Tagged: Australia

James Purefoy returns as The Saint

James Purefoy returns as The Saint

A new generation is about to meet the famous Simon Templar. James Purefoy, best known for playing Mark Antony in Rome and getting let go from palying V in V For Vendetta, is set to play Simon Templar in the forthcoming TV series of The Saint.

No fewer than 10 actors have portrayed the character, including the legendary George Sanders and former Maverick / future James Bond Roger Moore. Another nine actors played him on radio, including Vincent Price.

William J. Macdonald (Witchblade, Rome) is prepping a two-hour pilot for a European shoot. Shooting in Berlin and Australia begins in April.

Burl Barer, Edgar Award winning author of The Saint: A Complete History, is also on board.  Barer, authorized by the Estate of Leslie Charteris to write new Saint novels and short stories, will novelize the movie length pilot and future episodes for a new generation of Saint fans.

Martha Jones to chase Captain Jack?

Martha Jones to chase Captain Jack?

Over at Doctor Who, Martha Jones, the tenth Doctor’s second companion, is getting tired of unrequited love. Next season, she’s starting to look at everybody’s favorite object of lust, Torchwood‘s Captain Jack Harkness.

It seems Captain Jack has been working his sexual magic on the latest companion. According to the London Daily Mirror, when the 30th season of Doctor Who goes up next year, Martha will not be in all episodes – but will pick up the slack by appearing in a number of episodes of Torchwood. A new companion will join the cast of the former series, and Martha will not be in this year’s Christmas special. However, singer Kylie Minogue will co-star in the latter event.

The 29th season of Doctor Who ends in Britain tomorrow with the last of the three-part battle with The Master (John Simm, star of Life On Mars). This season is already being broadcast in many parts of the world, including Australia and Canada; it goes up in the United States on the SciFi Network a week from today.

 

Warner Bros. donates $$$ to Tasmanian Devil

Warner Bros. donates $$$ to Tasmanian Devil

According to the Associated Press, the Australian government says Warner Bros. will donate money to save the Tasmanian Devil from extinction.

The real animals — which don’t actually whir around in little tornados — are being wiped out by a contagious cancer that creates "grotesque facial tumors."  Since Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour Disease (warning: photos at link) was first detected in northeast Tasmania in the mid-1990s, more than 90 percent of the devils have perished.  Scientiests estimate that within five years, there will be no disease-free population in Tasmania.  It is hoped that the uninfected animals can be moved to island sanctuaries. 

Paula Wriedt, who is Minister of State Tourism, Arts and Environment (talk about job-sharing!) said Warner Bros. will donate $1 Australian (about $0.82 American) from the sale of each DVD in a new series to be relasaed in Australia.  The University of Tasmania will handle the donations.

"This partnership will go a long way to assist in raising funds, awareness and future opportunities to ensure the survival of the Tasmanian Devil," she said.

The AP says that a spokesman for Warner Bros. did not immediately return calls for comment on Saturday. It’s a holiday weekend, people!

Artwork copyright Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved.

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New Tolkien next month

New Tolkien next month

The BBC reports (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6494985.stm) that Christopher Tolkien finished his father’s last book, Children of Hurin, and it will be published in England, the United States, Australia and New Zealand this April 17.  The younger Tolkien spent 30 years on the book, which JRR Tolkien started in 1918.  Alan Lee is the illustrator.

There are no plans at this time for a film.

Yet.