Gully Foyle

Lockout, in theaters on April 20th, 2012, follows a falsely convicted ex- government agent (Guy Pearce, Memento, The Hurt Locker), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President’s daughter (Maggie Grace, Taken, Lost) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum security prison.

Lockout also stars Peter Stormare (Armageddon, How I Spent My Summer Vacation), and is directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger.

By now you’ve heard U.S. presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich claim that, if elected, America will establish a moon colony by 2020. John Glenn considers the plan optimistic “to say the least.” Perhaps Gingrich should also propose a Sealab.

More space news, and some unusual video, follow:

Kepler has located a further 26 previously unknown planets in eleven different systems.

Lower-budget space exploration continues, as two Canadian teens launch a Lego man into space:

A Russian robotic supply ship docked today at the International Space Station.

Finally, if you’ve ever wanted to see a dryer tear itself apart “in the name of science,” here goes:

It’s like a low-budget version of the things Survival Research Labs did in the 90s (and still sporadically do).

Chaos, mayhem, big frakking monsters; Dark Horse is promising one hell of a summer.

[Click the Image to Blow Sh!t Up!]

The below video is pretty long. Luckily our hostess is cute as a button and full of moxie.

Meet SillySparrowness, a Doctor Who fan from Germany who got it in her head to build her own TARDIS, and thoughtfully document the entire process in this 16 minute video. Watching it I was amazed by how well thought out her whole project was. She built a fully collapsible and portable TARDIS that she can reconstruct in just under 10 minutes. That’s some Jedi level patience and more than a fair share of talent. Even though the video is long it’s well edited and a very entertaining 16 minutes. Enjoy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s been a long road for the last son of Gallifrey. You Tube user BabelColour has created a pretty cool timeline to show us just how long. Check it out below if you have 10 minutes to spare.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Press Release:

As the Star Wars saga joins the 3D revolution with the cinema release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace on February 10th, Titan is delighted to announce a range of official The Phantom Menace-themed magazines and comics with exclusive features, behind-the-scenes interviews and sensational comic strip stories!

Star Wars Insider Magazine Our flagship Star Wars title is the official magazine and indispensable companion to George Lucas’ enduring saga that has been a vital part of our culture for over 30 years. With The Phantom Menace being released in 3D, Insider #131 marks the occasion with a special celebratory issue that hits stores in the US and Canada on January 31st and in the UK and Ireland on February 9th.

Industrial Light & Magic guru John Knoll gives us an exclusive lowdown on the creative process behind the new format, and we showcase an amazing, never-before-seen set of storyboards depicting Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn in action against a battalion of battle droids. Noted Star Wars author Dan Wallace pitches in with 10 reasons to love hapless Gungan Jar Jar Binks, and we take a close look at Darth Maul, who became one of Star Wars‘ most iconic characters.

Plus, the man who arranged Maul’s epic battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, stunt coordinator Nick Gillard, is on hand to guide us through five great movie sword fights! Legendary comic book artists Frank Quitely and Paul Pope in an exclusive article discuss their new Star Wars-themed works and how the saga has influenced their award-winning art. Plus, we bring you news of all the very latest books, comics, and toys!

Subscribers to Star Wars Insider receive an exclusive subscriber edition featuring an artwork-only cover that you can’t get in stores! To find out more, click here. Digital editions of Insider are available on the iPad, iPhone, Mac & PC, click here.

Star Wars Galaxy Comic
Star Wars Galaxy showcases the greatest Star Wars comic adventures from a galaxy far, far away!

On-sale January 26th in the UK and Ireland, Star Wars Galaxy #17 features the first part of the battle between the horned-warrior Darth Maul and the grim-breathing icon of evil Darth Vader. The galaxy’s greatest Sith warriors battle it out for supremacy in this epic tale! Arriving on the volcanic moon Kalakar Six, Darth Vader is unprepared for the challenge that awaits him: a duel to the death with Darth Maul!

There’s also part three of Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness, where Darth Vader and a mysterious assassin inch closer and closer in their hunt for the Jedi. And the latest arc from The Old Republic concludes! Will Theron Shan and his crew manage to stop Darth Mekhis from launching her mega-weapon before time runs out?

Plus, a stunning Darth Maul poster for your wall and a chance to win LEGO Star Wars starfighters! For more information and to subscribe, click here.

Totally… The Phantom Menace Souvenir Magazine
On-sale February 2nd in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Totally… The Phantom Menace is a one-off, 32-page official movie souvenir magazine that celebrates all things The Phantom Menace with a galaxy of features, puzzles, and games. And to mirror the movie’s exciting new dimension, it features ten pages in amazing 3D, including an all-new, all-action comic strip!

