Sunday Mercury - Anorak City

Iron Man 3 : Robert Downey Junior is a wimp, says Gwyneth Paltrow

2013-04-18T13:40:58Z

Gwyneth Paltrow has branded her Iron Man co-star Robert Downey Junior a "wimp" - after she donned the superhero suit for their latest film.

The actress, who stars as Pepper Potts with Downey in Iron Man 3, says the new film was her chance to "kick ass".

Appearing on tomorrow night's Graham Norton Show, she reveals: "I get to do a bit of action and I get to wear the Iron Man suit for a while - it's very cool.

"It's quite cumbersome but not so bad. I thought it was going to be terrible because in the first two movies Robert would put on the suit and start sweating, he'd have a nervous breakdown and would meditate and cry. He was in hell.

"So, I was like, 'Wow, I'd better start mentally preparing myself for the suit,' and I put it on and was like, 'This guy is a wimp, it's really not that bad."'

The actress tells the chat show host that her son Moses is "a big fan" of the films.

"I'll never forget his face when he saw me walk out in the suit," she reveals. "It was a really good moment."

This week's show, which also includes Olympic runner Mo Farah and comic Lee Mack, is on BBC One at 10.35pm tomorrow.

Star Wars: Admiral Motti actor Richard LeParmentier, 66, dies

2013-04-17T14:46:07Z

He escaped Darth Vader's death hold, but on Tuesday Death Star commander Admiral Motti died at the age of 66.

Character actor Richard LeParmentier, who played the hapless Imperial officer, died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning in Austin, Texas while visiting his children.

The cause of death was not immediately known.

LeParmentier was born in Pittsburgh, but moved to Britain in 1974 and had been living in Bath, when he died.

As Admiral Motti in 1977's Star Wars, LeParmentier's character mocks Vader's "sad devotion to that ancient Jedi religion."

Vader responds with a demonstration, using the force to choke the young commander, but allowing him to live.

LeParmentier appeared frequently in British television roles throughout his career and was working as a screenwriter when he died.

He played a reporter in 1980's Superman II, which featured actress Sarah Dougless - the villainess Ursa - with whom he was married from 1981 until 1984.

But it was for his Star Wars role that LeParmentier may best be remembered as an actor.

"He absolutely loved traveling the world and meeting his friends and fellow Stars Wars fans, whose tributes have given us all the best lines in this message," LeParmentier's family said in a statement.

"He was no respecter of convention, except comic conventions," said Rhiannon, Stephanie and Tyrone LeParmentier.

"Every time we find someone's lack of faith disturbing, we'll think of him," they said.

Will Man Of Steel be the Superman film to end all others?

2013-04-17T07:13:51Z

Juxtaposed images of Superman and Clark Kent (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I grew up with the Christopher Reeve Superman films.

Alongside Star Wars they were the greatest films ever to me.

Looking back now they are still great fun, but massively flawed.

I have been wary of the new Man Of Steel film but after watching the latest trailer I have to say it looks pretty immense.

Thoughts?

Blakes 7 to return - with Casino Royale, CSI and Heroes writers on board

2013-04-08T19:05:26Z

Hit 1970s sci-fi series Blake's 7 is to make a comeback - more then 30 years after it disappeared from TV screens.

A 13-part series, described as a "revolutionary reinvention" of the BBC programme, is now being developed with Casino Royale director Martin Campbell already on board.

There have been attempts to rejuvenate the show in the past but they have failed to come to fruition.

FremantleMedia International announced today that the series is in the pipeline with Heroes and CSI writer Joe Pokaski working on scripts.

It is being developed with US cable network Syfy.

The original series starred Gareth Thomas as Blake, a political dissident, although he was a regular character in only the first two of the four series. It was created by Terry Nation, a regular writer for Doctor Who who conjured up the Daleks.

The new series, set in 2136, tells the story of seven criminals heading to a prison colony in space who escape and take over an alien ship.

David Ellender, the CEO of FremantleMedia International said: "Blake's 7 was such a forward-thinking concept that the show continues to have resonance with audiences today.

"Its complex characters and gritty storylines, coupled with the highly talented team and modern production techniques are sure to appeal to both original fans of the show and new viewers."

Blake's 7 has been revived on radio but efforts to bring it back to the screen - including a Sky-backed return - have not got off the ground until now.

Doctor Who: Matt Smith reveals all about the 50th anniversary

2013-03-18T14:24:16Z

Doctor Who and sexy sidekick Clara roar down the side of London's Shard - on a motorbike.

