Transformers 3:

That leaked script we mentioned yesterday, that we thought was probably a fake? It is, according to Nelson, an administrator at Michael Bay's Shoot For The Edit Forums. [Shoot For The Edit via TFW2005]

Avatar:

CCH Pounder reveals a bit more about her character, Moat:

Queen Moat is the queen of of the Na'Vi. She is married to Eytukan and has two children: Tsu'tey and Neytiri. Neytiri is her really valiant, extremely brave and very independent daughter. She tries to keep the peace between Neytiri and her father... [And] she in some way sort of creates the freedom for Neytiri to be with the protagonist.

[L.A. Times]

Iron Man 2:

Here's a new pic of Tony Stark, hard at work in his workshop on an alternative energy source or something. Cool glasses. [Cinemaspy]

Battle Angel Alita:

James Cameron indicates his adaptation of this manga classic would be in a similar 3-D blend of live-action and CG animation to Avatar. But so far, all he's got is some concept art and a good script. [MTV]

Lost:

Another filming report involves the alternate-universe versions of Sun, Jin and Sayid meeting with Keamy and Omar on the same golf course where Sayid originally met Keamy and Omar. And there's speculation, based on set reports, that Mikhail is involved with Keamy and Omar, and that Mikhail is the one calling the shots. Also, there's a suspicion that Mikhail, Keamy and Omar are the agents of the Man In Black in this alternate timeline. [SpoilersLost]

And here are a few more season six promo pics, featuring Hurley, Claire and Miles. [Lyly Ford]

And someone blonde and female who we thought was dead will turn out to be still alive, in the time period when we last saw her. And Sheila Kelly's new character interacts with more than one regular character, and Kelly says the role is "like a petal opening," and you slowly understand how her character intertwines with the existing storylines. [E! Online]

Dollhouse:

Here are some promo photos from this Friday's double dose of Dollhouse. [SpoilerTV]

True Blood:

A couple bits of casting news: Broadway veteran J. Smith-Cameron will play Melinda, Sam's estranged mother. And Tudors star James Frain will be starring as Franklin Mott, Tara's new overprotective vampire boyfriend. The two of them meet in the second episode, and have an "immediate and torrid" connection. [EW]

Supernatural:

Sam and Dean will find a town full of happy zombies — people's loved ones come back to life there, but they're friendly, non-brain-eating zombies. And they include Bobby's dead wife. Also, Sam will use his demonic powers at least once before the season ends, and Dean won't be happy about it. And Chuck will be back, but without his fangirl girlfriend. [E! Online]

Stargate Universe:

The second half of the first season will be more serialized and deal with tensions among the Destiny's crew, says producer Robert Cooper. We'll be spending less time on Earth (thank goodness), and meeting a new alien race.

The implications of leaving Rush on the planet, the real division that will cause amongst the crew, the judgment of those characters and their actions are going to have a big impact on the show. We have a lot of things planned for the second half of the season... There is a big story point coming up that does introduce an alien race. It's more along the line of a "District 9"-type alien. Our interaction is handled in a very "Universe" way; they're not the typical "Stargate" alien bad guys.

[Hollywood Reporter]

Chuck:

Ellie and Aweesome have moved out to an apartment across the way, so Chuck and Morgan share a bachelor pad now. [E! Online]

Additional reporting by Josh C. Snyder.

Ghostbusters 3:

So you might have heard that Sigourney Weaver says that Venkman (Bill Murray) will be a ghost in the new movie? And that her character's son, Oscar, will have grown up to be a Ghostbuster? People who've been paying attention to the rumors and chatter around this film are pretty sure she's just repeating old rumors — like Bill Murray reportedly told someone four years ago that he would only be in the movie if he played a ghost. And Weaver probably hasn't actually seen a script, since nobody else has yet, either. On the other hand, Murray playing a ghost could be sort of fun. [Screen Rant]

Transformers 3:

People have been circulating a draft script for this upcoming masterpiece. I don't for a scond believe that this movie has a script yet, and even the people who are reposting the script thinks it might be a fake. On the other hand, apparently a similarly rough draft script of Revenge Of The Fallen popped up online long before it came out, and was viewed as similarly wild — but turned out to be real. Plus, it's always entertaining to read these things, and it's probably better than the real script will be.

So apparently this draft script includes the Aerialbots, the Combaticons, Perceptor, Wheeljack, Ultra Magnus, and Shockwave, and is a big love letter to fans of the 1984 animated series. As it begins, hostilities between the Autobots and the Decepticons have gotten worse, and calls for the Autobots to leave Earth have gotten more shrill. Sam (who's now an intern at the Large Hadron Collider) finds another fragment of the Allspark, which could give off enough energon to power all the Transformers forever, if bombarded with the right kind of particles. Optimus sends for the Ark, and Sam invites Mikaela to come join him there for a romantic evening, or something, and then proposes to her. Sam and Optimus Prime are all set to examine the Allspark fragment aboard the Ark, when Megatron attacks, but then Starscream betrays him. And somehow this leads to everyone traveling back in time to 1982, where Starscream steals the Allspark and kills Megatron "twice in one day," has he puts it.