This never-before-seen 3D comic strip introduces a new dimension of the Star Wars universe. Start your engines as young Anakin shows off his awesome Podracing skills on Tatooine, while Darth Maul crushes battle droids, and is trained up by the evil Darth Sidious. The spectacular action comes to life with the awesome FREE 3D glasses that come with every copy of the magazine.

There’s also an eye-popping 3D pull-out poster with some of the most iconic characters in cinema brought to life.

That’s not all! Totally… The Phantom Menace magazine is giving away a FREE C-3PO Grabber Arm and a load of collectible Star Wars stickers with every copy!

Don’t miss out! Pre-order Totally: The Phantom Menace magazine now! click here.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine is the ultimate destination for young fans of the Star Wars saga and the awesome animated TV show on Cartoon Network!

This tie-in issue celebrates the release of The Phantom Menace in 3D by showing readers how the characters in The Clone Wars began their sagas in the movie itself! Plus, we ask how the fearsome Darth Maul ties into brand-new episodes of The Clone Wars!

The US edition of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Magazine hits stores on February 7th. Get a FREE Hasbro The Clone Wars action figure when you subscribe. To find out more, click here.

The UK edition is on sale February 9th and comes with a FREE Wookiee Bowcaster and The Phantom Menace stickers!

Titan is your one-stop shop for official Star Wars magazines and comics. Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on amazing Star Wars stories, incredible artwork, sensational features & interviews and, above all, to learn more about unforgettable characters. Your Star Wars: The Phantom Menace memorabilia collection won’t be complete without this amazing set of official titles.

The third part of Greg Pak and Mike McKone’s four part story came out this week.

General Information

Title: Astonishing X-Men #46

Author: Greg Pak

Illustrator(s): Mike McKone (art) and Rachelle Rosenberg (color art)

Cover Price: $3.99 US

Premise

This issue reveals the back story of this alternate universe, depicting exactly how the two universes diverged, and then gearing things up for the action in the final chapter.

High Point

Alternate Nightcrawler: Wait, where are they going?
Alternate Emma: Don’t ask.
Alternate Nightcrawler: I already did.
Alternate Emma: They’re going to find that butcher savior. And they’re going to kill him.
Alternate Nightcrawler: Oh. You mean the fun stuff.

Low Point

Now that we know why Cyclops was captured and what Savior wanted in the first place, why was he allowed to even keep his visor in captivity? The way his powers work, taking the visor away helps Savior and restricts Cyclops. Similarly, why were the trophies all kept, particularly the helmets?

The Scores

In a way, this is a very original vision. (Expanding on “in a way” constitutes spoilers and won’t be done in these reviews.) This feels like a fresh X-Men story that fits well following Schism and has to potential to lay down pieces for the upcoming Avengers vs. X-Men event. Despite that, this story feels like it can stand alone as well. I give it 5 out of 6.

The artwork by McKone is great. His experience on Exiles during those fantastic early years serves him well here creating various alternate reality versions of familiar characters. I wonder why the optic blasts are undisrupted by the helmet peak, but that’s a minor quibble. I give it 5 out of 6.

The story holds together very well, with the possible exception of the low point. That said, if the Savior’s ego is sufficiently large, then the low point is just a mistake the character would genuinely make. I give it 5 out of 6.

The characterization is what this is all about. Cyclops’ interactions with the familiar yet unfamiliar really helps things gel and combine, highlighting the core elements of everyone and the way they fit together. Moreover, Pak really gets my favorite character and has him front and centre, which certainly helps. I give it 6 out of 6.

The emotional response is strong. This is a genuinely interesting premise that has been executed well. I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow is very smooth and engaging. This portion of the story would probably elapse in minutes, which always helps the flow and perception as the story moves forward. I give it 6 out of 6.

Overall, this is another engaging chapter in the story arc that wraps up next month. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Astonishing X-Men #46 receives 37 out of 42.

Earlier this month, we brought you a new international featurette for the Luc Besson (Taken) penned Sci-Fi/Thriller entitled Lock-Out (aka MS One: Maximum Security), starring Maggie Grace (Faster) and Guy Pearce (Animal Kingdom). Now we have a new American trailer for the Sci-Fi thriller. Check it out below!

Trailer: Lock-Out

Synopsis:

A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president’s daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.

Lock-Out starring Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace and Peter Stormare is slated to hit theaters on April 20th, 2012.

Marvel Studios has released five new images from director Joss Whedon‘s forthcoming big-screen adaptation of The Avengers, featuring Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Steve Rogers / Captain America (Chris Evans), Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Clint Barton / Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Tony Stark / Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner / The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).

Check them out below!

[Click Images to Blow Sh!t Up]

Synopsis:

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

The Avengers starring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Clark Gregg and Tom Hiddleston is slated to hit theaters on May 4th, 2012.

We’ve shown you three different clips from the first episode of the second half of season 2 of The Walking Dead. They’ve been great, of course. But if you were a-hankering for some action, AMC has supplied it and SciFi Mafia is delivering. Check. It. Out.

