Last month we reported that Star Trek: The Experience (which closed its doors at the Las Vegas Hilton in September) may be resurrected at a new location. Since that time TrekMovie as well as local Las Vegas journalists have confirmed that Star Trek: The Experience is moving to a new home at Neonopolis, in downtown Las Vegas. Today some new details have emerged.
The New (Old) Star Trek: The Experience
In Business Las Vegas has a new feature story on the future of the Neonopolis complex which covers the opening of both a new art museum and the move of Star Trek: The Experience. Rohit Joshi, a representative for the owners of Neonopolis is quoted saying:
The museum and the arts center will represent the past and the present and the Star Trek Experience will represent the future.
There are no specific details yet, but the article states that all five components of the Experience will be moving over:
Restaurant/Bar
Shops
Museum of the Future
4-D Theater
Simulator rides
The article notes that the Experience will be “similar but different from its predecessor and includes significant upgrades.” This is a welcome sign; as noted in previous reports from TrekMovie, The Experience at the Hilton was becoming less relevant to the entire Trek franchise, especially regarding The Original Series and the new Star Trek movie.
What isn’t clear is what will be upgraded. For example will the 4-D theater still be based around the Voyager themed “Borg Invasion” or will they have something new. One source told TrekMovie that the simulator rides will continue to feature the TNG-themed “Klingon Encounter”, but new footage will be added (replacing the part where the shuttle lands at the Hilton to where it lands at Neonopolis). Sources also indicate that Quark’s Bar and Restaurant and the “Promenade” shops will be part of the move and likely the first elements to open. The plan is to open these before the Star Trek movie in May.
Regarding the “cast” of characters, it is expected those who were let go when The Experience closed at the Hilton will be offered positions before auditions begin to bring on new staff.
TrekMovie has contacted Mr. Joshi and Neonopolis and will hopefully have an update on the future of Star Trek: The Experience coming up soon. To date, CBS will not comment on Star Trek: The Experience, so it is likely that details are still being worked out.
In 1990, at the start of the boom of licensed comics, Dark Horse began publishing Terminator. Now, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the first Terminator film, Dark Horse is excited to announce the return of all new Terminator material for a whole new generation of fans!
With renewed interest in the property in both television and film, Dark Horse announced today its intent to begin creating new comics for release in conjunction with the film’s silver anniversary in 2009.
Rand Marlis, President of Creative Licensing Corporation who represents all Terminator tie-ins, said “I’m thrilled to be once again working with Dark Horse. They are a superb comic book company and really know the Terminator world. Our prior Dark Horse comics are classics and we look forward to more quality stories and art from the Dark Horse team.”
Dark Horse president and publisher, Mike Richardson stated “We’ve had great success with the ongoing saga of Sarah and John Connor in the past, and the worldwide interest in Terminator has us eager to begin a brand new series picking up where we left off.”
The publisher went on to say that the storyline is being developed and the creative team will be announced shortly.
Dark Horse’s successful Termintor Omnibus Vol. 1 & 2 are currently available at a retail price of $24.95.
For ten side-splitting seasons — including successful runs on Comedy Central and the SCI FI Channel — and one theatrically-released feature film, the crew of the Satellite of Love orbited Earth, faced with the arduous assignment of watching and lampooning the most problematic movies ever made. Now, 20 years after their initial launch into pop culture infamy, hosts Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson — along with robot pals Tom Servo, Crow T. Robot and Gypsy, and their loyal fans, the MSTies — can finally celebrate with the DVD debut of Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition.
The four films assembled in this set are Season 2’s First Spaceship on Venus, Season 7’s Laserblast, Season 9’s Werewolf, and Season 10’s Future War. Bonus features are a 3-part look at the 20-year history of MST3K including brand-new interviews with the creators, cast and crew; the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con International reunion panel (featuring Joel Hodgson, Mike Nelson, Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy, Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl, Bill Corbett, J. Elvis Weinstein, Paul Chaplin and Bridget Jones-Nelson, and moderated by Patton Oswald); original trailers; and “Variations on a Theme Song”, featuring all six versions of the show’s theme song. All of this cheesy goodness, slipcased in DVD slim cases, comes bundled in a limited-edition tin box with four exclusive MST3K lobby cards (recreations of the DVD cover art that are suitable for framing) by artist Steve Vance, and a limited-edition Crow T. Robot figurine.
