Review: "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" is Still a Classic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 39 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:   Leonard Nimoy
WRITER:  Steve Meerson & Peter Krikes and Harve Bennett & Nicholas Meyer from a story by Leonard Nimoy and Harve Bennett (based upon the TV series “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry)
PRODUCER:  Harve Bennett
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Don Peterman (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Peter E. Berger
COMPOSER:  Leonard Rosenman
Academy Award nominee

SCI-FI/ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Catherine Hicks, Mark Leonard, Jane Wyatt, Robin Curtis, Robert Ellenstein, Brock Peters, Scott DeVenney, Alex Henteloff, JaneWiedlin, and Majel Barrett with Madge Sinclair

The subject of this movie review is Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, a 1986 science fiction and action-adventure movie.  It is the fourth movie in the Star Trek film franchise, which is based on “Star Trek,” a science fiction television series originally broadcast on NBC from September 1966 to June 1969.  Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home finds the former crew of the USS Enterprise traveling back in time to Earth’s past in order to retrieve the only beings that can save the Earth from a destructive alien probe.

The Voyage Home opens in the year 2286.  A large cylindrical probe of unknown alien origin moves through space.  The probe emits an indecipherable signal that disables the power of every starship and space station it passes.  After taking up orbit over Earth, the probe not only sends out a signal that disables the global power grid, but also generates planetary storms and clouds that cover the Earth.

Meanwhile, the former crew members of the USS Enterprise prepare to leave Vulcan, where they have been living in exile following the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.  Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his bridge crew:  Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley), Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig), and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), must return to earth to face charges related to their rescue of the now-revived Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy).

Kirk and company are approaching Earth in the Klingon Bird of Prey starship they confiscated when they receive Starfleet Command’s planetary distress call concerning the probe.  Spock discovers that an animal that is extinct in their time can save the Earth from the probe.  To find the animal, Kirk and company must travel back in time to Earth of the late 20th century, specifically 1986.  Once there, Kirk and his companions must navigate a world that might be as alien to them as anything they’ve encountered in their travels through the galaxy during their own time.

Of the 12 Star Trek feature films released to date, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is my favorite.  I have seen it many times; in fact, I thought that I had already reviewed it before now, but apparently I had not.  One of the reasons that I am so enamored with The Voyage Home is that it involves time travel.  Two of my favorite episodes of the original “Star Trek” involve time travel, “Tomorrow is Yesterday” (Episode #19 of Season One) and “The City on the Edge of Forever” (Episode #28 of Season One).

I am especially enamored with “Tomorrow is Yesterday” because the USS Enterprise and her crew travel back in time to 1969, in what was then the present decade at the time of this episode’s first airing.  As a child, I wondered what it would be like to meet the crew of the Enterprise in “my time.”  Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home touches upon that same sense of wonder, the sense that Star Trek is real and now and that I could meet the crew of the Enterprise.

The Voyage Home is also the end of a three-story arc that began with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn and continued through The Search for Spock.  This movie was a voyage home in several ways.  Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and their friends were returning home to Earth, but they get sidetracked to Earth’s past which brought them to San Francisco.  This city would one day be the home of the United Federation of Planets.  In the real world, 1986 was Star Trek’s 20th anniversary.

When I saw this movie, I felt that, in a way, the characters were almost really visiting me.  Crazy?  Silly?  Yes, but the joy that Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home gave me is emblematic of the joy “Star Trek” the television series has always given me.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1987 Academy Awards, USA:  4 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (Donald Peterman), “Best Sound” (Terry Porter, David J. Hudson, Mel Metcalfe, and Gene S. Cantamessa), “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Mark A. Mangini), and “Best Music, Original Score” (Leonard Rosenman)

Sunday, August 03, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Review: Being Remastered Made "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" Better

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 38 (of 2014) by Leroy Douresseaux

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Running time:  105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:   Leonard Nimoy
WRITER:  Harve Bennett (based upon the TV series “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry)
PRODUCER:  Harve Bennett
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Charles Correll
EDITOR:  Robert F. Shugrue
COMPOSER:  James Horner

