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Miss Justice League Unlimited? Wish there were new episodes of Teen Titans on Cartoon Network?

You’re not alone. And you’re probably out of luck for any future installments of either of those shows.

But you’re not totally lost if you like watching DC Comics super-hero teams in animation.

One of DC’s venerable properties, the futuristic Legion of Super Heroes, debuts as an animated series on Kids’ WB! on at 10 a.m. on Saturday, the day the children’s network moves to Ch. 50 in Detroit.

The show is from Warner Bros. Animation and many of the same creators of Justice League and Teen Titans, including producer James Tucker, who counts himself among the followers of the long-running characters.

“Legion fans are the most devout, passionate,” said Tucker, who compared them to ever-faithful supporters of baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

Tucker and crew face the task of creating a show that will fit on Saturday morning and yet placate the throngs of die-hard Legion fans.

“Stylistically, we kind of found a middle ground between Teen Titans and Justice League,” said story editor Rob Hoegee. “Everyone from the crew’s side are huge fans of the book. It’s important for us to not only get it right, but always do something that people are going to enjoy.”

Read more here

TV’s Batman Adam West turns 78 today!

Say what you will about the classic campy 1960’s Batman TV series, Adam West’s contribution to the history of Batman cannot be ignored! The series premiered on the ABC television network on January 12 1966 and was a huge hit. The series ran for three seasons and was canceled in 1968. The series spawned a film, Batman: The Movie and the campy tone of the show took the country by storm and created a merchandising bonanza the likes of which had never been seen before.

Many hardcore bat-fans blame the 60’s series with its POW! BAM! BIFF! for ruining Batman, but most fans forget that at the time in the comics the Caped Crusader was at an all time low, battling purpled headed aliens and giant bugs, a far cry from his darker origins. It was not until the likes of Neal Adams, Denny O’Neil & Frank Miller that the Dark Knight was returned to his darker roots!

Happy Birthday ADAM WEST!

Source: Enterainment Weekly

Rumors have surfaced that “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee is in the running to play Wonder Woman on the big screen. She talked to Entertainment Weekly about the role:

So anyway, onto other subjects, then. One of the more interesting things I’ve read is that your name is being bandied about to play Wonder Woman in Joss Whedon’s big-screen adaptation.[Laughs.]

Can you discuss?
I just laugh about it. I mean, I’m not gonna deny it, or admit to it. But it’s funny because no one has even received this so-called Wonder Woman script. It’s like there’s so much buzz created around a script that isn’t even in the hands of any actresses yet. And that’s all I’ll really say. Yes, there have been, you know, like, conversations about it, but as far as the role being mine, or me being the lead up for it, I don’t really know. I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes in terms of producers and directors getting together to talk about a potential film. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t even know if [a] Wonder Woman [movie] is going to happen for sure. I mean, I don’t know who’s financing it. So it’s very flattering. And I think it’s interesting how I’ve somehow wound up in the media again. My manager makes fun of me; he says, ”You’re just like my little press hound, aren’t you?” [Laughs.]

Well, it’s got to be a little flattering to be mentioned for such an iconic role.
I will say, I do hear some things my fans are concerned about — they’re very protective, my fans — and when they heard I was doing a Shape magazine cover shoot — first of all I don’t know how they find out about stuff like that — but they’re concerned that I’m gonna be this slutty female on the cover of a magazine, and that’s not my direction at all. As far as them being concerned about Wonder Woman being my first movie, I think it would be a huge mistake for me to attempt to tackle a role like that for my debut. I really want to make smart choices, and I don’t think that would be a smart choice. A lot of times, regardless of whether you’re a blockbuster actress, those kinds of movies fail. So it wouldn’t be very smart for the girl off a reality television show to take a film like that for her first motion picture. I keep those things in mind. I’m really business-savvy…. Growing up in the business, and having parents who are in the business, I think I get it. And I understand it’s not just about being talented, it’s about making really smart decisions, and that’s always been my priority. And, of course, the album.

The full interview is available at the link above.

Journal Sentinel: If you’re one of the good Samaritans (or just one of the chumps) who sent former child actor and current beggar Dustin Diamond a bunch of cash for a T-shirt that says “I paid $15.00 to save Screeech’s house,” you might want to file for a refund.

Just do it quickly, because there are a few people in Denver who wouldn’t mind getting a piece of Screech themselves.

