News

Last night, Syfy had its “Upfront” presentation, the event when they announce what shows are coming and what’s in development. Not surprisingly, we received seven press releases today for your consumption. I’ve posted the happiest news first:

Syfy Renews Original Drama Being Human For Fourth Season

New York, NY – April 10, 2013 – Syfy is ordering a fourth season (13 episodes) of its hit drama series Being Human, it was announced today by Mark Stern, President of Original Content, Syfy and Co-Head of Original Content, Universal Cable Productions. The announcement comes on the heels of the Season 3 finale which aired Monday, April 8 and in time for Syfy’s Upfront presentation this evening in New York City.

Being Human stars Sam Witwer, Meaghan Rath, Sam Huntington and Kristen Hager as vampire Aidan, ghost Sally and werewolves Josh and Nora. Together they struggle to suppress their supernatural secrets and temptations and live their lives...

Another week, another Monday. So it’s time for the rundown of DVDs and Blu-ray’s hitting stores online and offline this week. It’s another packed week, with plenty of movies waiting to take you money, so let us breakdown the new releases and highlight what you should – and shouldn’t – be buying from today, March 19th 2012.

Pick(S) Of The Week

Tower Heist (DVD/Blu-ray)

A group of disgruntled luxury apartment employees, lead by Ben Stiller, attempt to take down their wealthiest resident (Alan Alda), who defrauded all of them from their pension plans. With the help of a recently-released ex-con (Eddie Murphy) who has a knack for robberies, a plan is in place to nab $20 million. Of course, what high-stakes, ensemble comedy would be complete without plenty of shenanigans to boot? The fantastic supporting cast includes Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Gabourey Sidibe, Tia Leoni and Michael Pena.

Not your conventional roommates.

The North American adaptation of Being Human returns to Space in Canada and Syfy in the United States tomorrow night for its second season. We have two short clips from the premiere for you below, which the latter channel released last week. Readers in Canada can see a Space preview on spacecast.com.

Being Human centers on three paranormal roommates—a vampire, werewolf and ghost—who are trying to live normal lives. It was adapted from a BBC series with the same name, four season of which have been produced.

The North American adaptation premiered on Syfy early last year and averaged 1.8 million viewers over the season. At the time those numbers made it Syfy’s most successful scripted series launched over the last six years in its winter season. The show was also a hit on Space.

Being Human, North American-style, stars Sam Witwer (Smallville,...

Franc Roddam has directed award-winning documentaries and dramas for British television and mini-series for Us television, and is the founder and chairman of Ziji Publishing, whose roster includes the five million selling novel The Last Templar.

He is best known however as the creator of the international television phenomenon ‘Masterchef’, which is shown in 150 countries, and as the director of the much loved feature film adaptation of The Who’s Quadrophenia.

The film makes its UK Blu-ray debut on 14th November, the same day the seminal ‘modpera’ is reissued in a Super Deluxe Edition CD package by Universal Music. I spoke with Roddam about the enduring affection for Quadrophenia and the experience of adapting the work described by Pete Townshend as ‘the Who album I am most proud of’.

HeyUGuys: I take it that you still feel great affection for the film after all these years as it’s quite...

“The Wild Hunt” is a Canadian production from 2009, which having enjoyed a successful and award winning run at festivals now arrives on region 2 DVD. Marking the debut of writer director Alexandre Franchi, the film is set in the world of LARPing, or for the uninitiated (this reviewer included), Live Action Role Playing, which basically involves people dressing up as fantasy characters and running around in the woods with rubber weapons. Having been compared to “Lord of the Flies”, the film revolves around the premise of LARPers taking things too far, leading to violent and tragic consequences. The plot kicks off with a young guy called Erik Magnusson (Ricky Mabe, “Trailer Park of Terror”) falling out with his girlfriend Evelyn (Tiio Horn, “The Theatre Bizarre”) over her leaving for a weekend to join in a Larp game with his older brother Bjorn (Mark A. Krupa, “The Last Templar”). After sulking for a while,...

The cast of the North American version of Being Human.

