|
 |
|
June 2005
|
June 27th |
|
Morgan and Wong's Latest
Destination
Glen
Morgan and James Wong helped to craft Final Destination
into an original and successful horror thriller, and they
launched a franchise in the process. Now, the former Millennium
producers are hard at work helming the third film in that
franchise. The Deadbolt, a website for film enthusiasts, has
posted an interview with Craig Perry, the producer who enticed Morgan and
Wong into returning. Perry explains, "We
mentioned 'roller coaster' and their reaction was, 'Hey,
that's not bad.' They had to get inspired and the roller
coaster led to a bunch of different scenarios." Despite the
fact that the duo was not involved in the franchise's second
film, Perry
promises the two are dedicated to keeping things consistent.
"One of the
nice things is that Glen and Jim appreciate what Final
Destination 2 did and what it brought to the table in
terms of raising the bar for the franchise. They're not
ignoring Final Destination 2, they're assimilating it
into the vision they have." Visit the
Deadbolt or
Dark Horizons to read more about Morgan and Wong's work on
the project.
Final Destination 3 is now filming for a 2006 release.
|
|
June 21st |
|
Third Season Artwork
Revealed
The
cover art for the North American release of
Millennium: The Complete Third Season has been revealed by
Fox Home Entertainment.
TV Shows on DVD has offered fans their first glimpse at
the long-awaited final DVD collection. Similar in design to
its two predecessors, the blue-hued box set is made unique by
spotlighting a bizarre and unsettling image from the memorable
third season episode "Saturn Dreaming of Mercury." Currently,
only the Canadian, French-language variant of the cover has
been made available, although only the cover's text is
expected to be changed for the American release. Further
details, including a confirmation of the set's content and
special features, have yet to be made available by Fox Home
Entertainment. Visit the Abyss
DVD details page for a larger look at the image.
Millennium: The Complete Third Season is scheduled to be
released in both the United States and Canada on September
6th.
|
|
May 2005
|
May 17th |
|
Third Season DVDs Coming
This Fall
Fans
can stop worrying while they wait. A new date has at last been
confirmed for the release of the third and final Millennium
DVD collection from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Contacts in the company have indicated that the Region 1 version of
Millennium: The Complete Third Season will be made
available in North America on September 6th. An official press
release, which will likely confirm the collection's content and special features
as well as reveal the final set's cover artwork, is
expected from Fox Home Entertainment sometime soon. No reason
has been given for the release's delay. Visit
Millennium Desktop UK or
TV Shows on DVD for more coverage of this recent
development. As usual, further details regarding Millennium: The Complete Third Season
will be posted here and on the Abyss
DVD details page as they are made available.
|
|
May 6th |
|
Moresco's Crash Now
Playing
Crash,
a motion picture co-written by Millennium producer
Robert Moresco, opens in theaters nationwide today. Featuring
an all-star cast that includes Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle,
and Brendan Fraser, Crash tells the story of a Los
Angeles car accident that brings together a disparate group of
strangers shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The crime drama has earned the praise of critics and a number of highly favorable
reviews. Moresco, who penned the memorable first season Millennium
episodes "Covenant" and "Broken World," has also co-written
and directed 10th & Wolf, a film that is being prepped
for a 2006 release. Visit the official website for
Crash
to obtain more information about the film and to learn more
about Moresco's
involvement.
|
|
May 5th |
|
Happy Birthday, Lance!
Today,
fans around the world extend their warmest birthday wishes to
Lance Henriksen. The renowned actor and Millennium star
was born in New York City on this day in 1940. Henriksen
continues to work hard and viewers can look forward to seeing
him in upcoming film and television projects including
Supernova, River to Havilah, Tarzan II and
Stephen Spielberg's Into the West. "I have no longings,
otherwise I would be called a bride at every wedding and a
corpse at every funeral," Henriksen said recently. "I have
some wonderful projects coming up, so I'm real happy as long
as these movies don't take me away from my pottery. And that's
the truth." Enthusiasts can always catch a glimpse of
the work that Henriksen is most passionate about — his pottery — at his
official website. Here's wishing Henriksen and his family
another year of happiness and success. Happy birthday, Lance!
|
|
|
April 2005
|
April 29th |
|
Third Season Release
Date Uncertain
It
has become clear that the release date for Millennium: The
Complete Third Season that was previously announced by the
Fox TV
on DVD website — June 14, 2005 — was posted prematurely
and is incorrect. That date has since been removed from the
site. No official
press release regarding Millennium: The
Complete Third Season has been provided by Fox Home
Entertainment as yet. The
TV Shows on DVD website has updated its notice as well, noting, "Fox
jumped the gun and posted incorrect information on their site
regarding this release." The Region 1 box set's release
is not in question, however. It's likely that the third and final
collection will be coming to North America sometime later this
summer. Further details regarding the release will be posted
on the Abyss as soon as they are made available.
