Posts tagged #Books

GHOSTWOOD 090: "Dune (1984)" Is Up!

 
"Your time has come. A storm is coming. Our storm. And when it arrives, it will shake the universe. Emperor...we come for you!"
-- Paul "Muad'Dib" Atreides, Dune (1984)

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  In this episode, we discuss Dune, the 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, starring Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, Everett McGill as Stilgar, Jürgen Prochnow as Duke Leto Atreides, Francesca Annis as Lady Jessica, Kenneth McMillan as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and Sting as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen!

LET'S ROCK!

In this episode, Xan and I discuss things like treasonous insurrection and threats to democracy, Donald Trump making history as the first President of the United States to be impeached twice, Baron Harkonnen's reluctance to engage in a peaceful transfer of power and commit insurrection against the incoming government, our being unapologetic fans of Dune, running down the various Twin Peaks and David Lynch film actors, Stilgar being the Barry White of the Fremen, Jack Nance being miscast as a Harkonnen, comparing the Trump Administration and family with the Harkonnens, Yueh's obsession with killing Baron Harkonnen screwing over House Atreides, looking forward to Dave Bautista as The Beast Rabban, Sting as Dr. Frankenstein in The Bride, Sting's Flying Underpants, John Constantine being physically based on Sting, wondering why Brian Eno only did the "Prophecy Theme", Alejandro Jodorowsky blaming the studio instead of David Lynch for how Dune turned out, moviegoers being given a glossary of Dune terminology before the movie, David Lynch requesting the "Alan Smithee" disavowed credit for the extended versions, Lynch's original plans to adapt Dune Messiah, the studio viewing Dune as "Star Wars for adults", the idea of a David Lynch Star Wars film, the Navigators folding space, the Bene Gesserit sisterhood making their own messiah, wondering why Christopher Walken has never been in a David Lynch project, Paul organizing the Fremen into an insurgent army to take control of Arrakis, our realization that Xan and I were at the same Chris Isaak concert before getting to know one another, finally getting a novelization of Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League, talking Daleks with Xan on Next Stop Everywhere, Xan sleeping through a chunk of Inland Empire, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Apple Podcasts -- RIGHT HERE
Spotify -- RIGHT HERE
Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
YouTube -- RIGHT HERE
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Be sure to come back next week for Episode 091, as Xan and I discuss Wild at Heart, the 1990 romantic crime film written and directed by David Lynch, starring Nicolas Cage as Sailor Ripley, Laura Dern as Lula Pace Fortune, Diane Ladd as Marietta Fortune, and Willen Dafoe as Bobby Peru
!

BBC Announces DOCTOR WHO: TIME LORD VICTORIOUS Multi-Platform Story with Eighth, Ninth & Tenth Doctors


The Doctors are about to fight a whole new time war.

DoctorWho.TV has some details of the BBC's announcement of Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious, a new multi-platform story taking place over twelve weeks across audio, novels, comics, vinyl, digital, immersive theatre, escape rooms and games.

According to the article, Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious "will be set within the Dark Times at the start of the universe, when even the Eternals were young.  It features the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Doctors, travelling across space and time as they defend the universe from a terrible race.  As well as three Doctors, companion Rose Tyler and monsters including the Daleks and the Ood will feature, plus more to be revealed over the coming months as products are announced.  Partners involved in the project include Penguin Random House, BBC Books, Doctor Who Magazine, Titan Comics, Escape Hunt, Big Finish and Immersive Everywhere."

Producer James Goss was quoted, saying, "BBC Studios’ Doctor Who licensees have come together to tell an amazing epic – one that’s full of monsters, fun and heart.  All strands of the story unite into a mighty patchwork that ranges from one end of the universe to the next. There's more to be revealed, but the enthusiasm and ideas which the licensees have come up with are breath-taking. It's going to be such fun."