This means that all of the Autobots have to disguise themselves as period cars (would GM even allow this?) meaning Optimus becomes a Peterbilt Semi, and Mirage becomes a Pontiac Trans Am, but also sometimes a Formula 1 race car. And Sam meets his own grandfather, and realizes that he can erase the Autobot/Decepticon war from history by getting rid of the Cube. But yeah, it's almost certainly a fake. Click here to read the whole thing. [Comic Book Movie and Allspark]

Iron Man 2:

Robert Downey Jr. says the thing that made the first movie work was that it was grounded in reality, and the high tech looked like something out of Popular Mechanics rather than a galaxy-spanning saga. And with the Marvel Universe as crazy as it is, it would be easy for the next movie to be too wild, but he and Jon Favreau want to keep it grounded. And he explains how they'll avoid sequel-itis:

My take - Jon [Favreau] was in agreement, and Marvel supported us - was that once you tell an [origin] story pretty well, that's usually where things start to get dull, and one or two or three things start to happen over and over again," Downey explained during an interview with Rotten Tomatoes. "So, we made Tony Stark's challenges very much outside the usual realm of activity. As much as anything else, it's much more of a side job for him the second time around.

[Rotten Tomatoes]

Remember how we reported the first movie was totally improv, with almost no script to speak of? Olivia Munn (who's admittedly not one of the film's main actors) says it was much the same this time around. "There's a bunch of improv, over and over." And apparently Munn improv-ed so well, Downey Jr. stopped the filming to give her a round of applause.

Thor:

Ray Stevenson, who plays Volstagg, says he wears a fatsuit, but he's got muscles and isn't the "weeble-shaped" figure from the comics. And he says the character has a ton of "Falstaffian vigor," which makes sense given that Branagh is directing. [Superhero Hype]

The Sorcerer's Apprentice:

Apparently we first meet the apprentice as a young boy (Jake Cherry) and then later as a young adult (Jay Baruchel). And producer Jerry Bruckheimer explains why we should be excited:

"He's more like a rock star," producer Jerry Bruckheimer tells PEOPLE about the film, due in theaters July 10. Like the animated version, this Sorcerer's Apprentice will also feature those dancing brooms. "We did it in a realistic way," Bruckheimer says. "The [brooms] are really dancing and doing their thing."

How could it be bad? [People]

Daybreakers:

Here's an international trailer, which I don't think we've shown you before — it includes a bit more footage from this vampire-dominated future dystopia. [Reelz Channel]

The Wolfman:

A new international poster shows that the wolfman's powers include causing people's heads to float randomly and to be eaten by unnatural shadows. [ShockTillYou Drop]

Spider-Man 4:

Some have speculated that Bryce Dallas Howard could be back as Gwen Stacy, but she hasn't been contacted yet, which makes it seem less likely. Meanwhile, don't hold your breath for her to return as Kate Connor in Terminator 5 or 6 — she's not signed up for any further installments. (But she would defininitely consider it.) [Coming Soon]

Avatar:

The New York Daily News review has a pretty good summary of the film:

Sam Worthington is Jake Scully [sic], a paraplegic Marine in 2154 assigned to a deep-space moon called Pandora, where his consciousness controls an avatar, a clone of Pandora's indigenous, humanoid Na'vi people. As Jake lies in a high-tech tanning bed, his mind is in his blue Na'vi, which is 10 feet tall with pointy ears, cat eyes and a tail.

A scientist (a tough Sigourney Weaver) created the process to aid diplomatic relations with the Na'vi, since the air is poisonous to humans and space suits, apparently, get in the way. It's the last chance for the peaceful aliens - who know what the avatars really are - since a corporate goon (entertainingly weaselly Giovanni Ribisi) wants a valuable element buried deep under the "hometree," the Na'vi's spiritual center. And if diplomacy fails, a gung-ho sergeant (Stephen Lang, overdoing it) will get it at any cost.

Cameron counts too much on the connection we'll have to his goofy-looking blue man group, or with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), the Na'vi warrior princess who helps Jake's heart go on. Saldana - Uhura in last summer's "Star Trek" - delivers a remarkably full-bodied motion-capture performance, but the mystic-tribal clichés around her suggest every Netflix queue on Pandora includes "Dances with Wolves" and "The Last of the Mohicans."

[NY Daily News]

And there's a new Czech TV spot, plus a big Panasonic tie-in commercial that you may actually have seen.

Harry Potter:

Tom Felton says Deathly Hallows will be truer to the book than any of the previous films. [Movies-Spoilers]

Doctor Who:

So Alexandra Moen, who plays the Master's wife Lucy Saxon, says she wasn't the one who picked up the Master's ring at the end of "Last Of The Time Lords." Since we last saw her, Lucy has been locked up in a big ominous castle-like prison, and it just got a new governor. And it sounds like she breaks out of there. She's decided to try and go straight, but she's not at peace — she's full of anger. And her scenes are mostly with the Master and a few other actors. [Digital Spy]

Lost:

Some more filming details: episode nine is definitely Alpert-centric, and the Black Rock is definitely a prison ship. Also, we see an Ilana scene taking place at an old hospital in Russia, suggesting that Ilana is tied in with Alpert's backstory somehow. Separately, there's a scene with Jin working in a hotel, and Sun was there too. Also filming in the same location was a Keamy/Omar scene, and Mikhail was there and spoke Korean. There was also a Jin scene involving the same community college where Hurley's asylum was filmed. And a scene at a nice house with Hurley and Alpert. [The Transmission via SpoilersLost]

Also, Sayid was filming a scene with a large group of the "temple Others," including Zoey, and probably Cindy and Zack. Also present: seven to 10 scientists, for some reason. [SpoilersLost]

The show is casting an E.R. doctor making rounds, an MRI tech, and an African American female lawyer who won't be pushed around, for its eleventh episode. [SpoilersLost]

And there's an extended version of the season six promo:

Fringe:

I really like these new wallpapers, which emphasize the "passing between universes" theme as well as more of Walter's oddness. [SpoilerTV]

Remember that set video we showed you last week that included Anna Torv getting blown around? Now it's her, plus a bunch of extras:

Supernatural:

I know we mentioned that Cupid would be showing up (along with Famine, one of the Four Horsemen) in the Valentine's Day episode "My Bloody Valentine." Apparently, he'll be doughy, out of shape and naked, and constantly giving everybody bear hugs. [TV Guide Magazine]

And we'll be meeting a holy man in episode 5x16, "Dark Side Of The Moon":

[JOSHUA] This benevolent — dignified, very Zen man in his 50's-70's is inflappable, simple, but not insincere. A Morgan Freemen type vibe. PLEASE SUBMIT ALL ETHNICITIES. GUEST STAR.

