'Starkiller' Stars In "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II"

Now available, the video game "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II" is the LucasArts sequel to 2008's "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed", refining the gameplay while adding fresh elements including 'puzzle solving'.

Combat now includes the ability to wield dual lightsabers to dispatch enemies, as well as additional 'Force' powers, including 'mind trick' and 'Force fury'.

According to lead producer Vinde Kudirka, the goal of the game across all platforms is to make the player feel like "...a super-powerful 'Jedi'".

The game takes place about seven months after the events of the first game, and a year before "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope", with players once again controlling 'Starkiller', the secret apprentice of 'Darth Vader' who just may be a 'clone'.

"...'Starkiller' escapes from captivity on 'Kamino and after eliminating his 'stormtrooper' captors, embarks on a quest to understand his identity and to find his love interest 'Juno Eclipse'. Meanwhile, Darth Vader has hired 'Boba Fett' to track down Juno to lure Starkiller out of hiding..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II"...

"Psych" on USA Network

The Vancouver-lensed TV series "Psych", starring James Roday, Dulé Hill, Corbin Bernsen, Timothy Omundson and Kirsten Nelson returns with its fifth season continuation on USA Network, Wednesday, November 10, airing the new episode "Extradition II":


"...'Shawn' (Roday) and 'Gus' (Hill) return to Vancouver to visit their old nemesis 'Despereaux' (guest star Cary Elwes) in prison at the felon’s request, who then uses them to escape and pull one last job before he is extradited to the United States.

"Only while he is out, he is framed for the murder of a Crown Attorney and now asks the guys for help clearing his name of this most recent – and frankly unseemly – charge..."


Other guest stars lined up for the Fall season include Ally Sheedy, Mena Suvari, Nora Dunn and Ralph Macchio.


"...USA’s hot roster of hit series gives viewers something to warm up to as the days get shorter and the nights grow colder. November sees the return of fan-favorite "Psych", Wednesday, November 10, at 10/9c with brand new cases waiting to be solved. Visit the official "Psych" website for games, photos and weekly prizes. Visit USA Network’s Character Arcade to play games, challenge friends and for more chances to win prizes..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Psych"...

"Burn Notice" on USA Network

"...USA’s hot roster of hit series gives viewers something to warm up to as the days get shorter and the nights grow colder. November sees the return of fan-favorite "Burn Notice", Thursday, November 11, 2010, at 10/9c with brand new episodes..."

"Burn Notice" is the USA Network spy TV series, created by Matt Nix, starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, Sharon Gless and Coby Bell. Filmed on-location in and around Miami, Florida, the series has a permanent set built in the former Coconut Grove Convention Center in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood.

The Thursday night, November 11 premiere episode is "Eyes Open":

"...When a vengeful lawyer hires a paranoid bombmaker to kill off members of a local gang, 'Michael' (Donovan) is forced to intervene before innocent lives are lost in the mayhem. Meanwhile, Michael and 'Jesse' (Bell) must work together to track down a stolen document containing highly classified government secrets..."

The series title refers to the 'burn notices' issued by intelligence agencies to discredit or announce the dismissal of agents or sources who are considered to have become 'unreliable'. When spies are burned, their connection to an espionage organization is terminated, leaving them without access to cash or influence.

Visit the official Burn Notice website for games, photos and weekly prizes or visit USA Network’s Character Arcade to play games, challenge friends and win prizes!

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Burn Notice"...

Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises"

Director Christopher Nolan, currently auditioning actresses for his third Warners "Batman" feature, has confirmed that the title of the upcoming film will be "The Dark Knight Rises".

February 2010, Nolan said he had 'cracked' the story of a sequel to "The Dark Knight" with his brother Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer working on the screenplay.

March 2010, Nolan confirmed that "The Dark Knight Rises" will be his last 'Batman' movie.

"Without getting into specifics, the key thing that makes the third film a great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story. And in viewing it as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story . . . I’m very excited about the end of the film, the conclusion, and what we’ve done with the characters.

"My brother has come up with some pretty exciting stuff. Unlike the comics, these things don’t go on forever in film and viewing it as a story with an end is useful. Viewing it as an ending, that sets you very much on the right track about the appropriate conclusion and the essence of what tale we’re telling. And it hearkens back to that priority of trying to find the reality in these fantastic stories. That’s what we do."

"The Dark Knight Rises" will prep for an April 2011 production start.

So far, lead actor Christan Bale will return as 'Batman", with actor Tom Hardy ("Inception") also cast in an unnamed role.

Click the images to enlarge...

