Monday, August 31, 2015

1ST 'REIGN' SEASON 3 TRAILER HAS A TIGER, 3 QUEENS AND SWORDS DRAWN! BRENDA STRONG JOINS 'THE 100' SEASON 3 AS THE ICE NATION QUEEN!

 'THE 100' SF TV SERIES
BRENDA STRONG JOINS THE CAST AS THE ICE NATION QUEEN
Two queens for you today, minions! You must first bow to the new queen of the Ice Nation, Nia, who was mentioned before but will appear for the first time in the new third season of popular sf series THE 100! Brenda Strong will play the Ice Queen who has ruled her people for many years while holding onto power through ruthlessness and savvy! She does what she must to maintain her power, even when it puts her at odds with those closest to her. Pop star Shawn Mendes will  also appear in the first episode of the new season as he's playing a scrappy young Ark survivor who gets into a tricky situation and uses his particular talents to get out of it.

 'REIGN' EPIC TV SERIES
TIGERS AND QUEENS IN THE FIRST SEASON THREE TRAILER
And I stand corrected since it isn't two but four queens today, having in mind that there are three of them in the third season of CW's historical series REIGN with Queen Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten) getting into some wicked shenanigans with Queen Mary of Scots and France (Adelaide Kane) and queen Catherine de Medici (Megan Follows), for which you can see the first teaser trailer today! CW has moved the show to Fridays and has ordered only 18 episodes this season. They're obviously trying to spice up the story since the audience was left disappointed with the implausible  behaviour of the main characters in the previous run. While his mother is trying to dethrone his wife Mary conspiring secretly with Elizabeth, French King Francis (Toby Regbo) will keep trying to help his cheating, treacherous spouse.

OTHER NEW CAST MEMBERS
I've already reported that Tom Everett Scott will join the cast as Elizabeth's counsellor. The casting is currently on for the role of Elizabeth's lover Robert Dudley and his wife Amy, as well for a pirate who will be the love interest of Greer, Mary's flimsy lady in waiting. I've also already reported that Spencer MacPherson will play French prince Charles, and that Sameer Usmani, Nick Lee and Ben Geurens have also joined the cast.


Sunday, August 30, 2015

'LOVE THE COOPERS' TRAILER WITH OLIVIA WILDE, ED HELMS, AMANDA SEYFRIED, DIANE KEATON! LIONSGATE ADAPTS CONN IGGULDEN'S 'EMPEROR' CAESAR NOVELS! MGM ADAPTS NICOLA YOON'S 'EVERYTHING EVERYTHING'

CONN IGGULDEN'S 'EMPEROR' 
 CAESAR NOVELS TO BE ADAPTED
Two book adaptations today, starting with the news coming from 'Deadline' on Conn Iggulden's famous EMPEROR novels being bought by Summit Entertainment for big screen adaptation as a trilogy about the rise of Julius Caesar and his best friend and eventual mortal enemy Marcus Brutus. EMPEROR will be based on Iggulden's 'The Gates Of Rome' and 'The Field Of Swords' — that establish the relationship between Caesar and Marcus from boyhood. The books cover their rise to the top of the Roman Empire, and the political and romantic entanglements that culminate in the Roman Senate. The final novel covers the revenge taken on Caesar’s murderers by Octavius and Mark Antony. In the first film, Julius and Marcus bond at boyhood and grow into warriors who become politically ambitious and powerful enough to be regarded as threats by the establishment.

'EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING' 
TO BECOME A MOVIE AT MGM
The second one is coming from my publisher who just nabbed the rights for my country and MGM who will turn Nicola Yoon's EVERYTHING EVERYTHING hit YA novel into a movie written by J. Mills Goodloe who earlier this year wrote brilliant AGE OF ADALINE! The book which is out next week and has already been sold in 21 countries, follows Maddy, a teen who has severe combined immunodeficiency, a rare disease that causes her to be allergic to practically everything. She’s spent 17 years hiding out in her home, only seeing her mother and her nurse, Carla. But when a boy named Olly moves in next door, Maddy begins to fall in love. The story is told through vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations...

