Two new tv show trailers

As I mentioned yesterday there are two new shows that had trailers debut online recently. The first is for Sam Raimi's new family friendly sword and sorcery show set to premiere on ABC this coming November 1st. The show is called Legend of the Seeker, although it was until very recently to be known as Wizards First Rule, and is based on a series of books by fantasy writer Terry Goodkind, titled The Sword of Truth series. Check out the trailer.



The other new trailer is for a show we all know and love.... ok maybe not love. The new Knight Rider is coming to series this Fall after a great turnout to view the backdoor pilot last season. Check out this new trailer for the show



Thrilling I know. I just love the busting through the logo at the end, its totally awesome. And definitely how Val Kilmer questions Micheal's sexuality; that's guaranteed laughs. :) The show will premiere on NBC, September 24th.
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A long list of quick hits

There is a lot of coverage on the San Diego Comic Con out there, but much of it is buried in panel reports and drawn out press events. Also the world has not stopped turning just because of the con. There is other cool entertainment news to be had as well. But I just don't have the time to write up posts about everything. So maybe a few quick hits are in order. I mean, theres a lot of cool stuff going on, I wouldn't want to miss it. And with that said here are a few quick stories or links for you.

According to THR, Leonardo DiCaprio and his Apian Way production company are looking to possibly make a series of movies out of old Twilight Zone stories. They've put the call out to writers for pitches.

Some descriptions of the 3 minutes of Tr2n footage that was screened at the con can be read here and here, with more follow up details at AICN. And just a note, the footage was NOT actually from the new movie.

Cartoon Network is developing 3 comic book titles into tv movies. The first is Firebreather, a story about a teenager growing up in a divorced family with a typical worrying mother, and a fire-breathing dragon for a father. The next is The Mice Templar, a book about templar mice, a prophecy, and oh so much more. When I was at Wizard World the creator gave me a full 5 minutes on the book after I guessed that it was probably just like Mouseguard... And the third is The Vanishers, about a fifth grader who travels through time to rescue his friends after they start disappearing from existence.

Bryan Singer is developing a feature based on the comic miniseries Freeedom Formula , a sci fi about a high speed illegal mecha racing circuit and the cost of freedom in a fascist techno-future. Seems reminiscent of IGPX with a bit of Akira.

You can watch the trailer to Afro Samurai: Ressurection at Spike TV right now, or read more about the show here.

You can watch a painfully bad clip with Paris Hilton singing from Repo! The Genetic Opera over at MTV right now.

An honestly pretty cool trailer for Sam Raimi's new family friendly tv show Legend of the Seeker (formerly Wizards First Rule) has landed online. The show is based on Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth book series, and premieres on ABC on Nov 1st, '08.

Kevin Feige said at the SDCC Marvel panel that FOX was waiting the see how well the Wolverine movie does before moving forward on the Silver Surfer solo film.

NBC has posted videos of their Knight Rider and Kings panels on their website. Also catch this new one minute KR trailer.

The will be NO Dinobots in Transformers 2 say the writers.

Care of IGN watch the trailer for the upcoming animated film Resident Evil: Degeneration. No word on a western release date yet.

MTV interviews The Rock on Shazam, and Sam Jackson on Nick Fury.

AICN has a review of what is apparently a terrible script rewrite on Escape From New York by Jonathan Mostow.

IESB has heard that The Rock may appear in the Johnny Quest film, as Race Bannon!

Watch almost 4 minutes of new footage from Star Wars Clone Wars right here on Yahoo!

MTV has a preview up for the upcoming direct to dvd Marvel animated film "Hulk vs Wolverine" and it is killer.

Read Comingsoon.net panel reports and coverage on The Spirit, Watchmen and here, Day The Earth Stood Still, Prince of Persia, The Wolfman,

Read AICN panel reports and coverage on Wolfman, Watchmen, Twilight, Wolverine, Batman: Brave and the Bold and here, and a non-con Star Trek report

Read Latino Review's reports on the Hasbro panel (G.I. Joe), the Fox panel (DTESS, Max Payne, Wolverine), Watchmen, Punisher WZ, The Spirit, Ninja Assassin, Star Wars, and a video interview for Red Sonja,

Read IESB.net's well written reports on Watchmen, Twilight, the Fox panel, the best Wolverine footage breakdown online, and video interviews on Wolverine, Max Payne, and DTESS

And that's about all I can handle for now. That's sure a ton of info, And there'll be even more tomorrow after the Saturday panels get going at Comic Con. It's kinda crazy, but very cool stuff overall. Anything in this list really stand out to you as awesome? In my opinion the Star Wars footage steals the show so far. I'll post it up on its own later this weekend. Until then, I'm off to bed.
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Knight Rider and more

Variety has a good article that acts as kind of a preview for NBCs planned upfronts to occur this coming Wednesday. In it, we learn the next announced series from the network as well. Sure it was expected after the big numbers drawn in to the pretty awful backdoor pilot this past season, but the updated Knight Rider series has been granted a season pass by NBC. And yes I said season. According to Variety NBC has plans to air as much original programming as possible next season. They don't want to air repeats unless they have to, and although they reserve the right to change their minds of course, they are expected to grant tentative season pickups for a slew of freshman shows this week.

