SFX Issue 204

Back with a bang, our on-set Primeval exclusive is front and centre this month

On sale Wednesday 15 December , and also available to buy digitally for £2.57.

Doing your big shop at ASDA this week? Swipe this month’s SFX and you’ll be rewarded with a most excellent (and entirely free) copy of Avatar: Activist Survival Guide , which will come in handy should you find yourself up a Pandoran creek.

When ITV decided not to renew Primeval for a fourth series, it looked like the end of the road for a show that seemed too far too good to be kicked back into the Cretaceous like a dozy dino. Eighteen months later, thanks to a bit of creative thinking and an innovative channel share agreement, Primeval is back from the brink, giving SFX the perfect opportunity to catch up with some familiar faces (as well as a few new ones) and find out what the new series has in store.

Doct or Who: A Christmas Caro l

Like overcooked turkey and a small mountain of new socks, Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without a slice of festive Who to tuck into. This year’s special looks to be a cracker (arf), so naturally SFX was on set to get the inside skinny on what’s in store for the Doctor and guest stars Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins.

After over a decade spent languishing in the pits of development hell, the Green Hornet is finally poised to hit the big screen. We speak to Seth Rogan and director Michael Gondry about bringing the Hornet back to life.

Upping sticks and making the move from Bristol to Cardiff for series three, we take a trip to Wales for an update on our favourite supernatural trio.

Heroes And Inspirations – Edgar Wright

The Scott Pilgrim and Shaun Of The Dead director guides us through his eclectic influences.

Fannish Inquisition – Guillermo del Toro

The Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth director answers your questions.

Couch Potato

It’s ladies night this month as Jayne Nelson and chums take in some of sci-fi’s greatest bromances.

Profiles

Steven Mangan talks Dirk Gently , Jon Courtenay Grimwood on why there’s life in vampires yet and Fringe ’s Anna Torv guides us through alternate worlds.

Retro Features

The Incredible Shrinking Man goes under the microscope, we look at what happened when Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere met the small screen, and 2001: A Space Odyssey is lovingly dissected.

Don’t Miss:

Wishlist : It’s clobberin’ time for the Fantastic Four reboot this month, with extra Jim Broadbent for good measure.

Spoiler Zone : We bid a fond farewell to The Sarah Jane Adventures and Merlin , Misfits returns for series two, there’s a mid-season premiere from Caprica and we catch up with The Walking Dead , The Vampire Diaries , Supernatural , The Event , Lost Girl , Fringe , Medium , Sanctuary , The Gates , Chuck , Smallville, No Ordinary Family and Stargate Universe . Phew…

  • Will the BBC’s update on MR James’s "Whistle and I’ll Come To You, My Lad " be providing the chills this Christmas? We speak to Luther creator Neil Cross about his take on the classic.
  • Executive producer Mark Hentemann talks about completing the Family Guy Star Wars trilogy with It’s A Trap .
  • Pub Landlord Al Murray puts down his pint to discuss his sci-fi faves.

Rated : Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part One, Megamind, Skyline, Family Guy: It’s A Trap, Shift by Tim Kring and Dale Peck, Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale, Grandville Mon Amour and more!

Next issue : SFX 205, on sale Wednesday 12 January. Why not subscribe and receive easy-on-the-eye coverline-free issues?