Could that actually be God? [SpoilerTV]

And after the rerun of "The End" the other day, they showed a new trailer for the next episode, coming January 21.

And here's a set video for 5x15, "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", in which all you can basically see is Sam and Dean walking inside a house:

True Blood:

The show is looking for someone to play Alcide, who's described as "rough looking but articulate and basically decent," and he takes a liking to Sookie and may even have some mutual attraction with her. It sounds like he takes her out, given that we meet a giant nightclub bouncer who knows Alcide but is suspicious of his guest, Sookie. Also, an old-school Ob/Gyn examines Arlene with an ultrasound, and a pastor officiates at Eggs' funeral service. [EW and SpoilerTV]

Chuck:

As you've probably heard, we're done with Chuck's "reluctant spy" act. He's now a fully gung-ho spy, but he's also aware of how much his career puts his family at risk. And Awesome will get drawn into Chuck's espionage world to a much greater extent — and we'll get to see how awesome Awesome really is. As season three starts, we'll realize something awful has happened between Chuck and Sarah in the mean time, and eventually we'll learn just what that is. We'll also learn how crucial Sarah is to whether Chuck makes a good spy. Carina, Sarah's old partner from season one, will be back. And Jeffster will perform again in a very special episode. [TV Guide]

Also, Casey is going to have a lot to deal with this season — a secret from his past is going to come to light, and it'll make his life complicated. Also, he'll get more responsibilities at the Buy More, and will start to discover that Buy More may actually be his future. Meanwhile, Lester has a "Fight Club" episode where he goes nuts. And we'll get to see Lester's bedroom and his pajamas. [ChuckTV]

FlashForward:

Episode 13 will be called "Better Angels." [SpoilerTV]

Smallville:

Here's a new trailer for the next batch of episodes, starting January 22:

Heroes:

It's the death that sticks — for now, anyway. Tim Kring says we definitely won't be seeing Nathan again for the rest of season four. [Fancast News]

Additional reporting by Mary Ratliff.

Transformers 3:

Megan Fox doesn't die in the third giant robot epic, says Michael Bay, who pooh-poohs the whole "Megan Fox compared Michael Bay to Hitler" thing and says it's all been blown out of proportion. "She's got a great part in Transformers 3," says Bay, who's working on the script now. [USA Today]

Star Trek:

Roberto Orci says he and co-writer Alex Kurtzman are preparing to write the next Trek movie by re-watching the original series — but also by reading classic SF, including works by Arthur C. Clarke. Rendezvous with Rama, anyone? [TrekMovie]

And J.J. Abrams says he's determined to get Greg Grunberg in the next movie — maybe as a red-shirt. [Newsarama]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

A few pictures of Xeno Lovegood have surfaced. [Cinemablend]

Resident Evil 4:

Will Jill Valentine be back? Producer Don Carmody won't say for sure. But he says "It's going to be surprising, and it's going to make people think what's going to happen next."[ShockTillYouDrop]

Lost:

There's been a ton of new filming, for episode 6x08, which appears to be all about Sawyer. There were some scenes involving Sawyer and Charles Widmore, aboard that submarine that we've seen so much of in the past. They went down the hatch and the crew filmed some scenes on board, then filmed them coming out of it together.

And then Sawyer had some scenes with Miles — and it looked like the two were partners in law enforcement. Sawyer had a badge on his belt, Miles had a gun on his hip. Sawyer is sitting in a nondescript Mercury parked outside La Brea Property Management in Pacific Tower. Sawyer beckons to Miles, who tries to blow him off and walk away, but Sawyer yells out and stops him, and then opens the passenger door. So Miles gets in the car, and Sawyer gives him one of two cups of coffee, then shows him a folder full of photographs. Miles looks through them, and then pauses to look at one of them in more detail. (If Sawyer really is a cop, it's odd that they were filming a scene where he "cons" Charlotte earlier.)

And then a woman driving a blue car crashes into Sawyer's cop car, and then the woman gets out and runs away — and it's Kate, wearing a hoodie to hide her face. She runs down an alley, knocking over a pile of boxes. Here's a bit of set video:

And then there's a scene where Sawyer grabs Kate by the collar and pushes her up against a doorway. Here are some set pics. More at the links. [Hawaii Weblog and Hawaii Weblog]

Also, this won't be much of a surprise to those of you who've been paying attention, but Rebecca Mader is indeed back as Charlotte, as a producer confirmed on his Twitter feed. [Sci Fi Wire]

Here's a German promo for season six, which as far as I can tell gives absolutely nothing away.

Doctor Who:

Here's a trailer for the animated adventure "Dreamland," which may actually be watchable in spite of the horrendous CG graphics.

