112 replies to this topic

[XC]

AUSXIP gjorde mig uppmärksammad på att Legend of the Seeker inte är det enda tv-Projektet där Raimi/Tappert är inblandade:

'Spartacus' unshackled with Starz

Starz is bringing "Spartacus" to life on the small screen, greenlighting a 13-episode series from executive producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Joshua Donen.

Steven S. DeKnight ("Smallville") has signed on as head writer and showrunner of the hourlong series, set in the brutal world of gladiators, said Starz Entertainment executive vp programming Stephan Shelanski.

"Spartacus" marks Starz's second original drama after "Crash" and the first drama to be produced in-house by sibling studio Starz Media, under the supervision of executive vp original production William Hamm, who previously was executive vp television at Raimi's Ghost House Pictures and brought the project to the channel.

The series -- developed by Raimi, Tapert and Donen -- will start production in New Zealand early next year, targeted for a summer debut on Starz and its suite of channels. The network touted the series' production values; it's estimated that the budget will end up north of $2 million an episode.

"Spartacus" was inspired by the real-life slave of the Roman Republic who in 73 B.C. led a slave revolt that grew to more than 120,000 fighters. Starz said the story will be "reimagined" it for what it calls a generation of TV viewers raised on graphic novels and cutting-edge production technology.

"This is not going to be at all like the 1960s Kirk Douglas film," Shelanski said. "We didn't want your typical sword-and-sandals. It's going to be fun, fast-moving, full of action and interesting characters and have a little more depth to it than the 1960s film."

Shelanski added that the show will be produced specifically for a premium cable audience, with "R-rated" action and storytelling. The goal is to accomplish the graphic-novel look and feel of such movies as "300" and "Sin City." As with "300," producers also will be looking to cast "Spartacus" with a group of fresh-faced, unknown actors.

Hamm added that "Spartacus" will be one of the first TV series to use an "almost 100% virtual environment," using live-action actors against virtual sets in the style of "300" and "Sin City."

"It will bring the younger audience who has grown up on graphic novels and video games this heightened reality; it's not going to look like anything you've seen before, especially on TV," said Hamm, who also worked with Raimi and Tapert when he was an exec at Universal TV and they were part of the producing team on "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys."

Starz Media's Anchor Bay Entertainment will hold exclusive worldwide home entertainment distribution rights; the company's Worldwide Distribution group will handle international TV and domestic syndication sales.

Låter onekligen intressant. Hoppas man får chansen och se den.


..
23.07.2009: Dags att börja kasta in lite bra-och-ha-länkar tror jag:

Officiella hemsidan
AUSXIP
@Twitter
@Facebook

Edited by XC, 07 August 2010 - 11:46.

[Cartman]

Håller med dig. Låter faktiskt intressant och skulle vara trevligt att få se.

[Wylie Times]

Raimi har många järn i elden.

[Georgia]

Något att se fram emot

[Cartman]

Någonting har blivit uppdaterat men jag vet inte riktigt vad.

Marketwatch.Com - Starz Declares - "We Are Spartacus!"

Last update: 1:58 p.m. EDT Oct. 27, 2008

BURBANK, Calif. and ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Oct 27, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/

The world of gladiators comes to life as the Roman Empire's most brutal fighters clash in the ultimate arena. Starz's new series, "Spartacus," an entirely new twist on the ancient legend, will utilize virtual environments giving it a unique graphic novel look and style, along with a fresh narrative approach.

Debuting exclusively on Starz, "Spartacus" will be produced by Starz Media with Executive Producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Joshua Donen. The announcement was made today by Stephan Shelanski, executive vice president, programming, for Starz Entertainment.

It will begin production in early 2009, debuting on Starz and its suite of channels later in the year.

This is the second original drama series on Starz, and the first drama produced in-house by the premium service's studio sibling, headed by William Hamm, executive vice president, originals productions. Hamm brought the project to the channel.

Steven S. DeKnight ("Smallville," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has been signed as head writer and show-runner of the series, which was developed by Raimi (Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3 and Evil Dead), Tapert (The Grudge, "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys") and Donen (The Quick and the Dead) and is being produced in New Zealand by Starz Media's Starz Productions.

DeKnight is one of the most sought after Producer/Director/Writers in television and is currently consulting on Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" and tapped to write for the upcoming season eight in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic book series.

From the talented team responsible for some of the biggest action feature film hits, and consistently popular action TV series, "Spartacus" will take the story of the rebellious warrior-slave and re-imagine it for a generation of TV viewers raised on graphic novels and cutting-edge production technology.

