Heard any news about this little speck on the horizon? All I can say is that if you keep your eye on http://www.llew.co.uk there may be some official news very soon.

I don't know about anyone else out there, but I really hope that they use novel elements for the films. Particulary "Last Human", which was my favourite, incidently.

LH seemed like a pretty good swan song for the Dwarfers, and I'd love to see it on film.

I snipped this out of the Red Dwarf news section at Outpost Gallifrey:

The Red Dwarf movie will be written in 1999 and is expected to begin production in 2000, for possible release in 2001. The regular cast from the series is expected to be in the film.

Not a lot of detail, I'm afraid.

I doubt they'd use Last Human, especially after the events of RD 8.

Why? What happens in RD 8?

Check the board and see.

The crew of Red Dwarf get resurrected.

Also, they can't use the book, because the death of Rimmer would not have as much meaning, cos he's still out there somewhere as 'Ace'.

Just had a thought- anyone else think that Rob Grant might have been the brains behind Red Dwarf? They did 6 great seasons, and then he decided that that should be the end and left. Then Mr. Naylor decides he knows better, goes onto make series 7 and hires outside writers to do it. And we all know what happened there.

Rob Grant was the one pushing for more SF ideas, so it's a shame he left- there were interesting ideas in 5 + 6.

8 seems to be better though.

I read in a magazine that it will be a normal Red Dwarf cast movie...

With Patrick Stewart as the villian. No, I'm not making that up.

Ah, why not? Stewart did "The A to Z of Red Dwarf". I can picture him doing something like this, as long as he doesn't duplicate his performances in "Masterminds" and "Conspiracy Theory".

This just in from Outpost Gallifrey - Film or Series?: No confirmation has been made on exactly what format it will be, but Red Dwarf will indeed be back. A new Red Dwarf filming block will commence in early 2000, though whether or not it's Season IX (unlikely), a series of TV movies (possible) or a film is as yet unknown. A film will happen, though this may not necessarily be tied to this newest development. A short series of telefilms appears to also be a likelihood, as the film may diverge and retell the same story in movie format. The telefilms would continue the plotline last left in Series VIII. A potential script called "...Die Young" (which takes place after the season eight story "Only the Good...") was evidently written, but nothing has been set yet and the script may be used for the telefilm series/miniseries if it goes forward.

Film Notes: Scripting by Doug Naylor has begun. It is unclear whether it will re-tell existing Red Dwarf or continue on from Series VIII. Ed Bye will return to direct; Grant Naylor Productions will produce, but Rob Grant will not be involved. The film is probably due for release in 2001 with the entire cast (Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn, Chloe Annett, Norman Lovett and Hattie Hayridge). Rumors abound that several big name American stars are being looked at as villains, and noted scientist Stephen Hawking has said he would love to appear as himself.

How can Hattie Hayridge and Norman Lovett both be in the movie if they play the same character?

I'd like to see them pull that off!

Well, Holly changed from male to female for no apparent reason between seasons two and three - all it could take is some faectious line or even some cosmic effect and bingo!... both can play the same character.

Or perhaps an another visit to the female universe?

Found this on alt.tv.red-dwarf... sounds like complete bollocks to me:

American executives will decide that the team have no "presence".
They will be replaced by Keanu Reeves, Kate Winslett, Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks and Will Smith.
They also decide that the concept of a hologram is a copy of Star Trek Voyager, and axe the idea.
Elvis Costello will feature on the soundtrack.
Lister and Kochanski will have children, Jim and Bexley, played by some unknown US sprogs. This will immediately make the film "family orientated". All references to anything remotely rude or tasteless will be removed. They will also have a cgi skutter as a pet, "Bah
Bah Jinx".
Ewan McGregor will guest star as "Jake Mullett", a traffic cop with a succession of dodgy wigs.
The team will travel to Earth, where they discover the space travel industry has gone bust. In order to support Jim and Bexley, they form a strip troupe called the "Red Dwarves". Eventually Rimmer is asked to leave, as punters are asking for refunds.
Rimmer confesses that he is gay, and in love with Kryten. This leads to the first same sex human/mechanoid kiss. The scene is eventually
cut.
The Red Dwarves eventually get job on the SS Titanic, a revolutionary new ship, set for it's maiden voyage...