And David Tennant speaks:

Dollhouse:

We have actual descriptions for the next two episodes, featuring Summer Glau:

Part 1 of 2. Echo's assignment: prevent Sen. Daniel Perrin from exposing the Dollhouse secrets. Meanwhile, at the D.C. Dollhouse, Adelle and Topher meet Topher's counterpart (Summer Glau), who has a link to Echo.

Conclusion. Echo and Bennett (Summar Glau) have a shocking reunion; Adelle squares off against the D.C. Dollhouse's leader (Ray Wise); Topher recruits Victor for his espionage; Perrin discovers a surprising witness in his crusade against the Rossum Corporation.

[TV Guide and TV Guide]

Fringe:

Jasika Nicole explains what's coming next for Astrid, on her excursions with Walter. [BuddyTV]

V:

Here are a couple of new videos of the final episode of 2009, tomorrow night's "It's Only The Beginning."

Supernatural:

It's unlikely that Jeffrey Dean Morgan will ever return to this show, but God is much more likely to show up — but not immediately. However, Sera Gamble says she'd "do backflips" if JDM did turn out to be available. Also, Michael will show up even though his vessel, Dean, isn't cooperating — but Michael will only be in "borrowed" bodies, of no consequence or permanence. The show will be "creative" in how it introduces Michael.

Also, in the first episode of January, the Winchesters are contacted by a hunter who worked a case that was so traumatic, he went crazy. He's checked himself into an insane asylum and something is awry there, so he asks the Winchesters to help — so they check in there, too. The episode explores the idea that "You don't have to be crazy to be a hunter, but it helps."

Also, we'll be seeing a lot more of Lucifer — we'll find out how he chose Nick, his current vessel. And we'll understand way more of Michael's perspective. There will be a "dark and twisted" Valentine's Day episode. [E! Online and TV Guide Magazine]

And here's a casting call for episode 14: Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid:

[SHERIFF MILLS] In her mid 30s to mid 40s, tough and no-nonsense while on the job, but tender and loving toward her family, she's the Sheriff in a small town, she's calm under pressure even when things turn very personal...please submit all ethnicities...GUEST STAR

[KAREN SINGER] In her late 20s to 30s. Blonde, young and attractive, she's wise, direct, a straight shooter and nobody's fool...GUEST STAR

[SpoilerTV]

FlashForward:

Could this show be looking to duplicate The Prisoner or X-Men? A new casting call for episode 13 is looking for a new Number 2:

[PHILLIP] Late 60s. Caucasian, Ian McKellen-esque. A bit eccentric and unrepentantly set in his ways, his intellect is unmatched. Enjoys a good academic tussle...Guest Star

[LORRAINE] – 53, Caucasian, Brenda Blethyn type. British, sassy, working class. A widow and mother of four mostly grown children, she dotes on them when she's not telling them what to do. Must speak with an authentic Manchester accent. Guest star.

[CHRIS] - 30's.. Any Ethnicity. A former radio on-air dj, now working in a dead end job. Concealing a secret to his co-workers, he is ultimately forced to reveal his true identity...Co-Star

[ANDREW] – 22, Caucasian. An athletic, burly, blue-collar blockhead. A typical 20-something guy, he and his brothers like to prank each other. Must speak with a subtle Canadian accent. Co-Star.

[GRAHAM] – 20, Caucasian. An athletic, burly, blue-collar blockhead. A typical 20-something guy, he and his brothers like to prank each other. Must speak with a subtle Canadian accent. Co-Star.

[ANNABELLE] – 14.. Caucasian, Blonde. Sweet, vulnerable, almost ethereal. Fair and slight, she is the baby of the family but her good nature has helped her avoid becoming bratty. Must speak with a subtle Canadian accent. Co-Star/Possible Guest Star. Potentially recurring.

[DAISY - 18, ANY ETHNICITY. A VERY SMART AND CUNNI] - 18, Any Ethnicity. A very smart and cunning young woman who can play mental games with the best of them. If crossed, Daisy has the ability to bring great harm to all those around her. Co-Star.

[SpoilerTV andSpoilerTV]

Smallville:

Some screencaps from the JSA teaser give our first look at Justice Society members Doctor Fate, Sandman... and is that Green Lantern? [Forces Of Geek]

Also, Metallo (Brian Austin Green) will be back in episode 9x18, producers confirm. [TV Guide]

Chuck:

Here's a preview clip where Zachary Levi thanks the fans for watching. [Den Of Geek]

Stargate Universe:

In episode 10, "Justice," a member of the crew is killed, and the murder weapon is found in Col. Young's quarters. He cedes command to Camille Wray. And here's a sneak peek.

Additional reporting by Mary Ratliff.

Transformers 3:

A secret video hidden on the Blu-Ray disc of Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen shows Michael Bay discussing his early ideas for the third movie (although he says they're all lies.) You can't get any bigger in the third movie, so instead he'll go "sideways," and possibly go darker and more emotional. He's going even deeper into Transformers lore. And he says there'll be more of Bumblebee in the third movie, and more of the robot characters generally. "It doesn't have to be action, action, action," says Bay. (Really?) [Transformers Live]

Doctor Who:

Move over, K-9! The Doctor will be teaming up with a new robot named Gadget in this Martian adventure. We ran some set pics featuring this robot ages and ages ago, but here are the first official pics. [Den Of Geek]

As you'd probably gathered, "Waters Of Mars" takes place in 2059 on our first Mars colony, and there's a parasitic virus that makes people spurt water. And the Doctor must choose whether to save everyone, or avoid changing the future. Says Adelaide actor Lindsay Duncan, "It tells a different story. It is a long time into the episode before the Doctor takes control. We expect him to know [what to do] and take control earlier. It is a long time before he does it." [Daily Mail]

And here are some new promo pics in general. [Blogtor Who]

Someone asks the Doctor his name, rank and intent, and he replies, "The Doctor, doctor, fun." And the line "As consolation" will hit you like a punch in the gut. There's a mention of the Ice Warriors, and one sequence is lifted directly from 28 Days Later. [Bleeding Cool]

And here's a couple new clips!

