Ridley Scott Producing TV Miniseries Sequel to '2001: A Space Odyssey'

It seems Ridley Scott isn't content tweaking his own sci-fi classics, he has to start messing around with others. After giving us the Alien "sequel" Prometheus and beginning work on a Blade Runner follow-up, Scott is now set to produce a TV miniseries that serves as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and the unfortunate 2010: The Year We Make Contact.

SyFy is developing 3001: The Final Odyssey, based on the Arthur C. Clarke book and given the full backing of the author's estate, so at least it's official. Stuart Beattie, who has written some decent stuff like Collateral and crapola like I, Frankenstein will pen the script. Here's the book's synopsis:

In this fourth and final book in a 30-year publishing odyssey (following 2001, 2010, and 2061), 2001 astronaut Frank Poole, presumed dead and adrift in deep space near Jupiter, is recovered alive in the year 3001. Intent on saving humanity, he returns to Jupiter's satellite, Europa, to contact partner Dave Bowman, whose mind has become absorbed by a third monolith.

Here's what Scott had to say:

"I have always been a fan of Clarke’s extraordinary Odyssey series, and certainly Kubrick’s adaptation of 2001. I am thrilled to be part of bringing that legacy to audiences and continuing the great cinematic tradition that this story and its creators deserve."

 Hopefully this turns out to be a decent wrap-up to Clarke's "Odyssey", but it's going to depend greatly on who they get to direct it.

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Steven Spielberg's 'Halo' Series May Head to Showtime

Microsoft has a couple of projects on the way based on their bestselling Halo video game franchise. The most recent is Ridley Scott's "digital feature" that is expected to hit Xbox Live in the future, but the longest-developing is a series exec-produced by Steven Spielberg. While the series is also expected to hit the console's online service, as well, Variety reports Xbox Entertainment is in talks with Showtime to bring it to the network.

Xbox is said to be in deep negotiations on a deal that would make Showtime home for the developing series, based on the world fleshed out by screenwriter Stuart Beattie. Talks are also underway with a pair of showrunners to spearhead the project, which is not expected to be a straight-to-series pickup.

The plan is to have episodes air on Showtime before arriving on Xbox Live after a certain window of time has elapsed. For more on Halo and the numerous other projects they have in the works, you can go here. 

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Aaron Eckhart Goes Underworld In First 'I, Frankenstein' Trailer

Depending on your perspective, it's either a great or awful time to be a fan of classic movie monsters. Hollywood has been intent on remaking the most popular ones for potential franchises, and we saw the first attempt fail miserably with The Wolfman a couple of years ago. But there are many more attempts on the horizon with Universals remake of The Mummy, Dracula Untold starring Luke Evans, and perhaps the oddest of them all, I, Frankenstein.

The first trailer has arrived and immediately it's clear this is not your daddy's bolt-necked version of Frankenstein. Aaron Eckhart is Adam Frankenstein, who has lived for hundreds of years and now finds himself in the present day caught in the middle of a supernatural war between immortal clans. Stuart Beattie (Tomorrow, When the War Began) is directing and perhaps it's unfair to say the film looks like an Underworld spinoff because so many from the vampire series are involved, from the producers to Bill Nighy as the demonic villain. Kevin Grevioux, who co-starred in and wrote a few of the Underworld movies, penned the graphic novel from which I, Frankenstein was based. If it turns out to be half as successful then Lionsgate will have another successful, relatively inexpensive monster franchise to lean on. It's undeniably cool to see a twin-bladed Frankenstein destroying demons and gargoyles, so hopefully this can be a silly and enjoyable diversion.

Starring Yvonne Strahovski, Miranda Otto, and Jai Courtney, I, Frankenstein comes alive January 24th 2014.

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