"Confirmed: Farscape Miniseries on the Way!

"The rumors are true...

"November 14, 2003 - As IGN FilmForce reported back in July, a new Farscape project is finally on its way. While an official announcement was postponed earlier this week, IGN FilmForce has learned that the production office in Australia has re-opened and work has begun on a new project.

"The Henson company would not comment on the information but a source close to the production has confirmed that the new project will be a miniseries, not a new season as originally hoped for by the fans. While no plot details are available, sources have also confirmed that the new project will be independent from the Sci-Fi Channel, the network that broadcast the series. No information is currently available about just where the new miniseries will be appearing or when.

"Obviously, this is good news for the fans that have fought so hard to bring the series back but there may be cause for guarded optimism. The miniseries is currently seen as a standalone project with no new episode commitment attached, so nothing is guaranteed beyond this project. More information as it becomes available right here at IGNFF."

Farscape (TV): The cancelled but highly acclaimed Sci-Fi Channel series which had its plug pulled earlier this year may be making a comeback. Last week an insider sent along this rumour: "Farscape is back in production - the series is to be wrapped up in 4-6 new episodes with the usual crew, cast and producers. The props and sets are being dusted off and are being assembled in preparation for filming in Sydney. The new mini-season will complete the story arc and bring closure". An interesting story and a solid source but still it sounded almost like wishful thinking and as there still hasn't been any official announcement about it I held off. After all, you would've thought Sci-Fi would have shouted it from the rooftops that its coming back to appease the ravenous fans of the show (incl. me). Then some people I know connected with the show started mentioning it's coming back and its confirmed that the Sydney production office is open again. I placed three separate calls to them on Tuesday to confirm/deny the rumours and all three calls were not only summarily cut off at their end but the secretary hurled nasty insults (courtesy is a dying art) - I've never had problems with these guys before so best guess would be they've been advised not to speak to press at all (which would explain the lack of coverage locally). That would also explain that when I got in contact with a US publicity rep for Sci-Fi, they said they couldn't comment on it at this time but will be releasing details when they're available soon. Something IS stirring, I guess we'll have to wait to find out what exactly.

From Tv Guide Online

FAR OUT!: Hey, 'Scapers — this is the news you've been waiting for! The Jim Henson Company is holding a press conference Thursday to "announce an exciting new development in the campaign to continue Farscape." Among those participating in the media pow-wow: Series creator Rockne S. O'Bannon and exec producers Brian Henson and David Kemper. They better not be unveiling the 2003 Farscape Christmas ornament.

From the SciFi Farscape BB post by Maybourne:

Reply 2392 : “...I just heard. That's awesome! Anyone know when they're gonna start filming again?? The props are already being moved back to the set. It can't be that much longer before the actors follow, right??”  

Reply 2396: "Nah, a friend of mine gave me a mondo scoop, and I was looking for a way to break it. FELGER1 seemed like the perfect patsy.

Technically, all my friend knows is that she/her company received orders to ship the props back out to the set. What they're gonna do with them out there is anyone's guess.

Maybe they're planning a ritualistic bonfire to burn down all the props and the sets so that they couldn't possibly start again. Some final sign that says: GAME OVER.

Not that the fans would listen.”


From Scaperoute's Kansas BB:

Thread 11077 by Chemicalx: A few weeks ago, I'd met a girl at a gathering I went to, and we were chatting about various things.  She'd happened to mention she had a friend in Australia, and so (of course) I asked if he knew about Farscape.  She hadn't heard of the show, so I told her about it, and said I was a big fan of the show.  She was intrigued, so she said she'd ask him to find out if he'd heard of it.

I pretty much forgot about the whole exchange, but yesterday we all got together again, and so she told me she'd asked her friend. 

His response was something like this:  "It's really funny that you should ask me that, because my girlfriend (an actress) just got a part on that show!"

