Tag Archives: prequel

‘Sherlock’ mini-episode tees up series 3

Television, Video, , ,

Sherlock has been gone for two years. But someone isn’t quite convinced that he’s dead…

So reads the logline for this Sherlock mini-episode that serves as a prequel appetizer for series 3. It opens with Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade (Rupert Graves) meeting with a bearded Anderson (Jonathan Aris) at a coffee shop investigating probable Sherlock sightings. DI Lestrade firmly believes the master sleuth is “dead and gone” but Anderson’s worldly tales have Sherlock’s fingerprints all over them. Later, Lestrade stops by Dr. John Watson’s pad (Martin Freeman hasn’t grown out his famed mustache yet) to hand over some of Sherlock’s belongings. Among the contents is a DVD with the uncut version of a birthday message Sherlock made for his apprentice. In it the one played by Benedict Cumberbatch teases, “Oh and don’t worry; I’m going to be with you again very soon.”

“Many Happy Returns” was written by series creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat.

How did Sherlock fake his death? How exactly will his reunion with Watson go down? Find out when Sherlock returns January 19 on PBS.

‘Breaking Bad’ spinoff series starring Saul Goodman is happening!

News, Television, , , , , , , ,

For those of you who are experience great anxiety as we near the end of Breaking Bad, I have some very, very exciting news for you. After the AMC staple concludes, one of its most memorable characters will live on. That’s right, I’m talking about the one and only Saul Goodman. Walter White’s fast-talking lawyer and absolute scene-stealer is getting his very own spinoff series imagined by Breaking Bad mastermind Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the man who invented the sly comic relief character.

Perhaps the aforementioned phrase “live on” isn’t so appropriate here. Goodman very well may die a bloody death before the series comes to a close and yet the spinoff will remain in tact. Are you connecting the dots here? The spinoff is a prequel series meaning it will take place before Goodman was even acquainted with The One Who Knocks. Tentatively titled Better Call Saul, the prequel spinoff “will focus on the evolution” of the well-connected lawyer. Bob Odenkirk, the comic who currently portrays Goodman, is expected to sign on to reprise the role.

The Goodman spinoff will be a one-hour drama despite its main character being as funny as Odenkirk can be. In an exchange with EW, Gould shares his early vision and tells Breaking Bad fans to expect–what else–the unexpected. “We’re using the kind of storytelling that we did on Breaking Bad but in a really new way. When people think of a Saul Goodman spin-off, they tend to think in terms of a laugh-a-minute comedy, and we’re going for something that has a very very unique tone. To play with a main character who has the unique morality that Saul Goodman does is going to be in its own way as much of an experiment as Breaking Bad was.”

When asked why give someone like Saul Goodman his own series, Gould was quick to answer: “He’s not a character I’ve seen before. So much of Breaking Bad is about playing out ideas of morality and how you live in the world, and this is a guy who has a philosophy which is internally consistent but is also kind of strange. In addition to the fact that he always amuses us and we’re always ready to see more, the guy is a problem solver. He solves problems in his own way. He’s just as innovative as Walt is, so that really gives us a lot of stories and a lot of places to go with him.”

AMC and Sony Pictures Television reached a licensing agreement to make the show, and in time a pilot and/or series order is fully expected to be greenlit. Stay tuned.

[Via Deadline; EW]

Movie trailer: ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’

Movies, Video, , , , , , , ,

Sam Raimi, the director of the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy, is back in Oz The Great and Powerful. In it he tells the fantastical origin story of The Wizard of Oz, a character originally invented by L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The story serves as a prequel to the famous 1939 film starring Judy Garland. A synopsis follows:

When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot–fame and fortune are his for the taking–that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity–and even a bit of wizardry–Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Oz: The Great and Powerful opens March 8, 2013 in 3D.

A&E has a ‘Psycho’ prequel series in the works

News, Television, , , , ,

Cable network A&E has announced it is developing a new series based on the classic Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. The show is titled Bates Motel and it will serve as a prequel to the 1960 black-and-white film which starred Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh. It is currently in script development with Anthony Cipriano holding the pen. The official announcement:

“Bates Motel” will give viewers an intimate understanding of how Norman Bates’ psyche developed from his childhood through his teen years. Fans will have access to the dark, twisted back story and learn first-hand how his mother, Norma, and her lover damaged Norman, helping forge the most well-known serial killing motel owner in history.

In the ’80s multiple Psycho sequels were made but simply couldn’t live up to the cinematic masterpiece by Hitchcock. There was even an attempt to develop Psycho as a made-for-TV anthology series and it was called–get this–Bates Motel. After only one airing the idea was scrapped. So, can another reincarnation of Psycho work today? Though the track record is poor, I am certainly interested in seeing what A&E cooks up here. A psychological trip with a nostalgic flair might just work in today’s TV landscape. More as this project develops.

[Via DreadCentral]

Sony Ericsson ad reaches a new level of creepy

Technology, Video, , , , ,

Sony Ericsson’s “PlayStation phone” named the Xperia Play was teased during the Super Bowl and today the smartphone company let out a prequel commercial that goes on to explain how exactly those human thumbs ended up sewed onto the green nubs of the Android mascot. If you thought the teaser was creepy, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

[Via Engadget]

Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’ prequel is now ‘Prometheus’

Movies, News, , , , , ,

Back in the summer of 2007, director Ridley Scott made it official that he was on board to helm a prequel feature film to his original 1979 cult classic Alien.  What has been referred to as “The Alien prequel” since then has suddenly morphed into something new and quite original.  Today studio-backer 20th Century Fox came out and formally announced the film as Prometheus and tacked on a March 9th, 2012 release date.

While the film will contain some “Alien DNA”, says Scott, it will explore new themes.  “While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn’t be more pleased to have found the singular tale I’d been searching for, and finally return to this genre that’s so close to my heart.”

Damon Lindelof (Lost, Star Trek) has been working closing with Scott on the script.  “In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley’s vision was for this movie,” says Lindelof. “It’s daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true.”

As for casting, only Noomi Rapace has been signed on to play scientist Elizabeth Shaw and Fox says other roles “would be cast soon.”  I’m really looking forward to Prometheus.  If you recall, the three Alien sequels were helmed by different directors (James Cameron, David Fincher, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, respectively), and so I’m intrigued that Scott is so confident he can inject new life into his original creation.

[Via Deadline]