It's just one of the sensational scenes coming up as the telly Timelord celebrates the big five-oh.

In fact, actor Matt Smith says fans can look forward to it being the "biggest, best, most inventive and most exciting year for the show" as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

The first episode of the new series hits television screens next month and sees the timelord defy gravity by roaring up and down the Shard building on a motorcycle.

A special 3D anniversary show will also be broadcast in November but Smith and co-star Jenna-Louise Coleman, who plays Clara Oswald, are remaining tight-lipped about what viewers can expect.

Smith says he clapped when he read the script.

"It sort of does what it says on the tin," he grins. "You won't be disappointed!

"I think it's hilarious, I think it's epic and I think it's fast, and I'm telling you nothing more - but you will NOT be disappointed.

"I think it's going to be the biggest, best, most inventive and most exciting year for the show and I think this script delivers on all those points that you want it to for where the show is at this time, it's brilliant."

Jenna-Louise adds: "It pays homage to the last 50 years of the show and kind of really celebrates that, but at the same time as looking forward."

The pair have been speaking at a special screening of the first episode of series eight in London.

The Bells of St John is described as a modern day urban thriller and sees the duo battling a new adversary, the Spoonheads, against a backdrop of London landmarks including Westminster Bridge and the Shard as they discover something sinister lurking in the Wi-Fi.

Matt says: "It's sort of Doctor Who meets the Bourne Identity with motorcycles. We've got Celia Imrie being saucy and sexy, we have got aliens in your Wi-Fi, Westminster, the Shard, London in the present day, with the Tardis in the middle of it."

He says he thought Coleman had made a "brilliant" start in her role as Clara.

"She's inventive, she works tirelessly hard. And I'm really proud of what she's achieved," he adds.

"After the Ponds I think the doctor was a little blue. I think she's re-ignited his curiosity in the universe and her impossibility has sort of awakened his mind and his soul and that's something that we'll see grow and evolve as the series continues."

Former Emmerdale star Jenna-Louise says she has already had a "wonderful" time on the show.

"It's such a unique job," she smiles. "I can honestly say there really is no job like Doctor Who. You can be a big kid at work and run down the corridors being chased by monsters and the scripts are just absolutely fantastic."

Speaking of Matt, she adds: "He's just an absolute genuine joy, he's been absolutely so supportive and totally and utterly there for me and he's a really good friend."

Executive producer and lead writer Steven Moffat says the new series will see Doctor Who's biggest secret revealed.

"We're not kidding, we are actually going to do it, we're going to reveal his biggest secret," he says.

Our money is on his real name, something River Song already knows ...

And will the big anniversary episode feature ALL the Time Lord's incarnations, as we've predicted in the past?

No-one's saying. We'll take that as a good sign...

Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Bond stars in big line-up for Birmingham Comic Con

2013-02-28T12:48:55Z

MCM Birmingham Comic Con and Memorabilia, Britain's biggest collectors' event, both come to the NEC on 16-17 March, and the line-up is looking good.

Here's a selection of the special guests attending the shows:

• Potter Personalities - Chris Rankin, who plays Percy Weasley in six of the blockbuster Harry Potter films, Steffan Rhodri, who was Reg Cattermole in Deathly Hallows and Hugh Mitchell, who appears as Gryffindor student Colin Creevey in The Order Of The Phoenix. Steffan is also famous for playing Dave in hit comedy Gavin & Stacey, and recently won plaudits as the voice of Drippy in acclaimed videogame Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch.

• Primeval stars Andrew Lee Potts (Connor Temple), Hannah Spearritt (Abby Maitland), also famous as an original member of S Club 7, and Lucy Brown, who played both Claudia Brown and Jenny Lewis.

• For Doctor Who fans there's Colin Baker, who starred as the sixth incarnation of The Doctor, Nicola Bryant, who played his companion Peri Brown and Sophie Aldred, who was The Doctor's companion Ace. Other Doctor Who guests include Frazer Hines, who played Jamie McCrimmon in no fewer than 117 episodes of the show; Terry Molloy, best known as the Daleks' villainous creator Davros, and stuntman Jimmy Vee, who has played a host of monsters and aliens in Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

• Bond girl and Avengers star Honor Blackman. Other Bond girls at Memorabilia include Shirley Eaton (Goldfinger), Lana Wood (Diamonds Are Forever) and Maryam d'Abo (The Living Daylights).

• Iconic glamour model Samantha Fox. As well as being the most popular pin-up girl of the '80s, Sam is a 30 million album-selling pop singer and actor.