'LOVE THE COOPERS' TRAILER
OLIVIA WILDE, DIANE KEATON, ED HELMS, AMANDA SEYFRIED
And your trailer for today is for new star studded family comedy  arriving into cinemas this November. LOVE THE COOPERS follows the Cooper clan who comes together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, when a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday. Diane Keaton and John Goodman are the parents. Olivia Wilde's Eleanor has been having trouble finding the right guy, so she coerces a soldier (Jake Lacy) to pretend to be her boyfriend for just one night. Her sister Emma (Marisa Tomei) is searching for the perfect gift, although she seems to have issues with shoplifting. Their brother Hank (Ed Helms) is a single dad, who is trying to get his daughter to break a hilariously inappropriate habit. Amanda Seyfried is their fourth child.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

BBC 2 PICKS UP GEORGE BLAGDEN, ALEXANDER VLAHOS LAVISH EPIC SERIES 'VERSAILLES'! OUTLANDER'S SAM HEUGHAN & SUPERGIRL MELISSA BENOIST TO FIND LOVE AT 'OXFORD'!

SAM HEUGHAN TO FIND LOVE
WITH SUPERGIRL'S MELISSA BENOIST AT 'OXFORD'
Now here are some good news for all ya ladies who melt every time you see that Scottish heartthrob Sam Heughan in OUTLANDER epic TV series. As 'Deadline' reports, he and the latest SUPERGIRL Melissa Benoist will lead new romantic movie OXFORD! Here's the plot of the movie: soon after arriving at Oxford U, an American Rhodes Scholar student falls for an arrogant teaching assistant who is quietly fighting terminal cancer. When she finds out the reason he is so standoffish, they make the most of each day, travelling the world together.

'VERSAILLES' EPIC TV SERIES
GETS PICKED UP BY BBC 2 IN UK
The best news this week from the epic front is that BBC 2 has bought upcoming English language series VERSAILLES and will air it in UK. French production from Canal + will air in France this Autumn with our most beloved George Blagden (VIKINGS) in the lead role. This sumptuous drama is set in a world of power, politics, betrayal, lust and declarations of war. The year is 1667 and King Louis XIV is a 28 year-old monarch on the cusp of greatness. A 17th century rock star and an utterly ruthless leader, he will stop at nothing to seize control of France and his enemies - and his weapon is the construction of a new seat of power and authority – the most beautiful palace in Europe and a symbol of absolute monarchy: Versailles. VERSAILLES takes the period genre to new dimensions, injecting a vibrant modernity into an era that put France at the epicentre of glamour, culture and fashion.

THE STORY OF THE SUN KING
Beside always delightful George Blagden as the Sun King himself, the ten episodes $30 million VERSAILLES also stars another of our faves MERLIN's Alexander Vlahos who is portraying his brother and rival Grand Duke Philippe d'Orleans with whom he had a complex relationship! Dominique Blanc plays Anne of Austria. George Webster is William of Orange, while Evan M. Williams is Chevalier de Lorainne, Grand Duke's favourite. The rich and extremely expensive 17th century costumes are done by French designer Madeleine Fontaine who worked on AMELIE and A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT.

Friday, August 28, 2015

MICHAEL FASSBENDER IN FULL 'ASSASSIN'S CREED' COSTUME! NEW 'MACBETH' POSTERS WITH MICHAEL FASSBENDER, MARION COTILLARD! 1ST 'JEKYLL & HYDE' SERIES CLIP WITH TOM BATEMAN

FIRST 'ASSASSIN'S CREED' 
PHOTO OF MICHAEL FASSBENDER
Here's a visual treat for you: the first look at Michael Fassbender in the movie adaptation of popular video game ASSASSIN'S CREED! Also starring Marion Cotillard and directed by Justin Kurzel, it arrives to cinemas next year! Through a revolutionary technology that unlocks his genetic memories, Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) experiences the adventures of his ancestor, Aguilar, in 15th Century Spain. Callum discovers he is descended from a mysterious secret society, the Assassins, and amasses incredible knowledge and skills to take on the oppressive and powerful Templar organization in the present day.

NEW 'MACBETH' POSTERS
WITH MICHAEL FASSBENDER AND MARION COTILLARD
And believe it or not, before doing this MACDEATH above, all three of them, Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Justin Kurzel, did the new big screen version of MACBETH together for which you can see the new posters today. Opening October 2nd in UK, it follows Macbeth, a duke of Scotland, who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself. David Thewlis and Jack Reynor also star.


