SciFiAndTvTalk

Soulmates Coming In October (AMC)

Sarah Snook as Nikki in Soulmates. Photo courtesy/copyright of AMC.

Premiering October 5th @ 10:00 pm EST/9:00 pm CT on AMC, the highly anticipated anthology series Soulmates, ​written by Emmy Award-winner Will Bridges (Stranger Things, Black Mirror) and Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso, Superbob, Adult Life Skills) is set fifteen years into the future, when science has made a discovery that changes the lives of everyone on the planet – a test that unequivocally tells you who your soulmate is. In a first-ever format for AMC, each of the six episodes will feature a different cast and explore an entirely new story around discovering (or opting not to discover) the results of this new test and the impact of those results on a myriad of relationships. Check out the trailer below.

The series stars Sarah Snook (Succession), Kingsley Ben-Adir (The OA, High Fidelity), David Costabile (Billions), Sonya Cassidy (Lodge 49, Humans), Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things), Malin Akerman (Billions, Dollface), Bill Skarsgård (Clark, Castle Rock), Betsy Brandt (Breaking Bad, Life in Pieces), JJ Feild (Turn), Darren Boyd (Killing Eve), Dolly Wells (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Karima McAdams (Deep State), Laia Costa (Victoria), Shamier Anderson (Goliath), Georgina Campbell (Black Mirror), Henry Goodman (The New Pope), Sofia Oxenham (Poldark), Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Candyman), Sandra Teles (Black Mirror: Bandersnatch), Letty Thomas (Emma) and Adam El Hagar (Tyrant), among others. 

Kiefer Sutherland & Joey King Star in The Creepshow Halloween Special (Shudder)

"The Creep" on the set of Creepshow: Season Two. Photo courtesy/copyright of Shudder/AMC.

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, today announced Kiefer Sutherland (24, Designated Survivor) and Joey King (The Kissing Booth, The Act) as the voice cast for The Creepshow Halloween Special, premiering October 26th. The fully animated special will feature two stories directed by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero, with animation by Octopie animation studio. 

Survivor Type, based on the short story by Stephen King and adapted by Nicotero, stars Sutherland as a man determined to stay alive alone on a deserted island no matter what the cost. Twittering from the Circus of the Dead, based on the short story by Joe Hill and adapted by Melanie Dale, stars King as a teen whose family road trip includes a visit to the gravest show on earth.

“Halloween wouldn’t be complete without Creepshow, so with the help of the father and son team of Stephen & Joe as well as a fantastic animated format, we get to continue the tradition and spirit of Halloween,” said Nicotero. “Although season 2, now in production, has been delayed due to Covid, Greg and his team were still able to pull off this fantastic special so everyone will be able to enjoy a little bit of Creepshow during Halloween season,” said Craig Engler, Shudder’s General Manager.

The Creepshow Halloween Special is produced by the Cartel with Monster Agency Productions, Octopie, Taurus Entertainment, and Striker Entertainment: Stan Spry, Jeff Holland, and Eric Woods are executive producers and Geoff Silverman and Anthony Fankhauser are co-executive producers for the Cartel; Greg Nicotero and Brian Witten are executive producers and Julia Hobgood is a co-executive producer for Monster Agency Productions; Dave Newberg and Isaac Krauss are Executive Producers for Octopie; Robert Dudelson, James Dudelson and Jordan Kizwani are executive producers for Taurus Entertainment; Russell Binder is executive producer and Marc Mostman co-executive producer for Striker Entertainment.

Helstrom - Official Trailer and Key Art (Hulu)

Every family has its demons! Check out the official trailer (below) and key art (above) for the upcoming horror series Helstrom starring Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon, premiering its 10-episode first season Friday, October 16th exclusively on Hulu.

As the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer, Helstrom follows Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon), and their complicated dynamic, as they track down the worst of humanity — each with their own attitude and skills. Created for television and executive produced by Paul Zbyszewski along with Karim Zreik and Jeph Loeb. Helstrom is co-produced by Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios, part of Disney Television Studios. Along with Austen and Lemmon, the series also stars Elizabeth Marvel, Robert Wisdom, Ariana Guerra, June Carryl and Alain Uy.