|
|
April 22nd |
|
Henriksen Chat
Transcript Available
A
full transcript of Lance Henriksen's recent online chat with Sideshow Collectibles is now online at their official
website. Henriksen, as jovial and good-natured as ever,
offered fans insight into a number of his legendary roles and
projects. "It happens everyday," Henriksen said of being
recognized on the street as Frank Black. The Millennium
star then confirmed he is as dedicated as ever to returning to
the role. "I'm getting agitated at Chris Carter for not
stepping up to the plate and making our film... We need Fox to
get off their you-know-whats." Now well-known for his work
with ceramic tiles inspired by the art of Alien vs.
Predator, Henriksen also revealed that he is preparing to
begin work on a series of Millennium-themed tiles soon. Says
Lance about the Sideshow action figure modeled after him,
"You better not let Barbie see this guy!" Visit
Sideshow Collectibles to read the full chat transcript
complete with commentary from Henriksen on Millennium,
Alien vs. Predator, his pottery, his ambitions, and more.
|
|
April 18th |
|
Final Destination 3 Now
Filming
Shooting
is underway on Final Destination 3, the horror sequel
written and produced by Millennium's Glen Morgan and James Wong. The film's
premise echoes those of its predecessors whilst indulging the
creative duo's grim fascination with amusement parks. Mary
Elizabeth Winstead is starring as Wendy, a high school senior
who receives a grim premonition regarding an impending
rollercoaster disaster. "I don't know if we ever successfully
pull it off, but Jim and I like to have themes," Morgan
explains. "And this one, for the Wendy character, is about
loss of control. You got a roller coaster, [and] psychologists
will tell you that's why people hate 'em, why you're afraid of
them, or why you're afraid to fly. Because you have no
control... If you look at death, that's [the same]... I feel
that if it wants us, [it's going to get us]. I think that's
why the franchise kind of works." Morgan also notes that the
movie's terrifying rollercoaster sequences are being shot in a
unique manner; Wong, the film's director, will combine footage
of an
actual roller coaster with computer-generated extensions, wire
stunts, computer animation, and actors in simulated cars shot
against green screens. It remains uncertain whether or not the
film will be presented in 3-D, as it is rumored that Morgan and
Wong intend. Visit the
Sci-Fi Wire or the
Hollywood Reporter for more information on the film's
production. Final Destination 3 is scheduled to be
released sometime next year.
|
|
April 2nd |
|
Black Christmas for
Morgan and Wong
Glen
Morgan and James Wong have added Black Christmas to
their growing list of upcoming projects. The duo have signed
on to write the horror remake for
Copperheart
Entertainment, the
production company recently recognized with an Oscar for Best
Animated Short.
Morgan will be directing the film and
both
will
produce, along with Steven Hoban, Victor Solnicki, Marc
Butan, Marty Adelstein, and Dawn Parouse.
Hoban complimented the two high-profile helmers by commenting,
"[Copperheart
Entertainment] is continuing to play to its strengths of
developing and producing theatrical genre films but is now
stepping up to studio-level pictures and working with the best
talent in the industry."
The original Black Christmas — as Brian Roedecker
explains to Frank Black in Millennium's "Midnight of
the Century" — involves a sorority house
terrorized by a serial killer during a Christmas break.
Black Christmas joins Darkwatch and Final
Destination 3, two other horror films slated to be filmed
by the former Millennium writer/producers. Visit
Dark Horizons or
Creature Corner for more news.
|
|
March 2005
|
March 31st |
|
Henriksen to Participate in Live Chat
Lance
Henriksen is scheduled to take part in Sideshow's Fantacular, a live chat hosted by
Sideshow Collectibles on April 1st. Among other things,
the Millennium star will be discussing his work on the series,
Stephen Spielberg's Into the West,
and is sure to comment on the recently released action figure
made in his image. "Sideshow would like to invite you to join
us in our next live chat on April 1st," the company has
announced. "We are expecting Lance Henriksen to join us and
discuss his AvP art tiles, The X-Files,
Millennium, his newly completed Spielberg project and
more! Some of the excitement will include signed Frank Black
figures, the infamous Doors of Indecision, Web Mistress
Giveaways, and a live web cam showcasing new product debuted
at Toy Fair." The live chat begins at 6:00am PST and will
continue all day with Henriksen's online visit scheduled for 1:00pm. Visit
Sideshow Collectibles for further details or to
participate in the chat.