FIRST 'JEKYLL & HYDE' CLIP
 FOR NEW ITV HISTORICAL SERIES
Meanwhile, ITV has released the first clip from their new epic series JEKYLL & HYDE in which Tom Bateman plays Robert Jekyll, the grandson of the original doctor, as he seeks to discover his real identity, his true family history and the nature of his ‘curse.’ Jekyll transforms into Hyde in moments of extreme anger, stress and when his or the lives of others are threatened! Richard E. Grant plays Sir Roger Bulstrode who heads the secret government department M10 known as ‘The Invisible Men! 

Thursday, August 27, 2015

GORGEOUS NEW 'WOLF TOTEM' POSTER FOR JEAN JACQUES ANNAUD'S EPIC SAGA! MALACHI KIRBY TO LEAD 'ROOTS' EPIC MINI SERIES REMAKE WITH LAURENCE FISHBURNE

'ROOTS' EPIC SERIES REMAKE
MALACHI KIRBY IS KUNTA KINTE
In television news today, the lead man has been found for the new small screen adaptation of famous ROOTS which will air next year at A+E! 'Deadline' has confirmed that dashing young British actor Malachi Kirby will play the legendary Kunta Kinte in the event TV series which will follow the iconic character as he is captured from his homeland Gambia and sold into slavery in America, and his descendants struggle to survive over the next century. The four night eight hour series will air at A+E, Lifetime and History Channel worldwide. Laurence Fishburne will play Alex Haley, the man on whose book the series is based on.

'WOLF TOTEM' POSTER
FIND YOUR TRUE PLACE!
You can check out the new poster for the brilliant adaptation of outstanding Jiang Rong's novel WOLF TOTEM (which yours truly had the utmost honour to translate years ago). Directed by the French director with impeccable vision and special sensibility Jean Jacques Annaud (SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, ENEMY AT THE GATES, TWO BROTHERS, DAY OF THE FALCON) this sweeping saga will open in US theatres next month!

STUNNING MONGOLIAN SAGA
The story of WOLF TOTEM is set in 1969, when student Chen Zen (William Feng Shaofeng) is sent from Peking in China to the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia to teach shepherds. Instead, he learns about the shepherds and the bond they share with the wolves, a bond that is threatened by a government apparatchik. The sweeping saga tells of human bonding with the nature describing the captivating life of Mongol nomads and animals as well. With the budget of $40 million, the movie was shot for almost a year in Mongolia, and Annaud had to acquire a dozen wolf pups in China in order to train them for several years for the film. Annaud said one of the most challenging scenes was depicting a pack of wolves attacking horses during a blizzard in the middle of the night. The music in the film was composed by James Horner.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

SET PHOTOS FROM 'GODS OF EGYPT' EPIC WITH GERARD BUTLER, NIKOLAJ COSTER WALDAU, 'BEN HUR' WITH JACK HUSTON, RODRIGO SANTORO, 'THE CROWN' EPIC SERIES ON QUEEN ELIZABETH

 'GODS OF EGYPT' SET PICS
WITH GERARD BUTLER, NIKOLAJ COSTER WALDAU, ELODIE YUNG
We're having a movie set photos day today, people,  beginning with some new pictures and a poster for next year's biggest epic adventure GODS OF EGYPT. I've already shown you first photos of Gerard Butler in the costume of Set, Egypt's naughty God of Darkness and Storms, and of Elodie Yung as Godess of Love Hathor, and now you can also check out the first set photo of GAME OF THRONE star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Horus, a god of the sky and son of Osiris, who must defend himself from the wrath of his brother Set! Young actor Brenton Thwaites will appear in the historical spectacle as Bek, a human thief, Courtney Eaton as Zaya, a slave girl cursed by Set, legendary Geoffrey Rush plays Ra, a god of the sun and father of Set and Osiris, and Chadwick Boseman will portray Thoth, the god of wisdom! Rufus Sewell is also in the cast. The $150 million spectacle is currently being directed by Alex Proyas with the movie scheduled to open the blockbuster season in April 2016!

