In 2009, the Sci Fi Channel plans to show 36 original action movies, up 12 from their 2008 number. Here’s a sampling of what’s on tap. (from Sci Fi Wire)
Malibu Shark Attack. Peta Wilson (La Femme Nikita) stars in a thriller about prehistoric sharks that attack Malibu Beach.
Hellhounds. Hades and his hellhounds thwart a hero’s journey to the underworld to bring a princess back to life. Directed by Rick Schroeder (NYPD Blue).
Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon. A journey for a lost treasure leads to the discovery of an Aztec culture. Stars Shannen Doherty and former Stargate SG-1 regular Michael Shanks.
Phantom Racer. Greg Evigan hits the road again in a movie about a race-car driver from beyond the grave.
The Immortal Voyage of Captain Drake. A group of pirates are bribed and blackmailed into searching for a mythical cure for a sultan’s dying son. Stars Highlander’s Adrian Paul.
Lake Placid 3. The sequel to SCI FI’s highest-rated original movie of 2007, Lake Placid 2.
As a reminder, in January 2008, Dave Howe was named president of the Sci Fi channel. He reports to Bonnie Hammer, president of USA Networks. Dave Howe was previously Executive Vice President of marketing and branding strategy and also general manager. His tenure saw the relaunch of Battlestar: Galactica, and the productions of both Eureka and Tin Man. Bonnie Hammer, previous to the executive position with Sci Fi and USA Networks, created documentaries for the Lifetime channel. I don’t want to color this with too much commentary, but does Sci Fi need more made for TV movies? I’m all for original programming, but in serial form. I don’t know if I speak for all science fiction fans, but all I’m asking for are syndicated TV shows, old sci-fi movies and good original programming, not made for TV movies. Sink your budget into quality serials. 36 movies in one year is going to cost at least as much as 3 regular dramas. Who is really asking for Lake Placid 3? However, this sealed it for me.
Howe also spearheaded a major overhaul of SCI FI’s brand strategy, focused on redefining the genre and making it more relatable and accessible to a broader audience and new generation of viewers. This led the way for the hit drama series Eureka and the hit reality series Ghost Hunters, which have attracted record numbers of new female and younger viewers to the channel.
Ghost Hunters is a hit show.
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prehistoric sharks !
Comment by tina — July 22, 2008 @ 5:26 am
How could it be better than Shark Attack 3, starring John Barrowman and his infamous line?
Comment by chrispiers — July 22, 2008 @ 7:09 am
What, no movies about wrestling? Is this the sci-fi channel, or not?
I wish they weren’t taking the “million monkeys at a million typewriters” approach to finding good content. Process of elimination is NOT a good way to entertain viewers. (”Let’s give them something about…. magma yogurt? flesh-eating cows? C’mon, we need more nouns to randomly combine, people!”)
Comment by danterner — July 23, 2008 @ 5:51 am
For crying out loud…
How hard would it be the Sci-Fi channel to make JUST ONE low-budget green screen movies based on some decent “classic” science fiction property?
If just one of the monkeys dansterner mentions would be permitted into a used bookstore, it would probably shoplift a musty Asimov, Ellison, Heinlein, Butler, Pournelle, Cherryh, Gibson or whatever (attention: no slight intended toward any sci-fi master I did not name) paperback that could be effortlessly adapted into a screenplay. Then it could be effortlessly shot by a cheap Canadian production company in front of a green screen.
Instead, we get Aztec dinosaurs and prehistoric sharks. And reality TV about ghosts.
Comment by BethesdaSteve — July 24, 2008 @ 2:51 pm