Audiences will get 13 hour-long episodes of unsparing action, set in the brutal world of gladiators. Because the series is being produced for Starz -- the fastest-growing premium television service -- there is no shortage of intense action and vivid, R-rated storytelling. This will be a TV series with an original narrative and a very unique look and feel.

"When 'Spartacus' debuts in the summer of 2009, it will give our subscribers a show unlike anything currently on TV: a fresh, high-energy action series with nothing held back," Shelanski said. "We think it will be the destination show for next summer. It, along with our other original productions underscores our commitment to being a new kind of TV company, programming the biggest movies and the best new television series."

"By utilizing the latest digital filmmaking techniques to create the look of this series, we'll be able to tell the story in a way never before seen with production values far beyond what even the most ambitious TV series can offer," Tapert said. Raimi added "It is going to be very exciting to take one of the most beloved and inspiring characters of all time, re-invent and bring them to life for a whole new generation of TV viewers."

Starz's new "Spartacus" series was inspired by the actual slave of the Roman Republic who in 73 BC led a slave revolt that grew to more than 120,000 fighters. Defying the Roman Republic's legions of soldiers, they campaigned for two years through much of what is now Italy before succumbing to a much larger army. The new series will tell a new set of stories rich in character, action, sex and combat.

Starz Media's Anchor Bay Entertainment will hold exclusive worldwide home entertainment distribution rights to "Spartacus," while the company's Worldwide Distribution group will handle international television and domestic syndication sales.

"Spartacus" is just the latest original series for Starz. Its first dramatic series, "Crash," a co-production from Starz Entertainment and Lionsgate, premiered Oct. 17. Starz Media will also produce "Party Down" for Starz, debuting in early 2009, the companies announced recently. These come on the heels of Starz's original half-hour comedy series, "Head Case," which stars Alexandra Wentworth and is currently in production on additional episodes. Starz also features "Starz Inside," a monthly series of original specials examining people, trends and culture in entertainment, hosted by film critic Richard Roeper.

[XC]

Jag tror man gav lite mer detaljer. Hoppas att man som sagt får chansen och se den. Om inte annat på DVD.

[blodeuedd]

Det låter verkligen intressant

[XC]

Suff.co.uk har fyndat namnet på huvudrollsinehavaren till den nya serien. Och som det ser ut så fortsätter Tappert/Raimi återvinna gamla bekantskaper. Manu Bennett heter den lycklige. Känns han igen? Han dök upp i 30 days of night senast, om man inte räknar rollen som "Marc Antony" i 05x18 (Antony & Cleopatra) i Xena. Ett avsnitt som gick helt nyligen faktiskt. Fast jag tror han lagt ut lite sedan dess va?




Förutom lite info om själva serien så meddelas även:

"Other gladiators and various Romans will all be played by local actors and Lucy Lawless's husband Rob Tapert is one of the producers. Each episode is expected to cost about $3.5 million." — Källa

Som Xena nörd undrar ju jag givetvis om Lucy fortfarande klassas som "Lokal förmåga"...

[Snusmumriken]

Oh, detta måste man ju hålla koll på. Låter ju tämligen lovande

Som Xena nörd undrar ju jag givetvis om Lucy fortfarande klassas som "Lokal förmåga"...

Du är icke ensam på den punkten hehe. Vi får väl se

[XC]

AUSXIP vet verkligen hur man gör XC glad.

"Lawless, who recently returned to New Zealand to work on husband Robert Tapert's TV show Spartacus, is a board trustee for the Starship Foundation." — Källa

(Iaf så har AUSXIP tolkat det så. Och jag gör likadant.) Så tydligen räknas hon fortfarande som lokal förmåga!

[Cartman]

Kul. Men nu vill vi även se henne framför kameran i både LotS och den här serien. Då blir vi alla extra glada.

[XC]

NZ Herald publicerade en ny artikel idag (fast idag är ju imorgon för dem tydligen av datumet och dömma). Och gissa om det fanns en liten tårta till oss Xena-fans där:

Spartacus returns - Movies - NZ Herald News

Just as the local production on the first season of Legend of the Seeker winds down, another of producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi's latest New Zealand-based productions is about to start shooting. And this one will involve Lucy Lawless - Tapert's missus - in a recurring role.

The show is called Spartacus though it has less to do with the Stanley Kubrick/Kirk Douglas classic take on the story of the Roman rebel slave than with being a hard-edged small screen answer to hit Spartan war flick 300.