Now THAT’s what I’m talking about! Come on February 12, WE NEED YOU!

The Walking Dead, starring Andrew Lincoln, Scott Wilson, Laurie Holden, and a bunch of zombies, returns with all new episodes beginning Sunday, February 12 at 9/8c on AMC.

BBC America has released an official statement confirming the premiere date of season 4 of Being Human, reiterating much of what creator Toby Whithouse has said about the new season, and adding some new tidbits that some of you will relish, and some of you will find too spoilery. Proceed at your own risk, but know that many of your Being Human pals will be reading this and will likely spill the info inadvertently anyway.

BBC AMERICA’S ORIGINAL HIT SERIES, BEING HUMAN, RETURNS TO SUPERNATURAL SATURDAY WITH FRESH AND THRILLING FOURTH SEASON
Jan 26, 2012 | BBC America

A vampire, werewolf and ghost do their best to live normal human lives while fighting off evil and raising a baby

BBC AMERICA’s original hit series, Being Human, returns February 25, as part of BBC AMERICA’s Supernatural Saturday. In its fourth chapter, the show is reinvigorated with new cast members, shocking plot-twists, guest appearances and an altogether new type of supernatural creature. In sharing his excitement about the new season, creator and writer Toby Whithouse (Doctor Who, Torchwood) promises: “We take you to somewhere we’ve never been to before.” Being Human premieres Saturday, February 25, 9:00pm ET/PT on Supernatural Saturday.

Following the gripping season three finale, in which viewers watched Mitchell (Aidan Turner) fall victim to the wolf-shaped bullet, season four sees the aftermath as the housemates return to their home in Barry Island. There are also some new faces in town…

In an old B&B in a sleepy seaside town, we join Annie (Lenora Crichlow), her housemate George (Russell Tovey) and their new friend Tom (Michael Socha). They’re reeling from the loss of their best friend Mitchell, Tom’s father-figure McNair and the tragic death of George’s girlfriend, Nina. But with a newborn baby to look after, it’s never been more difficult to live life under-the-radar as a ghost and two werewolves. There are also vampires to deal with: lurking in every corner of society, waiting for the Old Ones, powerful older vampires, to arrive and take over the world with brutal force. Worse yet, there’s a malevolent ghost on the loose and someone’s seeking to expose the existence of werewolves – not to mention all the diapers that need changing.

Toby Whithouse on the series: “Every year we set ourselves the task of creating something bigger and bolder and better than anything that’s happened before. We knew this year was going to be especially tough because of the various cast changes…The mountain before us seemed even higher than usual. But once we’d stopped rocking and shaking, we saw season four as an opportunity: we could invent new characters, expand the show in different directions, create new worlds and monsters and heroes, and add new layers to the overarching Being Human mythology. Suddenly season four was a genuinely thrilling prospect.”

Whithouse continues: “But the essential DNA of the show remains the same. Recently I found the pitch document I wrote for season one. This was the opening paragraph:

‘We’re the stuff of nightmares. And we’re your only hope. George, Mitchell and Annie yearn for their vanished humanity. Being Human is a unique twist on the aspirational drama, as the things Mitchell, Annie and George struggle to achieve are so common place and normal to us, yet impossibly remote to them. And the desire to be accepted by their old lost race will drive them to acts of immense courage, and foolish hazard. Our heroes may be like characters that have tumbled from the pages of a book, but their problems are always recognisably human, and the stories will strike a balance between the supernatural and the domestic.’

Obviously, a lot can happen in four years. But looking back at it now, I’m relieved to see that those words are still relevant for a show that has a new cast, a new location, an American reincarnation and expanded beyond our wildest dreams. As ever, Being Human lives or dies on the strength of the characters and the cast, and that’s why I think this season is our strongest yet.”

All three previous seasonsof BBC AMERICA’s Being Human are available now from the BBC on Blu-ray, DVD and on several media platforms to purchase and download.

BBC America also released this season 4, episode 1 synopsis; again, expect spoilers.

EPISODE SYNOPSES

Episode One

Annie, her housemate George and their new friend Tom are reeling from the loss of their best friend Mitchell, Tom’s father-figure McNair and the tragic death of George’s girlfriend, Nina. On top of all this, there’s a newborn baby to look after and vampires to deal with: lurking in every corner of society, waiting for the Old Ones to arrive and take over the world with brutal force. Can they fight them off? And at what cost? One thing becomes clear – the vampires believe that the child of two werewolves is important in their own mythology. Can this little baby really be the savior of humanity? And what exactly are Cutler’s ‘alternative’ plans for world domination? Episode One premieres Saturday, February 25, 9:00p.m. ET/PT.

And finally, we have this Character Guide, outlining a bit of the paths that Annie, Tom, and Hal will be taking in the new season.