SCI-FI/ACTION/ADVENTURE

Starring:  William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Mark Leonard, Robin Curtis, Merritt Butrick, Christopher Lloyd, and Leonard Nimoy and Robert Hooks, Phil Morris, Phillip Richard Allen, Miguel Ferrer, and Carl Steven

The subject of this movie review is Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, a 1984 science fiction action-adventure film.  It is the third movie in the Star Trek film franchise, which is based on “Star Trek,” the science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry and originally broadcast on NBC from September 1966 to June 1969.  In The Search for Spock, the crew of USS Enterprise goes on a mission to recover the body of friend and crew mate, Spock, and finds more danger than they expected.

The Search for Spock follows the events depicted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn.  Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) won the battle against his ghost-from-the-past, Khan Noonien Singh, but it was a hollow victory.  The USS Enterprise limps back to Earth.  Doctor Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) is going insane.  And Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is dead… or is he?

Spock’s father, Sarek (Mark Leonard), confronts Kirk about leaving Spock’s body in a casket on the “Genesis planet” which was created by the “Genesis device.”  Sarek tells Kirk that there might be hope for Spock.  Kirk and his bridge crew:  Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig), and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), risk their careers by stealing the decommissioned Enterprise to return to the now-restricted Genesis planet to recover Spock’s body.

Meanwhile, Kirk’s son, David (Merritt Butrick), one of the creators of Genesis, returns to the Genesis planet with the Vulcan, Lieutenant Saavik (Robin Curtis), to investigate strange sensor readings emanating from the planet.  Neither realizes that an ambitious and murderous Klingon commander named Kruge (Christopher Lloyd) is also interested in the Genesis device.  Kruge is leading his Klingon ship, the Bird of Prey, to the Genesis planet, determined to obtain the secrets of Genesis.

2014 is the 30th anniversary (specifically June 1, 1984) of the original theatrical release of Star Trek III:  The Search for Spock.  It was the first Star Trek film that I saw in a movie theatre.  Before I saw it, all I knew of the film’s plot was that it involved Spock, who was dead, and that the Enterprise was destroyed in the film.  From news media reports and through word-of-mouth, I heard that some Star Trek fans (“Trekkies” or “Trekkers”) were furious about the destruction of the ship.

When I finally saw the movie, I did not find myself particularly upset about the Enterprise’s destruction.  It was done.  What could I do about it?  What did upset me was (Spoiler!) the brutal stabbing death of Kirk’s son, David, at the hands of a Klingon.  For years, I thought Kruge had actually done the stabbing, but he only gave the order to kill a prisoner.  For years, also, I avoided The Search for Spock because I found David’s death upsetting and troubling in a way I could not explain then and cannot explain now.

This recent viewing of The Search for Spock is the first time that I have seen the film in its entirety since watching it a second time on VHS in either 1984 or 1985.  I don’t remember how much I liked the film then, but I now find myself quite fond of it.

I won’t lie and say that The Search for Spock is great; it is not.  Some of scenes have blatantly bad acting.  The last ten minutes of the film is somewhat marred by tedious mysticism.  Still, Christopher Lloyd’s turn as Kruge is both brilliant and unique.  His is one of the best and most memorable performances of a villain in a Star Trek film.

Besides Lloyd, two other things about The Search for Spock grabbed me.  First, the race to recover Spock against the ticking clock of the doomed Genesis planet coupled with the Klingon threat is a captivating hook.  Secondly, the theme of camaraderie, as exemplified by the crew of the Enterprise and measured against the blood-thirsty Kruge, makes me forget this film’s blemishes.  I know my feelings about Star Trek III: The Search for Spock are about me being nostalgic for “Star Trek classic,” but I would choose it over many other films, including many Oscar-winners, any old time of day.

