New JMS Update (8/23/2004)

[Leto II]

From: jmsatb5@aol.com (jms at b5)
Subject: from jms 8/23/04
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
Date: 8/23/2004 7:06:26 PM

Just some quick, minor updates....

In the comics world...Supreme Power 12 came out last week, and the next Amazing Spider-Man comes out this week, and I'm very happy with how both of them came out. It's a good time to jump on board.

I was recently in NYC for a big retreat/conference with Marvel about upcoming projects, and while there are several I can't talk about yet, one thing I can mention is that I'll be doing a Silver Surfer miniseries that should shake people up a bit.

There's also going to be something very weird and funny coming from Marvel soon, which will give them cause to never, ever invite me to one of these things ever again.

Also, the first of the last three Rising Stars issues comes out next month as well as the co-written first issue of the Doctor Strange miniseries.

On the TV front, I have final confirmation that the last batch of Jeremiah episodes will be airing on the regular Showtime channels starting September 3rd. The episodes are:

Sept 3: Crossing Jordan and Running On Empty
Sept 10:: The Question and The Past Is Prologue
Sept 17: The Face In The Mirror and State Of The Union
Sept 24: Interregnum (Parts 1 and 2)

All of them are really strong episodes, and I'm glad to see them finally being aired.

Pending contractual negotiations and formal pickup by the networks involved, I've been offered two different series, so we'll see which goes first. They could both be very cool to work on, but one of them could be insanely successful. I should know more about this situation in late October. (Neither is Trek-related, just to nip any potential rumors in the bud.)

Starting sometime in October, in an unrelated project, our friends in Britain can expect to see me hanging about on-and-off in the general vicinity of London. Just, y'know, workin', doin' stuff.

I've also tentatively agreed (pending working out some details) to appear at FedCon in Bonn, Germany in May of next year. In an unrelated story, my radio series, The City of Dreams, will also apparently be airing soon on German radio. For those of you who can speak the langauge, you can get more information at http://www.sf-radio.net/radio/spezial/

The next of my novels to be reprinted from ibooks/Simon and Schuster is Tribulations, due out in December, which can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743497856/qid=1093312226/s
r=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-9872970-8247801?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Volume 2 of the Supreme Power collection, also due out in December, can be pre-ordered at

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0785114564/qid=1093312293/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-9872970-82478 01?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Buddy the Miracle Cat (or Buddy TMC as he is known to his hip-hop friends) celebrated his first re-birthday last month, and has decided that he wants to be a shark instead of a cat. There's clear plastic covering one of the floors while work is being done, and he loves nothing more than to get under the plastic (lots of holes for air, don't worry) and circle around me like a shark, over and over. It's all he wants to do anymore.

Oh, and in the next week or so I should be turning in the next-to-final draft of the TMoS screenplay.


jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
(all message content (c) 2004 by synthetic worlds, ltd.,
permission to reprint specifically denied to SFX Magazine
and don't send me story ideas)

 

[Recoil]

So someone fill me in. The "unreleated" topic is about the draft of the script for TMoS. So that means that the stuff in Britian is NOT TMoS related afterall? Might it have to do with that series he is doing or could be doing?

Interesting that after all this time he is just now finally sending in a final draft. Someone enlighten me. Where in the process of movie making would that put things? To me it means its still very early on, long before it being official. To me that means that the studios havent formally accepted the script yet for a project...before they go out and hire a cast. Am I right or no?

 

[vacantlook]

Well, perhaps the studio had accepted the script, but then Rick died causing an adjustment to be necessary, so now there's a bit different of a script to compensate, and the studio now needs to approve that new script.

One thing seems certain, jms is keeping plenty busy. I don't think my brain or psyche could handle doing that much!

 

[Leto II]

The "retooling" phase is almost finished, and this new draft is also undoubtedly a revision that takes into account the abilities and parameters set by whichever VFX house(s) they're talking to. Which is pro forma in the industry. You do rewrites once the final budgets come in, and adjust the major action set-pieces to fit.

He's working to accomodate not only whatever notes the studio's seeing fit to grace him with (which, given the control he likely has over the project, should be of a "fiscal," rather than a "creative," nature)...but also to shoehorn in the needs and egos of somewhere betwixt twelve to fourteen minor and major speaking parts from the series, to say nothing of adequately and organically servicing as many of these people as he can within the confines of a two to two-and-a-half-hour-long film.

Since he's going to be spending time in Britain circa October, likely as not overseeing the early stages of mounting his "Dancing Chorus Line Monks" stage play as writers are wont to do in the first couple of weeks -- hanging about while the director and production crew put things into position, and leaving once it starts to run itself -- this will give him time enough to do that final B5 draft and return to the states once the flick ramps up its *own* production by year's end.