CHARACTER GUIDE

Annie played by Lenora Crichlow

Annie has been a ghost since her fiancé killed her back in 2007, but since then she’s seen more of life than ever before. She’s defied death’s door, been to Purgatory and back, discovered her lover (Mitchell) was responsible for the murder of twenty innocent people and watched as he was killed by best friend George. In this season, Annie is more than ever the matriarch of Honolulu Heights, left holding the baby with the fate of the world in her hands.

Tom played by Michael Socha

Werewolf Tom has spent his life on a mission: to kill vampires. In season three, Tom discovered that not only was his father, McNair, not his real dad, but that he was the one who gave him the werewolf curse. Since McNair’s death, Tom has stayed in Barry and is welcomed into Honolulu Heights. Putting his nomadic life and his mission to kill all vampires (mostly!) behind him, Tom has to learn to live like a human, love like a human and fight like a human. But will he succeed?

Hal played by Damien Molony

Hal has been a vampire for over 500 years and the temptation for blood and carnage still rules his every waking thought. Since meeting best friends Leo (a werewolf) and Pearl (a ghost) in 1955, Hal has managed to stay off the blood by sticking to a rigid structure and keeping away from all people. Coming to Honolulu Heights is a huge disruption for Hal. And he doesn’t cope well with disruption. At first, Hal – the stand-offish, posh vampire – and Tom – the common, feral werewolf – find themselves at each-other’s throats, but once a mutual respect is gained, we see this odd couple become close.

Being Human returns with a brand-new fourth season beginning February 25 at 9/8c on BBC America.

Excellent, it’s Fringe Friday again! Today we have three clips for you, and honestly they’re really not very spoilery. But if you’re a fan like I am, you’ll take every opportunity to watch Olivia, Peter, Walter, Astrid, Lincoln, and Broyles in action. If so, here you go:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Fringe, starring Anna Torv, John Noble, Joshua Jackson, Jasika Nicole, Seth Gable, and Lance Reddick, airs Friday nights -that’s tonight! watch it live! – at 9/8c on Fox.

So it has come to this. One last night with Chuck, Sarah, Casey, Morgan, Ellie, Awesome, and the Buy More gang. It’s been a great run. First we have a nice exciting TV spot to get you all excited for tonight’s two-hour series finale, then we have some wonderfully thoughtful and honestly tear-jerking farewells from the cast to get you all maudlin:

Let’s be clear: when they said “next Friday” on that TV spot, they meant TONIGHT.

If you’re new to the series, star Zachary Levi‘s farewell will give you a nice idea of what the show’s characters have been through. If you’re a fan, grab the Kleenex.

Yvonne Strahovski‘s farewell is pretty spoilery about one of Sarah’s scenes, but it’s not the final scene, so we recommend it – and did you remember she has an accent offscreen? It’s adorable. Of course.

Joshua Gomez‘s character Morgan has had nearly as big an arc as Chuck. It’s another sweet remembrance.

Now go blow your nose and make sure that your DVR is set for tonight; if you start sniffling again you might miss something and you’ll need to rewind.

Chuck, starring Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, and Adam Baldwin, airs its two-hour series finale tonight at 8/7c on NBC.

There are some things that seem to go together, one one seems to be that SF fans are also fans of Monty Python, and can recite any scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail spot on…I’ve even been explaining to my kids how if a woman weighs as much as a duck, she’s made of wood, and therefore a witch…ahem. So no wonder I got giddy when I heard about Absolutely Anything, a SF farce comedy being directed by former Python Terry Jones, who also directed Life of Brian and co-directed Grail, and already has John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin signed up – Eric Idle is in negotiations – potentially bringing the five surviving members of Monty Python together again (the sixth member, Graham Chapman, passed away in 1989 from cancer). Add in the voice of Robin Williams and just sit back and laugh…

The story, being developed by Jones and Gavin Scott (The Musts of Avalon, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles) and combining CG and live action, is about a group of aliens (voiced by the Pythons) who grant the power to do anything to a human – and watch how he screws up everything. Williams will add his voice as a talking dog named Dennis, and they are hoping to use him in a live role as well.

Fox still hasn’t announced its intentions regarding Fringe, although a lot of people are expecting the network to cancel the show after entertainment president Kevin Reilly’s statement that ““We lose a lot of money on the show.” But Joshua Jackson, who plays Peter Bishop on the show, thinks it could live on after cancellation. “They’ve talked about maybe going off network with it, too,” he said of the possibilities. “The TV landscape is a different place than it used to be, so it might not be death.”

The TV landscape is VERY different. Gone are the days where a big budget show might survive in first-run syndication, and cable networks don’t seem to be quite up to the same level for production costs, although they are closing in. But if your loyal fan base is strong enough, there still seems to be alternative media outlets, including the Buffy route: tell the rest of the story in comics.