7 of 10
B+

Saturday, July 26, 2014


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Tickets for Disney's D23 Expo 2015 on Sale August 14, 2014

Tickets for D23 Expo 2015: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Go on Sale Thursday, August 14, 2014

Early Bird Discounted Tickets Available for a Limited Time

D23 Members Enjoy Additional Savings and Member-Only Benefits

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Thursday, August 14, at 10 a.m. PT, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will begin selling tickets for the next D23 Expo, which will take place August 14–16, 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The largest Disney fan event in the world, the D23 Expo celebrates all the wonderful worlds of Disney entertainment, uniting all parts of The Walt Disney Company under one roof, including The Walt Disney Studios (including Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm); Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Disney Consumer Products; Media Networks (including ABC, Disney Channel, and Radio Disney) and Disney Interactive. D23 Expo 2015 marks the fourth bi-annual event held in Anaheim.

More than 65,000 Disney fans from around the world gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center in 2013 for the third D23 Expo. Once again, the Expo will celebrate the past, present, and future of Disney with live events, celebrity appearances, panels, presentations, sneak peeks, and immersive experiences. D23 Expo 2015 marks the return of fan favorites including the Disney Legends Awards, honoring the talented men and women who have made indelible contributions to the Disney legacy; and Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives, which spotlights costumes, props, and set pieces from Disney’s rich history.

As in previous Expos, D23 Expo 2015 will showcase all of the latest stars in the Disney universe. In 2013, celebrity appearances included Angelina Jolie, Chris Evans, Billy Crystal, Natalie Portman, and Tom Hiddleston, with performances by Idina Menzel, R5 featuring Ross Lynch, and a once-in-a-lifetime concert with Disney Legends Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken. Additionally, Disney executives and creative talent came together to deliver special presentations, announcements, and experiences to Disney fans throughout the three-day extravaganza.

Tickets for D23 Expo 2015 are available at a discounted price for a limited time. From August 14–December 31, 2014, tickets are $61 for a one-day adult admission and $42 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $52 for a one-day adult admission and $37 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $268 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for members and general admission, visit D23Expo.com.

In addition to these special advance-purchase savings, an extremely limited number of D23 VIP Sorcerer Packages will once again be available. Based on fan feedback, even more benefits have been added this year including exclusive opportunities in the Walt Disney Imagineering pavilion and Mickey’s of Glendale.

The SORCERER PACKAGE includes:

•     Three-day admission ticket and commemorative Sorcerer credential
•     Reserved seating at all presentations in the main hall, Stage 23, and Stage 28
•     Limited-edition D23 American Tourister boarding bag
•     Pre-Expo tour of the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibit
•     Special tour of the Walt Disney Imagineering Pavilion
•     Exclusive shopping time in the D23 Expo Dream Store, Disney Store, and Mickey’s of Glendale
•     Tour of the D23 Expo show floor the day before the Expo is open to the public
•     Welcome Reception on Thursday evening
•     Exclusive entrance to the Expo each morning
•     A voucher for an appointment with an on-site massage therapist
•     Exclusive D23 Expo gift pack including gifts from D23 and the rest of The Walt Disney Company
•     Saturday morning Meet and Greet Coffee with a special Disney guest
•     “Fond Farewell” reception on final day of Expo
•     Plus, access to the Sorcerer Member Lounge and other benefits

Sorcerer Package tickets are available exclusively to both Gold and Silver D23 Members at $2,000 per ticket. Members have the option to purchase up to two Sorcerer tickets. Additional details and benefits are highlighted at D23Expo.com.

D23 Gold and Silver Members are entitled to early admission to the Expo show floor and D23 will once again give a special thanks to D23 Charter Members, providing them special access to the Expo’s Charter Member Lounge.

Visit D23Expo.com to relive some of the extraordinary experiences from the first three Expo events and get a peek at what’s to come in 2015.