|
|
March 29th |
|
The Lone Gunmen Hit DVD
The
Lone Gunmen, the fourth and final television series from
Chris Carter's Ten-Thirteen Productions, is now available on
DVD. Offering the spotlight to Byers, Langley, and Frohike,
the scene-stealing geek heroes from The X-Files, the
cult favorite stood apart from its predecessors by mixing
conspiracies with comedy to offer unique, memorable, and
remarkably witty storylines. The light-hearted show's
preoccupation with conspiracy theories is particularly
striking in retrospect, after the nightmarish World Trade
Center scenario of its pilot episode has become a part of
history. The new three-disc box set contains all thirteen
episodes of the short-lived television spin-off in widescreen
format and also includes "Jump the Shark," The X-Files
episode that brought closure to the show's story and
characters. The set's bonus materials include TV spots and a
retrospective featurette regarding the making of the series as
well as a number of episode audio commentaries featuring Rob
Bowman, Robert McLachlan, Frank Spotnitz, Vince Gilligan, John
Shiban, Bryan Spicer, Dean Haglund, Tom Braidwood, Bruce
Harwood, Stephen Snedden, and Zuleikha Robin. More information
regarding the collection is available at Fox Home
Entertainment's
The Lone Gunmen
homepage, and the
Canadian Press has commented on the show's September 11th
connection. The Region 1 set is now available from retailers
including
Amazon.com,
Wal-Mart, and
Best Buy.
|
|
March 14th |
|
Carter Considers
Millennium's Fate
Millennium
creator Chris Carter has been relatively quiet since The
X-Files left the air, concentrating on a number of
screenplays still
in development. Recently, while discussing the upcoming
release of
The Lone Gunmen with DVD Empire, Carter
offered some serious reflection regarding his past work with
Ten-Thirteen Productions. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, as they
say, and Carter reveals that both he and the Fox network would
now regard the cancellation of Millennium as a mistake.
"I think it was a missed opportunity," Carter said,
considering the fourth season that never was. "I think if Fox
had to do it over again, they would have kept that show on the
air. I actually knocked myself out of the box with Harsh
Realm. It kind of stole away from Millennium.
Millennium's ratings were actually better than anything
that appeared in that time slot for quite a while."
Interviewer Shannon T. Nutt observes that the influence of
Carter's television work remains clear today and that
Millennium's dark crime stories, in many ways, were ahead
of their time. "I think when you look at franchise shows like
C.S.I. and N.C.I.S. and people go back and watch
the Millennium pilot, they’re going to see the direct
connection visually and, I think, thematically," Carter
admits. "That’s not to take anything away from C.S.I. I
think one of the problems may have been the religious
element — the apocalyptic element — which C.S.I. is not
encumbered with. The mythology, if you will, it’s something
they benefit from [not having], and something we may have
suffered from." Unfortunately, Carter comments that the
entertainment industry is a forward-looking business and
concedes that the odds may be against Frank Black's return.
Visit
DVD Empire to read the complete Chris Carter interview, an
interview that includes extensive news and commentary on Millennium,
The X-Files,
Harsh Realm, The Lone Gunmen, and Carter's various film
projects.
|
|
March 11th |
|
Henriksen Starring in
Into the West
Lance
Henriksen is one of the many stars to headline Stephen
Spielberg's Into the West, an epic limited series being
produced by DreamWorks Television for TNT. The series will
follow several generations of American settlers and Native
Americans, depicting the exploration of the western frontier
and the clash of cultures that took place there. "Into the
West is the most ambitious original production TNT has
ever undertaken," says TNT Senior Vice President Michael
Wright. "Producing something of this size and complexity would
be impossible without the amazing talents and passionate hard
work of those who are bringing it to life. We are fortunate to
have some of the most talented people in the industry working
on what we believe will be the television event of the year." Henriksen
will star as a railroad worker in the twelve-part series' fourth
installment,
appearing alongside Rachael Leigh Cook, Tom Berenger, and Wes
Studi. Shooting is currently taking place in Santa Fe,
New Mexico. Visit
Variety to read about Henriksen's casting.
TNT has also posted an extensive website dedicated to the
upcoming series. Into the West will premiere on June
10th.
|
|
March 1st |
|
New X-Files Film
Shooting This Year?
