'Buck'-ing Tradition, Buck Rogers Web Series Coming 2010

James Cawley is boldly going where a few others have gone before. The producer of Star Trek: Phase II has teamed with screenwriter/novelist Flint Dille for a Buck Rogers web series and hopes to produce twenty 40-minute web episodes about the space adventurer. (Thanks to TrekMovie.com for the scoop.)

Cawley Entertainment secured the rights to the classic character – created in 1928 by Philip Francis Nowlan – and will focus on how Rogers went from World War I to 25th century Earth using a “retro-contemporary” look and CGI. Dille and Cawley will serve as executive producers of the web series, with Dille also serving as a consultant; the property has been owned by the Dille Syndication Co. since John F. Dille purchased the character for the comic strip in 1929.

The web series, which is eyeing a fall 2010 ad-supported streaming bow, is currently being written and cast and will be a fully licensed show featuring professionals in front and behind the camera. Cawley indicated that several members of the behind-the-scenes team from Phase II

will be involved in his Buck Rogers web adventure.

Cawley has already cast his Buck Rogers and is going with an actor he’s familiar with: Bobby Rice, who played Peter Kirk in Phase II. Rice will continue filming Phase II in addition to playing Rogers. Cawley does not expect to have any other familiar faces pop up on Buck Rogers.

Buck Rogers has been a popular remake target for years. The original comic ran from 1929-1967. It was adapted for the big screen in 1939 starring Buster Crabbe, and was heard on the radio in the 1940s and ’50s. The character went more into the mainstream after its successful run on NBC from 1979-1981 starring Gil Gerard and Erin Grey. There’s currently talk of Buck heading back to his comic strip roots and a feature film written by Frank Miller (Sin City) is in development.

Stay tuned to www.buckrogersbegins.com for more information.