About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts, and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold, Silver, and Free Membership levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow us @DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Negromancer News Bits and Bies for the Week of August 3rd to July 9th 2014 Update #20

NEWS:

From EntertainmentWeekly:  Marvel won the May 6, 2014 showdown, when Warner Bros. moved "Batman Vs. Superman" to March 25, 2016, giving Captain America 3 the May release date.  EW says everyone is a winner.

----------------
From THR:  Universal Pictures and Image Entertainment have acquired the rights to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicle books, which includes Interview with a Vampire.  The deal will reportedly encompass future books in the series.

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From YahooSingapore: Julia Roberts once felt prettier than Halle Berry.

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From ChristianScienceMonitor:  A nice piece on Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek's Uhura) and "micro-mentoring."

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From YahooMovies:  Guardians of the Galaxy helps to take Disney over $1 billion in domestice box office.

-------------
From YahooMovies:  A nice article about the surprise hit franchise, Step Up.

--------------
From YahooMovies:  80s rock star, Rick Springfield, to join Meryl Streep in new Jonathan Demme film.

----------------
From DenofGeek:  "Avengers: Age of Ultron" has wrapped up production.  So have two other Summer 2015 potential blockbusters.

-----------------
From TheWeek:  Yeah, that is a bad title for "Terminator 5.

------------------
From Inquisitr:  Vince Vaughn may replace Woody Harrelson in "True Detective" Season 2.

-------------------
From THR:  Entire cast of "The Big Bang Theory" gets raises.  Everybody got PAID!

------------------
From DeadlineHollywood:  2015 (72nd) Golden Globe nominations will be announced Thursday, December 11, 2014.  Winners will be announced, Sunday, January 11, 2015.

-----------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  Before there was the American version of "The Office," with Steve Carrell, there was the original U.K. version starring the excellent Ricky Gervais.  Now, Gervais is apparently making a film featuring his character from "The Office," David Brent.  The title is announced as "Life on the Road."

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From EOnline:  Tim Burton provides a look at Amy Adams in Big Eyes, his upcoming biopic about American artists, Margaret Keane.


COMIC BOOKS: Movies and Books:

From YahooTV:  Kyle MacLachlan joins "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for this upcoming season. [Article contains spoiler.]

----------------
From HitFix via YahooTV:  A list a dates for which superhero movies are scheduled to be released.

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From Variety:  Superhero movie overload in 2017?

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From Variety:  Warner Bros. has announced release dates for nine superhero movies from DC Entertainment (DC Comics).  They have blinked on the May 6th 2016 showdown with Marvel Comics (the planned release date for a third Captain America movie.  "Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" now moves to March 25, 2016.

From Forbes:  What price did Sony pay to reboot Spider-Man?  Scott Mendelson tells us.

----------------
From Forbes:  More on Spider-Man spinoffs.

----------------
From Deadline:  Sony's Spider-Man franchise to include a movie headlined by a female superhero, due in 2017.  Sinister Six movie due November 2016.

-----------------
From IGN:  Marvel's Kevin Feige talks about the questions that "Guardians of the Galaxy 2" will answer, including who is Peter Quill/Star-Lord's father.

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From CBR's Robot6:  How Captain America: The Winter Soldier should have ended.

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From ScreenRant:  "Batman Vs. Superman" may indeed be an adaptation of some sort of Frank Miller's seminal Batman comic book, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.  A photo from the set of the film, shows Ben Affleck with gray temples (included in this article) is adding new fuel to the rumors.  Elements from Kingdom Come make also be used in the film, including Batman's use of an army of fighting "Bat" drones.  I'll let the article and its links tell you more.

-------------
From ScreenRant:  Test footage for a "Deadpool" movie, produced a few years ago.

--------------
From Variety:  Why Guardians of the Galaxy might be the most important Marvel movie ever. The author of that article once dismissed Walt Disney's purchase of Marvel.

----------------
From HitFix:  Guardians of the Galaxy wins the August 1st to 3rd 2014 weekend box office.  With an estimated take of $94 million, the is the largest opening weekend in the month of August, beating out previous champ, The Bourne Ultimatum ($74).  Guardians grossed $160.4 million worldwide.