Peacemaker Coming To HBO Max

Oh f*ck, it’s Peacemaker! HBO Max is set to explore the origins of the Peacemaker character, the master of weapons from the highly anticipated upcoming The Suicide Squad film, in the new Max Original action-adventure-comedy series Peacemaker. HBO Max has given a straight-to-series order of eight episodes for the first season of the show. John Cena will reprise his role from The Suicide Squad movie to star in the series, and the film’s acclaimed writer/director James Gunn will write all eight episodes of Peacemaker and will direct multiple episodes, including the first. Gunn and The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran will serve as executive producers of the series, with Cena as co-executive producer. Based on characters from DC, Peacemaker will be produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Peacemaker is scheduled to begin production in early 2021, prior to Gunn beginning work on the next Guardians of the Galaxy film.
 
While details about Peacemaker are being kept under wraps, the series will explore the origins of the character that Cena will play in the upcoming film, a man who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill to get it. The series will extend the world that Gunn is creating for The Suicide Squad movie, which is scheduled to be released in theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures on August 6, 2021.
 
James Gunn said: “Peacemaker is an opportunity to delve into current world issues through the lens of this superhero/supervillain/and world’s biggest douchebag. I’m excited to expand The Suicide Squad and bring this character from the DC film universe to the full breadth of a series. And of course, to be able to work again with John, Peter, and my friends at Warner Bros. is the icing on the cake.”
 
John Cena said: “I have said before that it has been a tremendous honor and an incredible opportunity to be part of The Suicide Squad and to work with James on what is going to be a fantastic movie. I am unbelievably excited to have the chance to team up with him again for Peacemaker. We can’t wait for fans to see this.”
 
“James Gunn has the unique ability to create an expansive universe while also bringing to life the soul and wit of each character. We look forward to a deep dive into the world of Peacemaker,” said Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max.

Raised By Wolves Renewed For Season Two (HBO Max)

Amanda Collin as "Mother" in Raised by Wolves. Photo copyright HBO Max/Coco Van Oppens.

After a striking debut on the streamer as the #1 performing Max original since the platform’s launch, HBO Max has ordered a second season of Raised by Wolves, a serialized sci-fi series from master storyteller and filmmaker Ridley Scott (The Martian, Gladiator, Alien), which has immersed fans into the rich, intricate world of Kepler 22-b. The series, which debuted with three episodes on Sept. 3, has continued to be a strong performer in its second week on the platform, growing its audience by nearly 50% week over week.
 
“When I think of Raised by Wolves, I think of artistry; artistry in crafting a compelling storyline, artistry in the out-of-this-world production design, special effects and cinematography, artistry in our actor’s portrayals of these memorable characters, and artistry attached to the legendary work of Ridley Scott, Aaron Guzikowski and our phenomenal crew,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of HBO Max. “This chart-topping series beautifully weaves together Ridley’s hallmarks of sci-fi and horror while offering fans one of the most original storylines they’ve seen in some time.  I can’t wait to see what’s in store for season two.”
 
“Being a dyed-in-the-wool advertising man, I was knocked out by the extraordinary campaign done by HBO Max marketing, which conveyed the ambitious storyline in such a provocative and tactile manner, and deftly positioned our first season of Raised by Wolves  as a “must watch” show.  It must have been a notable challenge to selectively plumb the riches In Aaron’s storylines. We were even happier that audiences have responded so enthusiastically,” said Ridley Scott. “We are already deep into the “layers” of season 2, as Aaron has begun to shape what we think will be another brilliant season to inspire the imagination.”
 
Raised by Wolves centers on two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet. As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences, the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task.  Scott serves as an executive producer on the series and directed the first two episodes, marking his television series directorial debut for American audiences. The series was created by Aaron Guzikowski, acclaimed writer and visionary behind the highly lauded film, Prisoners.
 
Critics have lauded the series, with IGN calling it “one of the most interesting sci-fi shows in years.  Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal heaps praise on Amanda Collin (A Conspiracy of Faith, A Horrible Woman), who stars as Mother, as “one of the most memorable female/female-like space entity since Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley in Alien—or the alien in Aliens. Collin’s performance, alongside her character’s counterpart, Father, played by Abubakar Salim (Fortitude, Jamestown), has been underscored as “top-notch” by Forbes.
 
In addition to Collin and Salim, Raised by Wolves stars Winta McGrath (Aloft, Red Dog: True Blue), Niamh Algar (The Virtues, Calm With Horses), Jordan Loughran(The Infiltrator, Emerald City), Matias Varela (Narcos, Point Break), Felix Jamieson (Game of Thrones, The Ghost), Ethan Hazzard (The Long Song, Damned), Aasiya Shah (Call the Midwife, Unforgotten) Ivy Wong (Star Wars: Rogue One, Maleficent 2) and Travis Fimmel (Vikings). 
 