 

[Almir]

Interesting that after all this time he is just now finally sending in a final draft. Someone enlighten me. Where in the process of movie making would that put things? To me it means its still very early on, long before it being official. To me that means that the studios havent formally accepted the script yet for a project...before they go out and hire a cast. Am I right or no?

I'm not enlighten you simply because I'm just as puzzeled as you are, man.
Of course the cast was hired before Richard's death and then the screenplay had to be rewritten, but it's been so long ago and after that news about the F/X companies been comtacted I was expecting something more substantial about TMoS.

I don't know about you guys, but he seems to me so knee deep in the comics that I don't know how he would find time for TV series and Movie Feature that, as we all know, are very time demanding.

Anyhow, at least the whole TMoS thing is ...going.




Almir

 

[Sindatur]

Interesting that after all this time he is just now finally sending in a final draft. Someone enlighten me. Where in the process of movie making would that put things? To me it means its still very early on, long before it being official. To me that means that the studios havent formally accepted the script yet for a project...before they go out and hire a cast. Am I right or no?

I'm not enlighten you simply because I'm just as puzzeled as you are, man.
Of course the cast was hired before Richard's death and then the screenplay had to be rewritten, but it's been so long ago and after that news about the F/X companies been comtacted I was expecting something more substantial about TMoS.

I don't know about you guys, but he seems to me so knee deep in the comics that I don't know how he would find time for TV series and Movie Feature that, as we all know, are very time demanding.

Anyhow, at least the whole TMoS thing is ...going.




Almir

Rising Stars, I think have been done for some time, but he was holding out, because he had issues with the suits, so that's not really to be considered. Likewise, Jeremiah has been in the can for quite a while, so, no time used there.

The Comics, he writes several issues ahead when he has so much going on, so don't be mislead by that, and note: Silver Surfer, he says is a mini-series, so, that shouldn't last very long.

The book, is a reprint, so that doesn't take any time.

So, basically that leaves the 2 TV series, TMoS and Amazing Spiderman (Which I believe he is ahead on Spiderman).

 

[Shaal Mayan]

It maybe me but I don't think this belongs in the B5world I think it belongs in personnel since there isn't to much of any B5 news even in there.Exxcept in the last line.

 

[Almir]

The Comics, he writes several issues ahead when he has so much going on, so don't be mislead by that, and note: Silver Surfer, he says is a mini-series, so, that shouldn't last very long.

The book, is a reprint, so that doesn't take any time.

So, basically that leaves the 2 TV series, TMoS and Amazing Spiderman (Which I believe he is ahead on Spiderman).

If I'm not mistaken, he already mentioned something about his Dream Police project. Now this "Book of Lost Souls" and "Dr Strange" on this post.

Oh, and we must not forget Supreme Power that is NOT a mini series.

I don't know


Almir

 

[colonyearth]

The placing of the wording is meant to indicate that his time in the UK has nothing to do with any series. There has been a lot of speculation that the series he previously said he was asked to EP might be a British series, thus his talk in recent posts of spending "some time" there. I firmly believe this is JMS speak for, "I'll be spending some time off and on in the UK (specifically London) soon and it has nothing to do with either series I might EP."

The next question then is: Is the time he'll be spending there related in any way to TMoS?

My guess, as it has always been, is "yes." I do NOT believe that TMoS will be shooting there, however, as it is way too expensive to shoot in the UK these days (just as it is in Hollywood). My source has given me reassurance that they are planning to shoot at the FOX studios in Australia, which is consistent with other things we've heard.

I firmly believe that it is a mere part of the TMoS production that will be completed in the UK, most likely scoring (ok, don't think I mean that they're scoring now...but there are preliminary things that must be worked out) or even some production design aspect. Exactly what it is I cannot say for sure, but this was his little way IMHO of telling us it is TMoS related. The biggest hint is that he says:

expect to see me hanging about on-and-off in the general vicinity of London. Just, y'know, workin', doin' stuff.

"On-and-off" he says, which indicates he will be coming and going, which is more in line with the idea that a small portion of the production will be done there, not the whole or any large portion. What's funny is his last comment: "Just, y'know, workin', doin' stuff." This is the best indication and a smirky Vorlon-esque line to say, "Hint, hint...it's for TMoS."

And he has only said that his play would be produced in the UK because he would already be there working, not that he's going there to produce the play.

Oh, and in the next week or so I should be turning in the next-to-final draft of the TMoS screenplay.

...is a big hint to us as to just where he is and what's going on and what the delay is.

