Genre: Science Fiction.
Studio:
Unknown.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase: Greenlighted.
Who's In It:
Jason Connery; Robin Curtis; Mark Ryan; John Carrigan; Walter Koenig.
Who's Making It:
Gary Boulton Brown (Director).
Premise: Unknown.
Release Date: Unknown.
Comments: The production company for this project has gone about a rather unique way of raising the capital they need for the film's budget: ask the science fiction fans of Britain to invest in the film.
Billed by the developers as possibly "the British sci-fi event of the decade," the show is scheduled to roll before cameras early in 1998, with an intended release late the same year. As seen in full-page ads appearing in British genre magazines, the developers of Legionnaires invite interested clients to call their 'Freephone' and ask for a prospectus. The interested investor then decides what amount of money they wish to contribute. In exchange for offering their investment funds, the developers claim that you could:
Interested investors can call up the Legionnaires 'Freephone' -- 0800 10 60 12.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
September 9, 1997... 'Gonzo' is one of the readers who's curiosity was piqued by the Legionnaires ads and invested in the film. He tells us that the film has cast Jason Connery, Robin Curtis and Walter Koenig in some of the roles, and that the premiere is set for September 1998. 'Gonzo' pegs the film's budget at $5 million USD, with half of that raised by the call for private investors. He also includes the tease lines seen in the poster he was sent: "In the last years of the 20th century Mankind discovered the secret of travelling beyond the final frontier. Something was watching. Something unseen. Something unknown. Something uninvited. Now only one thing stands between a world without a future and the future of the world." We presume that would be the Legionnaires, right? [Information supplied to us by 'Gonzo'.]
July 11, 1998... We've received more than a few emails from investors seeking to learn why the picture hasn't commenced shooting yet and we haven't been able to answer them. As the letter-writer of a typical email said, "We think the production crew is taking the piss as the film is being part funded by around 1800 share holders and they have put filming off twice now. Some of us think it is not going to happen at all."
Readers of Starburst, a UK-based SF magazine, have faired a bit better. Over the course of the past year Starburst has run little updates on the film's status (which appears to be somewhat slow-moving.)
Then, last week we got a tip from a scooper who supplied us with some solid info about who the director is and what's happening right now...
"The production company is called Creative Independant (a.k.a Legionnaires Plc.) The Director is Gary Boulton Brown. It's being filmed in the UK and at Elstree Studios (where the Company HQ is). Filming of the 1000 share holders as Legionnaires has supposedly held up by quote 'the world cup and wimbledon' until mid August. The share option has finished and the company has begun to hire staff for various departments such as CGI. As far as the CGI is concerned supposedly some development shots have been created, but certainly two trailers have already been created (both trailers have been shown on the Sci Fi channel in the UK) but work has not begun in ernest. Rumours are that the cast and a large majority of the crew approached by Legionnaires have yet to receive either a retainer or a contract (in the case of someone VERY close to me the contract has been supposedly tied up with the 'solicitors' for over a month after being promised that it would be received within 'a week'). These rumours were later re-iterated within the pages of the UK Sci Fi monthly magazine Starburst (Aug edition). It would appear that the original release date for the film (summer 1998 quotes the trailer) is about a year to 18 months out." [Anonymous.]
Hopefully this scoop will encourage additional scoopers to step forward and share with us their knowledge.
December 14, 1998... Finally! Some news from one of the shareholders that took part in the filming of Legionnaires shares their experience with us:
"Legionnaires finally called up their shareholders to do their bit as extras in the film, after two previously scheduled shoots were cancelled. I received my letter on the 11th of December, for the shoot on the 12th. A little over 400 shareholders turned up, got dressed in odd assortments of ex-military uniforms, waited around for over two hours, and spent a couple of minutes in front of the camera on a virtual stage.
"All we could see were blue screen panels, but we were told to imagine that it was a prison planet.
"The weather, as always, on the prison planet was bitterly cold. The fierce icy winds whipped the snow around the small group that trudged along the ledge, above a 150 foot drop. Their faces were as bleak as the landscape itself. These cold faces and colder hearts belonged to the meanest prison guards on this side of the galaxy.
"The guards trudged forwards for 15 paces against the wind, carrying their dark, wicked-looking stun-staffs, then turned and trudged back. Finally they turned once more and again strode forwards along the narrow snow covered ledge.
"Then the second-unit director called 'Cut', dismissed the guards, and called for a small group of rebel prisoners to take their place on the virtual stage."
That's it?! Man...while it doesn't sound particularly glorious, maybe the experience was better than our scooper made it sound. Then again, one day's notice isn't exactly too professional in our books. [Anonymous.]
January 5, 1999... One of our readers would like to dispute the last scooper's negative comments about the shareholders' shoot:
"The 2nd Unit shoot was over 1800 shareholders, we sent the info on the shoot date back in november (along with the letter stating the date of the Shareholders AGM) It was mentioned that some areas of the country were experiencing postal problems. It was also obvious that the letter did arrive to most people in time as there were a few American Shareholders at the shoot. I find it interesting as a member of the crew to note that no one bothered to check the information telephone line which had all the details of the letter on it, the number has been available to all shareholders. The shoot itself which started at around 7:30am and ended at near 5pm went very well considering that 1800 people had to be dressed, and in batches of 60 or so filmed from different angles to ensure proper keying with the virtual set. Since the shoot a few shareholders have been to our offices and seen the set which they thought was 'damn impressive'. I find it disheartening that it seems so many people want to give this film a kicking, I suspect that in true british fashion they are also the same people who complain that the british film industry is in a terrible state."
If the scooper knows the current status of the project, and maybe provide us with more info on the crew as well as a summary about the show's plotline, we'd be most grateful.
[Comments sent in anonymously.]
January 14, 1999... These regular status updates make for some great reading -- but we're hoping one day that someone with a kind hear will send us a cool picture of something from Legionnaires so we can all see what's been happening over there in England...
"Recently the company broke for a Christmas break until the 11th of Jan. A show reel of the FX (previously seen at the little attended AGM) were transferred from HDVS to celuloid and previewed at two preview theatres in London to show buyers the product we have and the quality that is has attained on a very low budget currently sitting around the 4 - 6 Million mark. The response was very positive with a number of buyers expressing interest.
"It has been told to me that there are a number of companies fighting over the rights to promote worldwide. Currently in the picture is Manga films and Dimension Films to name but two.
"While it has been said that there is a script for the film floating about on the net this is not true. There are two versions of Legionnaires as a script: one is low(er) budget than the other but both are very good. The feel of the bigger budget version is very much James Bond meets Lethal Weapon in space.
"Here on site, it has been mentioned to me that there is only one or two guys working in the computer graphics department, this must be highly pressured as they seem to be working from 6am till 10pm everynight and all through the weekends only heading home on Sunday evening." [Thanks for the report from anonymous.]
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