"...I'd never explained the part about the cancellation, so she didn't understand my reaction.  To make sure, I asked, "You mean, RECENTLY?  She was JUST hired?"  And she said "Yeah!"  So I told her about the cancellation, and that there were a bunch of rumors about a miniseries or film or both, so that if this were true, it would basically be confirming the rumor.

She has promised to try to find out better details, but the Burbank con may come before I see her next, so I'm not holding my breath for more news right away.

Anyway, so this is just a little more fuel for the rumor mill.  Of course "a friend of a friend said" hearsay is not always reliable, so season this one to taste."

That's definitely not a denial!

From grapeshot's 2BeCONtinued convention report, posted on the FMD forum:
"He [Rockne O'Bannon] said that it’s a good thing that now Henson has taken back control of themselves, and added, 'believe me, [Farscape] is in very good hands. Don’t be surprised if an announcement comes soon.'”

From Danny at Tough Pigs: 

"I don't have much, but I've posted this on ToughPigs.com, and I wanted to spread what I know to the Farscape folks...

"I heard this week from a source at Henson -- what I call an Anonyfrog source at Tough Pigs -- who told me that the Farscape cast and crew are heading to Australia in November to start shooting a Farscape miniseries, to wrap up the show.

"Unfortunately, I don't have any other information about it yet, but I was very excited to hear this. It's from a very good insider source who's given me accurate news tips in the past.

"I hope this makes you guys as happy as it's making me..."  [Danny, you have no idea!]

From the Farscape Aussie Mafia Forum. Thanks to Donnie for passing it along. The original articles were posted on the Frell Me Dead Forum at Save Farscape's website.

"Yeah yeah, it's still in rumor land. But, as you know, it was Jim Henson's bday and as you might know, a statue of him was dedicated to him at the University of Marilyn this time. Brian Henson was there, as was many Farscape fans.

"They yelled to him, after the ceremony (We got Farscape Fans here!) and he got a big smile and came over and told them they were doing good work. That's all he said.

"But later, Annie BW went to a Henson party and this is what she wrote:

'HOLY FRELLING DREN - A FEATURE FILM???
John and I literally JUST got in the door from the Jim Henson retrospective at the American Film Institute. Unfortunately, Brian wasn't there. But Marty Baker, who is VP of Worldwide Production for Henson, and their lawyer (Alan somebody whose name I'm drawing a blank on...) were there talking about Jim back in the day. Well, afterwards, John and I go up front and start schmoozing the two guys from Henson.. BTW, they really appreciated the gift baskets! So, anyway, I'm talking to Alan the lawyer and he says, "well, you know Farscape is coming back?" I said, "that's what we all hope." Then he dropped the bomb. He said, and I quote: "Farscape is coming back as a feature film. Brian told me yesterday that they just got the funding." You could have knocked me over with a feather! I practically kissed the guy! I asked him if I could quote him on that, and he said, "sure." Of course, I warned him that I'd be putting it out on the Internet.

I'll have to go back and review the tape, but it's there. I also spoke with Marty Baker, and expressed that five thousand plus fans would kill me if I didn't say how much we all loved Jim and the Muppet legacy. Again, he really appreciated it, and the baskets. We're doing good work, people, and it looks like we may just have gotten our wish. (Well, almost...)

- Annie, keyed up but exhausted...'


So, nothing official official, but hey!"

This isn't really a spoiler but a joke. At Comic-Con, when Ben was asked for a line of dialog from season five, he replied, "What the hell was that, Aeryn?"

Not a confirmation but not a denial, either.

From IGN FILMFORCE:With speculation running rampant about a possible announcement regarding a Farscape mini-series, fans of the series packed a panel for the series at the San Diego Comic-Con, hopeful for some news of the series' future.  While no direct announcements regarding the story posted on IGN FilmForce earlier this week were made, stars of the show were hopeful that the series had some kind of future.