• Gary Dourdan, best known for portraying Warrick Brown in eight seasons of the massively popular CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

• A trio of bold knights from Merlin will be at comic con: Alexander Vlahos (Mordred), Rupert Young (Sir Leon) and Eoin Macken (Sir Gwain).

• Canadian actor Connor Jessup, best known for his role as Ben Mason in the Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi series Falling Skies.

• Emmy-winning Italian actress Greta Scacchi, whose credits include Robert Altman's The Player, White Mischief, Presumed Innocent and Broken Trail.

• Michael Beck, best known for his role as Swan in Walter Hill's 1979 cult classic The Warriors. Also appeared in hit sci-fi show Babylon 5.

• Oliver! Reunion - Oscar-nominated Ron Moody, best known as Fagin in Lionel Bart's stage and film musical Oliver!, Mark Lester, who played Oliver Twist and Shani Wallis, who played Sikes' long-suffering girlfriend Nancy.

• Masters of Horror - best known by his stage name John Morghen, Giovanni Lombardo Radice achieved cult status with his roles in 1980's Italian splatter movies such as Cannibal Ferox, City Of The Living Dead and Cannibal Apocalypse. He'll be joined at Memorabilia by scream queen Madeline Smith (The Vampire Lovers, Frankenstein And The Monster from Hell) and Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist).

• Derren Nesbit, best known as SS Major von Hapen in Where Eagles Dare. Derren's credits also include The Prisoner, Doctor Who and The Saint.

• Adrian Hall and Heather Ripley, who played Jeremy and Jemima Potts in Ian Fleming's much-loved musical film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

• British TV classics: Jan Harvey and Stephen Yardley, who starred as Jan Howard and Ken Masters in Howard's Way, and Judy Cornwall, best known for playing Daisy in long-running sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

Tickets for MCM Birmingham Comic Con on 16-17 March are available at www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham

Obi-Wan Kenobi style role for Mark Hamill as he confirms Star Wars talks

2013-02-21T10:46:18Z

Star Wars actor Mark Hamill. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Harrison Ford was first to admit he will be returning for the next Disney produced Star Wars film and now it seems his old pal Mark Hamill is next in line.

It's not official yet but in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight he said:

""They're talking to us," he reveals. "George [Lucas] wanted to know whether we'd be interested.

"He did say that if we didn't want to do it, they wouldn't cast another actor in our parts - they would write us out. ... I can tell you right away that we haven't signed any contracts.

"We're in the stage where they want us to go in and meet with Michael Arndt, who is the writer, and Kathleen Kennedy, who is going to run Lucasfilm. Both have had meetings set that were postponed -- on their end, not mine. They're more busy than I am.

"I'd want to make sure of is are we going to have the whole gang back? Is Carrie and Harrison and Billy Dee and Tony Daniels, everybody that's around from the original [returning]? I want to make sure that everybody's on board here, rather than just one.

"I'm assuming, because I haven't talked to the writers, that these movies would be about our offspring -- like my character would be sort of in the Obi-Wan range [as] an influential character. "

Watch the teaser trailer for BBC Three drama In The Flesh after Being Human on Sunday (24/2/2013)

2013-02-19T11:45:35Z

Being Human viewers will get a quick glimpse of new BBC Three drama In The Flesh on Sunday at 10:58pm.

The exciting new three-part drama tells the story of zombie teenager Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry) and his reintegration back into both the local community and the heart of his family.

The story follows the re-animation of the dead and the zombies gradually being returned to their homes.

The zombies are known as PDS sufferers (Partially Deceased Syndrome) - and they have to try and integrate back into society four years after violent and bloody battles when the zombie outbreak happened.

Writer Dominic Mitchell explains in more depth: "When I first came up with the idea, I was always 'what would really happen in a zombie apocalypse?' Not the movie version, but the real version. And in the real version, in my head, the scientists would always be trying to find a cure, or find some way to manage the undead.

"I want it to be for a really wide audience and to talk about real issues, real family issues, real domestic issues, and we play with the zombie methodology. We do have a few scenes of real great zombie genre stuff, but then you have a scene where it's really domestic and they're sitting around the table just trying to be a family again, and that's what I really wanted it to do. So, your Grandma can watch it, hopefully, and really enjoy it, and it can speak to her as well as speak to the teenage zombie horror fan.

"Kieren isn't comfortable in his 'undead' state, he didn't want to come back, he wanted to be dead. That's a journey for Kieren - here's someone who didn't want to be alive and now he's alive again, and he's discovering that life is worth living, weirdly, but now he's partially deceased.

