via press release:
NEW EPIC FAMILY ADVENTURE “Terra Nova” TO PREVIEW IN MAY
PRIOR TO PREMIERING ON FOX IN FALL 2011
Series Executive-Produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin,
Brannon Braga, David Fury, Jon Cassar, Aaron Kaplan, Katherine Pope,
Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel
Alex Graves To Direct Pilot Episode
With Series Set to Film On Location in Australia
Jason O’Mara Confirmed in Lead Role
Terra Nova, the new family adventure drama series executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga and David Fury, will preview in May 2011 on FOX prior to its series premiere in the fall.
Jason O’Mara (“Life on Mars”) has been cast in the lead role of JIM SHANNON, the patriarch of the show’s central family. As previously announced, Emmy Award winner Alex Graves (FRINGE) will direct the pilot, and Emmy Award-winning executive producer and director Jon Cassar (“24”) has joined the series as an executive producer and series director.
“Terra Nova will be one of the most visually stimulating and dramatically grand series to air on network television,” said Kevin Reilly, President of Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “It deserves to have an equally unique launch to distinguish that the show is unlike any other, and the spring promotional platform will give us the perfect opportunity to introduce this bold show to audiences.”
Terra Nova, an epic family adventure 85 million years in the making, follows an ordinary family embarking on an incredible journey back in time to prehistoric Earth as a small part of a massive experiment to save the human race. In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. Knowing there is no way to reverse the damage to the planet, a coalition of scientists has managed to open up a fracture in the space-time continuum, creating a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…possibly changing the future by correcting the mistakes of the past.
The series centers on the Shannon family as they join the tenth pilgrimage of settlers to Terra Nova, the first colony of humans in this second chance for civilization. JIM SHANNON (O’Mara), a devoted father with a checkered past, guides his family – wife ELISABETH and children JOSH and MADDY – through this new land of limitless beauty, mystery and terror. In addition to blue skies, rolling rivers and lush vegetation, Terra Nova offers new opportunities and fresh beginnings to its recent arrivals, but the Shannons have brought with them a familial secret that may threaten their citizenship in this utopia. These adventurers soon discover that this healthy, vibrant world is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The areas surrounding Terra Nova are filled with dangerous dinosaurs and other prehistoric threats, as well as external forces that may be intent on destroying this new world before it begins.
Terra Nova is produced by 20th Century Fox Television, DreamWorks Television, Kapital Entertainment and Chernin Entertainment. Steven Spielberg, Peter Chernin, Brannon Braga, David Fury, Jon Cassar, Aaron Kaplan, Katherine Pope, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Craig Silverstein and Kelly Marcel serve as executive producers. Alex Graves will direct the pilot episode.
It does sound like potentially really good show and a big hit for FOX, I guess even after TGG FOX is still flying the may preview flag. I think with Terra Nova it should work, I'm also guessing it will have an X-Factor lead in, FOX's way of making sure the expensive show makes profit.
I sort of half-expected this. I thought Kyle Chandler was going to be the lead though.
Between this and The X-Factor, shows like Lie To Me and Fringe are in real danger of cancellation next year, no matter the performance.
Sounds like Land of the Lost meets Lost.
From a long and painful history, I can pretty much say that no matter how good this show is, it's probably toast. Swiss Family Robinson type shows almost never make it, don't know why.
Sounds like another series that would probably work better as a movie.
A show as expensive as this undoubtedly will be, they're going to have to hype it for the next year just to give it a chance. It's good they're getting an early start.
A tv show by Spielberg? It'll have a long and successful run just like Earth2 and Seaquest, especially seeing it's a sci-fi show on FOX.
It wo't wok. This sounds like Jurassik Park. It's a concept sustainable for 2-3h, meaning a long movie. But as a 24 or even just 13 episodes' series? No way.
Every week the rating will go down 'til they will be too low to warrant a renewal. The buzz will be over after 4/5 episodes. I mean, just like FlashForward and V…
Yeah, there were significant doubts that this would be finished for the 10/11 season from the get-go.
It doesn't change Fox's midseason schedule per se, since TN wasn't on it, but it does leave the cupboards bare (especially if you think the comedies are stillborn like I do). I highly suspect that if Lone Star gets any traction (and escapes Pizza the Hut), Fox will give it a backorder early, and that RideAlong (probably Lie to Me as well) will stay on the schedule somewhere until the end of the year, period.
And as SJ said, renewals will be ugly for Fox this year, with 4+ hours from their current Fall schedule already accounted for. I doubt Ridealong and the Fall comedies survive, Human Target is gone, and who knows if Lone Star will have any steam by that point, but shows like Lie to Me and Fringe will either get killed or end up in Friday purgatory.
I had a feeling it would be pushed back given that it will require extensive CGI for the dinosaurs. I like the sound of it as a fan of Jurassic Park and Primeval.
I knew there was no way they would have this show completed in time for Spring 2011 launch. Especially since O'Mara is the only lead role cast so far. Jon Cassar, one of the Producers and will also direct some episodes, is still working on The Kennedy's for the History Channel in Toronto and probably won't be done for a few more weeks. Basically everyone who works on this show is going to have to move to Australia for at least 6 months if not longer. I am looking forward to the Pilot in the Spring.
the spielberg's show are not bankable,the pacific on HBO was awful with pathetic rankings….
Lone star is a soap….
Bet on Ride-along,the one which sounds good really….
and i hope the end of house….
Sounds like the old TV series called Earth 2 but with time travel.
well, with 24 over Fox is pretty much out of good tv. Terra Nova might be the new big series that keeps Fox going. or maybe it will be cancelled after 5 episodes like the other 50 shows in the last 10 years. i really hope not though, it looks good. might be fox’s version of Lost.
Fox finally got the cast filled so shooting can begin on the pilot!
Stephen Lang, Jason O’Mara, Shelley Conn, Landon Liboiron, Naomi Scott, Alana Mansour, Allison Miller, Mido Hamada and Christine Adams have now all been signed to appear on Fox’s Terra Nova TV show.
It is currently projected to premiere in May of 2011 as a special with regular episodes following in the fall.
I really hope this show does well. Need as much scif-fi on tv as possible.