 'BEN HUR' SET PHOTOS WITH
JACK HUSTON AND RODRIGO SANTORO AS JESUS
 Then there are also the first pictures from the sets of the new big screen adaptation of famous BEN HUR scheduled for March next year under the helm of Timur Bekmambetov and based on the novel by Lew Wallace which follows a falsely accused nobleman who survives years of slavery to take vengeance on his best friend who betrayed him. Jack Huston (BOARDWALK EMPIRE, GREAT FIRE) plays Judah Ben Hur, HOMELAND's Nazanin Boniadi is the female lead as Esther, Rodrigo Santoro has the honour of playing Jesus himself, with Morgan Freeman also in  the cast, while Toby Kebbell plays the main villain Messalla. 

 1ST PHOTOS FROM 'THE CROWN' 
EPIC SAGA ON BRITISH QUEEN
And there are also the wedding photos from the set of Netflix's lavish historical series THE CROWN in which Claire Foy will be Queen Elizabeth II, John Lithgow is Churchill, while Matt Smith will play Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh! Stephen Daldry is directing the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world – Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street – and the intrigues, love lives and machinations behind the great events that shaped the second half of the 20th century. The $100 million expensive series will chronicle the Queen's reign from her ascent to the throne at the age of 26, right through to the present day!

Monday, August 24, 2015

MARCIA CROSS IS GOD, BRENDAN FRASER PLAYS MULTIPLE CHARACTERS IN 'BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF THE NIGHT'! TOM HOLLAND TO FIND 'LOST CITY OF Z' WITH CHARLIE HUNNAM, ROBERT PATTINSON

 'BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF NIGHT' 
WITH BRENDAN FRASER AND MARCIA CROSS
Some of week's leftover movie news for you today, people, starting with something that sounds more than intriguing: with a brilliant match of Brendan Fraser and our favourite housewife Marcia Cross in BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF THE NIGHT! Written and directed by Dalibor Stach (who describes things that actually happened to him in real life), the movie follows a boy who drowns when he is six years-old and has a near-death experience and then it happens again when he is 18 years old. In the five minutes that he is declared dead the second time, he sees his past lives from before he was born, and his future lives up until the year 3,012. When he comes out of it, he decides to write a book which becomes a best-seller in the Czech Republic.
 As 'Deadline' writes, because of the reincarnation theme, Brendan Fraser plays multiple characters in the past as he finds himself in World War II through the present and future while Marcia Cross plays God. 40% of the cast has had near death experiences.

TOM HOLLAND TO SEARCH FOR 
'LOST CITY OF Z' WITH CHARLIE HUNNAM AND ROBERT PATTINSON
Meanwhile, one of Hollywood's fastest rising stars, young Tom Holland, who literally blew us of our feet with his outstanding role next to Ewan McGregor a few years ago in IMPOSSIBLE and is also the brand new SPIDERMAN, has joined the big screen adaptation of David Grann's bestselling novel LOST CITY OF Z which already has Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller. The movie, which is already shooting in Belfast, follows conscripted soldier and born explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam) who disappeared in the 1920s while searching for a mythical city in the Amazon jungles of Brazil that he believed he discovered on a prior expedition.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

ARMIE HAMMER JOINS AMY ADAMS, JAKE GLLENHAAL, AARON JOHNSON IN 'NOCTURNAL ANIMALS'! 'THE LOBSTER' CLIP WITH COLIN FARRELL, RACHEL WEISZ! SHARON STONE, JASON LEWIS IN 'RUNNING WILD' WESTERN DRAMA

 'NOCTURNAL ANIMALS' 
ARMIE HAMMER JOINS AMY ADAMS AND JAKE GYLLENHAAL
The cast of the big screen movie adaptation of Austin Wright's novel NOCTURNAL ANIMALS is becoming more and more stellar. Already including Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Aaron Johnson, Kim Basinger and Michael Shannon, it has now added Armie Hammer too! He will play Amy Adams' husband in Tom Ford directed movie which has a two part story – the first part is about a woman named Susan (Amy Adams), who receives a manuscript from her ex (Armie Hammer), asking for her opinion. The second part is the script itself about a man (Jake Gyllenhaal) whose family vacation turns violent with Shannon playing a detective investigating the violent incident while Johnson plays a mysterious figure who may pose a threat to the family.