"It's about redemption, forgiveness and battling against prejudices, and that prejudices can cause chaos if there is no forgiveness - that causes chaos to you and the community."

Tune into Being Human this Sunday at 10pm on BBC Three - the one-off teaser trailer for In The Flesh will screen straight after.

Being Human: Cult show will end after current series

2013-02-07T10:34:00Z

English: The title for Being Human. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The acclaimed BBC 3 drama Being Human will end after the current series it has been revealed today.

I'm a massive fan of the show but I have to say after the last series I am pretty glad to hear it.

There has been much hype about the new series but for me the show lost it's fangs when Mitchell, George and Annie were written out.

The show was fantastic to start with but the very essence of what made it such a ground-breaking sharp show has been lost and to coin a phrase it has 'jumped the shark' a few times since.

A shame. I hope Toby Whitehouse has something else excellent up his sleeves.

Star Trek Into Darkness : Japanese trailer's extra scene revisits Spock's death

2013-01-30T12:50:01Z

The Into Darkness trailers have been knocking about for a while now.

But have you seen the extended Japanese teaser?

Doesn't that final scene seem, well, rather familiar?

We're thinking the death of Spock in Wrath of Khan.

How about you?

Merlin and Doctor Who sidekicks Angel Coulby and Jenna-Louise Coleman join forces

2013-01-24T15:43:30Z

It's enough to have TV sci-fi and fantasy fans in seventh heaven.

New Doctor Who sidekick Jenna-Louise Coleman is teaming up with Merlin's Angel Coulby in a new period drama on BBC2.

They'll both appear in Stephen Poliakoff's Dancing On The Edge, which is set in the early 1930s and follows a black jazz band in London.

Coulby, who played Genevieve to Bradley James' Arthur is the singer with the band, who find themselves in favour with the aristocracy of the day.

Coleman, who plays our favourite Time Lord's companion Clara (and also Oswin, but let's not get into spoilers to explain all that) appears in the new drama as Rosie Williams.

Other familiar faces will include Anthony Head (who was ill-fated Uther in Camelot after his vampire slaying days with Buffy).

The leads are Chiwetel (Children Of Man) Ejiofor and Matthew (Watchmen) Goode.

The big names to watch out for otherwise include Jacqueline Bisset, John Goodman, Mel Smith, Caroline Quentin, Anthony Head and Jane Asher.

Dancing On The Edge begins on BBC2 on February 4 at 9pm, with episode two the following night.

Doctor Who : David Tennant back at the RSC

2013-01-23T12:23:57Z

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant is making a return to the RSC stage in Stratford-on-Avon, it was announced today.

Tennant, who won over audiences at the RSC in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2009 when performing Hamlet and in Love's Labour's Lost, will star in Richard II.

The production forms part of new RSC artistic director Gregory Doran's 2013 winter season, who will also direct the history play.

Richard II is the first production in a new cycle of Shakespeare History plays that Gregory Doran will direct over the coming seasons.

The relationship between Tennant and Doran follows on from the hugely successful production of Hamlet in 2009, which was also filmed for BBC television by Illuminations.

Oliver Ford Davies, who also appeared in Hamlet alongside Tennant will be joining him in Richard II.

Tennant, who is now an RSC board member, officially announced he was leaving Doctor Who whilst he was appearing in Stratford.

But he is widely expected to make a guest appearance in the 50th anniversary Dr Who adventure to be broadcast by the Beeb in November, alongside other past Doctors.

The new RSC season announced today also includes the world premiere of Wendy & Peter Pan and the world premiere adaptations of Hilary Mantel's award-winning novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies by Mike Poulton.

Richard II will run from October 10 to November 16.

Doctor Who : all 11 doctors being lined up for 50th anniversary show

2013-01-22T13:58:54Z

Doctor Who is set to celebrate the sci-fi show's 50th anniversary with a one-off adventure featuring all ELEVEN actors to have played the Time Lord since his arrival in 1963.

Show boss Steven Moffat is close to completing a script which will see the current Doctor, Matt Smith, needing the assistance of ALL his police box predecessors - even if three of them have died.

The half-century special, to be broadcast in November, will use studio trickery to resurrect the first three Doctors - William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee - in brief flashback scenes.

Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann have all signed up to record an anniversary audio adventure, and are keen to appear in the historic TV show, too.