Muse Entertainment has announced the start of production on Season Two of Space’s Being Human. The show focuses on three paranormal roommates—a vampire, werewolf and ghost—who are trying to live normal lives. It was adapted from a British series with the same name that has run for three seasons on the BBC.

Returning for the second season, which is being produced in Montreal, is Sam Witwer (Smallville, CSI), Meaghan Rath (Prom Wars, 18 to Life) and Sam Huntington (Fanboys, Superman Returns). These regulars will be joined by Dichen Lachman (Doll House, Torchwood), who will play a reclusive, centuries-old, vampire royal.

Being Human premiered on the Us channel Syfy earlier this year and averaged 1.8 million viewers. Those numbers are said to have made it Syfy’s most successful scripted series launched over the last six years in its winter...

Is there an actor who can do no wrong in your eyes? An actor who can entice you to watch anything that might be on television, no matter how dubious? Whose mere presence can make even a mediocre if not downright lousy “entertainment experience” seem at least somewhat worthwhile? For me, there is one anwer to all those questions: “No. But Victor Garber comes to close.” Garber is most famous for playing Jack Bristow, super-spy father to super-spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) in the J.J. Abrams spy-fi series Alias. His intensely taciturn yet deceptively warm performance–part James Bond, part...

Indie producer Muse Entertainment has hired Cynthia Kennedy as director of international sales, based in London.

Kennedy, who has sold programming from the UK market for Channel 4 International, Aetn International, History and the Biography Channel, will market Muse Entertainment content, from TV miniseries and telefilms to TV series and family programming for a range of platforms.

Montreal-based Muse is best known for miniseries like The Pillars of the Earth, co-produced with Tandem Productions and Scott Free, and The Last Templar.

The Canadian producer is already well established in the North American market, and is now looking to extend its reach overseas.

“Muse has now reached a new plateau in its steady rise,” says Jesse Prupas, vp of distribution.

“With Cynthia Kennedy in our team, we’ll be in a position to better service the international media markets and be also closer to our European customers,” he added.

Syfy have released, via blastr, the first teaser trailer for their remake of the BBC Three series Being Human, along with a new press release outling the Us cast and production team:

Syfy’s all-new drama series Being Human, starring Sam Witwer (Smallville, Battlestar Galactica), Meaghan Rath (The Assistants), Sam Huntington (Cavemen, Superman Returns) and Mark Pellegrino (Lost, Supernatural) has commenced production in Montreal, Canada. Adam Kane (The Mentalist, Heroes) is Director and Co-Executive Producer with Executive Producer Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth) and husband and wife Executive Producers/Writers Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood). Muse Entertainment is producing 13 1-hour episodes for Syfy.

Being Human, a re-imagining of the acclaimed UK series created by Toby Whithouse, follows three paranormal, 20-something roommates living in Boston – vampire “Aidan” (Witwer), werewolf “Josh” (Huntington) and ghost “Sally” (Rath) – as they struggle to hide their dark secrets from the world,...

NBC is heading for "The Mountain."

The network is close to greenlighting a two-hour movie/backdoor pilot from Canadian production company Muse Entertainment.

The project, slated to begin shooting Oct. 21 in Montreal and Magog, Quebec, centers on a single mom with three kids who inherits a property from a supposedly dead uncle. During an impromptu visit there, they discover a treasure trove of history.

Michael Prupas and Jeff Grant are executive producing, with Joel Rice and Irene Litensky producing. Doug Barr is on board to direct.

Muse is known for such big-budget action-adventure miniseries as "The Last Templar" and "Impact," which aired this year on NBC and ABC, respectively, and ABC's upcoming "Ben-Hur."

In the past couple of years, the U.S. broadcast nets have been looking north for lower-license-fee acquisitions of drama series, including "Flashpoint" and the upcoming "The Bridge" on CBS, "The Listener" on NBC and "The Copper" on ABC.