Also, David Tennant says he filmed his last scenes as the Doctor out of order, so the actual last words he spoke as the Doctor were "You two, with me, spit spot." (The first time I read this, I thought he actually said those were his last words on screen as the Doctor — I was a bit upset.) [Guardian]

Caprica:

Reader Scott saw that this show had transformed the campus at Simon Fraser University into "Caprica Inter-Colonial Spaceport" for an upcoming shoot, and he sent us these amazingly sweet photos. [Thanks Scott!]

Lost:

In late October, the show was filming a scene in the kitchen of a local Presbyterian church, involving Sayid — plus Keamy and Omar, two thugs whom we saw die. Equally shocking is the report that the show was filming another high school scene involving Ben (who we're guessing is a substitute teacher) and Ben's late, lamented daughter Alex was there. And so was the late, somewhat lamented science teacher, Leslie Arzt. And new guest star William Atherton was there too, playing the principal at the high school. (I can just see it now — Ben wants to restart the high school glee club, and...) [Hawaii Weblog]

Here's a casting call for episode 6x08:

[KENDALL]Female, any ethnicity, early to mid 30s. An intellectual beauty with a sharp edge to her wit. Caught committing corporate espionage and has to lie her way out...GUEST STAR, POSSIBLE RECUR.

[Lyly Ford]

Nightmare On Elm Street:

Jackie Earle Haley says this version of Freddy Krueger is a bit darker, more serious and less campy than what you might be used to. [MTV]

Supernatural:

There's a pretty detailed review for the next episode, "Changing Channels." We start out on a sitcom with bright lighting and laugh track. Dean's sandwich is three feet tall. "I'm going to need a bigger mouth," says Dean. Then we go to wacky sitcom credits, explaining the monster-hunting brothers... including a shot of the two of them riding a tandem bicycle. Then we're in the real world, watching the Winchesters investigating an unusual "bear" attack, before being whisked into a Grey's Anatomy spoof in which only a doctor who's in love with a dead guy can see his ghost. There is some Jeffrey Dean Morgan in-jokery. We even visit a Japanese game show, NutCrackers, which is just what it sounds like, and there's a fake Japanese commercial. Finally, they're shoved into CSI Miami, and we get a bit of a lecture about the lack of originality in prime-time TV. Says the Trickster, "300 channels and nothing on." [SF Universe]

Here's a casting call for a character we'll meet in episode 5x12, "Swap Meat":

[GARY] 17 years old, physicality is extremely important for this role, GARY NEEDS TO BE THIN, THIN, THIN, and needs to be very likeable and appealing. Ideally he's like the character "McLovin" from "Superbad" or Anthony Michael Hall in "16 Candles." Puny, gawky, bespectacled, smart and geeky, he's a naive, amateur Satanist who works at a fast food joint and longs to break free from his wealthy, stifling parents. He's granted one of his wishes, and starts to live the life he's always wanted. Please denote age next to your suggestions. GUEST STAR

[SpoilerTV]

New Moon:

OMG Bella gets a papercut and sparks some bloodlust in Jasper. I love the blood-falling THWOOM sound effect:

V:

Even though Alan Tudyk's undercover alien character apparently dies in the series pilot, he'll still manage to be a recurring character in following episodes somehow. The final scene of the first episode has been redone since it was shown at Comic Con, and now there's a floating alien device called a "seeker," and one character wields a machine gun. And we'll see one of the aliens shed its human skin in the first few episodes. The alien mothership includes a chamber called a "Bliss Chamber." And the fourth episode will end with a series of cliffhangers, keeping us in suspense until March. [Sci Fi Wire]

Here's a new (I think) trailer, counting down the days until this show premieres:

Laura Vandervoort says her character is assigned to recruit humans for the Peace Ambassador program, but the experience gets more intense than she expected:

I think when she experiences a bit of the hate that's going on with the Visitors being on earth, and protestors, some of the things she sees impact her more than she expects. She feels more for some of the humans, I think, and I think she's learning more about dealing with conflict and not being wanted... But I don't know where they plan to go with it. Especially because she's focused on Tyler right now, and I'd like to see that develop into something, and perhaps that's where the Fifth Column will come in.

[SciFiTVZone]

And here are descriptions of the third and fourth episodes:

"A Bright New Day" — Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the 1st, but not everyone agrees with the decision - Erica has started tracking a death threat while paired with a V officer, as she actually has to protect the V's. Meanwhile, Ryan starts reaching out to his old friends to build up opposition forces and help fight-off the V's, on ABC's "V," TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).

"It's Only The Beginning" — Erica works with new formed allies to uncover a biological threat they suspect the Visitors have been plotting, on ABC's "V," TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET). Aboard the mothership, Anna meets with a special guest, while managing the investigation into the murder of a V. Chad does a segment on the V Healing Centers demonstrating their amazing medical abilities, but then finds himself conflicted by some of his findings.

