James Callis (Baltar) as Merlin in "Book of Beasts" on Sci-Fi, Sat. 5/30 @ 9 PM

[august]

This more properly should be in the "fantasy tv" section, but since Callis is the star, I'm sticking it here.

The project is/was also known as "Merlin and the Book of Beasts," and Callis plays Merlin. It's directed by Warren Sonoda, a Canadian w/ a background in music videos, episodes of a kids' show called ""Monster Warriors," and a cult comedy called "Ham & Cheese" which featured The Daily Show's Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, News Radio's Dave Foley and, as herself, Vicky Pratt!

It's written by Brook Durham, who did screenplays for other British Columbia-filmed, mythology-themed Sci-Fi Originals like Riddles of the Sphinx and Odysseus: Voyage to the Underworld. Langley and Maple Ridge fill in for Dark Ages Britain.

The female lead is Vancounver-born Laura Harris, who is only 32 but has over 50 credits already including one of the leads on Women's Murder Club, recurring roles in Dead Like Me (as Daisy Adair) and season 2 of "24" (as Marie Warner) supporting roles in A Mighty Wind and The Faculty, and guest appearances on everything from Stargate Atlantis and CSI to Sliders, The X Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., and Highlander.

It premieres on Sci-Fi at 9 PM next Saturday May 30th, then reruns at 7 PM Sun. 5/31, and then at 3 PM, Sat. 7/18 on the newly-renamed (by then) SyFy.

Sci-Fi has a little wallpaper thing for it here.

We must assume this is the film that started life in early 2007 under a different title entirely:

PASADENA, Calif. – January 12, 2007 - SCI FI's Saturday night movies get an extra shot of adrenaline in January 2007 when the Channel launches SCI FI Saturday: The Most Dangerous Night of Television..... Thomas Vitale....greenlit another three films for development:

To Premiere in 2007:

King Arthur & The Order of the Dragon: Produced with Pliny Minor (Who Killed the Electric Car?) and written by Tim Cox and Brook Durham, the duo behind 2006's SCI FI Saturday standout Mammoth, this tale ignites a battle befitting the legendary Knights of the Round Table – a quest for the Holy Grail! A pursuit for the ages, the Knights must battle a formidable spider-dragon on the treacherous path to the Grail.