As Doctor Who fans know, "Time Lord Victorious" is a reference to a title the Tenth Doctor briefly claimed due to his status as the terminator, final survivor, and "winner" of the Last Great Time War in the 2009 Doctor Who Autumn Special "The Waters of Mars".  During his visit to Bowie Base One in 2059, the Tenth Doctor realized that, as the last of the Time Lords, he had control over the Laws of Time.  He demonstrated this by breaking a fixed point in time to rescue Adelaide Brooke, Mia Bennett, and Yuri Kerenski.  In a subsequent conversation with Adelaide, he confirmed her suggestions that he was effectively omnipotent and unstoppable.  Following Adelaide's vehement rebuke and subsequent suicide, the Tenth Doctor decided he had gone too far and returned to the TARDIS, pondering omens of his regeneration.

While it seems likely that actors Paul McGann, David Tennant and Billie Piper will be involved in the project given their recent contributions to Big Finish Productions' Doctor Who audio stories, it remains to be seen whether Christopher Eccleston, who played the Ninth Doctor, will also participate.  Eccleston has been noticeably absent from reprising his role for Big Finish, and recently declined to contribute to the special message supporting National Health Service staff that featured McGann, Tennant and eight other actors who have played the Doctor.

Doctor Who: Time Lord Victorious will launch in September 2020 over twelve weeks, with products and experiences releasing from September until January 2021.

Posted on April 27, 2020 .

GAME OF THRONES Prequel HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Gets Series Order from HBO


When you prequel HBO's Game of Thrones, you win or you die.

Deadline has word that after deciding to not go forward with the Game of Thrones prequel starring Naomi Watts, HBO has given a straight-to-series order for House of the Dragon, another prequel based on George R.R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood.

Announced at WarnerMedia’s HBO Max investors presentation, HBO has ordered ten episodes for House of the Dragon, which is set 300 years before Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen.

Game of Thrones veteran Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal will serve as showrunners and executive producers, along with Game of Thrones co-executive producer Martin and Vince Gerardis,  Sapochnik will direct the pilot and additional episodes.

HBO Programming President Casey Bloys remarked, "The Game of Thrones universe is so rich with stories.  We look forward to exploring the origins of House Targaryen and the earlier days of Westeros along with Miguel, Ryan and George."

According to the article, House of the Dragon was one of four Game of Thrones spinoffs in the works at various stages for HBO.  Martin and Condal have been working on the project since fall 2018, using material originally explored by Bryan Cogman in one of five Game of Thrones prequel scripts commissioned by HBO two years ago.

Fire & Blood, published in November 2018, is the first of a two-book series detailing the history of House Targaryen.  The second is currently expected within the next year or so, although Martin is notorious for delays in his A Song of Ice and Fire series.

Posted on October 30, 2019 .

Hulu Developing HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY TV Series


Are you someone who really knows where your towel is?

Deadline has revealed that the Hulu streaming service is developing a television series based on Douglas Adams' beloved comedic sci-fi novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

According to the article, the series "follows the intergalactic adventures of Arthur Dent, a hapless Englishman, following the destruction of Earth by the Vogons, a race of unpleasant and bureaucratic aliens."

Carlton Cuse and Jason Fuchs, both fans of Adams' five Hitchhiker's novels, will write, executive produce and serve as showrunners for the proposed series, a modern updating of the story.  The project is now in development at Hulu via ABC Signature and Cuse’ Genre Arts.  Fuchs is writing the pilot script.

Created by Adams in 1978, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy originally began as a BBC Radio series, with the first four parts adapted by Adams as a novel one year later.  The novel became extremely popular, with Adams writing four additional novels in the series -- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly HarmlessA sixth installment, And Another Thing..., was published in 2009, eight years after Adams' death, and written by Eoin Colfer with the support of Jane Belson, Adams' widow.

The novel was first adapted as a BBC TV series in 1981, with six episodes starring Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, David Dixon as Ford Prefect, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox, and Sandra Dickinson as Trillian.  In 2005, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy film adaptation was released, with Adams co-writing the screenplay before his death in 2001.  The film starred Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent, Mos Def as Ford Prefect, Sam Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox, and Zooey Deschanel as Trillian.