Who doesn.t love a treasure hunt, especially when it is attached to a mythic group or has a deep and perplexing mystery surrounding it? There are words that conjure visions of hidden wealth and ancient curses, but perhaps none of them are as compelling as the legend of the Knights Templar. Watching The Last Templar miniseries on television was an event! Rarely do audiences these days have a production of this caliber appear on network television! It was so good, and enjoyable, exciting, and fun, it will be a welcome addition to any action adventure dvd collection. Starring Mira Sorvino and Scott Foley, the twists and turns of the story based on Raymond Khoury.s international best selling novel...

As far as must-have DVDs go, there's not much hitting stores this week aside from the Criterion release of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but other noteworthy discs include the overlooked 2008 indie film Wendy and Lucy starring Michelle Williams, Last Chance Harvey starring Dustin Hoffman, and another Michelle Williams flick: the Ewan McGregor thriller Incendiary. Twilight is out on Blu-ray this week, along with a slew of back catalog titles including Big, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Other than that, save your money for Star Trek! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Criterion Collection [1] (DVD, Blu-ray [2]) Last Chance Harvey [3] (DVD, Blu-ray [4]) Wendy and Lucy [5] Look [6] Incendiary [7] (DVD, Blu-ray [8]) Chandni Chowk to China [9] Frankenhood [10] The Last Templar [11] Smother [12] Confessions of an Innocent Man [13] Under the Hood: A Voyage Into the World of Torture [14] Souvenir of Canada [15] Whale Mission [16] Gigantor Collection: Volume 1 [17] Super Mario Bros. Super...

DVD Links: DVD News | Release Dates | New Dvds | Reviews | RSS Feed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I posted my review of the Blu-ray edition yesterday giving Benjamin Button another glowing critique. So, it shouldn't come as any surprise I am leading with it this week and recommend it as a film you should at least watch, since I am willing to admit this isn't a movie everyone will love. However, I do believe this is a film everyone should revisit every few years if they don't like it as I think it is a film that only gets better with age... Dexter - The Complete Second Season Paramount sent this one over and I have also recently taken a look at the first season of the original "Star Trek" on Blu-ray and just a couple nights ago finished watching the first season of "C.S.I." on Blu-ray. I covered the...

The Last Templar will hit the shelves on DVD on May 5 and we just have to celebrate this NBC mini-series coming to DVD. We have another contest lined up and we're giving away copies of this new DVD to our readers. These discs will surely go fast, so enter this contest today.

Winners Receive:

- The Last Templar DVD

to win this new DVD today.

Based on Raymond Khoury's #1 international best-seller, the adventurous and epic cross between National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code tells the story of an ancient decoder that's been stolen from a collection of Vatican art. When the daughter of a famed archaeologist (Sorvino) discovers its connection to the history of the Knights Templar, she enlists the help of a New York detective (Foley) to find the decoder and the journal before they fall into the wrong hands. Clue by clue, continent by continent, murder by murder,...

Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino and her husband Christopher Backus are expecting their third child, they confirm to People. "We are overjoyed at the thought of welcoming a new addition to the family," they say in a statement. "With each child the love in our hearts has expanded beyond what we ever imagined was possible." Sorvino, 41, and Backus are also parents to Mattea, 4, and Johnny, 2. Sorvino, who won an Academy Award for Mighty Aphrodite, recently appeared in the NBC miniseries The Last Templar, and Backus will next be seen in ABC's Life On Mars.. Reporting by Julie JORDANLeave your best wishes...

NBC takes a bit of Indiana Jones, a teaspoon of Tomb Raider, a dollop of National Treasure and a left over heap of The Da Vinci Code, blends it together and comes up with a marginally entertaining smoothie that is less than the sum of its parts. I say “marginally entertaining” only because I have recently reevaluated myself as a reviewer. I worry that I am turning into a nasty, over-opinionated naysayer. Also while watching the made for TV Mira Sorvino vehicle I was cutting and assembling small cardboard figures that I printed up over at cubeecraft.com, which made the three hour running time seem less like torture, and more like happy fun craft time. The Last Templar centers on the adventures of archeologist Tess Chaykin (Mira Sorvino) as she investigates the theft of Vatican treasures and a string of murders that follow in the thefts ...