Cameron Announces "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3"

Fox Filmed Entertainment's Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman report that director James Cameron has agreed to deliver to the studio, "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3".

Cameron will begin work on the screenplays early next year for a late 2011 start.

"Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3" will be produced by Cameron and Jon Landau for Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment.

"'Avatar' was conceived as an epic work of fantasy," said Cameron.

"In the second and third films, which will be self contained stories that also fulfill a greater story arc, we will not back off the throttle of Avatar's visual and emotional horsepower, and will continue to explore its themes and characters, which touched the hearts of audiences in all cultures around the world."

"Avatar" earned nearly $2.8 billion in worldwide box office, winning Oscars for art direction, visual effects and cinematography.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Avatar"...

"The Tudors": Complete Fourth Season- November 9

Phase 4 Films reports that the Canadian DVD/Blu-ray release of the complete fourth season of the Irish/Canadian co-production, "The Tudors" will be November 9, 2010.

Concurrently with the release of the final season, Phase 4 Films will also release "The Royal Collection", the 'Complete Uncut' series of "The Tudors", consisting of a 13-Disc set, including unedited episodes from all four seasons, plus hours of bonus material.

Created and written by Michael Hirst, Season Four of the 'royal drama' stars Golden Globe Award Winner Jonathan Rhys Myers as 'King Henry VIII', Henry Cavill as 'Duke of Suffolk', Sarah Bolger as 'Princess Mary', Max Brown as 'Edward Seymour', Tamzin Merchant as 'Katherine Howard' and Joely Richardson as 'Queen Catherine'.

"...The concluding season brings us through the final years of one of the greatest figures of English history, King Henry VIII. Although he has been in power for many years, Henry's life and times remain as turbulent, controversial and dramatic as they were when he was a young King.

"Now in his late forties, with an ailing body and increasing sense of paranoia, the king is more obsessed than ever with his quest for an heir. As the scandalous series comes to an epic finale, King Henry will stop at nothing to secure his place in history..."

"'The Tudors' continues to be one of our most successful releases and we are excited to bring the long awaited fourth and final season to homes across Canada," said Berry Meyerowitz, President, CEO, Phase 4 Films.

"This climactic season has more sex, drama and intrigue - everything fans have been asking for..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Tudors"...

"Flashpoint": Season 2- November 16

Phase 4 Films reports that the DVD release of the complete second season of the Toronto-lensed TV series "Flashpoint", will be November 16, 2010.

Concurrently with the release of the complete second season, Phase 4 Films will release 'Season 2, Volume 2' of the series.

"Flashpoint" stars Hugh Dillon, Enrico Colantoni, Amy Jo Johnson and David Paetkau.

"...'Flashpoint' is a dramatic action series that depicts the risk-filled lives of members of the 'Strategic Response Unit' (SRU) - an elite team of tactical police officers who specialize in high-risk critical incidents. Highly trained in both tactics and psychology, this team thrives under pressure, making split-second decisions while lives hang in the balance..."

The series airs on CTV in Canada and CBC in the US, produced by Pink Sky Entertainment Inc. and Avamar Entertainment Inc., in association with CTV and CBS Television Studios, Inc., executive produced by Anne Marie La Traverse and Bill Mustos. The show was co-created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Flashpoint"...

"The Hobbitt" - New Zealand Makes A Deal

After months of uncertainty, "The Hobbit" will now shoot in New Zealand after the government cut a $25 million deal with Warner Bros.

A short-lived actors union boycott prompted Warner Bros. reps to travel to New Zealand to review the studio's decision to shoot Sir Peter Jackson's two-part adaptation of author J.R.R. Tolkien's novel in New Zealand.


Prime Minister John Key negotiated the new deal.


"An agreement has been reached between the New Zealand government and Warner Bros. that will enable the two Hobbit movies to be directed by Sir Peter Jackson to be made in New Zealand," said Key.

Key said the government would introduce legislation into parliament to change local labor laws, clarifying the differences between a 'contract worker' and a movie production employee.


New Zealand will also expand its film subsidy program for big budget movies, providing an extra $7.5 million tax rebate for each "Hobbit" movie on top of the usual 15 percent.


Warner Bros. also agreed to a joint marketing deal with the NZ government to promote the country as a film production/tourism destination, with the government offseting $10 million of those costs.

Production will start February 2011 with the first movie due for release in late 2012 and the second a year later.


"I am delighted that we have reached this result," said Key.

"Making the two Hobbit movies here will not only safeguard work for thousands of New Zealanders, but it will also follow the success of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy in once again promoting New Zealand on the world stage."

Click the images to enlarge...