Tapert says the show is for US cable network Starz Entertainment and will be shot largely using greenscreen in an Auckland studio, using many local actors - at least ones willing to get their gear off.

"It's a reinvention of that story and myth. So the first 13 episodes are like the rise of the gladiator rock star. It's more in the vein of Deadwood meets 300.

"We are not being slavish to style and history or any of that. This is really a graphic novel brought to life."

So no, we won't see someone with a curious resemblance to Xena shouting: "No, I am Spartacus!" Pity." — Källa

Recurring? Det gillar vi!

[Cartman]

UNDERBART!

Den tidigare artikeln tyckte jag var vinklad så att hon skulle jobba med tv-serien men jag fick inget grepp om hur.

[Forever Xena]

Läste detta på Comingsoon

Lucy Lawless to Star in Spartacus
Source: Variety March 31, 2009


Lucy Lawless has signed on to star in the new fantasy-and-fighting series from "Xena: Warrior Princess" masterminds Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, says Variety.

The previously announced project from Starz Media, "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," will feature the New Zealand actress, who starred in "Xena" from 1995-2001, as the proprietor of a camp for gladiators.

Australian actor Andy Whitfield will play the title role.

The project, which goes into production in April, is set to premiere on the Starz premium cable channel in January 2010.

[Cartman]

AUSXIP har en officiell Press Release.

[XC]

AUSXIP har dessutom publicerat en artikel om vad Lucy kommer göra:

From the Orlando Sentinal | How do you follow Kirk Douglas as Spartacus?

That challenge falls to British-born, Aussie-based Andy Whitfield (pictured). He will star in "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," a Starz series to debut in January. Production starts Wednesday in New Zealand.

Starz also announced that Lucy Lawless of "Xena: Warrior Princess" will play Lucretia, who runs the gladiator camp with her husband. The couple own gladiator Spartacus, and that situation will allow the Lawless character to create mischief.

Whitfield's credits include the Australian series "McLeod's Daughters," "Packed to the Rafters," "The Strip" and "Out of the Blue." His film credits include "Gabriel," and he just finished shooting "The Clinic." — Källa

Edited by XC, 31 March 2009 - 14:40.

[Cartman]

Trevliga och intressanta nyheter idag.

Michael Hurst to Direct episodes of Spartacus

... Michael will also be directing episode 1×05 of SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND along with more episodes to come.

Edited by Cartman, 01 July 2009 - 12:47.

[XC]

Yay. Inte helt fel säger en Xena nörd som jag.

Nu behöver de bara klämma in Renee och Hudson någonstans också för att de rosa molnen skall driva in längs horisoten på allvar.

[XC]

Hittade en (ganska intetsägande) promo på AUSXIP för serien:

Edited by XC, 06 July 2009 - 09:15.

[XC]

Via AUSXIP hittade jag det officiella twitterkontot som meddelade att man lagt upp nya bilder på den officiella facebooken. (Minns ni den gamla goda tiden när man samlade allt på ett ställe? ) Jag har laddat upp dem på imageshack för att vara på den säkra sidan. Fyra bilder på "Spartacus" och en bild på Lucy. Hon passar inte riktigt i den hårfärgen, men man vänjer sig kanske. Det ser iaf lite bättre ut än bilden som var på AUSXIP för ett tag sedan.

Sedan läste jag på UpcomingFilmScores (via AUSXIP givetvis) att Joseph LoDuca kommer att göra musiken. Inte helt fel tycker jag.

Edited by XC, 23 July 2009 - 09:42.

[Forever Xena]

Rött hår !!! vet inte om jag tyckar det passer Lucy så bra , men längter till serien börjar

[XC]

You and me both.

Den officiella hemsidan har uppdaterats med bilder på några "trading cards" - inklusive baksidan där man kan läsa mer om själva karaktären. Bilden på Lucy är betydligt snyggare än den tidigare.

Och första avsnittet kommer visas 21 Januari 2010.

Edited by XC, 23 July 2009 - 16:09.

[Forever Xena]

Det ser bra ut, lite " Empress " över Lucy framför allt ska det bli skönt att äntligen få se henne i en serie igen, en serie efter min smak

[XC]

Japp. Skall bli kul.

[Wylie Times]

Baserat på den här trailern verkar det som att dom har sneglat en hel del på Rome, tagit fasta på det extrema våldet och allt naket och sedan gjort en serie av det. Not that I'm complaining.

http://seat42f.com/i...fficial-trailer

Edited by Wylie Times, 24 July 2009 - 23:32.