MST3K‘s production company, Best Brains, transferred the show’s worldwide home entertainment and digital download license from Rhino to Shout! Factory in January 2008, so be sure to contact Shout! Factory to suggest which episodes — such as Season 3’s Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Season 4’s Manos: The Hands of Fate, and Season 10’s Soultaker — to release next on their label. A reissue of the long out-of-print music CDs Clowns in the Sky(Seasons 1-7) and Clowns in the Sky II (Seasons 8-9), updated to include songs from Season 10, would also be an essential pick to accompany the Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition box set.
Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) is just your average lovelorn bad guy trying to make it big — he’s got some dubious weapons, a secret hideout, a square-jawed nemesis (Nathan Fillion) and a video blog. Oh, and he sings. Think The Diaries of Lex Luthor as told by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon conceived and produced the online video Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog during the writers’ strike. It’s hard to imagine a studio green-lighting an idea as weird and ostensibly uncommercial as a 43-min., three-part online supervillain musical. But in a medium that rewards the unconventional — the Web — Dr. Horrible was a hit. After its July debut, the series reached No. 1 on iTunes’ video chart, with 2.2 million downloads a week. Now there’s a sound track, Web comics and a dvd on the way. Cue the maniacal laughter.
Project Fiver: Cast Lord of the Rings fan Melissa “Fiver” Kern as a hobbit extra in the upcoming The Hobbit film(s)
To: New Line Cinema / Wingnut Films
The goal of Project Fiver is to deliver a petition to Peter Jackson, New Line, and whomever takes the Directorship, asking that Melissa “Fiver” Kern be cast as a costumed hobbit extra in the upcoming film(s) of The Hobbit.
Melissa has done an incredible amount to promote Tolkien Fellowship with her groups, as well as the DragonCon and Mythic Journeys conventions. She has been an active member on TheOneRing.net, co-founder of ArmsOfMiddleEarth.com and member of numerous LotR-Related Moots, and Meet-Up groups in the Atlanta area.
Melissa has just been diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Essentially, it causes all the motor neurons in the brain to shut down, gradually making the muscles unable to function. Life expectancy is 3-5 years from diagnosis. (She’s had the disease for about a year already.) The disease progressively takes away movement and coordination. In September, she marched with fellow LotR fans in the annual DragonCon parade. Six months later, she is barely walking, and needs my help to climb stairs or get dressed.
Many in these groups have been asking what they can do to help her out and lift her spirits, and Project Fiver is my best answer.
It would be a simple matter for New Line to honor her with an Extra role in the Hobbit film, but it would speak volumes about their commitment to the fans of Lord of the Rings.
The Project Fiver: Cast Lord of the Rings fan Melissa “Fiver” Kern as a hobbit extra in the upcoming The Hobbit film(s) Petition to New Line Cinema / Wingnut Films was created by Members of the Lord of the Rings Fellowship and written by Chris Kern (ProjectFiver@gmail.com).
After 10 often dismal movies, Star Trek had turned into a pop culture punchline. Even people who’d built their entire careers around Trek could see the writing on the wall. “Star Trek,” says Leonard Nimoy, “had run its course.” But director J.J. Abrams believes he can make the franchise cool again. This week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly has the inside scoop on Abrams’ surprising, idealistic odyssey, which could become next summer’s multiplex juggernaut.
“I don’t think people even understand what Star Trek means anymore,” says Abrams, who saw the first Star Trek film in 1979 with his father at a theater on the Paramount lot. But he feels no warm-fuzzy nostalgia about it. In fact, Abrams can sum up his regard for Trek in two words: Galaxy Quest, the 1999 hit starring Tim Allen that satirized Trek with painful precision. “It’s so ridiculous, so accurate, so sophisticated, it spoils the Star Trek universe,” he says. Plus, at heart, Abrams is still more of a Star Wars guy. “All my smart friends liked Star Trek,” he says. “I preferred a more visceral experience.” Which is exactly why he accepted Paramount ’s offer in 2005 to develop a new Trek flick; creatively, he was engaged by the possibility of a Star Trek movie “that grabbed me the way Star Wars did.”
Abrams says he was also drawn to the project because he believed in — and wanted to evangelize — Trek’s unabashed idealism. “I think a movie that shows people of various races working together and surviving hundreds of years from now is not a bad message to put out right now,” says Abrams. That ethos may seem cornball to an America darkened by a decade’s worth of catastrophe, but after an election season that has seen both presidential nominees run on “hope” and “change,” Star Trek just may find itself on the leading wave of a zeitgeist shift — away from bleak, brooding blockbusters and toward the light. “In a world where a movie as incredibly produced as The Dark Knight is raking in gazillions of dollars, Star Trek stands in stark contrast,” Abrams says. “It was important to me that optimism be cool again.”