Who needs a stunt double? Not Mira Sorvino in the new globetrotting, treasure-seeking NBC miniseries The Last Templar (Sunday , 9 pm/Et; Monday, 9 pm/Et). The Oscar-winner solved mysteries, kicked ass and definitely felt the pain.

"Five teeth. Five teeth were broken," Sorvino said about her on-set mishap while filming a violent boat scene. But she wasn't the only one suffering on the set.

"During the scene where she lost her or was banged in the teeth we ...

Read More >...

Who needs a stunt double? Not Mira Sorvino in the new globetrotting, treasure-seeking NBC miniseries The Last Templar (Sunday , 9 pm/Et; Monday, 9 pm/Et). The Oscar-winner solved mysteries, kicked ass and definitely felt the pain.

"Five teeth. Five teeth were broken," Sorvino said about her on-set mishap while filming a violent boat scene. But she wasn't the only one suffering on the set.

"During the scene where she lost her or was banged in the teeth we ...

Read More >...

Producer Robert Halmi Sr., who celebrates his 85th birthday today, is getting a belated gift. On Sunday, his latest big-budget miniseries, "The Last Templar," premieres on NBC, marking his return to the Big Three broadcast networks after a three-year absence.

The year 2009 is special in another way: It's been 30 years since his first TV movie, "My Old Man," premiered on CBS. But instead of planning a celebration, Halmi -- the Hungarian-born former photographer who emigrated to the U.S. in 1950 with $5 in his pocket and a still camera around his neck -- is busy ramping up a slate of miniseries.

It includes three projects for Sci Fi Channel that have been greenlighted for production: "The Phantom," "Riverworld" and "Alice," a contemporary retelling of "Alice in Wonderland."

Halmi also has a couple of minis in development at ABC, including "Planet Earth Conspiracy," a globe-spanning drama tackling climate change, and a possible...

Mira Sorvino broke five teeth filming a new TV series. The "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" actress was filming scenes on a speedboat for forthcoming miniseries "The Last Templar" with co-star Scott Foley when a wave knocked her head into a hook, causing the bloody and painful injury.

She explained: "I broke five teeth. There was blood everywhere - it was gross and hurt so much."

Things soon went from bad to worse on the shoot when the director decided to film a love scene shortly after the 41-year-old star recovered from her knock.

She added to the New York Post newspaper: "For some reason, right then our wonderful director, Paolo Barzman, decides that we should have a kiss to end all kisses, and so, after they paint even more bloody purple make-up on me, we have the big kiss. And at the end of it, Scott ends up for two weeks in bed,...

Oscar winner Mira Sorvino needed dental work after wrapping up new TV mini-series The Last Templar because she broke five teeth on the set.

The actress plays a female Indiana Jones in the upcoming TV event, and insisted on doing her own stunts for action sequences and fight scenes.

But it wasn't either of those that left her with smashed teeth - she was hit by a boat hook during a storm scene, after she was blinded by a wave.

She explains, "We were supposed to be on the Turkish sea in a storm to end all storms. A big wave came and washed my contacts out of my eyes, and a hook got caught, and it slams into my face and breaks five of my teeth."

But, despite the pain and the blood, The Mighty Aphrodite star agreed to complete the film in Morocco - and that included a messy kissing scene with co-star Scott Foley.

Sorvino adds, "They run with the make-up, and our wonderful producer decides, right now, Scott Foley and I should have a kiss to end all kisses.

"They painted my mouth a dark blood (colour)... and we have this kiss."...

Mira Sorvino is learning the life of a female Indiana Jones can be little dangerous. During the filming of her new NBC miniseries The Last Templar in Morocco, she studied karate, did her own stunts – and broke five teeth. "When we were doing the boat scene, we were supposed to be on the Turkish sea in a storm to end all storms," Sorvino, 41, told reporters at a Television Critics Association panel on Thursday. "A big wave came and washed my contacts out of my eyes, and a hook got caught, and it slams into my face and breaks five of my teeth.