Christopher Eccleston is said to be reconsidering an earlier decision not to take part, and David Tennant - a friend of Moffat - has hinted that he has been invited to reprise his role.

The final key to the special was Eccleston, who had previously said that he had no plans to return to the role but recently conceded he believed he "still had more to do with the character". But companions such as Birmingham's Arthur Darvill (Rory), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) and Freema Agyeman (Martha Jones) have all indicated that they are not involved.

There may, however, be a role for Alex Kingston, who plays the Doctor's wife and who may be responsible for bringing all the previous incarnations together - against the Time Lord's wishes.

Both Matt Smith and David Tennant are tight-lipped about the adventure.

"We're as much in the dark as the majority of other people," says Smith. "I haven't seen the script so I have no idea what is happening. One thing's for sure, we'll make it the biggest in the show's history."

Tennant, interviewed on a radio show, claimed that he had yet to be invited - but gave the presenter a knowing wink.

It will not be the first time that previous Doctors have been gathered together. The 10th anniversary in 1973 was celebrated by The Three Doctors, starring Pertwee and Troughton, with film of Hartnell on a computer screen.

The 20th anniversary was marked by The Five Doctors, with Davison, Troughton and Pertwee joined by Hartnell lookalike Richard Hurndall, with film footage of Tom Baker, who had declined to take part.

The 30th anniversary - after the series had been axed - was celebrated with a bizarre charity crossover, which found McCoy, Pertwee, Tom Baker, Davison and Colin Baker in an episode of EastEnders.

The show was not on air when the 40th anniversary rolled round but an audiotape adventure starred McGann, Colin Baker, McCoy and Davison with additional archive recordings of Pertwee.

Fiftieth anniversary writer Moffatt says: "You can't please everybody but you don't want anybody to feel let down by a big anniversary episode."

The 50th birthday will also be marked by a drama documentary about the character and the early years of the show."

Doctor Who : what really happened to Rory and Amy - the missing scene

2013-01-17T15:01:47Z

Here's the scene which was supposed to have ended the last series of Doctor Who, tying up all the loose ends as regards the Ponds.

Apparently the plan was to film the scene, but shooting was scuppered because Brummie actor Mark Williams - currently starring in Father Brown - wasn't available.

So here it is in storyboard form, voiced by Birmingham actor Arthur Darvill, who played Rory in the show. Be warned, you may need the Kleenex...

Brian Aldiss heads top sci-fi writers booking into the National Space Centre

2013-01-16T14:57:26Z

A host of leading science fiction writers are to do readings and talks at the National Space Centre in Leicester.

In a strong bill headlined by Brian Aldiss and Peter F. Hamilton, they'll be taking part in a February half-term festival at the venue.

Says spokeswoman Malika Andress: "From The First Men in the Moon to the Hitch-hikers' Guide To The Galaxy, science fiction has transported, tantalised and terrified us with visions of technologically advanced futures and far-flung worlds.

"In the era of Kindle, Twitter and Audible, the way we enjoy science-fiction might have changed, but the stories remain as compelling as ever.

"The National Space Centre will be celebrating the history; past, present and future of Science Fiction during February half-term with a jam-packed programme of special guests, fun activities and a special competition where you get to decide which is the 'Best Science Fiction Book of All Time!'

"Each day we will have science fiction authors presenting readings form their books and discussing the appeal of science fiction."

Authors booked to appear between February 9 and 24 so far include:

Brian Aldiss
Peter F. Hamilton
Kim Lakin-Smith
Ian Whates
Gareth Powell
Alex Keller
Steven Munzer
Steve Smallman
Alastair Reynolds
Benjamin Hendy
Ben Arronovitch
Bali Rai
Ian Sales
Chris Beckett
Philip Palmer
Jonathon L. Howard
Kim Curran
Adam Christopher
Steve Cole
Kit Cox

"We are going to be joined by some of the best authors, screenwriters and illustrators working in the UK today," says Malika. "This is obviously a very exciting event for the Centre to host.

"But more importantly, the authors represent children's, teen and adult science fiction, so there will be something for all our visitors to enjoy."

Visitors can also win tickets in advance by championing a book on the Centre's website - www.spacecentre.co.uk/spacefiction

The National Space Centre is the UK's largest visitor attraction and research facility dedicated to space. It opened to the public in June 2001 and has welcomed more than two million visitors, including over 450,000 school children.

The Millennium Commission landmark project for the East Midlands, the Space Centre was co-founded by The University of Leicester and Leicester City Council. Its other founding partners are BT and East Midlands Development Agency.