Posted on July 24, 2019 .

GOOD OMENS Trailer Prepares for The End of the World


Welcome to the end times.

At long last, Amazon Prime Video has released the first trailer for Good Omens, the upcoming TV mini-series based on the 1990 novel by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

The six-part series was directed by Douglas Mackinnon and written by Gaiman, who served as showrunner.  In the series, The End of the World is coming, which means a fussy Angel named Aziraphale and a loose-living Demon named Crowley, who've become overly fond of life on Earth are forced to form an unlikely alliance to stop Armageddon.  But they have lost Adam Young, the Antichrist, an 11-year-old boy unaware he's meant to bring upon the end of days, forcing them to embark on an adventure to find him and save the world before it's too late.

Good Omens stars Michael Sheen as Aziraphale and David Tennant as Crowley, and features Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel, Anna Maxwell Martin as Beelzebub, Josie Lawrence as Agnes Nutter, Michael McKean as Witchfinder Sergeant Shadwell, Adria Arjona as Anathema Device, Jack Whitehall as Newton Pulsifer, Miranda Richardson as Madame Tracy, Frances McDormand as the voice of God, Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Satan, Brian Cox as the voice of Death, Sir Derek Jacobi as the Metatron, Mark Gatiss as Glozier, Nick Offerman as the U.S. Ambassador, and Sam Taylor Buck as Adam Young.

If you'd like to check out the trailer, you can view it below thanks to the official Amazon Prime Video account on YouTube...




Good Omens
premieres on Amazon Prime Video on May 31, 2019.

Posted on March 6, 2019 .

GHOSTWOOD 030: "The Tapes of Agent Cooper" is Up!


"Diane, what you are about to hear is deeply disturbing..."
-- Special Agent Dale Cooper, "Diane...": The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Cooper

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we review the 1990 Simon & Schuster Audio book "Diane..." - The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Cooper, performed by Kyle MacLachlan as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper and set during the events of Twin Peaks Season 1 and the Season 2 premiere.

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan's recent trip to Spain, Xan getting the 100-year-old Phantom of the Spanish Flu, the first Twin Peaks season being Josie-centric, picturing Laura Dern as Diane Evans listening to Cooper's tapes, Kyle MacLachlan getting nominated for a Grammy, Henry Winkler and the Ron Howard movie Night Shift, remembering our first iPods, Xan as a walking & talking Simpsons quote machine, wondering why you would rent-to-own a pocket cassette recorder, Xan as Kim Carnes, wondering if everyone in the Blue Rose Task Force is expected to wear black suits, the disposition of Cooper's worldly goods, the vanishing roadside diners, Cooper geeking out about finding an "R" under Laura Palmer's fingernail, wondering why Cooper's recording stops just as he holds up a small box of chocolate bunnies, wondering who exactly was the mysterious "J" in Laura's diary, Cooper trying to solve JFK's assassination, Twin Peaks breaking ground with fishes in percolators, Canadian geese being total dicks, Cooper needing a cold shower after finding Audrey naked in his bed, Leo Johnson killing Waldo the myna bird, wondering whatever happened to Eric Da Re, Donna Heyward being a total jerk to Dr. Jacoby and Harold Smith, the presence of Nichelle Nichols, our mutual love of Tron and Tron: Legacy, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
YouTube -- RIGHT HERE
Ghostwood's Facebook page
Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back in two weeks as Xan and I explore the roots of Twin Peaks and review David Lynch's first feature-length film, the surreal 1977 cult classic Eraserhead!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!
Posted on March 13, 2018 .

GHOSTWOOD 029: "My Life, My Tapes - Part 2" is Up!


"What did you see?"
"The abyss, Coop.  The abyss."
"What did you find there?"
"Wonderful things."
-- Dale Cooper and Windom Earle, The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we finish up our review the 1991 Scott Frost novel The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes! 