Movie Jungle has new clips in from NBC Entertainment's "The Last Templar," starring Mira Sorvino, Scott Foley, Victor Garber, Claudia Ferri, Larry Day, Anthony Lemke, Mark Antony Krupa and Don Jordan. Paulo Barzman ("Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") directs the film. Suzette Couture writes the revised version of the screenplay based on the novel by Raymond Khoury. Airs on Sunday and Monday, January 25 and 26 (9-11 p.m. Et)...

Movie Jungle has new clips in from NBC Entertainment's "The Last Templar," starring Mira Sorvino, Scott Foley, Victor Garber, Claudia Ferri, Larry Day, Anthony Lemke, Mark Antony Krupa and Don Jordan. Paulo Barzman ("Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") directs the film. Suzette Couture writes the revised version of the screenplay based on the novel by Raymond Khoury. Airs on Sunday and Monday, January 25 and 26 (9-11 p.m. Et)...

Movie Jungle has new clips in from NBC Entertainment's "The Last Templar," starring Mira Sorvino, Scott Foley, Victor Garber, Claudia Ferri, Larry Day, Anthony Lemke, Mark Antony Krupa and Don Jordan. Paulo Barzman ("Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") directs the film. Suzette Couture writes the revised version of the screenplay based on the novel by Raymond Khoury. Airs on Sunday and Monday, January 25 and 26 (9-11 p.m. Et).In this four-hour miniseries, Oscar winner Mira Sorvino ("Mighty Aphrodite," "Mimic") stars in an epic action-adventure tale about the greatest mystery of modern time. As the journey begins, Tess Chaykin (Sorvino), a Manhattan archaeologist, reluctantly teams up with FBI agent Sean Daley (Scott Foley, "The Unit," "Felicity") – and the pair are drawn into a fast-paced, romantic adventure as they attempt to uncover the lost secrets of the legendary medieval Knights Templar. The miniseries also features Victor Garber ("Eli Stone," "Alias") as Monsignor De Angelis,...

Movie Jungle has new clips in from NBC Entertainment's "The Last Templar," starring Mira Sorvino, Scott Foley, Victor Garber, Claudia Ferri, Larry Day, Anthony Lemke, Mark Antony Krupa and Don Jordan. Paulo Barzman ("Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") directs the film. Suzette Couture writes the revised version of the screenplay based on the novel by Raymond Khoury. Airs on Sunday and Monday, January 25 and 26 (9-11 p.m. Et)...

The Last Templar, a four hour miniseries starring Mira Sorvino, Victor Garber and Scott Foley has been scheduled to air on consecutive nights, January 25 and 26, at 9 p.m. Directed by Paolo Barzman (Grand Star), the miniseries was written by Suzette Couture (The Terrorist Next Door) based on Raymond Khoury‘s novel.

Sorvino will be Tess Chaykin, a Manhattan archaeologist who is drawn into a fast-paced, romantic adventure concerning the lost secrets of the medieval Knights Templar. Garber (Eli Stone) is Monsignor De Angelis, who steps in to help with the investigation to retrieve the lost artifact.

The Last Templar opens with the fall of the Latin Kingdom's reign in the Holy Land in Acre in 1291. As the burning city falls to the Sultan's forces, a lone galley escapes out to sea, carrying a young knight from the historic order of the Knights Templar, Martin of Carmaux, his mentor Aimard of Villiers,...

Toronto -- CanWest Broadcasting on Wednesday unveiled a wide-ranging broadband content pact with NBC Universal for new and returning series on its fall schedule.

Toronto-based CanWest said it will stream such popular NBC series as "Heroes," "The Office," "Deal or No Deal" and daytime soap "Days of Our Lives" on its Global Television and E! Web sites.

As part of its latest deal with NBC Universal, negotiated at the Los Angeles Screenings, CanWest also will stream series including "90210" and "Knight Rider," and gain first-time access to blogs, games, behind-the-scenes footage and webisodes produced by the studio.

Previously, CanWest was able to stream "Heroes" and "Bionic Woman" on its Web sites. Now it has more shows to stream, and ancillary video and text content, the broadcaster said.

CanWest also acquired NBC Universal's "Kath & Kim," the spinoff of "The Office," "My Own Worst Enemy," the upcoming midseason series "The Last Templar," the...