[SpoilerTV]

Fringe:

Here's the official description for the Nov. 5 episode "Earthling":

When the Division probes bizarre cases of people turning into ash, the investigation also reveals clues about Broyles' past. Directed by Emmy Award winner Jon Cassar ("24").

[TV Guide]

And here's a couple previews:

Plus some promo pics for episode 2x08, "August". [SpoilerTV]

FlashForward:

Peer into the future! Here are some casting calls for an upcoming episode:

[ABDI] - 29, Somali, Male. Leader of a group of outlaws. Has the ability to intimidate with barely a stare. Charming, yet capable of shocking brutality. Formidable, charismatic. Must be capable of a Somali accent...GUEST STAR

[JEAN-PIERRE] - 40's French ambassador to the UN. Continually at odds with the General Council on the developing Flashforward global situation. Potentially recurring.

[SOMALI WOMAN] - 30s, Somali, Sweet-faced. Loving but firm, she teaches her 11-year-old-son the right way to do things without preaching at him. Must be capable of a Somali accent..sptv050769.DAY PLAYER

[AWAALE] - 30s, Somali, Male. A Somali translator hired to travel with a group. Eager to please, easily unnerved, but confident in his language skills. Must speak preferably fluent, but at least some, Somalian. Day player

[SpoilerTV]

And here's a sneak peek of episode 1x07, "The Gift":

True Blood:

The writers were at a conference, and gave some more season three hints:

Get excited because season 3 will launch June 2010, and we will find out where Bill is in episode 3.01! Also, season 3 will introduce a lot of new characters, including the Newlins and Maryann is totally dead. The theme for season 3 is "identity," causing Sookie to find out more about what/who she is! Insiders also said, "Bill will not be marginalized. Bill and Sookie will have troubles, but Bill and Sookie have a connection that will not die." You are going to see more of Pan and Nan Flanagan in season 3 as well! As for Gordac, his death scene was partially live, partially green screen and they got it in only two takes! Lastly, you have not seen the last of Gordric- he will be featured in flashbacks!

[Daily Fill]

Heroes:

Here's the official description for episode 4x09, "Brother's Keeper":

THE TRUTH SETS OUR HEROES ON NEW AND DANGEROUS PATHS. Samuel (Robert Knepper) learns just how powerful he can become and takes dangerous measures to reach his full potential. Meanwhile, as Tracy (Ali Larter) begins to lose control of her ability, one of her own comes in harms way. Elsewhere, Sylar (Zachary Quinto) continues his battle with Matt (Greg Grunberg).

[SpoilerTV]

Smallville:

Michael Shanks says his Hawkman costume has involved a lot of fittings, and explains his relationship to Clark:

Hawkman being the alpha in the Justice Society, being someone who...has made some missteps along the way, can or could represent a type of mentor character to Clark in his leadership abilities with his burgeoning team members of the Justice League. He represents a character that has a lot of wisdom to pass down to this next generation, so there is a strong possibility that once the initial phase wears off that there will be a coming together of those two to paint a larger portrait of the future, of what Clark has available to him and what his options are.

Also, his relationship with Dr. Fate is heartbreaking in the first episode. [HuffingtonPost]

Stargate Universe:

Some promo pictures for episode 1x07, "Earth," which I don't think we've shown you. [SpoilerTV]

Additional reporting by Mary Ratliff.

Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman explained to reporters at the Paramount DVD junket that they left Transformers 3 simply because they were spent on the subject matter. By contrast, the two are diving into the View-Master movie, and they've got a strong story to provide a vehicle for the toy.

"We've been working on Transformers for longer than I was in college," Orci said. "I feel like we have our degree in Transformers now."

Alex added: "The franchise is so wonderful that it deserves to be fresh, all the time. We just felt like we'd given it a lot and didn't have an insight for where to go with it next, and said, 'You should do it right.'

Which isn't to say the studio didn't want the duo back. Bob said Paramount and Hasbro were more than happy to have them back, but that without an idea, the writers wanted the story to stay strong and so they're handing over the reins.

Meanwhile, they're working on a movie based on the classic View-Master toy. And yes, they fully grasp the absurdity of that statement.

Alex said they hear the critics, but they fully expect to surpass all expectations. The writers were approached with a story without any connection to the toy, and it sounds like they simply dropped the toy in there for a better story.

"What I'll say is that some toys should be movies and some toys should not be movies, and I'd like to believe we know the difference between those things. The movies that work, work when there's a story there that you could take the toy out of. But then, when you put the toy in, it becomes an even more amazing experience, for whatever reason."

He added, "If you want to be cynical about View-Master, great, because we're so confident in where it's going to end up going that we feel like there's nowhere to go but up."

Posting to his blog, Bay revealed that work is already underway for the third in the Giant Robots In Disguise series:

Well its official: We have a great Transformers 3 story. The release date is now July 1st 2011. Not 2012.

Today is Day One. This morning started with an ILM meeting for five hours in San Francisco. Currently I'm flying with writer Ehren Kruger to Rhode Island to talk to Hasbro about new characters.

P.S. Megan Fox, welcome back. I promise no alien robots will harm you in any way during the production of this motion picture. Please consult your Physician when working under my direction because some side effects can occur, such as mild dizziness, intense nausea, suicidal tendencies, depression, minor chest hair growth, random internal hemorrhaging and inability to sleep. As some directors may be hazardous to your health, please consult your Doctor to determine if this is right for you.

For fans of large scale explosions that render things like "coherent plot" worthless, this can only be a good thing. Guess Bay realized that he liked that whole "getting paid a lot of money" thing after all.