In the article, NBC exec Marc Graboff says that the network is moving to a system of selling not the shows, but selling adspace in general. By letting their advertising partners know that they can count on an hour of original programming: that is action adventure themed, or dramatic, or whatever is called for. Regardless of the show, the hour will be what was paid for no matter what. That way they can be assured a satisfied client. Apparently advertisers these days don't actually care as much specifically what the show is they are advertising on, but more that the knowledge that the right demographic is tuning in. Sounds like a smart move for them if you ask me.

And despite NBCs focus on pleasing advertisers more than the viewers, it sounds like we might make out alright with this new system too. We will be given more original programming than usual, and shows will have a chance to last longer, even if maybe they get shuffled a bit more. The important thing is we're going to have more new tv overall because NBC doesn't want to run out.

Besides Knight Rider, NBC is developing the new, already announced, shows My Own Worst Enemy, which is the title of the Christian Slater spy show I mentioned a few days ago, Robinson Crusoe, the Canadian show about the psychic paramedic The Listener, Kings, which is a loose retelling of the story of King David and set to star Deadwood's Ian McShane, and something called The Philanthropist.

A number of other shows are in play as well, but let's just chill until we hear what NBC has to actually say on Wednesday before jumping the gun. It's definitely interesting to see this new strategy. I hope it succeeds, and we get a few cool new shows out of it. Well that and I hope that the commitment to more shows with the same amount of money doesn't come back to bite us all in the ass with just a lot more crappy tv.

I'll just be twiddling my thumbs until Wednesday. I'm hoping for the best.
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Brand new K.I.T.T.

Can you feel the excitement in the air yet? Can't you just taste it? It's the beginning of a brand new era of television and it begins with Knight Rider. The backdoor pilot is set to air on NBC on February 17th. We only got like a week and change to go! You should probably set your Tivo, and start planning you Knight Rider viewing parties with your friends now. Because, you certainly don't want to leave it up to the last minute.

In a surprising turn of events, the tv series has done a last minute recast. With a mere two weeks to go before air, it was announced that the voice of the new K.I.T.T., Will Arnett has been taken off the project and replaced with none other than Val Kilmer! yes, thats what I said, Val Kilmer!!

This totally unexpected news is based on a conflict of interests between Arnett's career and the advertisers on the new Knight Rider show. You see, Arnett has done voice over work for years, effectively becoming a spokesman, for General Motors, and that of course doesn't fly well with Ford who are not only heavily sponsoring the Knight Rider program, but are actually supplying the car. The new version of K.I.T.T. is a modified Ford Mustang, a change from the Trans AM in the original series, and Ford was none too comfortable with a rival spokesman becoming the embodiment of their vehicle.

I guess it makes sense, but man, you'd think they could've mentioned this a little earlier eh? Ah well, Kilmer's not doing too much these days, this might be good for him. Either way, I'm still looking forward to the 17th. It's going to be sweet :)
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New Knight Rider trailer

Coming in February on NBC; unlike the recently released teaser, this trailer for Knight Rider actually gives us a good look at KITT. Check here for more on the show, including some great high rez photos by a bunch of gearheads. Anyhow, enjoy the trailer. I know I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens with this one.


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Knight Rider Teaser

While there legitimately wasn't a ton of news in the entertainment world over the past week and a half that I was incommunicado there are a few things that deserve mentioning. And in case you missed it then, right here and now at the AIASL blog might just be the best place to see them. So in the interest of completeness... did you see the teaser trailer for NBCs new Knight Rider? It's short but pretty sweet. And despite all the press the new show has gotten, this is really the first time I get the feeling that this thing might actually work. Check it out.



What do you think?
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Knight Rider the series.

So as all you loyal readers know, I've been somewhat following the behind the scenes drama that is Knight Rider. Well this week, with the announcements that the new KITT will be portrayed by a black 550 HP Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang, and not a Camaro, and then the official press kick off with photos to boot, I think this version has taken a significant leap in the polls. Not that fans, especially internet one, aren't finding things to bitch about (they always do), but this Knight Rider is here and now, and 'real'. The Weinstein's one is one of those 'out there in the ether' kinds of things...

Check out these sweet picks of the cast, including KITT and the new hero of the show, long estranged son of Michael Knight, Mike Tracer as played by Justin Bruening, of All My Children fame.

also... click to embiggen.

(left to right) Deanna Russo (as Mike Tracer's long lost love & daughter of KITT's creator), Justin Bruening (Mike Tracer), Bruce Davison (playing KITT's creator) and Sydney Tamiia Poitier

For a bunch more great photos please go check out this AICN article.

But that's not all people. This "backdoor pilot" which is set to air February 17th, '08 on NBC, also announced that none other than evil comedian Will Arnett of Arrested Development fame will be voicing the new KITT! Pretty sweet if you ask me. KITT needs to be a bit smarmy, and Arnett has a great voice for something like this.

