As J.J. Abrams preparation to blast his raw mysterious , ( possibly ) time - traveling TV serial Alcatraz , we ’re set up together the trail of hint Abrams has left . What is this show about ? Astral - contrive con , ancient magic , science ? Here ’s what we recognize . Spoilers / surmisal ahead …
For months , we ’ve been hear all sorts of hints about J.J. Abrams ’ next goggle box project Alcatraz . But what is it really about ? Like all thing Abrams , the product , cast announcements , and even promo information are shrouded in whodunit .
Back in September , The Hollywood Reporterannounced that Alcatraz was going to be a “ show about mysteries , closed book and the most infamous prison house of all time : Alcatraz . ”Months laterit was announced that the show was centered around a radical of missing Alcatraz safety equipment and prisoners who vanish and mysteriously re-emerge in the present day , and the FBI agents assigned to go after them all down and figure out the truth behind their fade .
The summary never specifically hints at time change of location , but the distinct deficiency of casting annunciation for prisoners has us inquire if they ’re keeping it all under wrap , so it wo n’t give away the occult plot . If FOX was to let go of a cluster of casting announcements for 20 - something prisoners for a present - day show , the gigue would be up . What we DO have to go on , however , was the semi - late molding announcement of the Alcatraz Wardens . In December , Deadlineannounced that Jonny Coyne and Jason Butler Harner had been sick in the roles of Warden Edwin James and Associate Warden E.B. Tiller , severally . Harner is quite young , and unless they kill him off in a flashback ( possible ) or put him in quondam man make up for all present 24-hour interval shots ( wearisome ) , there ’s no reason we ca n’t take over or guess that he may have re-emerge in the modern sidereal day without aging . Potential metre traveler ? Sure !
In an interview withCollider , Abrams was cagey about revealing any details ( naturally ) but did mention something very odd that happened 50 days ago .
ABRAMS : We do . We have a few projects . We have a show for Fox called Alcatraz , that begin shooting on the 19th , which I could not be more excited about .
Is Alcatraz actually about Alcatraz ?
ABRAMS : Alcatraz does involve Alcatraz .
Will it be shot in the factual prison house ?
ABRAMS : Some will be , yes . There are set being built , but there will be some of the pilot shot in San Francisco at Alcatraz .
What is the series about ?
ABRAMS : I do n’t want to give anything away because no one wants to hear that , but I will say that it ’s a attractively drop a line and surprisingly worked up playscript , although not surprising when you know that Liz Sarnoff publish it . She ’s awe-inspiring . The show is about an fabulously left over and mystical turn and secret about the prison of Alcatraz , and a innovative - day closed book that imply something very unexpended that happened there 50 old age ago .
Who have you cast ?
ABRAMS : The cast is unbelievable . It ’s Sam Neill , Sarah Jones , Jorge Garcia from Lost – who was the first person we cast and is just the greatest with an awful part – and Johnny Coyne , who ’s an awesome English thespian . We have a outstanding cast . There are a number of other doer and it is wonderful . I ’m really excited about the show .
While scanning the message panel , we mark a very interesting fiddling fact dug up by Spoiler TV commenterDarthLockeexplaining the island ’s former uses . Turns out , before Alcatraz was a prison house , it was an utilized by the indigenous population as a place of isolation for undesirable member of the residential area . So it was a prison even before it was a prison . Interesting — but is it important ? Not sure , but by all odds deserving mention . I ’m certain Bad Robot did sizable enquiry on the positioning before go ahead with the serial .
And ultimately a late cast call for extra for the Alcatraz pilot has ask for tourist , Chinatown footer , and histrion ready to commit to a 2 - mean solar day shoot aboard the Alcatraz ferry ( also portray tourists ) . There was no reference of menses wear , and the throw up call also mention a need for a few modern Clarence Day cars . So at least we love that some of the cowcatcher will take place in the here and now , even though the show ’s central mystery is some odd 50 years ago .
So a mysterious happening , a Lost producer and writer involved in the commixture , plus a gaggle of young actors ? All signs point to something out of this world — it may not be time travel just , but we would n’t be surprised if this show wound up with some form of insane Prestige - like twist in this series .
But enough speculation let ’s talk about what we do screw , and we know that this form is pretty excellent :
Sarah Jones : Main character Rebecca Madsen will be play by Sarah Jones , yet another unknown female actress whom Abrams has pick to be a kick - ass offense scrapper . The goggle box Guidedescried her character as smart , paying attention , but slightly obsessional . And she ’s play opposite :
Jorge Garcia Hurley ! Jorge Garcia will assume the role of Dr. Diego Soto , who is the human beings ’s foremost expert on Alcatraz , but is also called “ hippy geek ” in the insistency passing . But it ’s significant to observe that uneven - mates team up between the mayhap obsessive neat lace cop lady , and “ hippy ” Dr.
Santiago Cabrera Just recentlycastis ex Heroes doer Cabrera who will run fiance to the main character Rebecca . His lineament is also a cop .
Sam Neill The infamous Sam Neill wascast inDecember as Emerson Hauser , “ the head of a authorities agency who radiates authority and pierce intelligence operation . ”
Jonny Coyne Coyne ( who was on Abrams ’ Undercovers serial ) was cast in the lead role of Alcatraz Warden Edwin James .
Jason Butler Harner You may know Harner as the sicko serial orca from Changeling , but he was also in Fringe . Harner has been cast as Associate Warden E.B. Tiller who “ enjoy and abuses his power . ”
Besides the casting , we also came across a potential placard for the Fox serial ( at the top of this stake ) . Even cerebration is could be a fan - made photochop , it still projects that deep Abrams glow . It was posted atJoy Hogand get word viaSpoiler TV . Fake or real , we still like it .
So , what do you think about the novel series Alcatraz so far ? DVR it , or dismiss it ?
J.J. AbramsSam NeillTelevision
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