Sci Fi Channel goes supernova with new shows, series and specials

By: Patrick Sauriol
Date: Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Source: The Sci Fi Channel

Yesterday The Sci Fi Channel unveiled its upcoming slate of new programming, featuring a lineup of new ongoing series, mini-series, movies and specials that will carry the network through 2004 and into 2005. Amongst the shows that will air will be the four-hour FARSCAPE: PEACEKEEPER WAR mini (first reported yesterday).

Some of the Channel's new projects and announcements include:

HISTORY OF THE DEVIL: From executive producer Clive Barket comes a six-hour limited series about the Devil trying to use the courts of law as a way to return back into Heaven. The series is based on Barker's play THE HISTORY OF THE DEVIL OR SCENES FROM A PRETENDED LIFE and will be adapted by Peter Filardi (writer of TNT's upcoming SALEM'S LOT mini-series).

RINGWORLD: Based on Larry Niven's RINGWORLD series of novels, a four-hour mini-series is in development. In the future four explorers crash on an artificial structure in deep space, a mammoth ring that circles a distant star. Exploring this strange place, the humans discover that there is life here and secrets that could change the universe forever.

EARTHSEA: Already announced, this is an adaptation of Ursula K. LeGuin's A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA. Joining the previously announced Isabella Rossellini in the mini-series are Shawn Ashmore (X2) as Ged; Danny Glover (LETHAL WEAPON) as the wizard Ogion; and Kristin Kreuk (SMALLVILLE) as Tenar, the pupil to the High Priestess Thar (Rossellini). EARTHSEA will air in December.

SPECIES III: Continuing the storyline begun in the two earlier movies, a new and more deadly female alien (played by Sunny Mabrey) is created and set loose in a small college town. Natasha Henstridge, who played Eve in the original SPECIES, will also star in the movie.

THE MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN: When a upscale banker suffers a traumatic head injury, part of his brain is replaced with that of a street hustler. The movie will be written, directed and stars EVIL DEAD's Bruce Campbell. Shooting begins this spring.

ALIEN APOCALYPSE: Another Bruce Campbell action fest, this time with Campbell playing a deep space explorer who returns to Earth years after leaving it, only to find the planet has been invaded by an alien race and mankind reduced to slaves. Campbell and his fellow astronauts try and mobilize a rebellion.

UNTITLED JOEL SCHUMACHER/APRIL SMITH PROJECT: Described as SEX IN THE CITY meets V, this ongoing series in development follows a group of aliens that have assumed human form in order to gather intelligence for their species, to be used for an eventual invasion of the Earth. Each of the undercover aliens are investigating a specific aspect of what it means to be human, experiencing and sometimes being caught unaware by the wide range of emotions. One of the aliens, a female, falls in love with a man.

EUREKA: The newly-hired sheriff of a Pacific Northwest town discovers that the government has been relocating the world's smartest people and their families to Eureka, creating the ultimate think tank. Wacky inventions and relationships are the result in this ongoing series.

MONSTER SMASH: A reality series where actors are placed under heavy makeup to look like monsters, then they fight each other to see which "monster" wins. Stan Winston is one of the team developing the project.

STRANDED: Another reality series where two groups of contestants are dumped in a remote, harsh environment that doubles for an alien planet. Challenges will confront the contestants as they compete for a cash prize.

MOTEL MAN: This series follows a police detective that happens upon seemingly everyday objects that have strange powers, such as a comb that can stop time or a pencil that creates 1961 pennies from thin air when tapped. What are these objects, where do their powers come from, and why are there dangerous and mysterious groups willing to kill to own them?

WITCHHUNTER ROBIN: Based on a Japanese anime, this series follows a group of trained cops that seek to capture witches. One of the newest cops, Robin, is secretly a witch herself and uses her powers to track down the evildoers. Producers Roy Lee and Doug Davison (THE RING) will executive produce.

AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD: From HELLBOY creator Mike Mignola comes an ongoing half-hour animated comedy about a U.S. government robot that screws his head on to a variety of bodies to fight bad guys. Bryan Fuller (DEAD LIKE ME) will write the pilot and Jason Netter will supervise the animation.

Got a scoop? Know something that you need to tell us about? Send it to us!

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