David
Duchovny has spoken out once again about the next installment
in The X-Files film franchise and it looks as if the
new motion picture from Ten-Thirteen Productions is set to
shoot this December. "We're all happy to do it, " Duchovny
told Empire magazine. "Gillian and I, Chris Carter. So,
it's just a matter of getting everybody in the same spot. I
think we'll shoot it next winter, in December." The subject of
the second big screen adventure for The X-Files team is
predictably being kept as a close secret, however. What is
certain is that the film will present a standalone
supernatural story rather than add to the show's conspiracy
mythology. "There's an idea in place. Chris won't show it to
anybody," Duchovny says. "I think what's important in looking
to do the show in a movie form is that it's accessible. The
first one was conspiracy-orientated, alien-orientated, and I
think that alienated some people... I think if you go at it as
a supernatural thriller, then it can stand alone, on it's own.
Something like The Forgotten is very much like an
X-File and you don't need to know anything before going
in. Then I think it's more welcoming, so it's not only for the
fans but for new people who might not know the show." Visit
Moviehole or
Dark Horizons for these and other Duchovny details.
|
|
|
February 2005
|
February 28th |
|
Sideshow Figure Now
Shipping
Sideshow
Collectibles has indicated they are preparing to ship the
long-awaited Frank Black
action figure. Announced last year as an extension of
Sideshow's popular line of The X-Files related items, the Frank Black
figure created by sculptor Mat Falls presents Millennium's
hero as he was seen during his last ever onscreen adventure,
his crossover guest appearance on The X-Files.
The exclusive edition of the figure
features over thirty points of articulation and includes a Webley
revolver, old school .45 and holster, a pager, a cell phone, a
flashlight, a Millennium Group case file with photos, a bible,
and a standard figure display base. Both the exclusive and
regular editions of the twelve-inch figure are now sold out. The item is scheduled to
ship in the coming week and those fans who pre-ordered the
item months in advance will be receiving it soon. Visit
Sideshow Collectibles online for a glimpse at the one and
only Millennium-inspired action figure, a true collector's item.
|
|
February 7th |
|
Terry O'Quinn in TV
Guide
Terry
O'Quinn, the man who stood by Frank Black's side for three
years on Millennium, is finally earning the critical
acclaim he so rightly deserves. This week, O'Quinn graces the
cover of TV Guide in one of six special covers
spotlighting the stars of the hit ABC series Lost.
O'Quinn
—
dubbed by TV Guide a real "man of mystery"
—
portrays John Locke, an enigmatic loner who seems to know and
see more than his fellow castaways about the bizarre island
that is their prison. Pivotal to the show's ongoing story,
O'Quinn's character has fast become an indisputable viewer
favorite. In some circles, the complex
mythology of the series has prompted fans and reviewers alike to compare the
series with the likes of Millennium and The X-Files.
Lost airs Wednesdays at 8:00pm on ABC. Additionally,
O'Quinn continues to make sporadic appearances on NBC's The
West Wing. Visit
TV Guide
for further details on this week's issue.
|
|
January 2005
|
January 29th |
|
Third Season DVDs Due
This Summer
Fox
Home Entertainment has announced that Millennium: The
Complete Third Season, the third and final collection
bringing the show's episodes to DVD, will be released in the
United States on June 14th. The official
Fox TV
on DVD website has been updated with the new release date
and
TV Shows on DVD has followed up on the story. An official
press release revealing the content of the third season set
has not yet been made available but it is expected the
collection will contain the same content and extras as its
Region 2 counterpart. Further information regarding
Millennium: The Complete Third Season will be posted here
and on
the Abyss
DVD details page as
it is made available.
|
|
January 25th |
|
AVP Now Available on DVD
Alien
vs. Predator, the science fiction thriller starring Lance
Henriksen, is now available on DVD. The crossover film,
joining two popular sci-fi franchises, acts as a prequel to
those Alien films that feature Henriksen as the
memorable android Bishop. "When
[Paul W.S. Anderson] and I talked about this, I thought it was
a great idea because this is such an adventure," Henriksen has said.
"This
is a whole new world."
The disc from Fox Home Entertainment includes an extended version of the film, deleted
scenes, a making-of featurette, as well as commentary tracks recorded
by director Paul W.S. Anderson, actress Sanaa Lathan, visual
effects masters including Tom Woodruff Jr., and Henriksen
himself. Visit
Amazon.com to order the new release in either full-screen
or widescreen editions.
|
|
January 21st |
|
Wong to Direct New
Destination
Production
Weekly has confirmed that former Millennium writer
and executive producer James Wong will be directing the third
installment in the Final Destination horror franchise,
a film series he and co-writer Glen Morgan helped to launch.
