Sci-Fi Film and Television Developments

Virtuality
6/3/09 - Fox has bumped up the air date for its upcoming Virtuality TV movie, which was originally a pilot for a sci-fi series, from Battlestar Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore.  The movie will air on Fox at 8 p.m. on June 26 (not July 4, as originally scheduled).  Fox describes the movie: The crew of the Phaeton is approaching the go/no-go point of its epic 10-year journey through outer space. With the fate of Earth in the crew's hands, the pressure is intense. The best bet for helping the crew members maintain their sanity is the cutting-edge virtual-reality technology installed on the ship. It's the perfect stress-reliever until they realize a glitch in the system has unleashed a virus on to the ship. Tensions mount as the crew decides how to contain the virus and complete their mission. Meanwhile, their lives are being taped for a reality show back on Earth.  The cast includes Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Commander Frank Pike, Sienna Guillory as Rika Goddard, James D'Arcy as Dr. Roger Fallon, Ritchie Coster as Dr. Jimmy Johnson, Erik Jensen as Dr. Jules Braun, Omar Metwally as Dr. Adin Meyer, Kerry Bishe as Billie Kashmiri, Joy Bryant as Alice Thibadeau, Nelson Lee as Kenji Yamamoto, Jose Pablo Cantillo as Manny Rodriguez, Gene Farber as Val Orlovsky, Clea Duvall as Sue Parsons and Jimmi Simpson as Virtual Man.

6/24/08 - Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has signed on to Fox's two-hour SF pilot Virtuality.  Virtuality, from executive producer Ronald D. Moore, is set aboard Earth's first starship, which is equipped with advanced virtual-reality modules. Coster-Waldau will play mission commander Frank Pike, a born leader.  Moore and Michael Taylor wrote the backdoor pilot, which is being directed by Peter Berg.

06/04/08 - Jimmi Simpson has joined Fox's two-hour backdoor SF pilot Virtuality.  Virtuality is set aboard Earth's first starship, which is equipped with advanced virtual-reality modules. Simpson will play a mysterious man who enters the virtual-reality world with a hostile agenda.

05/30/08 - James D'Arcy will lead in Virtuality, Fox's two-hour backdoor SF pilot from Ronald D. Moore.  The SF pilot, to be directed by Peter Berg, is set aboard the Phaeton, Earth's first starship, on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the crew endure the long trip, NASA equips the ship with advanced virtual-reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go anywhere they want.  The British D'Arcy will play the ship's psych officer, who produces the virtual-reality shows.

05/12/08 - Fox set Peter Berg to direct and executive-produce Virtuality, a two-hour SF pilot from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun.

04/14/08 - Fox has approved Virtuality, a two-hour backdoor SF pilot from Ronald D. Moore.  The project is set aboard the starship Phaeton, on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the 12 crew members endure the long trip and keep their minds occupied, NASA equipped the ship with advanced virtual-reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go to any place they want. The plan works until a mysterious bug is found in the system.

AlienAlmanac.com   2009