Judge Dredd is the law in Mega-City One TV spin-off

The 2000 AD sci-fi comic started in 1977 along with the US premiere of a space opera set in a galaxy far, far away... Both 2000 AD and Star Wars would form the backdrop to my youth and foundation for future friendships.

However, I didn't start reading 2000 AD until my late paternal grandfather gifted me a copy, during a holiday by the Jurassic Coast, in the summer of 1979. Until then, I was avidly reading Dan Dare reprints, Marvel's Star Wars comic and Starburst magazine.

The ABC Warriors had been unleashed and later Rogue Trooper's endless war with the Norts took over high school lunchtime discussions, and GCSE Art and Design lessons, with fellow geeks in the 1980s.

So, when news broke of a Judge Dredd television series, my interest was instantly piqued. Afterall, my nickname at high school, in an era when Harrison Ford was linked to the titular role for a future film, was Judge Dredd. Because chiselled jaw.

"This is one of those seminal sci-fi properties that seems to only become and more relevant with age," IM Global Television boss Mark Stern told Entertainment Weekly (EW). "Not only is it a rich world with biting social commentary, but it’s also fun as hell! As a fan of the comics and both films, it’s a dream come true to be able to work with Jason and Chris in adapting this for television."

"We’re very excited to be beginning the journey to get more of Judge Dredd’s Mega-City One on the television screen,” says the Kingsleys. "Thanks to the legions of fans who have kept up pressure on social media, and a lot of background work and enthusiasm, we aim to make a big budget production that will satisfy both our vast comics audience and the even greater general screen-watching public."

Mark Stern shepherded the Battlestar Galactica reboot. A seminal sci-fi series that found critical acclaim early last decade.

The two Judge Dredd movie adaptations have had varying degrees of success. Sylvester Stallone was miscast as Judge Dredd in 1995 and fans (myself included) took issue with the iconic character removing his helmet. But, James Earl Jones', the voice of Darth Vader, opening narration was the most memorable part and left me yearning for more Star Wars.

Who would you like to see playing Judge Dredd in a television spin-off? Star Trek's Karl Urban wasn't too shabby in the gritty film noir from 2012. Let me know in the comments below.

Bryan Singer brings the X-Men to Fox in The Gifted

Legion isn't the only X-Men cinematic universe spin-off to grace television screens in 2017. Franchise stalwart Bryan Singer has directed the pilot for The Gifted. An upcoming series from Marvel and Fox.

Action-adventure family drama THE GIFTED, from Marvel, tells the story of a suburban couple whose ordinary lives are rocked by the sudden discovery that their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive.



Amy Acker (Angel) and Stephen Moyer (True Blood) head up the cast as parents of mutant children. A Stan Lee cameo has been teased on Instagram.

The Gifted premieres on Fox this Fall.

Blade Runner 2049 gives a knowing wink to Star Wars

Ridley Scott's second foray into sci-fi was Blade Runner. An enigmatic film noir touchstone possessing a visual flair much copied and unmatched since its original release in 1982.

Scott's dystopian vision was the antithesis of the summer blockbuster with Harrison Ford, famous for Star Wars and Indiana Jones, playing Rick Deckard. A police officer charged with hunting down replicants. All the while possibly a replicant himself. Because unicorn.

The prospect of a sequel left me cold until the latest trailer for Blade Runner 2049 dropped with Ford reprising the role opposite Ryan Gosling.

The tone is pitch perfect and lush visuals promise to be as memorable as those seen in the original. The minimalist approach evokes Stanley Kubrick (2001: A Space Odyssey). At least it's a feast for the eyes and listen out for the Star Wars in-joke from The Empire Strikes Back.



If you've never seen the original Blade Runner. May I suggest The Final Cut from 2007.

Looking forward to Blade Runner 2049 this October? Let me know in the comments below.

Chris Pine's classic Star Trek spoof on SNL

Chris Pine took over the role of Captain Kirk in JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot in 2009.

Two sequels followed and now he's gone full William Shatner in this hilarious Star Trek skit for Saturday Night Live (SNL).



Pine can be seen next in the upcoming Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot this July.

MUTHUR can't save you in Alien: Covenant

Fans of the Alien franchise will instantly recognise MUTHUR. The Nostromo's onboard computer that awoke the crew from cryogenic stasis to seemingly investigate an alleged distress signal on LV-426.

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) would later discover the chilling truth that MUTHUR was programmed to divert to the unknown planet, by the company Weyland-Yutani, and crewmate Ash's (Ian Holm) primary objective to sacrifice all aboard for an alien specimen.