Mike- this IS a joke. Trust me on this one. :-)

It`s also inconsistent, when you think about it...

Yeah but it would be pretty funny to see it...:-)

Craig Charles has been interviewed on BBC 1, during which he mentioned that they start filming the Red Dwarf movie next September.

Too bad it'll go straight to videocassette here in the states. I'd love to head down to the Mayan or the Chez Artiste with $9 and see it up there on that gigantic screem.

Lobby your local art house cinema to screen it.

Chris: I couldn't even get them to show Waking Ned Devine!

Some people have no taste!

Chloe Annet was recently in Denver and hosted a Red Dwarf marathon on Channel 6. She confirmed that there will be a film, and they start work in October of next year. She also said, it would be an INTERNATIONAL release, meaning it will hit the big screens here in the U.S.

I heard that the film would take place between Series 8 and 9 and it would come out this year or next year and series 9 soon after that.

Did I hear way wrong?( Eeek)

Robert Llewellyn has this to say on his website (http://www.llew.co.uk):

"This is the latest news from someone who should know, but is basically guessing like everyone else.

The Movie
"There are more rumours and counter rumours flying around about this than you can poke a stick at.
"This is the situation as far as I know it at the moment:
Doug Naylor, co-creator and writer of Red Dwarf is presently ensconced in his office, tapping away on his state of the art Apple computer (yes, Doug is an Apple user too) writing the script for Red Dwarf: The Movie.
Nobody other than Doug knows what the film will be about, who will be in it or anything else.
I am going to speculate.
I believe it will be a stand alone movie, in the sense that a moviegoer who has never seen or heard of Red Dwarf can still follow and enjoy the film.
Although Red Dwarf has experienced world-wide acclaim, outside the UK it is still something of a ‘cult’ show. For the film to have the chance to be a big success, it has to appeal to people who haven’t seen the TV show.
One last thing, I am repeatedly asked by fans of the show if the original cast will appear in the film. That is the whole point, if there are any American actors in the film, they will be playing other roles, the cast will be as in the series.
As I say, this is my opinion and is in no way a reflection of the policies or intentions of Grant Naylor, the producers of Red Dwarf.
As for a series 9, all I know is the BBC want us to make one.
As they say in media land, ‘I’ll keep you in the loop.’"

And from Craig Charles' site (http://www.craigcharles.co.uk/Red-Dwarf/reddwarf.htm): Oh right, you're looking for the latest news on us aren't you ! Well we're currently having rest after Series VIII. There are no immediate plans for another series yet.
We are all looking forward to doing the film though. This is currently in the early stages, just like this site really. But we are expecting the usual excellent scripts and effects, only on a much bigger scale. We hope to have a few Americans as the bad guys, that would make a very nice change.
Must go now, I've got a nice chicken vindaloo waiting for me. I'll get back asap, but in the mean time here is some useful links.
- Dave Lister

This from alt.tv.red-dwarf:
"Well I guess to some of you, this will be of no surprise. The filming date has been pushed back to January 2001."
Where they got the information from is anyone's guess.

More news from Robert Llewellyn's website (http://www.llew.co.uk/):

The Movie:
Here is the latest, from the London Evening Standard:

Red Dwarf heads for big screen
by Sarah Shannon

A grumpy hologram, a soft-hearted android and the last remaining member of the human race might sound an unlikely combination to produce a worldwide hit TV series.
Yet the Red Dwarf adventures, set aboard a mining spaceship, have proved so popular that they are now being transformed into a movie.
The series, which starred Robot Wars presenter Craig Charles and Chris Barrie, who also starred in The Brittas Empire and Prince Among Men, already boasts an international following which should smooth the way for its move to cinemas.
The BBC2 series's producer, Grant Naylor Productions, hopes the film will have the same big screen success enjoyed by other British comedy hits such as Mr Bean.
The director of Harry Enfield's Kevin and Perry film, Ed Bye, has already signed on for the Red Dwarf film.
Charles Armitage, chairman of Grant Naylor Productions, said the film is pencilled in for production early next year.
He hopes the big screen version will reunite many members of the original
cast including Charles who played Lister, the last human being, and Barrie, who played the hologram, Rimmer.
"The intention is we'll have the original cast in the film, depending on whether they are available at the right time," Mr Armitage said.

