Official “ThunderCats” Image Released

Blastr has posted that it seems like, these days, the best way to pry first looks at beloved geek franchises from the studios is to have someone grab a shoddy, not-ready-for-prime-time image and post it all over the net. Worked with X-Men: First Class and now it’s worked for ThunderCats.

Here’s what sounds like the official Warner Brothers PR description of the Cartoon Network show:

The new ThunderCats will appeal to viewers who have loved the characters all their lives as well as young newcomers to the franchise. A sweeping tale combining swords and science and boasting ferocious battles with the highest of stakes, the grand origin story of Prince Lion-O’s ascension to the throne—and of those who would thwart his destiny at any cost—takes on epic dimensions in this sharp new telling. As the forces of good and evil battle each other in the quest for the fabled Stones of Power, Lion-O and his champions learn valuable lessons of loyalty, honor and mortality in every episode.

Brannon Braga calls lack of gay Star Trek characters ‘a shame’

Brannon Braga has worked on Star Trek in some capacity for 15 years, from an intern on The Next Generation in 1990 to the executive producer of Enterprise when it ended in 2005—and he regrets that in all of those years, the series never had a gay character.

Read the interview here

After half century, it’s 1 Fantastic’s farewell

It’s a Fantastic Four farewell with the revelation Tuesday of who among them has been selected to be written out of the super hero team.

While Marvel Entertainment has made no secret that a member of the quartet, which was introduced in August 1961, would die, exactly who among the group would fall has been a closely held secret, until the release of issue No. 587.

Read the story here

Why Captain America WON’T be Captain America overseas

Steve Rogers has super strength, speed and endurance, as well as super healing abilities. He even has the super name of Captain America. But for the upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger, the hero’s name will have to wear a mask in few markets overseas.

In Russia, South Korea, and the Ukraine, Captain America will be shorted to its subtitle, The First Avenger.

Read the story here

Guess which likely Oscar winner wants to be a bad guy on Doctor Who?

When a potential Oscar winner says he’d love to have a part on Doctor Who or Torchwood, it grabs our attention. But when that actor claims he would go for a “bad guy” role, it makes us even MORE excited.

Colin Firth (who most of you know as the ultimate Mr. Darcy in both the 1995 BBC mini-series Pride and Prejudice and The Bridget Jones Diaries movies) has apparently sent twitter all aflutter this weekend when he revealed—in a twitter interview—that he’d love to be in either Doctor Who or Torchwood—and moreso, that he’d love to be a villain! I’m thinking lady and gentlemen we might have our new “MASTER”! Thoughts?

Read the story here

That Evil Dead reboot? Sam Raimi is still IN!

There’d been talk and whispers (actor Bruce Campbell being among the most vocal) that Evil Dead—one of the greatest horror/comedy cult movies ever made—would get the reboot treatment, but then things sort of died down. Until now. And the news is—Sam Raimi’s still in.

During the press tour for Starz’s Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (a prequel to the gloriously ultra-bloody and sexy Spartacus: Blood and Sand), producer Rob Tapert (of Hercules: The Legendary Journey and Xena: Warrior Princess fame) let slip that he and longtime business partner and friend Sam Raimi could still be set to revisit the completely insane world of The Evil Dead and the Necronomicon. We here at ESO feel as long as Sam Raimi and Bruce Campell involved we would be all for it.

Read the story here

Bif Bang Pow! Acquires Doctor Who License

This week, Bif Bang Pow! and BBC Worldwide announced a new partnership that will bring to market a brand-new line of toys and collectibles based on eras of Doctor Who from 1963 through to the present day. Because bobble heads are cool! Bif Bang Pow!’s upcoming product line will be on display at the New York Toy Fair, February 13-16, 2011.

Read the full press release here

 

Great Hera! David E. Kelley’s Wonder Woman pilot gets green light!

Remember how David E. Kelley’s concept for a new Wonder Woman TV show was pretty much dead in the water after all the broadcast networks passed? Well, guess what—it’s been picked up after all!

Deadline reports that NBC had a change of heart under new entertainment head honcho Robert Greenblatt, who decided to order a Wonder Woman pilot after the network initially passed. The project is said to “reinvent” the Amazonian princess and Justice League member, making her a corporate executive by day and a vigilante crime fighter by night in Los Angeles (sounds like Kelley is taking the Christopher Nolan “realistic” approach).

Read the story here

We’ve waited 13 years, but Duke Nukem Forever is FINALLY here!

In 1991, Duke Nukem was a groundbreaking platform videogame that spawned a popular first-person shooter franchise. But the long-awaited sequel, Duke Nukem Forever, has for 13 years been a running joke—a sequel that everyone has waited for but no one actually expected.

But the joke that was Duke Nukem Forever finally has the last laugh: its release date is May 3, 2011 (May 6, worldwide).

Read the article here

Red Dwarf star accidentally reveals new season is on the way

The hilarious, anarchic British sci-fi classic Red Dwarf will be returning for a new season, 12 years after it went off the air. The news was so exciting to star Craig Charles that he spilled the news during a radio interview … even though he was SUPPOSED to keep it quiet.

Co-star Robert Llewellyn wrote on his blog:

So, the thing is, the whole point was that I was told not to say anything. Doug told me, face to face, ‘don’t tweet this bobby. Not yet.’

So I didn’t. I was really good. I said nothing.

Then I spend a day in my voice over cell and know nothing of the interview Craig had done on the radio… So then I get back to my trusty lappy and there’s a great slew of tweets telling me that Craig has once again spilt the beans

Read the story here