Ian McShane Joins "Game of Thrones"-Series to End at 8 Seasons

 

It's been a wild ride to be a fan of HBO's fantasy series Game of Thrones as audiences had to watch a fan-favorite die at the hands of his own brethern in the Season 5 finale earlier this summer; but now HBO has come to say that the series- based on the novels by George R.R. Martin- will end after Season 8, not Season 7 as was previously assumed.
It was also revealed that acclaimed character actor Ian McShane, seen now on Showtime's Ray Donovan, will be joining in an unspecified role.

HBO president Michael Lombardo said via EW:

 “Seven-seasons-and-out has never been the [internal] conversation,” Lombardo said to critics at the Television Critics Association’s press tour Thursday when a reporter asked if the show would end after seven. “The question is: How much beyond seven are we going to do? Obviously we’re shooting six now, hopefully discussing seven. [Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss are] feel like there’s two more years after six. I would always love for them to change their minds, but that’s what we’re looking at right now.”

Lombardo was also open to often requested idea of a prequel season.
Game of Thrones premiered in 2011 and has since become both a ratings smash hit and a cultural phenomenon for HBO, spawning countless merchandise and ruling social media during the on-season run.

EW then went on to report on McShane's role:

We can tell you, however, that sources say McShane has a relatively small amount of screen-time during the season, yet his character is of key importance.

It is rumored McShane could play Randyl Tarly, father of Samwell; but the words "key importance" suggest something much larger than an estranged father. Perhaps he is the Night's King, or maybe one of the Greyjoy pirates- a role McShane commanded in the 2011 Pirates of the Carribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Starz "Black Sails" Will Coast Ahead to Season 4

 

The critically acclaimed pirate-set drama series won't return for Season 3 until early 2016; but Starz has announced at the Television Critics Assn. in California that they've already ordered the series for a fourth season, which will film near South Africa this fall. 

The series, which acts as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island", follows the lives of Captain James Flint, John Silver, Charles Vane, "Calico" Jack Rackham, and as of Season 3, Edward "Black Beard" Teach played by Ray Stevenson, as the hunt for the Urca De Lima gold and it's impact on the port-island Nassau.
Where it stands, Season 4 is very likely to be a straight up adaptation of the Stevenson novel itself.

Co-creator Jonathan Steinberg once told Zap2It:

“We reread the book before we really committed to this angle of the story,” Steinberg says. “I don’t remember as a kid appreciated how clearly unreliable [Long John Silver] is intended to be. That everything is self-serving that comes out of his mouth.”

He continues, “If the show lives a long and healthy life .. that that end will plug into the book in some meaningful way,” adding that he hopes “Black Sails” will “recontextualize the negative space in the world.” As for future seasons, Steinberg hedges that he will keep the show going “as long as there’s a story to tell.”

The series is produced by Michael Bay, and will return to Starz in January. 

Theater Listings for GAME OF THRONES in IMAX Are Here.

 

Earlier this month is was announced that HBO's Game of Thrones would be the first TV series to ever be distributed theatrically for IMAX screens in a limited engagement and fans had been waiting with baited breath to see if their local IMAX would be letting them journey to Westeros- well now they can find out, as IMAX have finally revealed the locations and release date for the week-long event. 

Due to high levels of consumer demand, Game of Thrones in IMAX will now launch one week later on Thursday, January 29 beginning at 10 p.m. and extend through February 5. The date change allows for an expanded roll-out of screens to upwards of 200 IMAX theatres. This will be the first-ever presentation of a television program in IMAX theatres, featuring two episodes from season four of Game of Thrones followed by the worldwide debut of the series’ season five sneak-peek preview created exclusively for IMAX.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 16, and the first 300 ticket holders at participating locations will received a special poster by the artist of the "Game of Thrones: Beautiful Death" series, Robert Ball. 

The locations can be found here on IMAX's official blog.  

The Game of Thrones in IMAX experience will see Episode 9 and 10, "Watchers on the Wall" and "The Children", followed by a special preview of Season 5.
So if you're worried about seeing some Kings die or Prince's heads get crushed into jello, don't worry, because 9 and 10 are- while climactic- far from shocking.

SALEM Season 2 Nabs Xena and Dorian Gray; Teaser

 

WGN America's unlikely hit SALEM is returning for Season 2 in April and is bringing Stewart Townsend (League of Extrordinary Gentlemen) and Lucy Lawless (XENA) to Massachusets 'Witch War'.

Lawless will play Countess Marburg, one of the last members of a line of powerful German witches, while Townsend will play Samuel Wainwright, an English doctor intent on exposing Salem’s secrets —while closely guarding his own.

TV Line reports.

SALEM is a Crucible-esque thriller that takes place during the Witch Trials, weaving in real world and known historically documented Salem residents through the course of the show. 

HOBBIT Star Richard Armitage Joins NBC's HANNIBAL as Dolarhyde

 

"I am the Dragon. And you call me insane. You are privy to a great becoming, but you recognize nothing. To me, you are a slug in the sun. You are an ant in the afterbirth. It is your nature to do one thing correctly. Before me, you rightly tremble. But, fear is not what you owe me. YOU OWE ME AWE!"