The series is produced by Scott's Scott Free Productions, with Scott, Guzikowski, David W. Zucker (The Man in the High Castle), Jordan Sheehan (The Terror), Adam Kolbrenner (Prisoners) and Mark Huffam (The Martian) serving as executive producers.

Sci Fi Magazine - Fall 2020

If you happen to be passing a newsstand (or waiting patiently for) it, your local Barnes & Noble or Borders to reopen), check out the new issue of Sci Fi Magazine (Fall 2020 issue) which contains my "TV in Focus" section interviews with Neil Jackson (Stargirl), Rena Owen (Siren), Martin Gero (Blindspot), Jacqueline Scislowski (Power Rangers: Beast Morphers), Upload (Andy Allo), Into the Dark (Julius Ramsay), Faly Rakotohavana (Secret Society of Second-Born Royals), Jami O'Brien (NOS4A2) and Joivan Wade (Doom Patrol) as well as my feature interviews with Robbie Amell (Upload) and Aleks Paunovic & Annalise Basso (Snowpiercer). If you live in the U.S. and cannot find a copy of the magazine at your local newsstand you can order it directly - SCI FI Circulation, P.O. Box 1654, Williamsport, PA 17703. Single copies are $5.00 plus $2.00 for postage. Yearly subscriptions can also be purchased - U.S.A. $16.95; Canada and overseas $30.95 US$. Thanks as always for your continued support!

Steve Eramo

Eli Roth's History of Horror - Season Two Teaser And Key Art (AMC)

Today AMC released all-new assets from season two of Eli Roth’s History of Horror premiering Saturday, October 10 at 10:00pm ET/9c, including the official key art (see above) and teaser. Season Two of Eli Roth’s History of Horror digs even deeper into the catacombs of creepiness, exhuming landmark films and cult classics while chewing on the entrails of recent horror cinema. The series explores the dark power and wicked fun of scary movies, the craft that went into making them, and the ways that horror films reflect the anxieties of their times. The story is told by Eli Roth and a celebrated cast of writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, composers, and special effects artists who bring our nightmares to life. Check out the teaser below.

Interviewees include Stephen King, Quentin Tarantino, Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Bill Hader, Nancy Allen, Megan Fox, Greg Nicotero, Rob Zombie, James Brolin, Edgar Wright, Piper Laurie, Leonard Maltin, Katharine Isabelle, Jack Black, Slash, Rachel True, Ashley Laurence, Joe Dante, Roger Corman, Mary Harron, John Landis, Tom Savini, Karyn Kusama, and many others. 

AMC Visionaries: Eli Roth’s History of Horror is produced by The Content Group (ESPN’s 30 For 30, Nat Geo’s Breakthrough) and Marwar Junction Productions (Disney +’s Earth to Ned, BET’s Murder in the Thirst). The series writer/showrunner is Kurt Sayenga. Executive producers are Eli Roth, Kurt Sayenga, Steven Michaels, Jonathan Koch, Joseph Freed and Allison Berkley.

Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile Coming To U.S. DVD & Blu-ray This Month (Acorn)

Coinciding with the release of the new theatrical adaptation from Kenneth Branagh, Acorn features the DVD/Blu-ray release of the acclaimed and star filled classic adaptation of the world renowned  mystery novel, Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile on September 29, 2020. While vacationing in Egypt, Poirot (David Suchet, His Dark Materials, Decline & Fall) intervenes when a jilted woman harasses her former friend, but the river cruise still turns deadly  ($19.99, Amazon.com).

While vacationing in Egypt, Poirot (Suchet) meets the beautiful Linnet Ridgeway (Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place), a wealthy British heiress on her honeymoon. Linnet requests his help, as she is being stalked by a former friend (Emma Griffiths Malin, The Forsyte Saga), who accuses Linnet of stealing her boyfriend (JJ Feild, TURN: Washington’s Spies, Ford v Ferrari). Poirot declines to get involved in the quarrel, even as all four of them embark on a Nile cruise together. But when a murder occurs aboard the vessel, Poirot must turn his little gray cells from relaxation to investigation.

The outstanding cast also features Daniel Lapaine (Catastrophe), David Soul (Starsky & Hutch), Judy Parfitt (Call the Midwife), and Barbara Flynn (Cranford, Cracker).

Street Date: September 29, 2020; DVD: 1 episode -- Approx. 102 min. –SDH Subtitles – UPC 054961285297; SRP: $19.99 Blu-ray: 1 episode –Approx. 102 min. – SDH Subtitles – UPC 054961285396   SRP: $19.99.