  'RUNNING WILD' DRAMA 
JASON LEWIS & SHARON STONE   
Another movie that has been adding new cast members rather quickly lately is western drama RUNNING WILD which has just cast Jason Lewis next to Sharon Stone. The film follows Stella Davis (Dorian Brown), a widow who saves her ranch by working with convicts to rehabilitate a herd of wild horses that wandered on to her property. Stella must fight prejudice, greed, bureaucracy and vanity – including her own – to finally understand that there is no better remedy to misfortune than helping another living creature. Sharon Stone will play the main villain called Meredith.

  'THE LOBSTER' CLIP WITH 
RACHEL WEISZ & COLIN FARRELL
Meanwhile, the only clip I have for you today is from new European drama movie THE LOBSTER boasting an equally stellar cast including Rachel Weisz, Colin Farrell, Ben Whishaw,  Lea Seydoux, John C. Reilly... Out in UK this October the story is set in a dystopian near future, where single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel on the coast of Ireland, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

HUGH JACKMAN TO PLAY THE LEGENDARY ADVENTURER IN 'THE ODYSSEY? STUNNING 'EMPIRE' 'STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS' COVERS WITH HEROES AND VILLAINS! DANTE'S INFERNO GETTING A MOVIE

  HUGH JACKMAN TO 
GO ON AN 'ODYSSEY'!
Now colour me super ubber hyper interested: Hugh Jackman in skirt and sandals in Homer's ODYSSEY! Australian hunk is negotiating around the lead role in Lionsgate's epic adventure based on the famous epic poem. I've already announced earlier this year that HUNGER GAMES' Francis Lawrence is directing and that it is a potential franchise. As you know the ancient story follows the adventures of the famous Ithacan hero who's voyage home from the Trojan war last almost a decade thanks to all kinds of mythical difficulties while his wife Penelope and son Telemachus are trying to save his throne.
DANTE'S INFERNO MOVIE   
Speaking of old epics, it was also announced yesterday that Dante's Inferno will be getting its own movie too in which Dante himself will travel through the nine levels of hell to save the woman he loves.

  NEW 'EMPIRE' COVERS SHOW 
 'STAR WARS' THE FORCE AWAKENS' HEROES AND VILLAINS
Your visual treat for today are brand new EMPIRE covers with STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS covers. One cover is for the heroes: John Boyega as renegade Stormtrooper Finn, Daisy Ridley as the scavenger Rey, and Oscar Isaac as X-wing pilot Poe Dameron, while the other cover shows  the baddies Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren and Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux all members of The New Order! 

Friday, August 21, 2015

DWAYNE JOHNSON TO TAKE 'JUNGLE CRUISE' AT DISNEY! CLIVE OWEN JOINS DANE DEHAAN IN BESSON'S SF EPIC 'VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS'! JOSH HENDERSON, MICHAEL VARTAN LEAD 'ARRANGEMENT' SERIES AT E!

  DWAYNE JOHNSON TO TAKE 
'JUNGLE CRUISE' AT DISNEY
Here's yet another family adventure for Dwayne the Rock Johnson: he will lead the cast in Disney's JUNGLE CRUISE the big screen adaptation of their theme park attraction in which the visitors travel through African rivers of the Nile and Congo, where they encounter rhinos and hippos, after which they visit a part of South America's Amazon River, where they  can see piranhas! The movie itself will be a 1950's adventure in the vein of THE AFRICAN QUEEN. Earlier this week it has been announced that Dwayne will also lend his voice in Disney's animated movie MOANA as a Hawaiian demigod and will also remake BAYWATCH in the form of a movie with Zac Effron.