Transformers 3: July 1st, 2011 [Shoot For The Edit]

Star Trek:

Zoe Saldana says you shouldn't believe protestations by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman that they've barely even started talking about the next Trek script: She believes it's probably about half done. And she's sure the Spock/Uhura relationship will continue:

I am excited to see what they're going to do with their relationship in relation to what happened to Vulcan and what kind of responsibilities Spock is going to have in this next journey. Not only in his personal side but in terms of he's a race in extinction now.

[Sci Fi Wire]

Harry Potter:

Fans watched the filming of a stunt from the "Seven Potters" chapter of Deathly Hallows. Hagrid's stunt double (wearing a big coat and goggles) drove a motorcycle, weaving in and out of traffic. Meanwhile, Harry's stunt double (wearing a grey hoodie, and complete with burning scar) rode in the sidecar and brandished his wand to shoot a spell at someone chasing them. More pics at the link. [HP4U via Harry Potter's Page]

Iron Man:

Director Jon Favreau talks about the problems Tony Stark will face with the "Iron Man" technology, and how he'll introduce the film's new characters. [IGN]

Astro Boy:

Here's a new pic of the Peacekeeper robot, which may not be quite as peaceful as the name might suggest. Bigger version, plus another pic, at the link. [Wired]

Transformers 3:

Tyrese Gibson told an interviewer he'll be back for the third movie and he believes his character, Robert Epps, will have a larger role next time out. "My part is going to be bumped up." [Blast Magazine]

Zombieland:

Cinematical's Kevin Kelly talked to the film's star, Jesse Eisenberg, as well as its director, Ruben Fleischer. [Cinematical]

Dollhouse:

There was some concern whether Amy Acker would be able to return to this show, since she's signed up to star in the new drama Happytown. But she's inked a deal to appear in three episodes this season. [EW]

Also, there's a casting call for the second episode of the new season. We'll be meeting the sickly, strange Terry Karrens, aged 33 and the affluent, educated Bradley Karrens, in his late forties to early fifties. There's also the very respected — but very repressed — liberal arts college faculty member, Professor Gossen. There's a funny, odd guy named Franklin, a sexy, full-figured aunt in her thirties, a fit mom in her late forties, and two good-looking daughters, one 15-ish and one 22-ish. [SpoilerTV]

Battlestar Galactica:

If you're in the United States, you can view the trailer for "The Plan" which showed at Comic Con, and which has a spot of new footage. If you're not in the U.S... you're not part of the plan, I guess. [Syfy via Battlestar Blog]

FlashForward:

Producer David S. Goyer revealed the titles of the first three episodes: "No More Good Days," "White To Play" and "137 Sekunden." And here's an interview with Goyer and recurring co-star Dominic Monaghan. [TV Overmind]

And star Joseph Fiennes says the FBI agents' board, full of newspaper clippings and photos and scribbled clues will lead us to whoever is behind the worldwide future-vision — and Fiennes is convinced the cause is a "who," not a "what." Striking images in the show include a black swan, an intense man with a widow's peak, and paintings of serpents and "weird-headed animals." Goyer says Monaghan's character, Simon, is a genius who went to college when he was 14 years old, and the kanagaroo you see hopping around L.A. will reappear because it "has a story." And executive producer Marc Guggenheim says we'll meet Zoey, the lawyer fiancee of John Cho's character, in episode three. Wel'll deal with whether they can still marry in the wake of the "flash forward." We'll also meet the mother of Fiennes' character at some point. [TV Guide Magazine]

Stargate Universe:

Here are some awesome new posters showing this fresh-faced, haunted new crew. [SpoilerTV]

Heroes:

Here's a pretty terrible/inaudible video of the season four trailer that was shown at Comic Con. Looks like Claire is back to committing suicide as a cry for attention.

And the show is seeking two actors to play carnies in episode 4x06: Damian is a "rock'n' roll biker type," a true carnie with haunted eyes — he's similar, in terms of presence, to the Haitian. And Teddy is another "rock'n' roll biker type," who has an unforeseen talent. [SpoilerTV]

Chuck:

The first episode of season three will be called "Chuck Vs. The Pink Slip," and will feature three new characters: Javier, a muscular Latin assassin, Yuri, the scariest of Russian spies, and Gilles, an incredibly handsome Frenchman. [ChuckTV]

True Blood:

The twelfth episode of the season will be called "Before The Night Is Over." [SpoilerTV]

Additional reporting by Alexis Brown.

Star Trek:

Yet another day of vague statements about the next Trek film. I missed posting the other day this interview, in which J.J. Abrams seems to downplay the idea that the next movie could be about the Enterprise battling a force of nature instead of a traditional villain, as writers Orci and Kurtzman have hinted. Says Abrams:

Well, I'm open to anything. We've had some really interesting discussions so far but, you know - you have to be open to everything to find the right thing so the answer is sure, I'm open to that. I think in a story it's important to personify, somehow, what you're up against so it's a tricky one to figure out how to, like, fight evil wind!

