'Riverworld,' 'Phantom' Movies May Lead To TV Series

"The Cavern of Souls" from Sci Fi Channel's upcoming movie "Riverworld"The Sci-Fi Channel will air a pair of four-hour movies next year with an eye toward making them into series.

The first movie is "Riverworld," the tale of a war correspondent and his fiancee who are killed, but awaken in a mysterious world populated by everyone who has lived on Earth.

Tahmoh Penikett, best known for "Battlestar Galactica" will play the war correspondent, named Matt Ellman. The fiancee, Jessie, will be Laura Vandervoort, who previously played Supergirl on "Smallville."

Jessie and Matt will be separated in the new world. Determined to locate Jessie, Matt joins forces with a 13th-century female samurai warrior named Tomoe (Jeananne Goossen) and American novelist Sam "Mark Twain" Clemens (Mark Deklin).

Together, they will sail upriver seeking its source and attempting to discover where they are and who put them there.

Also starring in "Riverworld" will be Alan Cumming ("X2: X-Men United").

"Riverworld" is based in Philip Jose Farmer's series of books from the 1970s and '80s.

Concept art for "Phantom," from scifiwire.com.The second movie is "Phantom," based on the popular comics character. The Phantom relies on his wits, physical strength and skill with weapons, not on superhuman powers.

Set in the present, the movie will star Ryan Carnes in the lead role: The Phantom/Chris Walker.

Carnes is known primarily for guest-starring roles on "Doctor Who" and "Desperate Housewives."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Isabella Rossellini will guest star as the movie's villain, Lithia.

Additional "Phantom" cast members include Cameron Goodman ("American High School") and Sandrine Holt ("24"). Goodman will play Walker's love interest, Renny, and Holt will star as the Phantom's trusted advisor, Guran.

Screenwriter Daniel Knauf ("Carnivàle") and his son, Charles Knauf, completed the script last July. Paolo Barzman ("The Last Templar") is directing.

Production is under way on both films, which are being produced by RHI Entertainment.