Creepshow - Production Begins On Season Two (Shudder)

Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, today announced the start of production on the highly-anticipated second season of its hit series Creepshow in Atlanta, Georgia. The anthology series, which shattered all Shudder records when it debuted last October, is executive produced by showrunner Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) and based on George A. Romero’s iconic 1982 movie. The six-episode second season will premiere exclusively on Shudder in 2021. The show is following all safety guidelines and protocols in accordance with SAG-AFTRA, DGA, IATSE, TEAMSTERS, CDC and state and local guidance. 

“I’ve never been happier to get behind the camera as I am today,” said Nicotero. “After missing our shoot date in March by just over 48 hours, season 2 of Creepshow hits the ground running as cameras begin to roll. The cast and crew have a level of excitement and enthusiasm I’ve never seen before and it’s inspiring. So many of us in the entertainment industry have been waiting for the day we can begin to do what we do best—to have some fun together creating new worlds, new adventures and new thrills.”  

“Season one was a monster hit for us, setting viewership records across the board while becoming the best-reviewed new horror series of 2019,” said Craig Engler, Shudder’s General Manager. “For season 2, Greg Nicotero and his team have outdone themselves with bigger and bolder stories, new incredible creature designs, and clever twists that truly live up to the show's tagline, 'The Most Fun You'll Have Being Scared’.”

Shudder also revealed initial details about four of this season’s segments, which will be directed by Greg Nicotero. Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) and Adam Pally (The Mindy Project) will star in Shapeshifters Anonymous Parts 1 and 2, written by Greg Nicotero, based on a short story by J.A. Konrath (Last Call) about an unlucky soul who finds himself in need of a werewolf support group; Keith David (The Thing), Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser) and Josh McDermitt (The Walking Dead) will star in Pesticide, written by Frank Dietz (I Hate Kids), in which an exterminator makes an infernal bargain; and Model Kid, written by returning Creepshow writer John Esposito (season one’s Night of the Paw), is about a 12-year-old monster fan who turns to hand-built model kits to escape his unhappy reality. Additional titles, casting and directors will be announced soon.

In its first season, Creepshow smashed records for Shudder in number of viewers, new subscriber sign-ups and total minutes streamed to become the most watched program in Shudder history, followed by a successful run on AMC. The show was a hit with critics as well as fans as one of 2019’s best-reviewed new genre series, with a 97% Fresh rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The inaugural season starred David Arquette, Adrienne Barbeau, Tobin Bell, Big Boi, Jeffrey Combs, Kid Cudi, Bruce Davison, Giancarlo Esposito, Dana Gould, Tricia Helfer and DJ Qualls and featured adaptations of stories by Stephen King, Joe Hill, Joe R. Lansdale, Josh Malerman and others.

Shudder’s Creepshow is produced by the Cartel with Monster Agency Productions, Taurus Entertainment, and Striker Entertainment: Stan Spry, Jeff Holland, and Eric Woods are executive producers and Geoff Silverman and Anthony Fankhauser are co-executive producers for the Cartel; Greg Nicotero and Brian Witten are executive producers and Julia Hobgood is a co-executive producer for Monster Agency Productions; Robert Dudelson, James Dudelson and Jordan Kizwani are executive producers for Taurus Entertainment; Russell Binder is executive producer and Marc Mostman co-executive producer for Striker Entertainment. 

Monsterland Premieres In October (Hulu)

Encounters with mermaids, fallen angels, and other strange beasts drive broken people to desperate acts in Monsterland, premiering October 2nd on Hulu, an anthology series based on the collection of stories from Nathan Ballingrud’s North American Lake Monsters. Check out the trailer below! Fun Fact: the trailer’s score was specially produced by series composer Gustavo Santaolalla, a popular genre composer who recently composed the video game The Last of Us Part II.

The series star Kaitlyn Dever, Jonathan Tucker, Charlie Tahan, Nicole Beharie, Hamish Linklater, Marquis Rodriguez, Bill Camp, Michael Hsu Rosen, Taylor Schilling, Roberta Colindrez, Adria Arjona, Trieu Tran, Kelly Marie Tran, Mike Colter and Adepero Oduye. Monsterland is created, written, and executive produced by Mary Laws (The Neon Demon, Succession, Preacher) and executive produced by Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow, Wounds), Lucan Toh (An Evening With Beverly Luff Lynn, Under the Shadow, Wounds), Megan Ellison and Sue Naegle.  Ali Krug will serve as Co-EP.  The series is produced by Annapurna Television.