Image Credit: PR Photos
Syfy’s update of the classic sci-fi story The Philadelphia Experiment has cast legendary actor Malcolm McDowell, along with with several other notable names.
McDowell (A Clockwork Orange, Entourage) is joined by Nicholas Lea (V, Kyle XY), Michael Paré (Virgin Suicides), Gina Holden (Saw 3D, Final Destination), and Sanctuary vets Ryan Robbins and Emilie Ullerup.
Syfy’s new movie version of The Philadelphia Experiment is based on a mythical 1943 U.S. Navy military test that supposedly made a warship invisible. The story was adapted to a 1984 movie of the same name — which, by the way, starred Paré — and added a sci-fi twist: Two survivors of the experiment traveled forward in time.
This new version is set in modern-day, and concerns a team that attempts to replicate the WWII-era experiment. The test brings the original vanished ship into the 21st century, but with deadly consequences. Lea plays the hero of the tale, McDowell is the original scientist behind the experiment and Paré is one of the villain’s henchmen.
The movie will shoot in Vancouver and premiere next year.
Oh, that Syfy, they do truly embrace their motto of “Imagine Greater” with all those remakes and B-movie monster flicks.
oh come on. B movie is rating their shlocky flicks a bit high, is it not? I love science fiction and fantasy and even enjoy a wonderfully crappy movie from time to time, but they have gone too far. Judging from the many comments on this article and anything SyFy related, they’ve done a really good job of alienating their base audience, and i don’t know that they’ve created a new one. Their president and creative departments should all be replaced.
Let’s see if he can make something better out of this than that unintentionally hilarious “Suing Satan” crapfest that’s coming out later this year.
Has SyFy/SciFi ever made a decent movie?
I’m not sure was ‘Alice’ mini-series and TIN Man miniseries on Syfy, if so, then yes they have made good movies. All the B-monster ones suck. This was sounds good. I likes the 1984 version of this movie.
Most people (critics and viewers alike from what i read) thought both of those mini series sucked. Better than Octosaur versus Dinoshark, but still overhyped and highly disappointing considering what they COULD have been…. The fact that people like you thought they were good is more of a comment on how low our standards have become than a testament of how good they actually were, imo. But you’re entitled to yours.
Who are you to criticize? I liked both of those miniseries. The fact that people like you are critical of someone who liked the series makes you slug who obviously has no respect for other people. You could have made your statement without criticizing someone. Return to your hole Alice..
They could spend all the money used for films on TV shoes i.e. eureka. But also use it for other things than monster B movies. Im sure theres loads of talented, young writers and directors who would love the chance of getting there ideas on TV through the medium of a TV movie. And syfy has been heading in a non-sci fy movement, so the films wouldn’t totally be sci-fi orientated. Just an idea!
I love how they list Michael Pare’ as being in the remake, and yet no mention of him starring in the original “The Philadelphia Experiment.”
Did EW add it later, because I read it in the article?
they mentioned that briefly, i wonder if they are going to make this like a sequel to that first one, the story itself was very original back in the day, and i think was based on a factual story, they really tried to do that back in the day. look it up.
Threequel. They already made a sequel. That would rule!!
This is the second reference I’ve seen to this this week after Monday’s episode of Warehouse 13.
There hasn’t been a single decent thing on SyFy since the BSG remake. Caprica wasn’t horrible (it’s biggest problem was being judged by BSG’s standard), but it wasn’t great either. The best thing on SyFy the past few years has been WWE, which is not high praise.
Nicholas Lea, forever Alex Krycek on The X-Files to me. I’ll watch (at least once) for him, and McDowell, aka Alex DeLarge.
Thanks for mentioning Nicholas Lea being in X-Files, which is what he is best known for (James Hibberd, why didn’t you list it?). And as for the incredible legend McDowell, at least the writer of the article mentioned Clockwork Orange, but you’d think he would list Heroes, not Entourage, for a tv series. Well aware I’m being picky, but if you want sci-fi fans to take notice, you list the most relevant works.
With all the science fiction books that are published year after year SyFy still insists in remaking movies that have already been done (and done better) rather than finding some gem of a book and making a movie out of it. Very sad.
I loved “Taken” “Dune” “Children of Dune” “The Lost Room” very very much, “The Triangle” & “Tin Man” just so-so. “Philadelphia Experiment” could be great…It’s the frakken grade Z monster flicks and uber reality programming that make SyFy suck, oh & the stupid(imho) cancellation of SGU-a very cogent piece of work. It would be nice to be surprised…also…why am I thinking that TPE was a series? bad dream? Looks like SyFy sold out & that is very disappointing. Today on twitter SyFy said MGM could make another Stargate movie & SyFy would be interested BUT Brad is concerned about dvd sales…so they don’t have any idea apparently…hope for better days.
He was the ONLY good thing about the Halloween remakes.
Very true. He gets penalized points (from me) for appearing in them to begin with however
It really doesn’t have to be remade. They should remake Millennium or Final Countdown.
Nicholas Lea AKA Krycek!
Wonder why they never mentioned his most well known and loved role in one of the greatest Sci fi TV series of all time!
Agree that Heroes should have had a mention regarding Malcolm too!*shakes head sadly and sighs*
Wish folk would do their homework a lot better
I will watch for Nicholas and because I loved the original and the book too!
later x
I usually think of Lea as being one of the cops from The Commish (because I had quit watching X-Files before he showed up).
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