So I'd say that's looking less likely. Meanwhile, Orci and Kurtzman were interviewed by UGO, and the interviewer suggested that he'd like to see a well-rounded Ferengi character in the next movie. To which Kurtzman said, "Right on." So does that mean we can start spreading rumors that the next movie will be all about the Ferengi? [Collider and UGO]

Iron Man 2:

There's a somewhat garbled report that Robert Downey Jr. saved an extra who had gotten hit by a stuntman in some kind of robot costume. The spoilery part is that it was a scene where a group of stunt men dressed as robotic villains rampage through a crowded event. [Cinemablend]

Transformers 3:

No, it's really not too soon to start talking about the next one. Are you kidding? It's almost too late. Director Michael Bay says the next movie will have a much bigger role for Ramon Rodriguez, who's Shia's sidekick in the current release. (I'm wondering if this is because Shia doesn't want to come back? Or just because Bay really likes Rodriguez.) [L.A. Times]

Battlestar Galactica:

Edward James Olmos confirms our report last week that Dean Stockwell is basically the star of "The Plan," the TV movie about the show's first two seasons from the Cylon standpoint. Apparently, Stockwell's character Cavil masterminded everything. But Grace Park also delivers an exquisite performance, says Olmos. And he says there's a major surprise in store for us as we learn about the Cylons' titular Plan:

What their plan was, I think that's a big surprise. Finding out what the plan was and how it was structured and how close they were to completing it.

And he says we'll learn how different from us the Cylons really are. [Sci Fi Wire]

Fringe:

Here are some set photos from the filming of the new season, involving some kind of car accident. Could this be the accident that involves an FBI agent vanishing from a locked car? And is that Olivia laying battered on the street? [SpoilerTV]

Supernatural:

Remember Meg, the evil demon who has it in for the Winchester boys? We haven't seen her since season two, but actor Rachel Miner says she'll be back in the new season. (I thought she died, for some reason. Didn't she get stabbed with the demon-killing knife, or shot with the colt?) Says producer Eric Kripke:

I've been wondering, what Meg's doing out there. I've been continually asking the writers, ‘Where's Meg?" She's would make a really formidable adversary. I got impatient and ended up writing her into my own script.

She may only appear in one episode. [TV Guide Magazine]

Torchwood:

The Radio Times includes some details about this miniseries. Apparently, Captain Jack has a scene with his daughter Alice, where she laments that "I get older... and you stay the same." She appears to be the same age as Jack. Also, the 1965 flashback involves children in duffel coats and boots marching towards a mysterious light and vanishing. The show features the biggest set in its history, the mysterious Floor 13. And here are some nice photos. More at the link. [Blogtor Who]

FlashForward:

Some cool new stills from the pilot. At the very least, this show will be pretty interesting. Just watching Shakespeare and Sulu hang out together will be cool. [SpoilerTV]

Stargate Universe:

Colonel Telford (Lou Diamond Philips) is expected to be a "recurring guest star" rather than a regular character, although his status remains swathed in mystery. In any case, it may be significant that he's not coming to Comic-Con for this show, and neither is Justin Louis, who plays Colonel Everett Young. [Gateworld]

Vampire Diaries:

I know your excitement for this show has already reached fever pitch. But just in case, here's a new promo to put you over the top:

And some new posters. [VampireDiariesWeb]

And MTV has a review. Apparently for every spooky fogbound moment, there's at least a minute of teen banter in the local cool hangout, accompanied by an upbeat soundtrack. And apparently, one character from the books, Elena's friend Meredith, isn't in the pilot but will show up eventually. And Stefan is from the show's small town, in the Civil War era — not Renaissance Italy as in the books. [MTV]

Past Life:

We reviewed the pilot for this new Fox show yesterday, but here are a bunch of stills to help keep all your previous incarnations excited. [Fox]

Additional reporting by Alexis Brown.

After Paramount's announcement, Bay made the following post in his online forum:

Paramount made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 - they asked me on the phone - I said yes to July 4 - but for 2012 - whoops! Not 2011!!! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots.

But does this mean that the studio's announcement was wrong...? Somehow, that seems more than a little unlikely, considering the amount of fact-checking that doubtlessly goes on before an announcement like this. So is this Bay attempting to either back out the project, or get offered enough money to make the necessity of taking a break pointless? Or have Paramount decided to go ahead and hit the 2011 date with or without Bay's involvement? The date was announced with an accompanying "Michael Bay isn't confirmed to be involved," after all... Will Transformers 3 be another X-Men: The Last Stand? For that matter, who would be a good replacement for the Baymeister, should he not return for the third movie?

Wait a minute! [Shoot for the Edit]

That doesn't mean that Michael Bay was lying, mind you; he's not signed any deal to be involved with the third movie in the series, which also currently lacks the involvement of any stars or a writer. The announcement was made, according to insiders, in response to the quickly-filling 2011 calendar, which already has release dates for Spider-Man 4, Thor and Captain America because Marvel movies like to plan ahead. Making the announcement also shows the amount of faith that the studio has in Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen, which doesn't even open until June 24th this year... although it does provide the potential spoiler that at least one Transformer - and presumably, the Earth - will survive the second installment. Unless the third film is a prequel, of course...

'Transformers 3' gets a date [Variety]

The Baymeister updated his blog last week to offer the following response to the announcement of the ride:

The Transformer Ride at Universal making all the press rounds — not sure yet — they had me in a press release saying I supported it — but Universal has a long way to go in my mind. I don't support it yet — I'm not involved and not sure the story of the ride works, and I know Optimus is not going to just show up to be directed by some new people that have never worked with him. I hate when people bullshit a quote from me that I never said.

I'll keep you informed. Maybe the guy making the rides at Universal will direct Transformers 3????

I don't know what's more awesome; the joke at the end, or the idea that Bay may actually, on some level, believe that Optimus Prime is real enough to care who he's being directed by. Either way, it looks like Universal has some apologizin' to do... or perhaps they should just let the ride designer know that he's going to be directing a sequel to what will probably be one of 2009's hottest movies.

Michael Bay update from the Middle East [Michael Bay.com]