Final
Destination 3, to be filmed in Vancouver, will follow the same
pattern set by its predecessors. "Wong and Morgan's script
follows high school student Wendy Christensen, who fails to
stop the fated roller coaster ride that she predicted would
cause the deaths of several of her friends," Production Weekly
reports. "She teams with schoolmate Kevin Fischer in a race
against time to prevent the Grim Reaper from revisiting the
survivors of the first tragedy." No further details have
been revealed yet concerning the film's cast or production
team. Visit
Production Weekly or
Dark Horizons to read more.
|
|
January 20th |
|
Lone Gunmen Destined for
DVD
Rumors
regarding the DVD release of the fourth and final television
series from Ten-Thirteen Productions have proven to be true.
The Lone Gunmen will be coming to DVD on March 29th. The
three-disc box set will contain all thirteen
episodes of the short-lived spin-off series, including a
memorable pilot episode that is now viewed as controversial in
the shadow of September 11th, 2001. The set will also feature
some of the usual bonus features we've come to expect from
Twentieth Century Fox: episode commentaries, an anamorphic
widescreen presentation, and a bonus episode of The X-Files.
The collection's complete running time is 559 minutes. It will
be sold for the suggested retail price of $39.98 in the United
States, CAN $54.98 in Canada. Visit
Amazon.com to pre-order The Lone Gunmen collection,
or visit
TV Shows on DVD to read more about the forthcoming
collection.
|
|
January 18th |
|
ABC Revives Kolchak for
New
Pilot
Variety
has revealed that ABC has greenlit Kolchak: The Night
Stalker, a new pilot re-imagining the cult classic horror
television series that first aired on the network during the
1970's. Fans of Ten-Thirteen Productions will know that the
original Kolchak, featuring an intrepid investigative
reporter's explorations of the paranormal, inspired Chris Carter to launch the
supernaturally-driven The X-Files decades later and
served as one of his foremost influences. It's
no surprise, then, that the man behind the new project is
former Millennium and The X-Files
writer/producer Frank Spotnitz. There is no word yet as to who
may be starring as the show's iconic title character, once
brought to life by Darren McGavin (Millennium's Henry
Black), or if
other Ten-Thirteen regulars might be added to the show's cast
and crew. Visit
Variety or the
Sci-Fi Wire to read more about the potential television
series.
|
|
January 17th |
|
Henriksen Auctions End
Successfully
The
ongoing charity auction that placed Lance Henriksen's personalized
Millennium shooting scripts up for grabs is now over.
Bidding on the items, offered on eBay over a six month period, raised over
£13,000.
Each individual script in the auction earned an average of
£219.
Those funds have been divided to support a number of
charitable organizations worldwide, including the effort to
offer relief to those affected by the recent tragedy in
Southeast Asia;
£3,300 has been allocated to
Plan
International's campaign to stop child trafficking in
Nepal, £5,000 to a community healthcare centre in rural
Bolivia and a youth centre in Brazil, and £1,500 to
Oxfam
to
support its work with the tsunami disaster crisis. "Certainly
fans of Millennium, who have supported the auction, as
well as Lance and myself can all be very, very proud to have
played a small part in this revolution," says Sue Myatt, the
dedicated woman behind the auctions. Our thanks
to all those Millennium fans who placed bids on the
one-of-a-kind scripts, thereby contributing to the effort! Visit
Lance
Henriksen Magic to read a full summary of the charity
auction or to learn
more about how you can contribute to these and other
charities now that the auctions are over.
|
|
January 4th |
|
Season Two Now Available
on DVD
Millennium: The Complete Second Season, the second volume
in the
Millennium DVD collection, hits store shelves in the
United States and Canada today. The Region 1 box set contains
all twenty-three episodes of the show's remarkable second year
and offers a total of 989 minutes. Executive Producers Glen
Morgan and James Wong guided Frank Black on a brave new
journey in the show's second year, exploring dark mythologies
and twisted conspiracies. These stunning episodes, many of
them among the best the series ever produced, have been
completely unavailable to Americans since the turn of the
millennium itself. The six-disc collection also contains
never-before-seen documentaries, featurettes, and commentaries
offering viewers a glimpse behind the scenes. "With
Morgan and Wong at the helm, season two further explores the
dark and fantastical, but becomes a lot more surreal, but no
less fascinating," declares Amazon.com's editorial review. "So
whether you are drawn to stories about dark serial killers,
the ongoing tales of conspiracies, familiar comedies, or the
bizarre, season two has something for you."
Visit the Abyss
DVD page to review the set's complete features or to learn
more about the collection's predecessor and successor.
Millennium: The Complete Second Season can be found at
such retailers as
Amazon.com,
Best Buy, and
Wal-Mart.
|
|
|