The Past Week: THE RATS OF NIMH, MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY

The Past Week: The Rats Of NIMH, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Star Trek: Discovery

For whatever reason, science fiction and animated films and TV shows are not accorded the level of respect that productions of other genres typically receive. Perhaps it’s because the two are regarded as inherently fantastical and thus intended for younger or otherwise less savvy audiences, something that avid viewers of either or both genres know is patently false. Indeed, some of the best animated and sci-fi programs and movies are intended for adults just as much as they are for children, with several such projects making headlines during the past week.

Director Announced For The Rats Of NIMH

Serious fans of animation will be familiar with the work of Don Bluth, one of the brave few to produce animated features considered even comparable to those put out by Disney. While his most-remembered works are probably the emotional-yet-no-less-optimistic An American Tail and The Land Before Time, it was The Secret of NIMH that put him on the map. Dark, grim, and occasionally frightening, the children’s fantasy made waves with audiences when it first came out in 1982 by refusing to condescend to even its youngest viewers as it told its moody but touching story.

Now almost 35 years later, it looks like we can expect to see a live-action remake of the film in the near future. According to Comingsoon.net, the project will be helmed by first-time director James Madigan, a choice that strikes me as somewhat concerning given the sensitive nature of the production. I can’t accurately judge Madigan’s directing abilities myself, but I would think that MGM, the studio behind the movie, would want someone with a proven track record of solid animated features to oversee its revival of one of the genre’s most beloved classics. In any case, let’s hope that my concerns are overblown and that The Rats of NIMH turns out well.

William Shatner To Guest Star In My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

Few shows are as unfairly maligned as My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Well-written and almost intoxicating in its innocence, the many merits of the program have been ignored by commentators in favor of the excesses of a small but vocal minority of the show’s male fans. By focusing on the outlandish antics of these fans, observers are able to mock the show without actually engaging with it and write its defenders off as “bronies”.

However, some are not intimidated in the slightest by this label and ready to wholeheartedly embrace the popular Hub series. As CBR.com reports, William Shatner has not only identified as a brony on several occasions but has also revealed that he has recorded voice work for the show’s upcoming seventh season. It’s not clear what his role is (although given the show’s history of lampshading popular culture, it’s tempting to assume it may reference his involvement with Star Trek), but it will be great fun to see (or hear, rather) Captain Kirk ham it up in Equestria whichever way you slice it.

Captain’s Chair Promo Released For Star Trek: Discovery

Speaking of Star Trek, CBS has released a brand new promo that gives us a glimpse into the network’s upcoming series. Although Star Trek: Discovery no longer has an official premiere date, the video short shows that production is definitely underway on the program as we speak. Explicitly tying Discovery to the original series created by Gene Roddenberry, the promo opens up with archival production photos from The Original Series before shifting halfway through to footage on the set of the newest installment of the long-running franchise.

Although we don’t see much, the little we see looks very promising: computer monitors display the titular Discovery in wireframe form, a blue uniform with a Federation arrowhead (presumably meant for a science officer) is shown at one point, and the promo ends on a lone shot of the captain’s chair, giving us an inkling of an idea what the bridge might look like. It’s a bit of a bummer that we didn’t get to see any of the cast or characters, but any little bit will be appreciated by Trekkers like myself until the show finally debuts. You can see the promo for yourself at Comingsoon.net.