New TV Shows: The Phantom & Alice in Wonderland airing on Sci-Fi (SyFy)

[Sussudio]

The Phantom is getting another shot at life, this time on the Sci-Fi Channel (although it'll be known as SyFy by the time the series airs.) RHI Entertainment is adapting superhero from the pages of the Sunday comics, along with (based on the series by Philip Jose Farmer) and a new adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. All of the projects will be done as four-hour movies on the network.

"The four-hour format allows us to command large dollars around the world for our shows that puts about ($4 million-$6 million) of production on the screen per hour," said Robert Halmi Jr., president and CEO of RHI entertainment. "It gives the network a chance to try a concept with the same production values, if not better, than you'd get for a series."

Additionally, and The Phantom will serve as backdoor pilots to new series, in a model similar to what the network did with Battlestar Galactica.

That the character of the Phantom has been adapted before (such as in the unsuccessful Billy Zane The Phantom) doesn't deter the studio, and in fact, they see it as a good reason to try to re-adapt the character. "That there hasn't been a successful Phantom leaves the door wide open for us, since nobody has made it their own yet," Halmi said.

In addition, the new Alice in Wonderland series will be done with a more modern twist. "We thought Alice was the perfectly underlying material to tell a classic story with a modern twist," Halmi said. "We'll have new incredible worlds and a more grown-up feel." Meanwhile, Stern said "Lewis Carroll was more concerned about politics and satire then telling a mythological story. You're not really engaged with Alice in a proactive and emotionally fulfilling way."

The Phantom will air in 2010, Alice in Wonderland this winter.

Source: Movieweb

What do you guys think? Weird how this coincides with talk of a potential Phantom theatrical reboot in addition to Tim Burton's filmic adaptation of Alice..

[P@t_Mtl]

I love The Phantom, so I might watch it once it's available here in Canada on Space.

[atomik kinder]

I have not seen a Sci Fi Original Mini Series or movie that is actually worth watching, so I can pretty much guess these will be bad too.

[Sussudio]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

I have not seen a Sci Fi Original Mini Series or movie that is actually worth watching, so I can pretty much guess these will be bad too.

never saw "Taken" (Steven Spielberg), but I heard that was really cool

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

I have not seen a Sci Fi Original Mini Series or movie that is actually worth watching, so I can pretty much guess these will be bad too.

[cough]Battlestar Galactica[/cough]

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by atomik kinder

I have not seen a Sci Fi Original Mini Series or movie that is actually worth watching, so I can pretty much guess these will be bad too.

I like the Flash Gordon series, it's not great but it sure is more fun then watching the stupid reality shows some of the other networks just keep jamming down our throats.

[atomik kinder]

Originally Posted by Rob71

[cough]Battlestar Galactica[/cough]

Not a fan. Also, I started watching Taken, but didn't really like that either. I know some people are fans of these shows, but I don't see what the attraction is. I saw every episode of the original BSG when they originally aired on TV. I saw some repeats just this last year and man, was it terrible, I can't believe I liked it.

I like Sci Fi best when they show older TV series and movies.

[doctorD]

So, did anyone watch "The Phantom" show on SyFy last night? I didn't mind the show too much but I really didn't like the new costume. It was mainly that hood that I thought looked ridiculous!

The way it ended sort of indicated that there was more to come but I'm not sure if that is the case. The tv guide stated the show was new, but the date showed 2009. I surely don't remember seeing this last year.

[Rob71]

I watched it, and thought it was ok. I think it looks like they are setting up a series.

Yeah, the new costume is a bit... underwhelming. But I can understand getting away from the tights and trying to update it. Just wish they would have put more effort into it. Maybe if it makes it to a series they can make it the prototype and develop a v2.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by doctorD

So, did anyone watch "The Phantom" show on SyFy last night? I didn't mind the show too much but I really didn't like the new costume. It was mainly that hood that I thought looked ridiculous!

He looked like a bee keeper/fencer but even more ridiculous. The costume was horrendous, and not at all like the Phantom, so I don't understand the name.