You might recall that Diamond, better known as Screech Powers on the ’90s sitcom “Saved By the Bell,” made a few headlines – and presumably a few bucks – when he went public earlier this summer with a suggestion he was about to lose his Port Washington home.

On the same Web site where you can buy a shirt, you can also download free ring tones that have Diamond, a stand-up comic, worrying about, among other things, being homeless or living under a bridge.

“This is Dustin Diamond,” goes my favorite one. “Please buy a T-shirt from getdshirts.com. I really don’t wanna do porn.”

Forget about getting a shirt from the man. I say we all send him a pair of pants. Who, after all, wants to see Screech in neither a house nor a wardrobe?

Diamond didn’t just get on Howard Stern with his plea. Executives at ManiaTV.com, the Internet TV network, even scheduled an Aug. 14 telethon out in Colorado.

Then something weird – or, should I say, weirder – happened. Jason Damata, ManiaTV.com’s communications manager, said the company flew Screech and a girlfriend named Jennifer out and put them up in a fancy hotel where they ran up a bill in excess of $600, only to find that “their shtick entirely changed.”

They somehow seemed to become uncomfortable with the fund-raiser.

When company executives tried to figure out what was going on, says Damata, Jennifer told the vice president of programming, Richard Ayoub, “This is more of a publicity stunt than anything. He is not really going to lose his house.”

Not lose his house? What about Howard Stern? What about all the money he’d, you’d think, already collected? What about that impending career in nudie flicks?

Not wanting to be part of anything that might be a ruse, ManiaTV.com pulled the plug and told a Denver reporter that, along with everything else, Screech had been really strange and obnoxious.

“They pretty much pulled a fast one on us,” is the way Damata put it to me.

I can’t claim the whole thing was a fabrication because there really is a foreclosure action – B&L of Grafton vs. DND of PW – pending in Ozaukee County Circuit Court, and it contended, when it was filed in May, Diamond was five months behind on $2,260-per-month payments.

He is still, according to B&L partner Lew Herro, “pretty far behind.”

Not that, according to Herro, B&L has seen any money from the T-shirt sales.

It appears possible Diamond really could lose the house, but Herro says his understanding is that he is making arrangements to get a mortgage – leading me to guess that maybe Screech realized having a big telethon and milking unsuspecting fans of their cash, at this point, would have been a creepy a thing to do.

Who knows? Maybe Screech will even send back any money he’s already collected to unsuspecting fans who thought he was truly in trouble.

That would be the happy Hollywood ending, wouldn’t it?

Too bad, in reality, he was still selling T-shirts on his Web site on Friday.

Source: CBS

“Star Trek” is getting a 21st century makeover. CBS Paramount Domestic Television is releasing digitally remastered episodes of the iconic 1960s sci-fi series, with all new special effects and music, to celebrate the groundbreaking series’ 40th anniversary, it was announced today by John Nogawski, president of CBS Paramount Domestic Television.

The new episodes also mark the first time in 16 years that the original “Star Trek” series can be seen in broadcast syndication. The episodes will begin airing on the more than 200 stations that own the rights to the weekend broadcast syndication window starting Sept. 16 (check local listings for station and dates). All 79 episodes of the original “Star Trek” series will eventually be remastered, with the first batch of episodes chosen from a list of “Star Trek” fans’ favorite shows.

“‘Star Trek’ redefined science-fiction and constantly pushed the envelope with concepts that were ahead of their time,” Nogawski said. “By giving the series a digital upgrade using the best technology available today, it will continue to be a leader in cutting-edge television programming as we introduce the series to a new generation of viewers.”

The most noticeable change will be redoing many of the special effects, created with 1960s technology, with 21st century computer-generated imagery (CGI). That includes:

• Space ship exteriors — The space ship Enterprise, as well as other Starships, will be replaced with state of the art CGI-created ships. The new computer-generated Enterprise is based on the exact measurements of the original model, which now rests in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

• Show opening — The Enterprise and planets seen in the main title sequence will be redone, giving them depth and dimension for the first time.

• Galaxy shots — All the graphics of the galaxy, so frequently seen through the window on the Enterprise’s bridge, will be redone.

• Exteriors — The battle scenes, planets and ships from other cultures (notably the Romulan Bird of Prey and Klingon Battle Cruisers) will be updated.

• Background scenes — Some of the iconic, yet flat, matte paintings used as backdrops for the strange, new worlds explored by the Enterprise crew will get a CGI face-lift, adding atmosphere and lighting.