Is the world ready again for Trek’s optimistic vision of the future? Some involved with the film suspect the presidential election may have a dramatic effect on how Star Trek will be perceived. “This is a franchise that offers hope for unity — and so does Barack Obama,” says Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock. “When this movie comes out, and Obama is president, hopefully there will be some parallels.” Perhaps, but the elder Spock knows that moments of unity can be fleeting. “My only regret is that the movie can’t come out sooner,” Nimoy says. “I think the world could use it. Don’t you?”
While Nimoy will be putting on his ears to play a wizened Spock in the new Star Trek, don’t expect a cameo by William Shatner as Captain Kirk. Last month, the 77-year-old actor posted a video on YouTube, complaining about being left behind, and chastising Abrams, even though Shatner’s Kirk died in Star Trek Generations (1994). “I brought him back to life in one of my books, very easily,” Shatner tells Abrams in the video. “I’m just sorry that I’m not in your wonderful movie.”
Abrams has seen the video, of course. “I don’t know how my life has become a thing where William Shatner talks to me through YouTube,” Abrams tells EW. “I was such a huge fan of his, but we wrote a scene for him in the movie and it didn’t feel right. And he said to us — he said publicly — that doing a cameo didn’t interest him. Which I totally appreciate. But we did try.” EW tried to reach Shatner, but he declined to be interviewed. Through a spokesperson he said, “I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to be involved in the Star Trek universe at this point.”
Anakin Skywalker leads a small band of Y-wing bombers through a dangerous nebula in "Shadow of Malevolence"
Star Wars: The Clone Wars puts a new shine on a very recognizable part of Star Wars lore as the Y-wing bombers make their debut in “Shadow of Malevolence,” an all-new episode of the hit animated series premiering at 9:00 PM, Friday, October 10, on Cartoon Network.
In the second of a three-episode arc, “Destroy Malevolence” finds Anakin Skywalker, his Padawan Ahsoka Tano and Jedi Master Plo Koon utilizing long-range Y-wing bombers to lead a bold strike on General Grievous’ warship, the Malevolence, and its destructive ion cannon.
The Y-wing bombers were first seen among the Rebel Alliance’s primary starfighters in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. “Shadow of Malevolence” director Brian Kalin O’Connell, writer Steve Melching and supervising director Dave Filoni were inspired by the concept of showing the Y-wings “fresh off the showroom floor.”
“We like to find ways to draw connections between The Clone Wars and the original trilogy,” Melching says. “In the original Star Wars, the X-wings and the Y-wings have truly been through the wars, and they’ve had the crap beaten out of them. We thought it would be fun to imagine that they were originally manufactured during the Clone Wars — so for us, they came off the assembly line and into battle.”
O’Connell says the artists behind The Clone Wars were excited about “introducing” the Y-wings — and putting the series’ lead characters into a full-fledged space battle for the first time.
“Guys like (design/concept artists) Russell Chong and Killian Plunkett, along with Dave (Filoni) come from a classic Star Wars background, so they understand that Ralph McQuarrie feel of the 1970s, and they do it right,” O’Connell says. “We don’t want to change the lore, we want to add to it. By introducing the Y-wings, we get to add a new dimension, a little history.” Some people, he realizes, might think that it’s “just a vehicle.” Nevertheless, O’Connell says, “We know it’s a huge deal for the fans. We don’t let it distract from the story, but we still get to add the geek shot — and when we do, we try to do it justice.”
Star Wars: The Clone Wars airs at 9:00 PM, Fridays on Cartoon Network. George Lucas is the series’ creator and serves as executive producer, and Catherine Winder is producer.
Q: I’ve heard that Peter S. Beagle hasn’t been paid anything from sales of The Last Unicorn on DVD or videotape. True or false? A: Sadly true. Since 1999, London-based Granada Media has sold more than 1.2 million DVDs and half a million videotapes of The Last Unicorn through various distributors around the world. They have also made cable and satellite deals in several different countries. Despite this success they have paid Peter absolutely nothing, claiming that the film has never made a profit. Peter and his attorney have been fighting with Granada over this since September 2003, and there is still no end in sight. At this time, the only Last Unicorn DVDs making money for Peter are the ones sold through Conlan Press — he gets more than half the income from those.