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan being a fidgeter, Cooper impressing F.B.I. agents with his autographed photo of J. Edgar Hoover, more of Cooper's draft-dodging brother Emmet, love on the F.B.I. Academy gun range, Cooper dictating his tapes to his secretary Diane Evans but knowing that he's talking to himself, Cooper's first encounter with Albert Rosenfield and his first meeting with Gordon Cole, the early chess games between Cooper and Windom Earle, Windom Earle's mysterious abduction, Cooper working a joint FBI/DEA task force with Dennis (Denise) Bryson, Caroline Earle's mysterious abduction, Cooper and Caroline's mutual attraction, Dale Cooper's brain not being wired for love, Cooper's stabbing and Caroline's murder at the hands of Windom Earle, Cooper transferring to the F.B.I.'s San Francisco office, Cooper going undercover at a gay bar, Cooper's fear of dentists, Cooper investigating the death of Theresa Banks in Deer Meadow instead of Chet Desmond, a question from listener Rachel O'Rourke Williams on Facebook, Xan taking a trip to Spain, hoping our old "Diane..." cassette tapes won't get eatenand more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
YouTube -- RIGHT HERE
Ghostwood's Facebook page
Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back in three weeks as Xan and I review the 1990 Scott Frost audiobook "Diane..." - The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Cooper!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!
Posted on February 21, 2018 .

GHOSTWOOD 028: "My Life, My Tapes - Part 1" is Up!


"I am sure of nothing, except that to believe you know where you are headed is not to understand where one is at the moment."
-- Dale Cooper, The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we begin our review the 1991 Scott Frost novel The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes! 

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Peaks Geeks, Twin Peaks nepotism, getting through a Level 2 snow emergency, Xan falling asleep to Dune, young Dale Cooper getting his first tape recorder and his early interest in the F.B.I., Cooper's life being defined by the women in his life and violence, Cooper's doomed crush on neighbor Marie Schlurman, Cooper's draft-dodging brother Emmet, hints that BOB was watching Cooper, Cooper's mom's ominous dreams, that awkward moment when your new English teacher turns out to be the hippie chick that pressed your face into her breasts, the mystery of Cooper's gold ring, that awkward moment when fireworks land next to you while you're getting oral sex in the woods and your clothes catch on fire, Cooper's unusual set of skills, Xan watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail in the same theatre as John Cleese, Cooper's experiment with not sleeping, Homer Simpson in New York, Cooper's experiment with not urinating while drinking coffee, the awkward moment when your girlfriend's mom comes to your room at 2 a.m. and you realize your girlfriend is an arsonist, Cooper's first meeting with Windom Earle, ordering Twin Peaks stuff through the mail back in the dayand more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
YouTube -- RIGHT HERE
Ghostwood's Facebook page
Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back next week as Xan and I finish our review of the 1991 Scott Frost novel The Autobiography of F.B.I. Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!
Posted on February 14, 2018 .

GHOSTWOOD 026: "The Final Dossier, Part 2" is Up!


"Are they cranking out these duplicate creatures in an alternate-reality Kinko’s, with some kind of Lovecraftian 3-D printer?  Pardon my French for a second, Chief, but what the fuck?"
-- FBI Special Agent Tamara Preston to Gordon Cole, Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back at last with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we finish our review of Twin Peaks: The Final Dossierthe second Twin Peaks novel from co-creator Mark Frost!  

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan's correction about Audrey referring to Ghostwood as a prison, the connection between Project Blue Book and the Blue Rose Task Force, Windom Earle wanting Cooper to hook up with Caroline just to make his own self-fulfilling prophecy, the very sad and tragic fate of Annie Blackburn, Donald Trump dating Lana Milford and having the jade ring, Noel Neill in the 1978 Superman movie, glossing yourself being a douche move, Dr. Jacoby being in New York on 9/11, James having trouble staying in the same state, Large Marge in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, the funeral of the Log Lady, another Kimmy Robertson anecdote from Xan, my theory on how Major Briggs faked his own death, finally getting an explanation of what the hell Judy is, Tammy noticing there's a new alternate timeline, confirmation of our theory about young Sarah Palmer, wondering what happened to Chester Desmond, wondering which Diane had really bad sex with Cooperand more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
YouTube -- RIGHT HERE
Ghostwood's Facebook page
Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back in two weeks as Xan and I review the spiffy Blu-Ray set of Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!
Posted on January 24, 2018 .