 E!'S 'THE ARRANGEMENT' SHOW
  JOSH HENDERSON, CHRISTINE EVANGELISTA & MICHAEL VARTAN 
In TV news, after scoring major success with THE ROYALS, E! is preparing their second scripted series THE ARRANG- EMENT which will have Josh Henderson, Michael Vartan and Christine Evangelista in the lead roles. Described as a Cinderella story for modern times with a dramatic and complicated Hollywood twist, it follows Megan Morrison (Christine Evangelista), a beautiful young actress who auditions for the female lead in a summer blockbuster playing opposite Kyle West (Josh Henderson), the hottest actor of the moment. After an amazing audition segues into a dream-like first date, Megan’s Cinderella story takes a turn to the bizarre when she is presented with a contract that details an entire relationship with Kyle. Megan must weigh her options and the benefits and consequences to her career and her life overall… and decide whether or not she will accept “the arrangement.” Michael Vartan plays Kyle’s best friend and mentor!

 CLIVE OWEN IN BESSON'S 
'VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS' SF EPIC
Meanwhile, 'Deadline' reports that director Luc Besson has hired Clive Owen to star in his $180 million expensive sf adaptation VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS as Commander Arün Filitt. Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevigne are set to lead the cast playing Valerian and Laureline in the adaptation of the graphic novel, which centred on a pair of spatio temporal agents who help defend a utopian 28th century Earth and its neighbouring planets from bad guys, with the pair’s adventures rooted in space opera and time travel themes not so much unlike Besson's 'Fifth Element'!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

JOE SIMS, GREGORY FITOUSSI JOIN KIERAN BEW, ED SPEELERS IN 'BEOWULF' EPIC SERIES! REBECCA FERGUSON TO JOIN EMILY BLUNT IN 'GIRL ON THE TRAIN'? CBS TO TURN IAN MCDONALD'S 'LUNA NEW MOON' INTO SF SERIES

  'THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN' 
REBECCA FERGUSON TO JOIN EMILY BLUNT IN THE THRILLER?
While her MISSION IMPOSSIBLE is currently scoring success around the world, gorgeous WHITE QUEEN's and RED TENT's  Rebecca Ferguson has taken another gig: she will join Emily Blunt in THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN. As 'Deadline' reports in the adaptation of Paula Hawkins novel she will play the role of Anna one of  three main female roles in the thriller! Emily Blunt plays a recent divorcee who narrates the tale and spends her daily commute fantasizing about the seemingly perfect couple who live in a house that her train passes every day. One morning, she sees something shocking happen there and becomes entangled in the mystery that unfolds.

  'BEOWULF' EPIC TV SERIES
JOE SIMS, GREGORY FITOUSSI, DAVID BRADLEY JOIN CAST
 One of our most anticipated of the epic series, ITV's next big show after they finish with the DOWNTON ABBEY next year BEOWULF is adding new cast! With our dear Kieran Bew beside Ed Speelers, William Hurt, Joanne Whalley and Elliott Cowan, the series will now also have Joe Sims, Lee Boardman, David Bradley, Ace Bhatti and Gregory Fitoussi appear in the story set in the mythical Shieldlands, a place of spectacle and danger, populated by both humas and fantastical creatures. Dashing Joe Sims (Broadchurch) will be miner Greff; Lee Boardman (Da Vinci’s Demons, in which both Bew and Cowan starred as well), will be an ambitious medic. David Bradley (Harry Potter, GOT) will play tribe leader Gorrik while Ace Bhatti (Black Work) will play councillor Harken. Gregory Fitoussi (Mr Selfridge) is Razzzak, a 500 year old human creature Skinshiber.

  'LUNA NEW MOON' SF NOVEL
TO BE TURNED INTO TV SERIES
The third book adaptation for today is a science fiction one: NCIS's Shane Brennan is to turn Ian McDonald's upcoming sf novel series LUNA: NEW MOON into series at CBS!  It is set in 2110 on the moon, which has been colonized and industrialized. It is controlled by five powerful, highly competitive dynastic corporate families (known as the Five Dragons) who run their various enterprises with an iron fist in a near feudal society. The moon, under the control of the Five Dragons, is a lucrative source of valuable resources such as Helium-3, carbon, water ice and rare metals, which are exported back to Earth for huge profits. Forty years ago, Adriana wrested control of the moon’s lucrative Helium-3 industry from the powerful Mackenzie Metal corporation. Now, in the twilight of her life, Adriana finds her corporation, Corta Helio, surrounded by the many enemies she made during her meteoric rise. If the Corta family is to survive, Adriana’s five children must defend their mother’s empire from her many enemies… and each other.