It appears the past three years of fighting dragons has cause Thorin Oakenshield to become one himself, as he is now set to join NBC's dark modern fantasy/crime-drama HANNIBAL as Francis Dolarhyde aka "The Tooth Fairy", for Season 3- which will apparently dive into Will Graham's first "big" case. 

Most well known as being portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in Brett Ratner's 2002 film Red Dragon, the hulking and intimidating 6'2 Armitage will fill the mentally unstable shoes of Dolarhyde perfectly.
The decision also keeps in tune with the show's somewhat unconventional casting choices up until now.

Armitage’s gig is slated to last six episodes.

Last month, the role of sociopathic Mason Verger was recast — with Joe Anderson (The Divide) stepping in for Michael Pitt (Boardwalk Empire). Gillian Anderson was also upgraded to series regular as the mysterious Bedelia du Maurier in advance ofHannibal‘s third season.

Armitage will be joining Joe Anderson (replacing Michael Pitt) as Mason Verger, meaning Hannibal season 3 will not be lacking for menacing antagonists for Will Graham to suffer through.

We know from San Diego Comic Con 2015 that Dolarhyde's role will play out into the "Red Dragon" arch of Season 4, which will see us soon potentially enter some Silence of the Lambs Territory:

New characters, from the Thomas Harris book universe, are headed our way. Episode 2 will introduce Inspector Pazzi, who Giancarlo Giannini played in the movie Hannibal. Episode 3 will bring in Lady Murasaki from Hannibal Rising. And Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes in the movie Red Dragon) will be brought in during Episode 8. And then he'll take the show into the "Red Dragon" portion of the series, which will play out in Season 4.

"I think Murasaki's going to kick all sorts of ass," said Fuller.

The panel went on to discuss the future of the series, briefly:

Producer Martha De Laurentiis then spoke about the course of the show, which will take us through a mashup of the books Hannibal and Hannibal Rising next season, and then Red Dragon in Season 4. And then, hopefully, Season 5 will go into Silence of the Lambs. If MGM, who owns the rights to that book (meaning they own Clarice Starling), is willing to play ball. If not then, Fuller and producer/writer Steven Lightfoot will "take what has been laid out for us all to mine and then make our own version of what that is," De Laurentiis said. "And it could even be more exciting."

HANNIBAL, loosely adapted from the Thomas Harris novels of the same character, first premiered in the Spring of 2013 to some rocky ratings but overwhelming critical acclaim before taking off and finding it's footing through it's passionate fanbase, strong social media prescence, and critical accolades. 

Dr. Lecter will return to NBC this Spring.  

FX's FARGO S2 Gets Patrick Wilson; Ted Danson; Plot Synopsis

 

Everyone is jumping on HBO's True Detective bandwagon with limited series that showcase heavy talent, and it appears FX is next on the list as Season 2 of their critically lauded FARGO starts to kick it into gear, filling out it's cast that already includes Breaking Bad star Matt Damon Jesse Plemmons, and Shailene Woodley Kirsten Dunst.
Patrick Wilson (WATCHMEN), Ted Danson (Bored to Death), and Jean Smart (Hawaii Five-O) join the cast officially.

The official synopsis is as follows:

The all new “true crime” case of Fargo’s new chapter travels back to 1979 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Luverne, Minnesota, where a young State Police Officer “Lou Solverson” (Wilson), recently back from Vietnam, investigates a case involving a local crime gang and a major Mob syndicate.  Helping him piece things together is his father-in-law, “Sheriff Hank Larsson” (Danson). The investigation will lead them to a colorful cast of characters that includes “Karl Weathers” (Nick Offerman), the town lawyer of Luverne, Minnesota.  A Korean War vet, Karl is a flowery drunk blessed with the gift of gab and the eloquence of a true con artist.  Three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett will play “Joe Bulo,” the front man for the northern expansion of a Kansas City crime syndicate. 

The new face of corporate crime, Joe’s bringing a Walmart mentality to small town America.  His number two is “Mike Milligan” (Bokeem Woodbine).  Part enforcer, part detective, Mike is always smiling – but the joke is usually on you.  Bulo and his crew have their sights set on the Gerhardt crime family in Fargo, currently led by matriarch “Floyd Gerhardt” (Smart).  With her husband at death’s door, Floyd takes over the family business, frustrating her eldest son, “Dodd Gerhardt” (Jeffrey Donovan).  An impatient hothead with a cruel streak to match his ambitions, Dodd can’t wait for both his parents to die so he can take over and expand their business from kingdom to empire. “Bear Gerhardt” (Angus Sampson) is the middle son, an intimidatingly large man who, although inarticulate, is the most decent of his clan. “Rye Gerhardt” (Kieran Culkin), the youngest of the Gerhardt clan, views himself as a big shot, but in reality he’s just a small dog who barks big.

According to the Wrap, production on Fargo begins January 19th in Calgary with a predicted air-date of next fall. 
Season 1 is available now on DVD/Bluray. 

