As Brad mentioned last night, a few new projects were mentioned during the Sci Fi Channel's upfront presentation. The one I'm most excited about (though at the same time frightened by) is the Battlestar Galactica spin-off, Caprica, which will have a two-hour "back-door pilot" shown probably later this year.Another project mentioned which surprised me was Alice, described as a "modern day telling of Alice in Wonderland," much like Tin Man was for The Wizard of Oz. What surprised me about this is how Mark Stern, executive vice president of original programming for Sci Fi, reacted when I actually asked him about this idea last year during my visit to the sets in Vancouver.
From that post: I spoke with Mark Stern after the presentation, and he's clearly very proud and excited about Tin Man. I asked him about the similarities this had to 'American McGee's Alice', the videogame. He was definitely familiar with the work but felt the 'Alice in Wonderland' story wasn't really all that interesting. "I mean, she's a dumb girl who fell in a hole -- what's so great about that?"
Perhaps since Tin Man got the highest ratings for a single show ever on Sci Fi, Mark changed his mind. But it was my idea, I tell you, mine!
Actually, what also strikes me as odd with the Alice news is how, just this past January, it was confirmed that a movie was in the works starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. In fact, Gellar owns the rights to McGee's Alice. Is it possible this is the same project, only moved to television? If not, it seems it would be pretty awkward to have a big-screen movie and a TV movie come out so close to each other, titled the same and about the same material. Also, RHI Entertainment -- the folks responsible for Sci Fi's Alice -- already did an Alice in Wonderland TV movie in 1999; no doubt this one will be quite different.
Other shows coming down the pipe from Sci Fi: True Believer, about a comic book enthusiast who hires a former superhero to teach him about crime fighting, Estate of Panic, about seven people who compete to find millions of dollars at an estate, and Brain Trust, in which a group of geniuses bands together to solve problems.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-19-2008 @ 2:38PM
Nhex said...
If not, it seems it would be pretty awkward to have a big-screen movie and a TV movie come out so close to each other, titled the same and about the same material.
That didn't stop Terminator...
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3-19-2008 @ 2:42PM
Keith McDuffee said...
'S.C. Chronicles' is a series based during a different time period than the movies (even the new one). Both 'Alice' projects are movies (well, it's a 6-part miniseries, which to me constitutes a TV-movie.)
3-19-2008 @ 6:40PM
Karen said...
"I mean, she's a dumb girl who fell in a hole -- what's so great about that?"
What an ignoramus. Has he not even read it?
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3-19-2008 @ 7:47PM
I Eat Robots said...
I think he was referring to the lack of story in the game. I found "Tin Man" unwatchable, but because it did so well for the channel, Alice will likely be very similar in style.
3-19-2008 @ 10:25PM
Franklin said...
I regard myself a fan of the classic Alice books and works. And I do not mind all of these upcoming Alice-to-screen adaptations.
Thing is, I don't think there has never been a definitive (read: "good") filmed version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. (Disney's is more Disney, than Lewis Carroll.) But I think it attests to the longevity, appeal and overall coolness of Lewis Carroll's creation that it continues to endure, despite these many filmed interpretations.
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3-20-2008 @ 8:31AM
Alicia said...
I enjoied Tin Man.
I enjoy all things Alice.
I just hope in my own twisted little mind, I don't blow this up to be HUGE, and to be disappointed.
I agree with the poster that mentioned the bs that came out of the exec.'s mouth about her being a dumb girl. Those that believe that haven't read the story, or seen the other countless versions of it. The book in it's unaltered, orginal form, is most certainly not a children's book.
When American McGee's game came out, my husband showed it to me, and read the back about how Alice lost her parents and went back to wonderland. ("Uh Hun, I think she lost it." "Yea, I can see that")
Anyway... here is the link to SMG's movie... it has been in production for 2 years now... so I think that the Sci-Fi movie will come out long before the film version does (if it ever does.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0466663/
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