Allow me to give some opinion on several issues here.
First of all, as JDM has pointed out many times, while JMS likes to play the Vorlon, sometimes the simplest explanation of or conclusion drawn from his statements are the most likely.
The comment about looking to the horizon for UK and Australia is, most likely (region - smegion), a reference to the TV movie box set release there. I have seen several of you British folk on here bitching about the UK release data about the box set. This was his reassurance that, yes, there will be a UK and Australian (read PAL) release of the full box set with all the goodies included.
As for FX being done where filming is done, on this one, Joe you are mistaken. SG-1 often has FX done in the UK, as well as LA and in Canada. For conirmation of this, check out the numerous commentaries in the season box sets where they talk about the many and various FX houses that do their SFX. And as pointed out elsewhere, other films have done the same. Also, remember that most films (especially FX laden ones) use multiple FX houses for various portions and sections of any film.
I do not think that TMoS will necessarily be filmed in the UK, though I could be wrong. In recent years, production costs for foreign films have been relatively high in the UK, thus the moves to Canada and Australia. Either of these two countries are much more likely to get any location shooting for TMoS than either the UK or even the US. Now some FX could be contracted out to a UK production house, since some really good work has been done recently there. Also, a film score could well be recorded there depending on what orchestra they decide to use. If, in fact, it is the London Symphony (which Franke has used in the past) or the London Philharmonic, then yes, the score would be recorded there.
Either way, FX location has nothing to do with shooting location. Jackson was all over the place, London, etc. while FX were being done on LOTR in New Zealand at WETA (watch many of the special features on any of the LOTR DVDs for comfirmation on that one).
I never thought that JMS would be involved in Dr. Who since an EP/show runner is already in charge of Dr. Who. However, the Blake's 7 revival is still a possibility, as is the SW series. Yet, equally as possible is a series that is in no way related to SF...we simply have no idea on this one and will have to wait until the Great Maker reveals more truth to us in time. However, speculating is fun.
And I have read an official announcement on Ent. S4 and yes Manny Cotto will be showrunner for S4 while B&B take a back seat to develope their new non-Trek, SF series. Whether this is a good thing or a bad is yet to be seen. Also, whether JMS could still be involved in Trek in the future is still yet to be seen and is not a possibility to be completely ruled out given his comment in NJ on the matter.
Finally (at least for now
), the mention of a new series of books, so specifically
after the mention of a new adjunct B5 project, clearly insinuates that the new series of novels is a totally
seperate new B5 project to the
other new
adjunct B5 project.
Remember the "in spades" comment.
So, this means a new feature film, a new series of novels,
and another new
adjunct B5 project. Now, what this other project is is unknown. Given the list of "things it isn't" (and as JDM pointed out there were actually two lists given at two different times -- the second one to clarify items the first one left open), there are precious few things on those lists it could really be (at least if you use your common sense). Boiled down, it could well be a new series of comics (someone else pointed out this is unlikely and I agree); or an animated series (somehow this doesn't
feel right, so personally, I'm discounting it); a new live-action series (given the amount on his plate, this one seems unlikely but is not impossible -- and personally I would
love it! ); and one no one seems to have remembered, a mini-series.
The mini-series idea is one that I started running over in my head last night. It is not my main choice for whatever this new project is, but I have to admit it is a definate possibility. A mini-series would allow JMS to tell a much bigger story for B5, and tell a story that he's not (for whatever reason) going to be able to tell in the feature venue. For example (and this is only an example so don't flame me
): if WB and JMS decided that the TW was not the story to tell in the features, that they should begin
after the TW occurred, then JMS could then do a major mini-series that allows him to tell the TW arc in full glory, with a decent budget, and have more time to develope the story and tell the full TW saga (ie: 4 to 6 hours rather than a 2.5 hour film). This could also apply to a Valen arced mini-series (though I would love to see this I doubt it will happen), or even a full Drakh War arced mini-series (though I still think this will play into the features somehow -- call it intuition
).
Either way, we forgot about the mini-series, which would be an "adjunct project" while still allowing JMS time to do everything we know is on his plate in the coming months and years. No, not a new B5 series, but a major new B5 mini-series that will tell a major part of the B5 universe's story that I can't get into the features and thus allows me to give fans (old and new) even more of the big picture and story.
Just a thought and exploration of possibilities my mind decided to explore. I'm not saying it
is what will happen, but after careful exploration, I must conclude it is at least a
definate possibility that can't be discounted.
I know that wild flights of fancy are fun (especially if done tongue-in-cheek), but let's at least try to keep speculation within reason here. (OMG I just sounded
exactly like JDM sounded to me when I first came onboard!
Someone...quick...shoot me!
)
But seriously, I know it's fun to try to interpret the many layers of JMS' posts, but realistically, a lot of the time JMS hides his meaning in plain site and it really doesn't take a lot to deduce what he's trying to tell us (just use common sense).
Anyway, that's my latest novel for B5tv for all you to wade through.
Peace!
CE
