FOX Moves Up Ron Moore's Two-Hour Telepic "Virtuality" By a Week
FOX has now shifted the world broadcast premiere of the two-hour sci-fi telepic Virtuality, from Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore and Michael Taylor and director Peter Berg, from its July 4th airdate to Friday, June 26th at 8 pm ET/PT.The film, originally meant to be a two-hour backdoor pilot for an ongoing series, stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (New Amsterdam) as Commander Frank Pike, the head of the crew of interstellar vessel Phaeton who find escape from the mundanity of their ten-year journey by venturing into virtual worlds, where--thanks to a glitch in the system--they are seemingly attacked by a malevolent figure.
FOX describes Virtuality's themes with the following: "The two-hour movie raises fascinating questions about the lines (or lack thereof) between reality and virtual reality. What would you do if you were faced with the prospect of going on a 10-year space journey to another planet in order to save an Earth ravaged by global warming, food shortages and degradation? Would you be more apt to go if you had a way of slipping away into your own simulated virtual-reality to pass the time? Would you be able to distinguish this new reality from your old one? What if something started going horribly wrong on your voyage – would you turn back, even with a worldwide audience back on Earth anxiously awaiting news of their planet’s salvation? Or would you continue, uncertain of whether your own life, virtual or otherwise, was in imminent danger?"
The official description of Virtuality and the full cast list from FOX can be found below.
—“VIRTUALITY”—(8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT)
CC-HDTV 720p-Dolby Digital 5.1
THE CREW OF THE PHAETON EMBARKS ON A 10-YEAR JOURNEY
THROUGH OUTER SPACE TO SAVE THE EARTH
IN THE ORIGINAL SCIENCE-FICTION THRILLER “VIRTUALITY”
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, ON FOX
The crew of the Phaeton is approaching the go/no-go point of their epic 10-year journey through outer space. With the fate of Earth in their hands, the pressure is intense. The best bet for helping the crew members maintain their sanity is the cutting-edge virtual reality technology installed on the ship. It's the perfect stress-reliever until they realize a glitch in the system has unleashed a virus on to the ship. Tensions mount as the crew decides how to contain the virus and complete their mission. Meanwhile, their lives are being taped for a reality show back on Earth in the World Broadcast Premiere of VIRTUALITY airing Friday, June 26 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (FM-0904) (TV-TBA)
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Commander Frank Pike; Sienna Guillory as Rika Goddard; James D’Arcy as Dr. Roger Fallon; Ritchie Coster as Dr. Jimmy Johnson; Erik Jensen as Dr. Jules Braun; Omar Metwally as Dr. Adin Meyer; Kerry Bishe as Billie Kashmiri; Joy Bryant as Alice Thibadeau; Nelson Lee as Kenji Yamamoto; Jose Pablo Cantillo as Manny Rodriguez; Gene Farber as Val Orlovsky; Clea Duvall as Sue Parsons; Jimmi Simpson as Virtual Man