SCI FI Channel announced that it has green-lighted a full 13-episode season of new original, scripted drama series Sanctuary, based on the world's first high-definition science-fiction Web series. The new show will be the first television series to use live-action actors against mostly virtual sets.
In the one-hour drama, Amanda Tapping (Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis) stars as the enigmatic Dr. Helen Magnus, who, along with her young protege, Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), is on a quest to track down, aid and protect all manner of strange creatures that walk the earth. The show's sets are 90 percent CGI and shot in the same cutting-edge style as the feature films 300 and Sin City.
Sanctuary creator Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1) and producer/director Martin Wood (Stargate Atlantis) will executive-produce. Tapping and Sam Egan (Jeremiah, The Outer Limits, Masters of Science Fiction) also serve as executive producers. In addition to her producing and starring turns on Sanctuary, Amanda Tapping will also make guest appearances on several episodes of SCI FI Channel's Stargate Atlantis during its fifth season.
"Sanctuary promises to be a totally fresh television viewing experience," said Mark Stern, SCI FI executive vice president of original programming. "This stylistic approach to virtual sets has proven hugely popular on the big screen, and we have been looking for a chance to use it on a television series. We've worked with Damian, Martin, Amanda and Sam on numerous projects in the past and think they are the perfect team to tackle something this ambitious."
Sanctuary will be produced by Stage 3 Media in association with SCI FI Channel. Filming is slated to begin in March. |