Q: I’ve also heard that he got cheated on his screenplay for the 1978 animated version of The Lord of the Rings. True or false? A: True. Peter was brought in as a consultant to tell producer Saul Zaentz and director Ralph Bakshi how to fix the unusable screenplay they’d already spent $50,000 on. To get Peter to write a replacement screenplay for free as part of his original $5,000 consulting fee, Saul Zaentz promised to pay Peter more than his usual screenplay rate for Part 2 of the project, and to hire him to write other films as well. None of that ever happened, though… and, in fact, Peter had to threaten to sue just to get the second half of that meager $5,000! Since then he has gotten nothing — while Saul Zaentz has gone on to earn nearly half a billion dollars from rights related to his ownership of the animated film. (That’s right: billion with a B.)
Q: Is there any way that I can help? A: Yes. You can read the facts posted at conlanpress.com/youcanhelp/, then go spread the word. You can join the more than 1,100 Peter S. Beagle fans who have posted their names and support messages at conlanpress.com/html/fans_speak.html. You can write complaint letters and faxes to Saul Zaentz Productions, Granada Media, and movie industry magazines like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. You can donate directly to Peter’s legal support fund at conlanpress.com/html/donations.html. And finally you can buy Beagle books and related products through Conlan Press, where Peter gets more than half the income from each sale (a lot of which he uses to support the battle for his rights).
Q: What’s happening with the live-action film version of The Last Unicorn? A: Since 1999 the live-action remake rights have been controlled by Continent Films, a small company in London. Continent has never raised significant development or production funds, and most of what they have announced via their website over the years has been false or wildly exaggerated. Nevertheless, they do control the live-action remake rights until at least 2015. Peter does not back their efforts — especially after reading what they did without permission to his screenplay — and is, in fact, actively trying to get them to sell their rights to some studio or producer capable of doing a good job.
Q: How can I keep current on these things and other Beagle-related news? A: Simple! Sign up for Peter’s free email newsletter, The Raven. In addition to all the Beagle info that’s ready to report, nearly every issue has some little extra something by Peter (essays, poetry, song lyrics, what have you) that he wants to share directly with his fans. To get The Raven, sign up at either peterbeagle.com/raven/ or conlanpress.com/html/newsletter.html. Or else you can just send a sign-up request in by email to contact@conlanpress.com.
Personally Signed Beagle Items Available from Conlan Press
A Fine and Private Place (novel: Tachyon trade paperback, Conlan Press downloadable audiobook)
The Last Unicorn (animated film: 25th Anniversary edition widescreen DVD)
The Last Unicorn (novel: Roc/B&N deluxe edition hardcover, Roc 40th Anniversary trade paperback, Conlan Press downloadable audiobook)
Art prints/posters/computer wallpaper inspired by The Last Unicorn (various artists)
The Line Between (fiction collection: Tachyon trade paperback)
The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Nietzsche and Other Odd Acquaintances (fiction & nonfiction collection: Tachyon trade paperback)
Sigunick & Beagle Acoustic — The Lost ‘62 Tape (28-minute live recording on CD)
Strange Roads (illustrated 3-story fiction collection inspired by the art of Lisa Snellings-Clark: DreamHaven limited edition chapbook)
Tamsin (novel: Roc trade paperback, Firebird mass market paperback)
There are fewer than 1500 copies left from the original 15,000-copy printing, and Barnes & Noble has decided not to reprint. Order soon if you want to be guaranteed of getting this deluxe edition. There aren’t that many left in inventory now, and those will probably sell out before the end of the year.
Connor Cochran
Business Manager for Peter S. Beagle
& Publisher, Conlan Press
Vincent Caso has had a stellar beginning to his acting career. After attending a school for the Arts, he decided at age 13 to become an actor. He quickly landed a role in the Jeremy Coon (Napoleon Dynamite) film American Fork, and soon after was chosen for the role of Bladezz in Felicia Day‘s The Guild. The Guild went on to become an Internet phenomenon, garnering praise and fan support from around the world, especially with MMORPG players. I had a brief opportunity to meet Vince at the California Browncoats booth at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con, where he spent a whirlwind of a weekend signing autographs and meeting fans. We only spoke for a few moments but he was a very friendly, polite, and kind young man… and TALL! Due to schedule changes I was unable to catch the entire cast together, but Vince was wonderful enough to answer some questions for us recently.