-----------------
From TheWrap:  Guardians of the Galaxy has a big and surprising opening day on Friday, August 1st, 2014.

------------------
From Stack:  GotG director James Gunn says that there will be a sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy.

-------------------
From Inquisitr:  How 'bout an Avengers/Guardians of the Galaxy team-up?  It could happen.


STAR WARS:

From ScreenRant:  A 7-minutes preview of the Fall-debuting, "Star Wars Rebels."

------------------
From Yahoo:  A photo of an IMAX camera at work on the set of Episode VII.  Plus, a funny story about the Georgia Bulldogs' Star War-themed video.


TRAILERS:

From 20thCenturyFox:  Official Trailer #2 for DreamWorks' Penguins of Madagascar.  Film is due November 2014.


OBITS:

From TheWrap:  A friend of mine once said that when he saw a movie, certain names told him that the movie was going to be awful.  Two of them were Golan-Globus and Cannon Pictures.  Menahem Golan, the man behind those names, died Friday, August 8, 2014 at the age of 85.

From DeadlineHollywood:  Marilyn Burns, the star of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, has died at the age of 65.  Burns played "Sally Hardesty," the only one of five friends to survive an unfortunate meeting with a family of cannibals, that includes "Leatherface."  Negromancer sends condolences to Burns' family and friends.


MISC.:

From RSN and AlterNet:  Right-wing militias are thriving...

-----------------
From Yahoo:  "Impossible" space engine could make space flight cheaper and speedier.

DreamWorks Animation Sued!

[If I understand this press release correctly, the suit has to do with the writedown (or write off) DreamWorks took because of the 2013 film, Turbo, which was a box office disappointment. - Leroy/Editor]

Investor Alert: Holzer & Holzer Announces Class Action Filed on Behalf of Investors in Dreamworks Animation SKG, Inc.
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Holzer & Holzer, LLC announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of investors who purchased Dreamworks Animation SKG, Inc. (“Dreamworks” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DWA) securities between October 29, 2013 and July 29, 2014. The complaint alleges that during the relevant time period, Dreamworks issued false and misleading statements regarding its income during the relevant period. On July 29, 2014, Dreamworks revealed that it was under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for a $13.5 million dollar writedown taken in connection with its movie, Turbo. The price of Dreamworks stock fell dramatically following the announcement.

If you purchased Dreamworks securities between October 29, 2013 and July 29, 2014 and suffered substantial losses on those transactions, you are encouraged to contact Marshall P. Dees, Esq. via email at mdees@holzerlaw.com, or via toll-free telephone at (888) 508-6832, regarding your legal rights. There is a deadline of September 30, 2014 for interested investors to ask the court to be appointed as lead plaintiff for the case.

Holzer & Holzer, LLC is an Atlanta, Georgia law firm that dedicates its practice to vigorous representation of shareholders and investors in litigation nationwide, including shareholder class action and derivative litigation. More information about the firm is available through its website, www.holzerlaw.com and upon request from the firm. Holzer & Holzer, LLC has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Corey D. Holzer is the attorney responsible for its content.

Warner Bros. Pictures Over the Billion-Dollar Mark in Domestic Box Office... Again

Warner Bros. Pictures Crosses Billion-Dollar Mark at the Domestic Box Office

WB Remains the Only Studio in History to Surpass $1 Billion Domestically for 14 Consecutive Years

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Monday, August 4, Warner Bros. Pictures became the only film studio in history to earn more than $1 billion at the domestic box office for 14 years in a row. In fact, the division has crossed the billion-dollar mark for 15 of the past 16 years. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures’ President of Domestic Distribution.