Edward James Olmos to Join the AGENTS OF SHIELD

 

Marvel's official website posted today that BattleStar Galactica and SELENA's dad Edward James Olmos would be joining the ABC series as Robert Gonzalez (clever)!

Olmos will play Robert Gonzales, whose debut this spring in “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” will have massive repercussions for Director Coulson and his team.

The 67 year old Mexican actor has had his fair share of TV series, obviously (so say we all) but weirdly enough hasn't had his dip in the super-hero bucket unlike every other north of 50 actor in Hollywood when it comes to Marvel Studios.

“Edward James Olmos brings an amazing gravitas to any role he inhabits, something we knew we needed for Robert Gonzales,” said Executive Producer and Marvel’s Head of Marvel Television, Jeph Loeb. “When Olmos first appears on our series, everyone will have to take notice--including our favorite Agents.”

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns in March on ABC.  

BATES MOTEL Season 3 Promo- Shower Time.

 

Bates Motel was a runaway hit for A&E, and now as the dark drama prepares to enter it's third season we get a look at Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) spying on the Motel's newest tennant Annika Johnson (Tracy Spiridakos) in a scene that seems like things are about to get... PSYCHO. 

We left the charmingly eerie town of White Pine Bay with Norman channeling his dear mother Norma (Vera Farmiga) in the chilling season 2 finale, leading us to believe this show is about to get much much darker.

Bates Motel Season 3 premiers this March. 

HBO's WESTWORLD Ordered to Series; Hopkins, Marsden, Harris to Star

 

HBO's Adaptation of the 1973 film that acclaimed author, the late Michael Crichton (Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park TIMELINE) wrote and directed, has been ordered to pilot with heavy pedigree behind it, and a star-studded cast which has signed multi-year deals to stay in "Delos".

HBO, which is home to some already impressive series such as True Detective, Game of Thrones, The Leftovers, and The Newsroom, will be adding scifi-western to that bill in 2015, as they took to Twitter earlier on Monday to drop a Vine, as well as the first official set-photo of the "Westworld" in Delos. 

The drama hails from J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk's Warner Bros. Television-based Bad Robot Productions, with the duo exec producing alongsideJerry Weintraub, Jonathan Nolan (who directed the pilot)and Joy. Kathy Lingg will co-EP and Athena Wickham is a producer on the drama. David Coatsworth is set as a co-EP and line producer, with Susie Ekins set as a co-producer. Westworld hails from Bad Robot, Jerry Weintraub Productions and Kilter Films.

James Marsden (X-Men, Enchanted), Evan Rachel Wood (Charlie Countryman, The Ides of March), Thandie Newton (Crash, Mission: Impossible II) will be joining Ed Harris (The Rock, Enemy at the Gates) with Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs) as the 'mad genius' behind the theme-park Delos.
Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings) and Jeffrey Wright (The Manchurian Candidate) are also set to star. 

The Hollywood Reporter also notes that, since a majority of the cast will be play androids, they can be killed off and returned with ease, often able to start playing completely different characters entirely. 

WESTWORLD follows a future where anything is possible in the world of Delos- an amusement park that for $1,000 dollars a day it's customers can stay in any of the three highly realistic parks: West World, Medieval World, and Roman World, where they can fight to the death, have sex with, or just live a life of adventure and debauchery with the androids that populate them.

That is until things go wrong, and the androids become a bit too real. 

FROM HELL Coming to FX; Johnny Depp Not Included

 

Deadline just broke the news that FX will be bringing an adaptation of Alan Moore's celebrated graphic novel which printed from 1986-1996, and was later adapted into a chilling thriller in 2001 starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham.

The drama will be coming to FX, which will be in desperate need of an attention grabbing series as their two biggest draws, Sons of Anarchy and Justified, are nearing their end within the year.

 Don Murphy, who produced the film, is executive producing the mini. David Arata (Children of Men) will write the adaptation. The Hughes bothers, who directed the movie, are not involved.

When the current resurgence of event series started, Murphy thought that would be a great way to handle the material properly, giving the story time to play out and doing it justice. He reached out to Fox Group chairman Peter Rise who was an executive on the movie. Rice loved the idea and the project was set up at Fox TV Studios whose then-topper David Madden had worked with Murphy in the past. Arata was brought in as writer and the drama was sold to FX, with FX Prods. coming on board to co-produce with FtvS. Don Murphy is executive producing with Susan Montford, via their company Angry Films, along with Arata.

From Hell recounts the chilling streak of Jack the Ripper murders that plagued London in the late 1800s, followed by inspector Frederick Abberline and told with Jack the Ripper as the main character.

The novel is based off "Stephen Knight's theory that the Jack the Ripper murders were part of a conspiracy to conceal the birth of an illegitimate royal baby fathered by Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence,"

From Hell would make a perfect home at FX, which excels in adult-oriented, extremley graphic, and highly mature content and story-telling such as The Americans, The Bridge, FARGO, Sons of Anarchy, and TYRANT.