ÜberSciFiGeek (ÜSFG) Are you like your character, Bladezz, in any way?
Vincent Caso (VC) Not much. I’m sure there are one or two personality traits that we share. But I’m afraid that most of our similarities are purely physical.
(ÜSFG) Which character from The Guild do you identify with the most?
(VC) I’d have to say that I’m actually a wacky combination of Vork, Zaboo, and my own character. Though not exactly in that order. I’ve got some of the wackiness that Zaboo’s got, but sans the creepiness. And I’ve got some of the more formal aspects of Vork, but not quite as hardcore as him. And I’ve got a little bit of the personality of Bladezz, but sans the jerkiness (I’d like to think so, at least).
(ÜSFG) What is it like being the youngest cast member?
(VC) Haha, good question. The rest of the cast likes to poke fun sometimes, but it’s been all pretty cool. We joke about it occasionally (you’ll see a few playful jibes during the cast interviews in our Season 1 DVD), but they definitely don’t talk down to me or consider me just the “kid they’re working with”. They totally make me feel like one of the family.
(ÜSFG) Your first film was American Fork. What was it like working on that film?
(VC) It was a blast. Being my first official acting experience, it was all very new to me. But I learned a lot, got to know some wicked people, got to spend a month in the rather pleasant Salt Lake City, Utah, and generally had a good time.
(ÜSFG) What were the differences in production and feel on the set for American Fork and The Guild?
(VC)The Guild is all very casual, without being unprofessional. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere and really makes you feel at home. Nothing feels strict or uptight, it’s all very cool. And American Fork was much the same way. Of course there was a little more hustle-and-bustle due to the fact that it was a movie, we had more deadlines, some location constraints, some re-shoots, etc, but it was also a pretty chill experience. I’ve just been very fortunate to be a part of projects that have really cool people working on them, there’s never anyone who I have a beef with. And that makes a big difference in how fun and easy it is to work on a given set.
(ÜSFG) Do you have any other projects you are working on right now?
(VC) Not at the moment, but keep an eye out!
(ÜSFG) You also do card tricks and slight of hand. Is it a hobby or have you considered magic as a career?
(VC) At one time I had considered it to be my main focus, but it eventually just turned into a hobby. Of which I have several. It has sort of joined hands with hobbies like writing, martial arts, swing dancing, and rollerskating. (Didn’t see that one coming, did ya?)
(ÜSFG) What do you think of the response you’ve gotten from the success of The Guild?
(VC) I’m loving it! I was really blown away by what this all turned into. I mean, I knew it was a funny and cool show, but I just never thought that it might have become this when I signed on.
(ÜSFG) Are you getting recognized in public yet? Are there any “rabid fans” or funny stories yet?
(VC) It’s happened a few times, grocery stores, gyms, an In-N-Out, on the street, etc. No funny stories yet, though.
(ÜSFG) What did you think of San Diego Comic-Con? Was there anything or anyone there you were looking forward to seeing?
(VC) It was very fun, I loved the whole trip. Unfortunately I wasn’t aware of all the cool Q-and-A’s, screenings, and whatnot until like the last day, so I largely missed out.
(ÜSFG) I saw online that someone asked about Bladezz’ photos and you said they were taken for the show. Do you have any pictures from your actual portfolio you can share with your fans?
(VC) Well I don’t have a modeling portfolio or anything, but I’ve got a number of headshots. I don’t think any of my new ones are posted online yet, but I’ll look into getting some on my IMDb.
(ÜSFG) Have you started playing WoW again or are you still bored with it?
(VC) I quit cold turkey and never looked back, heh.
(ÜSFG) Is there an interview question you’ve never been asked about The Guild, but wish was asked?
(VC) I’ve never put much thought into that, I’ll have to get back to you when I think of something. 🙂
(ÜSFG) Anything else you want to share with the fans?
(VC) You dudes rock! And as corny as it may sound, we wouldn’t have much of a show without you. Keep on tuning in, we’ve got plenty of hilarious twists to await you in… Season 2. 😉 That’s all for now, guys!
Thank you, Vince, for taking the time to answer some of our questions!
Season 2 of The Guild is in preproduction, and is due to begin filming in the next few weeks. In the meantime, you can re-watch Season 1 of The Guild online at watchtheguild.com, or purchase the Season 1 DVD and other merchandise in The Guild‘s online store.