The refurbished episodes also feature higher quality sound for the famous opening theme. The original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Alexander Courage has been re-recorded in state-of-the-art digital stereo audio with an orchestra and a female singer belting out the famous vocals. A digitally remastered version of William Shatner’s classic original recording of the 38-word “Space, the final frontier…” monologue continues to open each episode.

The remastered episodes have been converted from the original film into a High-Definition format, which gives viewers a clearer, crisper, more vibrant picture than before, even when viewed in standard definition. Once stations upgrade and start broadcasting HD signals, the episodes will be all ready for viewers to enjoy in HD.”

Source: Variety

Warner Bros. TV has set David Nutter to direct the pilot for “The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” prompting Fox Broadcasting to officially greenlight production on the “Terminator”-themed project.

Nutter, whose last 12 pilots have all been picked up to series, also will serve as executive producer. Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar’s C2 Pictures, which produced the most recent “Terminator” feature, is producing with Warner Bros. TV.

Fox made a put pilot commitment to “Connor” last fall, picking up the script from executive producer Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds). Kassar and Vajna will also executive produce.

Casting on “Connor” will begin immediately, with filming expected to commence early next year in New Mexico.

Nutter — who directed the pilots of successes such as “Smallville,” “Without a Trace” and “Supernatural” — has a connection with original “Terminator” helmer James Cameron, having directed the pilot for Cameron’s Fox series “Dark Angel.”

The new installment in the “Terminator” franchise revolves around Connor and her savior son, John Connor. The series will explore what happened to Sarah Connor after the end of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, when the character went on the run.

Source: Variety

In a Variety article talking about how Forest Whitaker will star in “ER” episodes next season, the trade mentions that the actor took over the role from Andre Braugher.

Braugher, an NBC veteran from his days on “Homicide: Life on the Street,” was supposed to play a patient who enters the hospital with a seemingly innocent cough but suffers a stroke while waiting to be treated. He’ll be heading to the bigscreen instead, co-starring in the Fox sequel “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” which is in pre-production.

Stay tuned for which character he may be playing.

Source: MTV

Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige recently told MTV that he thinks it’s almost certain there will be more Spidey films after Spider-Man 3:

Feige directly addressed rumors that it might be the final film for the friendly neighborhood web-slinger.

“There will be many more Spider-Man films to come,” he promised. “We already have stacks of ideas for the next one because of the wealth of stories in the comics. We could be making Spider-Man movies for the next 20 years, based on the 50 years of Spider-Man history we have.”

That doesn’t necessarily guarantee, however, that Tobey Maguire will continue as the man under the mask.

“When you’re concentrating on one movie at a time, there’s a beginning and a middle and an end to that process,” Feige reasoned. “We’ve been topping each one as they go, [and if that happens again], that’s the time for those discussions.”

Click the link above for the full article with more on Marvel Studios’ projects

Source: Variety

“South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have set two live-action films at Paramount.

Parker and Stone will first make the Jeff Roda-scripted high school comedy My All-American. They plan to follow with Giant Monsters Attack Japan!, a film scripted by J.F. Lawton (Under Siege) that will combine live-action with the “rubber suit” techniques made popular in Asian imports like Godzilla.

Parker will direct each film and Stone produce; both will work on the scripts with the writers. Sean Daniel and Nickelodeon will also be producers on “Giant Monsters.”

Parker and Stone are aiming for a 2007 production start, timed to a hiatus from “South Park,” which this week launched its 10th season.

My All-American will sport a young cast, marking the first time Parker and Stone have worked with real actors since the pre-”South Park” features Cannibal: The Musical! and Orgazmo

Source: SCI FI Channel

SCI FI Channel has posted online the entire pilot for The Amazing Screw-On Head, premiering on the channel Sunday, August 20 at Midnight/11C. The animated series is voiced by Paul Giamatti, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon and Patton Oswalt.

Executive-produced by Bryan Fuller (“Wonderfalls”) and Jason Netter, the series is based on Mike Mignola’s (Hellboy) comic book of the same name.

Giamatti voices Screw-On Head, a Civil War-era secret agent at the service of president Abraham Lincoln and an unsung hero who never made it into the history books. His special power is the ability to screw his head onto a variety of different bodies. Hyde Pierce plays Emperor Zombie, Shannon voices Patience the Vampire and Oswalt is Mr. Groin.