The studio passed the billion-dollar threshold thanks to a huge first quarter, featuring the box office success of New Line Cinema’s and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second in Peter Jackson’s Trilogy, which opened in late 2013 but which enjoyed substantial returns in the first quarter of this year. 2014 continued to build with Warner Bros. Pictures’, Village Roadshow Pictures’ and LEGO® System A/S’s blockbuster animated feature “The LEGO Movie”—which was the #1 movie for the first half of 2014—and “300: Rise of an Empire,” the heavy-hitting follow up to Zack Snyder’s groundbreaking “300,” from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Summer started with a bang thanks to the monster hit “Godzilla,” from Warner Bros. and Legendary, IMAX®’s largest opening this year, followed by Doug Liman’s action thriller from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow, “Edge of Tomorrow,” starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, and one-of-a-kind comedy from Melissa McCarthy as New Line’s “Tammy.”

In making the announcement, Fellman said, “This is a proud day for our studio. To cross such an extraordinary milestone once again is a direct reflection of the high standards and incredible efforts of the dedicated and creative individuals at work here, both on and off the screen. We still have an exciting roster of films yet to open this calendar year and, together with the talented teams bringing them to the theater, we look forward to continued success.”

Still to come in 2014 from Warner Bros. Pictures are: New Line Cinema’s and Village Roadshow Pictures’ “Into the Storm,” opening this week; New Line’s and MGM’s “If I Stay”; Alcon Entertainment’s “Dolphin Tale 2”; the dramatic comedy ensemble of “This Is Where I Leave You,” starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey and Jane Fonda; “Annabelle,” another chapter in New Line’s highly successful “The Conjuring”; Alcon’s, Imagine Entertainment’s and Black Label Media’s tale of the Lost Boys of the Sudan, “The Good Lie,” starring Reese Witherspoon; David Dobkin’s “The Judge,” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall in tour-de-force performances, from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow; New Line’s sequel to the hit comedy “Horrible Bosses,” “Horrible Bosses 2,” reuniting the stars from the original, including Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day; “Inherent Vice,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “surf noir” adaptation of author Thomas Pynchon’s cult favorite novel; and from New Line and MGM, the much-anticipated finale to Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” Trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.”

Richard Linklater's "School of Rock" to Become Nickelodeon TV Series

Nickelodeon and Paramount Television Team up on New Live-Action, Musical Comedy Series School of Rock

Network Orders 13 Episodes of Series Based on 2003 Hit Film

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Viacom Inc.’s (NASDAQ:VIAB and VIA) Nickelodeon, the number-one entertainment brand for kids, and Paramount Television divisions are teaming up for the first time to produce the new live-action, musical-comedy series School of Rock, based on the 2003 hit film from Paramount Pictures.

    “With Dewey’s outrageous personality and rock star sensibilities taking center stage, School of Rock will be an irresistibly fun show for the whole family.”

Nickelodeon has ordered 13 episodes of the series, which is scheduled to begin production this fall and premiere in the spring of 2015. Casting for the series will be announced shortly. School of Rock will follow the adventures and misadventures of Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck rocker who poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school as he teaches his eccentric, unconventional and overachieving students to play and love rock ‘n’ roll.

“We are thrilled our first foray into kids programming will be a straight-to-series order with our Viacom partners at Nickelodeon,” said Amy Powell, President, Paramount Television. “With Dewey’s outrageous personality and rock star sensibilities taking center stage, School of Rock will be an irresistibly fun show for the whole family.”

“School of Rock is one of those great movies that always felt quintessentially Nickelodeon in its tone and humor, and we jumped at the opportunity to partner with Paramount Television and bring it to life as a TV series,” said Russell Hicks, President, Content and Development, Nickelodeon. “Once again, kids will be able to laugh and rock!”

School of Rock will be written by Jim and Steve Armogida (Crash & Bernstein, My Family), who will also serve as executive producers and show runners. The movie’s director Richard Linklater and producer Scott Rudin will executive produce the television series.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 35th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 19 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).

About Paramount Television
Paramount Television develops and finances a wide range of creative television programming across all media platforms. Paramount Television is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a division of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a global content company with premier television, film and digital entertainment brands.

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