Geeky News

Speilberg looks unlikely to be able to direct Transformers, but is still gonna executive-produce since it's a Dreamworks production.

The Producer, Don Murphy (Natural Born Killers, Double Dragon, Permanent Midnight, Apt Pupil, From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) has a poll on his website asking fans for suggestions both of directors they'd like to see (his faves are Mostow (T3, U-571) and Emmerich (um... Godzilla and Independence day. Ugh).

He's also got a poll up answering questions about the movie. There won't be any size changing robots, so Megatron turning into a gun is out as is Soundwave becoming a cassette recorder. There won't be any beasts or dinosaurs either, so vehicles only. The 'cast' will be seven Autobots and seven Decepticons making the 'core' cast, so I'm assuming that others may appear but in background roles. There's a poll up asking fans for suggestions who those fourteen characters should be.

http://www.donmurphy.net


In the UK, production is well underway on the new Doctor Who series. Filming has already started with Chritopher Eccleson as the Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose, his new assistant.

Concept art for the TARDIS and other areas is being supplied by the concept artist for the series - Bryan Hitch. Presumably squeezing in designing between his other gigs, such as avoiding drawing the next volume of Ultimates.

CGI and special effects will be from MillTV who have dones some fairly diverse projects including Kylie's last video and effects on Gladiator.

The Daleks -won't- appear after all, after talks between the BBC and Terry Nation's estate (the late creator of the Daleks) broke down. The copyright is co-owned and their appearance would have to be agreed by both sides and wasn't. So, no Daleks.

The new series will consist of 13 45 minute episodes. (So, they'll probably run to an hour and a half when shown in the states by the time they add ad breaks ;)

Sadly it looks like Frobisher, the shape-shifter who got stuck in the form of a penguin and was the Doctor's companion in the Marvel UK comic for years, won't be appearing. Thankfully he can be found on a couple of the audio adventures that the BBC did for the radio.