GHOSTWOOD 025: "The Final Dossier, Part 1" is Up!


"It's not often I'm tempted to begin one of these suggesting 'He made the world a better place by taking early retirement,' but in this case, I'm willing to make an exception.  My own interaction with this knuckledragger was fleeting, but he left a vivid impression, not unlike the livid marks on the soon-to-be-wife's neck after he nearly strangled her.  His entire lifespan could easily be written off as a scathing indictment of our public education system.  But to be fair, you'd probably have to go way back to the crossroads where cro-magnon and neanderthal went their separate ways and say, "Leo's forebears took the path less traveled.'"
-- Albert Rosenfield (autopsy report of Leo Johnson), Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back at last with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we begin our review of Twin Peaks: The Final Dossierthe second Twin Peaks novel from co-creator Mark Frost!  

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like holiday craziness, Xan meeting Sherilyn Fenn, Harry Goaz and Kimmy Robertson at the Steel City Comic Con, celebrating the death of Leo Johnson, Twin Peaks High School kids overdosing on their own drama, Twin Peaks really needing more teenager hangout spots than the Roadhouse, Doc Hayward's shady "Grade 2 concussion" excuse, the still-unrevealed backstory of Ben Horne and Eileen Hayward, Donna Hayward's downward slide, Lara Flynn Boyle dating Jack Nicholson, Gersten Hayward's downward slide, Xan's disappointment at Ben's failed redemption, wondering what's up with the Ghostwood prison, wondering what happened to John Justice Wheeler, Billy Zane and Treat Williams in The Phantom, Jerry Horne's marijuana enterprise, Annie Blackburn and Norma Jennings being half-sisters, Norma's stepmother Vivian being a truly horrible person, Dale Cooper suffering from "white knight syndrome", and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE
Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE
YouTube -- RIGHT HERE
Ghostwood's Facebook page
Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back soon for Part 2 as Xan and I continue our review of Twin Peaks: The Final Dossierthe second Twin Peaks novel from co-creator Mark Frost!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!
Posted on January 11, 2018 .

Amazon Lands THE LORD OF THE RINGS Prequel TV Series


Start getting ready to journey back to Middle-earth.

Deadline is reporting that Amazon closed the deal for a new television series based on The Lord of the Rings, the classic fantasy novel series by J.R.R. Tolkien.  

According to the article, Amazon is giving the series a multi-season commitment.  The TV series will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which produced the hugely successful Lord of the Rings film series.

Set in Middle-earth, the television adaptation "will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.  The deal includes a potential additional spin-off series."

"The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen," said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios.  "We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle-earth.”

"We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings," said Matt Galsor, a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins.  "Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings."

The article also claims that the deal came with an upfront payment in the $200 to $250 million range, just for the rights, before any costs for development, talent and production.  On top of that, they claim, the budget is likely to be $100 to $150 million per season.

Posted on November 13, 2017 .

Amazon's GOOD OMENS Casts Michael Sheen & David Tennant as Leads


Get ready for the Apocalypse you already knew was coming.

Variety has revealed that the upcoming Amazon series Good Omens, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, has cast Michael Sheen and David Tennant in the lead roles of Aziraphale and Crowley, respectively.

According to the article, the six-episode series is "set in 2018 on the brink of an apocalypse as humanity prepares for a final judgment.  But Aziraphale, a somewhat fussy angel, and Crowley, a demon, aren’t enthusiastic about the end of the world, and can’t seem to find the Antichrist."