The final news though is so awesome I can hardly believe it. And it makes me suspect that whatever else happens the proposed film version of Knight Rider will NOT ever come to fruition. Is that the man himself David Hasselhoff, is going to cameo in the pilot, reprising his role from some 20 years ago!

Things are sure shaping up pretty interesting with this one. A few unexpected turns, but so far I have nothing really to complain about. I hope its good. I think this property deserves to be on tv, its fun and cool, has great action, and hot women... or at least that's what I'm hoping for, lets see what they deliver.
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Knight Rider tv update

Just two quick updates on the Knight Rider tv show being produced by NBC as a backdoor pilot for later this year. If you'll remember I discussed this, in some detail a little while ago. But all controversy aside, it looks like the NBC version of the KR saga is moving forward full steam.

News has surfaced that exec producer Doug Liman will not be directing the pilot unfortunately, although the duty has been passed along to a tv veteran Steve Shill. Who recently won some accolades for his work on the Kill Point miniseries which I unfortunately missed :( Anyhow, that's all fine, but what I really wanted to draw your attention to was Ain't It Cool News' excellent somewhat spoiler filled script review of the pilot. Perhaps surprisingly it honestly sounds like it might actually be good!

You know, despite the misgivings I expressed before on this project, I really do think this property could be revamped well, and television is the place to do it. Here's hoping everything comes together and we all end up with a kickass new Knight Rider series we're all happy with.

CORRECTION - Sorry, but as was pointed out to me in the comments, I accidentally said that Doug Liman wrote the pilot script, but in fact it was actually written by David Andron.

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Knight Rider times two!

So there's a pretty astounding and somewhat confusing story I just read over at Aint it Cool News regarding not one but two, competing Knight Rider projects in the works. Go read the story for the really gorey details. I'll give you a short run down here though.

Basically, the creator of Knight Rider, Glen Larson has been trying to get a Knight Rider movie made for a number of years. He's finally gotten to a point where he has a script that he's developing with the Weinstein's. Everything seemed to be progressing fine, until Universal stepped in. Apparently Universal/NBC owns the television rights to the property while Larson retains the film rights. When Larson refused to move the project from The Weinstein Company to them it really pissed some people off. So NBC is heading Larson off at the pass, and has started developing a Knight Rider television project to be fast-tracked as a two hour backdoor pilot for airing later this year, possibly as early as the springtime.

This truly sounds like a clusterfuck in the making. Is NBC going to rush the pilot to get it out the door giving us some sub-par piece of garbage? Is this just out of spite? or to just screw with the Weinsteins? If the tv show gets on the air it will definitely screw with the film prospects. So what the hell is going on? Logic dictates that one of these projects will fall apart, but which one? And the most important question. how will this affect the quality of either of the projects?

As a fan, I simply want the best story possible. Frankly I think the property belongs on tv more than the big screen, but NBC/Universal's tactics seem really underhanded... I guess, I'm not sure what I want.

Read the AICN story for the full scoop. And I'll post more on this as it develops.

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KR Poster

care of AICN

K.I.T.T. and other updates

Conceptual art for the proposed Knight Rider movie...See AICN, and HERE.

This is almost definitely total bullshit. I suspect its just a cylon eye from battlestar galactica photoshopped onto the car, but its still kinda cool looking eh? I can't say I'm super excited to see the KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) or the show return in updated "tricked out" movie format. I wasn't ever a huge fan of the show. I mean I liked it ok as a kid, and it was definitely better than Airwolf... but it never held a candle to either The Dukes of Hazzard, or especially MacGyver.

But it is a fact that they really are going ahead with a KR Movie. Now don't get me wrong here, I like The Hoff a lot... and yes he is in fact set to star. Word is he asked Orlando Bloom to play his son and didn't get a very positive response. I just know that these updated movies like Dukes, Starksky & Hutch, Miami Vice, etc are really really uneven and I suspect that this one wouldn't fare to well to the updated treatment. Then again, I remember that god awful update from a few years ago called Team Knight Rider... shudder... seriously now that was a travesty.

Here's a list of shows I'd like to see updated:

• Thundercats - new tv show, and no not the Loonatics approach I read about with the rock band angle. That is just about the worst idea ever. Please stop destroying my childhood.
• G.I. Joe - live action movie. this could be great, just tone down the cartoonishness of Cobra, and have a cameo by Sgt Slaughter.
• MacGyver - movie (there already has been some rumblings on this)
• Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles - if you've seen it you know how good it was. I want a live action ongoing tv series. Space marines kick ass.
• Tripods - maybe some of you saw the old BBC series, but these books were amazing to me as a kid. Like everything that was great about Battlefield Earth without all the crap. I want a trilogy of films. It could be great. Aim them at teens too, like PG-13.
• Conan the Barbarian - I want more movies. NO Arnold.
  
• Y the Last Man - I'm thinking tv series, same scope as Jeremiah... only its a better story :)
• Fables - animated tv show. For adults. Maybe like on Showtime.
  
• Speed Racer - live action movie. make it super stylized (Ultravioletish), not a comedy but have tons of 70s throwbacks. The key is everyone plays it straight.
  

What shows or stories would you like to see given a relaunch, update, or big screen adaptation?