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