"I first read Good Omens as a teenager and it’s been one of my favorite stories ever since," said Sheen in a statement to Variety.  "To be part of the team entrusted with bringing it alive on screen is a bit of a dream come true to be honest.  To work alongside Neil, who I think is one of the greatest storytellers of all time, is incredibly exciting.  And, just like the rest of the world, I’m a huge fan of David’s so I relish trying to save it with him."

Sheen, 48, is best known as British politician Tony Blair in the films The Deal, The Queen, and The Special Relationship, and as William Mastes on the Showtime series Masters of Sex.  In addition, Sheen has appeared as the villain House in the Doctor Who episode "The Doctor's Wife", which was written by Neil Gaiman.  His other roles include Castor/Zuse in the film Tron: Legacy, Lucian in the movies Underworld and Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, and as Aro in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

Tennant, 46, is best known as The Tenth Doctor on Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and as the Marvel Comics supervillain Kilgrave the Purple Man on the Netflix series Jessica Jones.  His other roles include DI Alec Hardy on Broadchurch, Barty Crouch, Jr. in the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Giacomo Casanova in Casanova.

Good Omens is co-produced by BBC Studios with Narrativia, the production company of Pratchett’s daughter Rhianna, and the Blank Corporation and in association with BBC Worldwide for Amazon Prime Video and the BBC.  Gaiman, Caroline Skinner, and Chris Sussman are executive producing for BBC Studios, and Rob Wilkins and Rod Brown will executive produce for Narrativia.  Gaiman adapted all six episodes of the series and will also serve as showrunner.  Following its exclusive launch on Amazon Prime Video, the series will also be broadcast on BBC in the U.K.


Released in 1990, Good Omens is a World Fantasy Award-nominated comedic novel about the birth of the son of Satan and the coming of the End Times.  This comes as a bit of bad news to the angel Aziraphale (who was the guardian of the Eastern Gate of Eden) and the demon Crowley (who, when he was originally named Crawly, was the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the apple). As the representatives of Heaven and Hell on Earth, they have become used to living their cozy, comfortable lives and have, in a perverse way, taken a liking to humanity.  As such, since they are good friends (despite representing the polar opposites of Good and Evil), they decide to work together and keep an eye on the Antichrist. The child is destined to be the son of a prominent American diplomat stationed in Britain, and overseeing him will ensure he grows up in a way that means he can never decide between Good and Evil, thereby postponing the end of the world.

Unfortunately, Warlock, the child everyone thinks is the Anti-Christ, is in fact, a perfectly normal eleven-year-old boy.  Due to the mishandling of several infants in the hospital, the real Anti-Christ is Adam Young, a charismatic and slightly otherworldly eleven-year-old living in Lower Tadfield, Oxfordshire, an idyllic town in Britain.  Despite being the harbinger of the Apocalypse, he has lived a perfectly normal life as the son of typical English parents, and as a result has no idea of his true powers.  He has three close friends, Pepper, Wensleydale and Brian, who collectively forms a gang that is called "Them" by the adults.

As the end of the world nears, Adam blissfully and naively uses his powers, changing the world to fit things he reads in a conspiracy theory magazine, such as raising the lost continent of Atlantis and causing Little Green Men to land on earth and deliver a message of goodwill and peace.  In the meantime, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse assemble, including War (a female war correspondent), Death (who resembles his Discworld counterpart), Famine (a dietician and fast food tycoon), and Pollution (Pestilence having retired after the discovery of penicillin).  The incredibly accurate (yet so highly specific as to be useless) prophecies of Agnes Nutter, 17th-century prophetess, also rapidly coming to pass.  As the world descends into chaos, Adam attempts to split up the world between his gang. After realizing that by embracing absolute power, he will not be able to continue to grow up as a child in Lower Tadfield, Adam decides to stop the apocalypse, setting up a final resolution.

Good Omens will presumably debut on Amazon sometime in 2018.
Posted on August 14, 2017 .