1. Live Action #CowboyBebop In The Works
The trend toward space-based TV shows appears to be continuing as the acclaimed Anime Cowboy Bebop is headed to a live action adaptation. That 1998 sci fi / western series takes place in a future when humans have colonized other planets in the solar system after Earth has become mostly uninhabitable. To help control the criminal activities running rampant across the planets, bounty hunters are employed to track down and bring in law breakers. The series focuses on the bounty hunter crew of the spaceship Bebop.
Tomorrow Studios is working on the live action version in partnership with ITV Studios, though no network is attached at this point. The original Anime ran for only twenty-six episodes, and it is not clear at this point if the live action show is targeting going beyond that (likely yes). This show shares some similarities with Joss Whedon’s acclaimed Firefly series and also with Syfy’s current Killjoys, and will likely draw plenty of attention from sci fi fans. There was a previous attempt to do a live action movie based on Cowboy Bebop which would have starred Keanu Reeves, but it was scrapped due to budgetary reasons.
2. The Story Of #StargateUniverse Will Continue
Some good news for fans of the third live action Stargate series which was cancelled after its second season: that cliffhanger ending will get a resolution. American Mythology is releasing the first issue of its Stargate: Universe comic book (subtitled “Back to Destiny”) this month which will pick up where the show left off and continue with the events that had originally been planned for the third year of the show. Mark L. Haynes and J.C. Vaughn will be writing the series and Giancarlo Caracuzzo will be drawing it. I have not seen confirmation that the show’s original creative staff is involved, but indications are the they at least provided direction. Haynes and Vaughn have previously working on the Stargate: Atlantis comics for American Mythology. SGUreceived mixed reviews from fans of the Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis during its two-season run, but it still developed a somewhat loyal following. Back to Destiny is due out in comic shops on June 28th and will be available digitally as well.
3. Sci Fi TV Status Report: #Shadowhunters And #Stitchers Post Decent Ratings For Freeform
This past Monday Freeform’s Shadowhunters resumed its second season and Stitchershad its third year debut. The former series pulled a 0.26 rating based on the overnights for the 18-49 demographic with 712K total viewers and the latter show had a 0.18 rating with 475K total viewers. For Shadowhunters, that score was even with its season to date average from Winter, and for Stitchers the score was slightly higher than its second year average. For both shows, this represents a decent, if not spectacular start, and if they continue to trend well in the social networks they could continue for another season each on Freeform.
Be sure to follow my weekly Sci Fi TV Status Report column here on Creators.co which tracks the ratings results and renewal/cancellation prospects of the currently airing sci fi and fantasy shows.
4. Game of Waiting
Game of Thrones fans have had to wait longer than usual for the current season of the show as it is set to debut on July 16th, over three months later than its usual April start. But the eighth and final season may come with an even longer delay. According to a recent interview with showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss, the final season of the show may take longer to produce (even though it will only have six episodes) in order to deliver the epic ending expected from it. They said it could be ready by late 2018, but its possible that fans may have to wait until 2019. But there are several prequel/spin-off series in the works, so perhaps one of those could have its debut in the interim to tide fans over.
5. The ‘Misfits’ Are Coming To The U.S.
The British superhero series Misfits is headed to the states as Freeform has ordered a pilot for a reworking of the show. The original series followed a group of juvenile delinquents that develop superpowers after getting caught in a freak electrical storm. Freeform plans on doing a pretty direct adaptation of the British show and has cast four of the five leads: Ashleigh LaThrop, Tre Hall, Allie MacDonald and Jake Cannavale The network will consider adding it to its 2018 schedule which already contains two other teen superhero shows: Cloak and Dagger and The New Warriors (more on those here). Considering that the original series was also in English and had a pretty good reputation, seems like it would be cheaper just to bring that over for an encore run on Freeform. But Peak TV keeps demanding more scripted shows, so Freeform has decided to do its own spin on the idea.
6. Syfy Goes Grindhouse With ‘Blood Drive’
Next week brings the debut of Syfy’s new series Blood Drive which follows the last good cop in LA who must go on a cross-country race where the cars use blood for fuel. This Grindhouse-like series promises plenty of tongue-in-cheek, B-Movie fun and joins the network’s ever-growing line of original programming. Also next week, Starz’s American Gods has its season finale. You can keep up with the weekly listings of sci fi and fantasy shows here.
7. News-Bites: Jennifer Connelly Boards ‘Snowpiercer’
TNT’s Snowpiercer TV series is on track and the network has announced that Jennifer Connelly will be joining Daveed Diggs in the cast of the pilot. That one is based on the dystopian movie of the same name and TNT will be considering it for their 2018 schedule.
FOX’s The Exorcist will have a new storyline for its second season and a mostly new cast, though Alfonso Herrera, Ben Daniels and Kurt Egyiawan will be returning in the roles they had during the first year.
HBO has cast The Mummy‘s Sofia Boutella in their upcoming TV movie adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s classic dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451. That telefilm will likely have its debut on the pay channel at some point in 2018.