Translate this to read:

"Next week or so, I turn in the next draft of the script, but since there's one more draft to turn in, this means the one that I'm turning in now is the first re-write after RB passing, so they will undoubtedly have some notes, which I will need to address. This also means we are closer to an announcement from WB...so sit tight, folks, it's nearly there."

For those who've doubted the TMoS project, believing it to be still born, this is also huge news, proving that the film is alive and well and everything is moving forward as it should.

While there is one more draft (which I seriously doubt will take him long to churn out), this does not in any way preclude pre-production from going into full swing. In fact, I'm certain pre-production is already under full swing. Remember, you don't have to have the final shooting script to begin production design and FX design, set construction, etc.

TMoS is a green-lighted project! Understand this folks. JMS has said it outright, he's told us everything is proceeding normally, that things are alright since Rick's death. Things were delayed slightly because of it, but all is well.

This project is a go-ahead. Please, quit doubting. JMS has given you no reason for doubt and every reason to believe, especially when he says things like:

The only things I can say right now about B5:TMoS is that now that all the correct agreements have been signed, sealed and delivered, the draft has gone in, met with great enthusiasm all around, notes have been received, and the
next draft is in process and has to be delievered within two weeks so that certain other steps can be set into motion.

Oh...and starting around the Ides of May, look to the wrong side of the river for word from Harry, Jack and Albert.

I know I've been absent for a while now, but there are reasons, especially in regards to B5:TMoS. In a project of this nature, and this size, there's stage one (let's do this) stage two (let's make everybody's deal) and stage three (making it). We're hip-deep in stage two just now, and it's taking a freaking long amount of time to get through it all. Stage two is also the most unnerving and nerve-wracking stage when there's a lot of money involved, as there is in this situation.

This has also had the effect of slowing up anything
to do with B5:TMoS (which as some of you have guessed or inferred does indeed stand for The Memory of Shadows), because in the writing we/I never imagined he wouldn't be here to be a part of it.

In regard to Rick's character:

That character will not be recast.

Which means there is a film and Franklin will NOT be recast.

Oh, and in the next week or so I should be turning in the next-to-final draft of the TMoS screenplay.

Which, hello, means things are a go and he's just working on it.

Joe DM has said it before and I will say it again, don't try to read too much into JMS' words, often times they are simply saying what they're saying. The hints are, IMHO, very obvious and easy to spot. Otherwise, an apple is just an apple, folks, not an orange in disguise.

CE

 

[rangerPHIL]

don't you just love days like today?

 

[Elenopa]

This project is a go-ahead. Please, quit doubting. JMS has given you no reason for doubt and every reason to believe,

I BELIEVE!!!!!!

 

[rangerPHIL]

I Believe

 

[KoshFan]

I love how JMS just casually tosses that last line over his shoulder as he walks out the door. He's toying with us.

 

[Sindatur]

Pending contractual negotiations and formal pickup by the networks involved, I've been offered two different series, so we'll see which goes first. They could both be very cool to work on, but one of them could be insanely successful. I should know more about this situation in late October. (Neither is Trek-related, just to nip any potential rumors in the bud.)

One of them could be insanely successful?? WB was planning on doing Dark Shadows this season, but it ended up not being announced on their Fall schedule, which supposedly surprised everyone in the industry. Any possibility that Dark Shadows could be the show that could end up being insanely successful? Would JMS enjoy playing in this Universe?

 

[Jan]

Well, he quoted Julia Hoffman once...does that count?

Personally I think it'd have to be spectacular to beat what they did with it in '91. Unfortunately the Gulf War (version 1.0) got better ratings.

Jan

 

[Sindatur]

They re-did Dark Shadows in 1991? Geez, I guess I musta been watching Gulf War V1.0, 'cause that doesn't ring a bell at all.

If JMS was passionate about it, and given proper control, I have no doubt it would be phenomenal

 

[Jan]

They did, with Ben Cross as Barnabas. Unfortunately it went the usual 13 episodes.

I doubt if JMS would get the control he'd need but I'd *love* to see what he'd do with those characters in that universe.

Jan

 

[hypatia]

I loved the original Dark Shadows. To remake a cult-classic is a mistake, IMHO.

 

[KoshN]

I love how JMS just casually tosses that last line over his shoulder as he walks out the door. He's toying with us.

It's how he gets us to read the whole post.

 

[Londos6]

I loved the original Dark Shadows. To remake a cult-classic is a mistake, IMHO.

Agreed. I didn't really care for the 1991 version, but it really wasn't around long enough to be sure.

A big part of the charm of the original is the cheesy special effects and all the bloopers present because the show was filmed live without retakes.

Anyway, this is getting way OT.