SCI FI Channel announced new additions to its series development slate for '06-'07, including a new animated series and a new live-action supernatural series exec produced by Oscar-winner Michael Douglas.
BARBARIAN CHRONICLES is a half-hour animated series from Brendon Small, creator of the offbeat series HOME MOVIES. Described as cross between LORD OF THE RINGS and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, the ensemble comedy set in a magical realm of swords, sorcery and Middle-earth metrosexuals. Small and David Letterman's Worldwide Pants are exec producing.
The Untitled Michael Douglas Project teams the WALL STREET actor with famed supernatural writer Shirley Jackson (THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE). Storylines and themes from Jackson's catalog of supernatural short stories will be woven into her real life experiences as told in her non-fiction books LIFE AMONG THE SAVAGES and RAISING DEMONS. This series will reflect Jackson's spirited family life and her transition from urban mom to small-town matriarch. Alan Brennert (Stargate Atlantis) is on-board to write.
Based on Urban Ent.s webtoon and John Ridleys novel of the same name, THOSE WHO WALK IN DARKNESS is a near-future drama about an expert team of S.W.A.T. police whose primary mission is to hunt down and capture rogue "Metanormals" people who genetically posses superpowers. John Ridley will write and exec produce in association with NBC Universal Television Studio.
Based on the popular comic books created by Scott Gimpel and Bill Morrison and published by Matt Groening's Bongo Comics, HEROES ANONYMOUS is a live-action, one-hour series that lives in a modern-day big city where superheroes are a part of everyday life. The series follows a group of twentysomething aspiring superheroes that form a support group to help them cope with the nearly impossible task of trying to discover their own identity, while carving out their secret identity. Produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and Bender-Brown Prods., the series will be exec produced by Lawrence Bender (KILL BILL VOL. 1&2, PULP FICTION), Kevin Brown (LEGEND OF EARTHSEA, ROSWELL) and Karl Schaefer (THE DEAD ZONE). Gimpel and Morrison will pen the pilot.
URBAN ARCANA will follow the cases of undercover detective Sean Mayhew as he tracks down creatures who have crossed over from a parallel world into ours. The show is based on a Hasbro/Worlds of Wonder role playing game. Aron Coleite (CROSSING JORDAN) will write; Gary A. Randall and Rockne O'Bannon (THE TRIANGLE, FARSCAPE) will exec produce in association with Fox Television Studios.
TOMORROW'S CHILD follows a young girl, who after being seriously burnt has new extraterrestrial skin grafted onto her body. Afterward she develops superhuman powers, which piques the interest of the government who wants to use her as a guinea pig. As she travels the country in fugitive fashion, she looks to discover the origin of her powers and seek out others like her. The series is produced by NBC Universal Television Studio and Gary Foster's Horseshoe Bay Prods.
SCI FI will also air an updated version of the 1960s series TIME TUNNEL created by Irwin Allen. A female scientist and a government agent find themselves trapped in time when an experimental time travel project is sabotaged. Produced with Fox Television Studios and Kevin Burns and Jon Jashni of Synthesis Ent., Allen's wife, Shelia Allen, will produce and John Turman (THE HULK) will write.
From distinguished television writer/producer John Tinker (ST. ELSEWHERE, L.A. LAW, JUDGING AMY, THE PRACTICE), comes 3:52, which will looks at the religious and political effects of 2 billion people suddenly vanishing off the face of the Earth. The series will examine the "what if" of this event as told from the point-of-view of a small Maryland town.
SERIOUSLY BAFFLING MYSTERIES will be a mockumentary covering the world of supernatural investigative reporting. From FremantleMedia North America and hosted by Jonathan Frankle, the show goes in search of the paranormal on a shoestring budget, but instead finds trouble with his producer and crew. Production chaos and behind-the-scenes dysfunction bleed into each episode the make-up artist negotiates a raise using a voodoo doll, a Nostradamus prediction about the apocalypse causes administrative anarchy and an investigation into a legendary cannibalistic monster degenerates into a SURVIVOR-like discussion about who among the crew would be voted onto the menu first.
SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI presents original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a website (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 84 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