Stars of the series, cancelled almost a year ago by Sci-Fi Channel, applauded the commitment of the fans and their efforts to get the series back on the air.  When specifically asked about the story, Ben Browder, who played astronaut John Crichton on the series, relayed that he had called Executive Producer Brian Henson in London when he heard the news and was told to say nothing.  No confirmation, no denial, just stay mum on the subject while reiterating Henson Co.'s commitment to the series.  But if there is a mini-series or a new series, Browder plans to be there, even if "they film it in Iceland," the actor joked.  Actor Lani Tupu, best known as Crais and the voice of Pilot, summed up all of the information they had on the subject when he said "before anyone asks, we don't know."

While there was nothing definite to be said at the convention, the lack of a denial has led to speculation about just where a mini-series might wind up.  As reported earlier in the week, Sci-Fi Channel currently has no knowledge of a new Farscape project.  Another possible home that has been speculated by fans is Henson's former partner in the Odyssey Channel, Hallmark.  Now sole owners of the re-branded Hallmark Channel, representatives from the network have assured IGN FilmForce that the network is not involved with any Henson project, including Farscape.

According to a number of industry sources, it's unlikely that any deal to broadcast a mini-series or even a 5th season could be made without including the previous 4 seasons in the package.  If that's the case, the Farscape fans, also known as Scapers, may have to wait a while: a representative from Sci-Fi Channel has confirmed that the network has the exclusive U.S. rights to the series until March of 2005.

Another theory would have Henson producing the mini-series as a way to launch the series for syndication in Fall of 2004.  While this might be a little bit of wishful thinking on the part of the fans, it does have some potential.  Even though Sci-Fi owns the series until early '05, Henson can still pre-sell the series for U.S. syndication prior to that. The costs of re-building the sets and working out deals with the cast and crew, estimated at one point by Producer David Kemper as being around $14 million, could be justified if the pre-sales to stations in the U.S. are good.

Meanwhile, the Scapers continue to keep the faith.  The main hub of the Save Farscape campaign, http://www.savefarscape.com/, has reportedly raised over $100,000 for their efforts to keep the series in the public eye with more donations coming in all the time.  New viewers are finding the series, thanks to stories about the cancellation in the press and episode being released on home video and DVD.  Sci-Fi Channel continues to run the series in the U.S. on Sunday nights, exposing some new fans to the series for the first time.  Entire sites on peer-to-peer file sharing programs are devoted to the series, helping fans access episodes they might have missed.  A convention devoted solely to the series, ScaperCon, is set for the first weekend of August in Chicago.

Not bad for a series that only a limited number of people got to see during its first run. More on the story as it develops at IGN FilmForce.

FARSCAPE MAY BE READY FOR A RETURN

Could a new mini-series be announced as early as this weekend?

From IGN FILMFORCE: "Farscape, the ratings-challenged Sci-Fi Channel series that prompted an international rescue campaign, may be getting a chance to go out on its own terms.  A reliable source told IGN FilmForce this week that a 4-hour mini-series was currently being prepped for production by Henson.  Set to lens in Australia, the home to the original series, the mini would be a continuation of the final episode and a possible wrap-up that would tie all of the dangling plot threads together.

This comes as good news to fans who were dismayed by the "To Be Continued..." tag at the end of the final episode in the series, "Bad Timing."  With most of the cast set to appear at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, there is a possibility that Henson Company could make an announcement during the convention. Series star Ben Browder's appearance at the Comic-Con's Farscape panel has added to the speculation that an announcement may be forthcoming.

If Henson is getting ready to produce a Farscape mini-series, the big question could be, "Who are they producing this for?"  A representative for the Sci-Fi Channel confirmed to IGN FilmForce that the network knows nothing about a Farscape mini-series.  If Sci-Fi is not involved with a new Farscape mini, then where would it run?  Most networks aren't interested in running a mini-series based on a series they didn't run and Sci-Fi's contract has quite a bit of time left on it, so there are some questions that will need to be answered if or when an announcement is made.  One thing is certain, though: if there is a possibility for any kind of continuation of Farscape, it will be welcome news to the fans that have tried to keep the series alive through television ads, e-mail & letter campaigns and outright threats.