Sci Fi TV Top 5: Covering the top sci fi and fantasy TV stories of interest from the past week. You can keep up with the sci fi and fantasy TV news headlines throughout the week at r/SciFiTV on Twitter and on Reddit.
1. The Defenders Could Be Returning to Marvel
Netflix cancelled all of its Defenders series in late 2018 and early 2019, leading to a worldwide Save Daredevil campaign which is still going strong today. There has been plenty of speculation that the characters could move to the Disney+ streaming service or Hulu (now owned by Disney), but Netflix holds the license for at least two years after the shows completed their runs. But according to We Got This Covered, a source informs them that the rights could revert back to Disney/Marvel in early 2020. There were already rumors that a fourth season of Daredevil is in the planning stage and Kriten Ritter will reportedly reprise the role of Jessica Jones in one of the Marvel Phase 5 movies. And there are also talks of a third season of The Punisher. For fans of Luke Cage and Iron Fist, though, the bad news is that it appears Marvel will reboot those with new actors. But at least some the Defenders could be back in action sooner than expected.
2. The Devil Meets John Constantine?
After Lucifer Morningstar made an appearance in the Arrow-verse Crisis on Infinite Earths cross-over, writer Marc Bernardin (Castle Rock) made the following pitch on Twitter for a series where the Devil teams up with John Constantine:
Dear Warner Bros. TV: I would like to do a miniseries, starring @tomellis17 and @mattryanreal, following Lucifer and John Constantine as they drive from LA to NYC, leaving broken hearts and scorched earth in their wake. Call it…Highway to Hell. Give me money. pic.twitter.com/2rL44FBE1a
— Marc Bernardin (@marcbernardin) December 17, 2019
Lucifer showrunner Joe Henderson as well as Constantine actor Matt Ryan both showed support for the idea on Twitter shortly after. There has been no indication that Warner Bros is actually considering the pitch, and licensing issues will provide a hurdle (Netflix holds the rights to Lucifer for several more years). But if fans get behind the idea, and Lucifer fans can be quite vocal, maybe it could happen at some point.
>ALSO READ: Cancellation Watch: Final Roundup for the Fall 2019 Sci Fi TV Shows
3. Carrie Reboot in the Works at FX
FX is partnering with MGM television for a reboot of Stephen King’s Carrie which will be broadcast as a mini-series. The story focuses on a misfit teen who discovers that she has telekinetic powers and who uses those to take revenge on people who have mistreated her. It was King’s first novel and was originally adapted as a feature film in 1976, is now considered a horror classic. A 2002 television movie written by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) that acted as a pilot for a series, but it was never picked up. The FX mini-series is in the early stages of development at this point and could premiere in late 2020 or early 2021.
4. The Crisis on Infinite Earths Comes to a Close
The CW’s big cross-over event aired its first three episodes in December and the epic story will conclude in January when the Arrow-verse show return from the Winter hiatus. Following are the synopses for Part 4 which air as an episode of Arrow and Part 5 which will air as an episode of Legends of Tomorrow:
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Four
OLIVER HAS BECOME SOMETHING ELSE IN PART FOUR OF “CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS.” EPISODE PENNED BY MARV WOLFMAN & MARC GUGGENHEIM – Stuck in the Vanishing Point, the Paragons search for a way to escape. The futility of the situation is compounded by The Flash’s (guest star Grant Gustin) disappearance. However, hope appears in the form of Oliver (Stephen Amell), who reveals that he has become something else. Meanwhile, the origin stories for The Monitor (guest star LaMonica Garrett) and Anti-Monitor are revealed. Glen Winter directed the episode written by Marv Wolfman & Marc Guggenheim (#808).
Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part Five
THE EARTH-SHATTERING “CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS” CROSSOVER CONCLUDES – “Worlds lived, worlds died. Nothing will ever be the same.” Gregory Smith directed the episode written by Keto Shimizu and Ubah Mohamed (#508).
Both episodes will air Tuesday January 14th starting at 8 PM EST. Legends of Tomorrow then returns for its fifth season, airing at 9 PM EST on Tuesdays.
5. Mid-Season Kicks Off Next Week with the Return of Doctor Who
The Fall shows just went on break a couple of weeks ago, but the Winter Hiatus will not last long as we will have shows returning to the schedule or having their premieres starting next week. On New Years Day, Doctor Who has its Season 12 debut on BBC and BBC America with Jodie Whittaker returning as the thirteenth Doctor. That series then shifts to its regular timeslot on Sundays at 8 PM EST. The new Dracula series from Stephen Moffat will premiere that same day on BBC and will be available in the States on January 4th on Netflix. The following week, NBC’s Manifest returns for its second season on January 6th. Then The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths cross-over wraps up on January 14th. And the much-anticipated Star Trek Picard debuts on CBS All Access on January 23rd. You can see the full schedule of sci fi and fantasy shows at this link and you can keep up with the weekly listings at this link.
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