Interview with Adrian Hodges and Tim Haines

Apologies about the lack of updates for some time, but we're back!

First of all, here's the new trailer for Series 4:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce6FXdqC48w&feature=fvst

Second, Tim and Adrian have just done a massive interview for the Livejournal website "Primeval Denial". Here it is, in six parts, with some spoilers for Series 4/5.

http://community.livejournal.com/primeval_denial/1757980.html
http://community.livejournal.com/primeval_denial/1759845.html
http://community.livejournal.com/primeval_denial/1762788.html
http://community.livejournal.com/primeval_denial/1764455.html
http://community.livejournal.com/primeval_denial/1766327.html
http://community.livejournal.com/primeval_denial/1767972.html


And finally, a bunch of high-quality pictures for Series 4:

http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/primeval/photo1.htm

More on the Cast

Adrian Hodges has talked to TotalSciFiOnline following the Primeval press release, giving further details on the new cast members, including the full name of the new team leader, and a few more tidbits.

http://totalscifionline.com/news/4862-filming-begins-on-new-series-of-primeval

Speaking exclusively to Total Sci-Fi, co-creator Adrian Hodges said he was delighted with the additions to the cast, including Ciarin McMenamin, who played the older David Copperfield in Hodges’ adaptation of the Dickens novel for BBC Classics, as new leading man Matt Anderson.

“He is a wonderful actor with an enigmatic, heroic quality that fits his character really well,” Hodges said. “Matt is a man with a lot of secrets and I think Ciarin is terrific at being both heroic, accessible but also just a little bit mysterious.”

Former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star Alexander Siddig joins as Philip Burton, the co-runner of the ARC with Ben Miller’s James Lester. “It's a real coup for us to get such a fine actor in this important part and I think he's going to bring a lot of quality to the show. It's a joy to be working with him,” Hodges notes.

Playing Jess, the new head of operations at the ARC, is Irish actress Ruth Kearney. “She is a new face – Primeval is her first TV job – and as the character of Jess I think she's gong to be a lot of fun. She has a fresh, lively quality which is lovely and she's also very funny.”

Hannah Spearritt, Andrew Lee-Potts and Ben Mansfield will be reprising their roles as Abby, Connor and Becker, with Hodges telling us that he’s “also really glad that one or two important faces from the past are going to be returning during the series. Stand by for surprises...!"

So, to sum up what we know about the new characters:

• Ciarán McMenamin is to play Matt Anderson, the new field leader. He's an ex-soldier and zoologist, with "an uncanny ability to understand animals." He is "a man with a lot of secrets", and there is a "real reason" why he joined the ARC.
• Ruth Kearney will play Jess, an "unconventional", "highly efficient and organised" woman who now runs operations from the ARC control centre, and has an unrequited crush on Captain Becker.
• The ARC is now jointly run by Lester and charismatic scientist Philip Burton, played by Alexander Siddig.
• Ben Miller, Hannah Spearritt, Andrew Lee-Potts and Ben Mansfield are all confirmed to return as regulars, and Jason Flemyng for a few episodes. Still no mention of Laila Rouass, though.
• "One or two important faces from the past" are to return to the show. We already know that James Bradshaw (Duncan) is to return, but who else?

A Whole Set of Youtube Interviews!

Hey, Andrew here.

The Youtube channel 'YouMaketheMovies' have conducted and uploaded a series of interviews with several members of the Primeval crew - co-creator Adrian Hodges, director Cilla Ware, Composer Dominic Scherrer, Runner Alana Hurd and Casting Director Gill Travellick.

Adrian Hodges: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRboIhTAw-o

Gill Travellick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG5IXRl5Oa0

Dominic Scherrer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdM4KOMXaYg

Cilla Ware:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwZt99HLF-Q

Alana Hurd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH0K6-lBNoY

It's nice to finally put a face to the names we see in the credits all the time!

Now, in the Adrian Hodges video, we get flashes from the script of an unknown episode. The script pieces are quite legible. This may not be an actual script, but if it is, then it's obviously a spoiler. These particular pages don't give away much about the ongoing plot, though. Don't expect to see what happened to Connor and Abby, for example.

If you don't want to hear any more about the script extracts, stop reading...

...here.

OK, so the script extract describes an early creature attack... on a submarine! And the creatures are... pliosaurs! A whole pod of pliosaurs. As for the regular characters, we get a couple of lines from Danny, but they reveal very little about his situation. So that's our first creature confirmed!

Andrew

An advance on the filming info...

Hey, Andrew here.

As reported yesterday, filming on Primeval's Series 4 is now underway in Ireland. Today, the guys over at Geek Syndicate have got an exclusive statement from Primeval co-creator Adrian Hodges confirming this:

Yes, I’m delighted to say we started shooting last Monday and the other details as reported on digital spy are pretty much right so far as casting and timing goes. Needless to say I’m delighted we’re back in production – it’s been a hard and bumpy road to these new series but we’re glad we got there, as the show is doing better than ever worldwide and in my opinion has a long way to run. I can’t say too much about the new series yet, but I can say that while we’ll be retaining our “creature of the week” series format, we’ll also have a strong serialised element that will run right through both series 4 and 5 with a major revelation about the mystery behind the anomalies coming in episode 7 – which will be the climax of series 4.

I'm personally excited about the whole "serialised element" that'll be showing through in the new series. I'm not sure enough to guess at it yet, but if you have any ideas, feel free to suggest them in the comments!

Also, for those fans of Doctor Who, Geek Syndicate have posted pictures of the interior of the new TARDIS, as well as linking the Radio Times page with the full set.

Andrew