MUTHUR, voiced by Lorelei King, returns in Alien: Covenant. Personally, this is exciting news as I worked with Lorelei on The Gemini Apes starring the late Sir Christopher Lee.

This new trailer, highlighting MUTHUR, cleverly plays to our expectations of intelligent personal assistants such as Alexa, Cortana or Siri and the franchise's callous use of technology.



Does MUTHUR play an instrumental role in Alien: Covenant? Fans will find out on 12th May.

Excited for Alien: Covenant? Let me know in the comments below.

Is Jenna Coleman returning to Doctor Who?

Jenna Coleman is rumoured to be returning to Doctor Who for this year's Christmas special.

The rumour originates from a story suggesting Eddie's Diner has been booked for filming this July. The iconic location was used in The Impossible Astronaut and as Clara and Me's TARDIS in Hell Bent: the series 9 finale in which Clara wiped the Doctor's memory of her.

Peter Capaldi is leaving at the end of this year, along with showrunner Steven Moffat, and it wouldn't be the first time a former companion returned for a regeneration story. Karen Gillan reprised the role of Amy Pond when Matt Smith bowed out in The Time of the Doctor. It's worth noting Clara's theme can be heard during the current series premiere as possible foreshadowing.

Series 10, currently airing on BBC One on Saturday evenings, is proving to be a hit with fans. So much so, I was inspired to email the official Doctor Who Magazine and was delighted to see my thoughts on the season premiere, The Pilot, reprinted in the current issue.

A post shared by John Hood (@johnhood) on May 4, 2017 at 7:21am PDT

Andrew Lewin, fellow Whovian and blogging co-conspirator, is reviewing the current series on Taking the Short View. Hopefully, this won't dissuade him from our obligatory post-series discussion later in the year.

Coleman is filming the second series of Victoria for ITV.

Would you like to see Clara return in the Christmas special? Let me know in the comments below.

Carrie Fisher remembered by fans on Star Wars Day

Star Wars fans around the world are celebrating Star Wars Day, May the Fourth, and paying tribute to the late Carrie Fisher.

#MayTheFourthBeWithYou always xx

A tribute to the truly irreplaceable Carrie Fisher on #StarWarsDay @HamillHimself pic.twitter.com/Rb5ouRkzx1

— MoviesYouLoved (@moviesyouloved) May 3, 2017

I updated my social media avatar with a photo taken with Carrie Fisher at Star Wars Celebration Europe last summer.

How are you celebrating Star Wars Day? Let me know in the comments below.

Netflix's Marvel superheroes unite in The Defenders

Today Netflix unveiled a trailer for Marvel's The Defenders. The upcoming series sees Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron First join forces to battle a big bad played by Sigourney Weaver.

Cue obligatory hallway fight scene.



The trailer has given me an incentive to catch up with a Marvel Netflix backlog.

Following the breakout first season of Daredevil. The Netflix series have stalled and stagnated for the most part. Conversely, Legion, a part of The X-Men cinematic universe at Fox, has captured my imagination with its inventiveness and is now front runner for genre series of the year.

Stream The Defenders on Netflix from 18th August. Coincedently, that would have been my late mum's 76th birthday.

Excited for Marvel's The Defenders or could care less? Let me know in the comments below.

House of Cards sees "One nation, Underwood!"

Netflix's adaptation of House of Cards, in 2013, proved the streaming service was more than capable of producing prestige drama. The award-winning series would be followed by Orange Is the New Black, Stranger Things, The Crown and many more.

House of Cards season 5 sees the Underwoods, played with gleeful malice by Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, battling for re-election against Republican rival Will Conway (Joel Kinnaman).

This new trailer for the upcoming season suggests an even darker tone than previous seasons, which didn't shy away from the murkier realms of politics. The incumbent president is clearly looking to secure more than two terms in office, in a move reminiscent of Senator Palpatine in Star Wars.



House of Cards season 5 is available to stream from 30th May.

Looking forward to House of Cards or do you think the current state of real word politics has eclipsed it? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars ruined John Boyega's love life

So, it's May and Star Wars celebrates its 40th anniversary this month. However, the Force moves in mysterious ways as John Boyega (Finn) discovered whilst on a date.

Speaking on the BBC's The Graham Norton Show, he said: "I went on a date in New York City and we were driving through Times Square and she asked, 'What do you do for a living?' I just pointed up at the 'Star Wars' billboard that showed me with a lightsaber and said, 'That!' That was the end of the relationship - the poster really affected her... I blocked her on my phone."



Boyega reprises the role of Finn in Star Wars: The Last Jedi this December.