They forgot the Cat.

Danny is apparently filming something else. Whether he'll join later or whether the Cat isn't going to be in the movie hasn't been made clear.

From the official site:


Alterations to the Red Dwarf film script come from a first 'edit'.

Taking advantage of the latest digital editing technology, writer-director Doug Naylor has been able to further hone the screenplay for Red Dwarf - The Movie. These new changes follow directly on from the early rehearsals and have been further informed by a 'rip-o-matic' - an edited version of the 'movie' created from animated storyboard sequences, footage from the rehearsals and read-throughs and clips from previous Dwarf adventures.


The edit - which is being altered almost daily as part of the organic creative process - also contains rough CG versions of some of the more complex effects shots. This will allow the production team to fully realise the construction of scenes before committing to the potentially expensive sequences.

In other news, following the announcement that the Matrix sequel has been postponed from 2002 until the summer of 2003, early reports have come from Red Dwarf Films indicating a later production period and eventual release.

According to producer Charles Armitage, it is now more likely that the movie will emerge at Christmas. With the summer of 2002 set to be dominated by the release of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, it seems a wise move to steer Red Dwarf away from competing with the monster franchise.

The Christmas release slot is traditionally a successful one for 'British' action pictures such as the James Bond series. This makes it more appropriate for Red Dwarf - The Movie, which, given its size and scope, could not make do with a limited number of screens. It seems next Christmas will be an especially merry one for Red Dwarf fans...

From me:


SWEEET!

I've heard that the proposed film will have a lot of celebrity cameos in it, like Madonna. I don't know if this is true, but it's a shame if they have to rely on that as a selling point.

One question: What is the smegging hold up???

They've been in pre-production since early 2001, but now the web site is saying that they'll be holding it up until later this year (which is what was said LAST year, etc.), supposedly for a 2005 release.

Urrggh... If I were a studio head I would have dropped it by now.

BBC had a documentary on Red Dwarf last night (called Comedy Connections - basically traces the cast and creators of various comedy series through what they did before and after).

Amongst other things, Chris Barrie and Criag Charles didn't get on in the early years, the US pilot got mentioned, swiftly panned and left behind and Kochanski got brought in to help sell a movie to studio execs.

At the end, Rob Grant relates the time that he was at a meeting discussing the movie when the executives mentioned re-casting it. He said that he didn't think it would work, but he'd hear their views. They thought about Hugh Grant for Lister, and wondered what Emma Thompson was doing.

Rob Grant said he left the building very quickly.

I may be behind the times but that programme was the first time I'd heard of Alan Rickman originally being considered for the role of Rimmer!

You're kidding, right? Maybe it comes from seeing him typecast in sinister/villian roles, but I can't see Alan Rickman as Rimmer.

Nope, and Alfred Molina (Doc Ock in Spiderman 2) was interested in playing Lister.

Craig Charles came on board because he was a kind-of beat poet at the time - doing the UK version of Saturday Night Live (and Wogan ), and he got sent a copy of the script asking if he could tell them if he thought Cat was in any way racist.

He said no, then asked who was playing Lister.

I can't see Alan Rickman as Rimmer.

It has nothing to do with the roles he's played, but I agree that I can't picture him as Rimmer. Holly, on the other hand, could have been interesting...

I actually can see Rickman as Rimmer. He just kinda has that Rimmer look about him. Actually what would be kinda interesting would be Ian Holm as Holly (male head) or Nicole Kidman as Holly (female head). Sir Holm could play him as a slightly befuddled elder statesman english gentleman while Nicole would be able to do some wild thigns with the role. Not sure who else to get though.

The Red Dwarf regulars (apart from Holly & Kryten) have been recast has been in the American pilots. Is one of them going to be an extra on one of the DVDs?

The rights to the US pilots are probably not owned by the production company, the BBC, Rob Grant or anyone else involved in the UK version, so it's highly unlikely.

As an aside, went to see Norman Lovett last week doing a stand-up slot in a comedy evening. Bizarre, very funny, and he coped brilliantly when the microphone failed. Twice.

If you get chance, go and see him.

Now that Star Wars:Revenge of the Sith is out of the way, is there a chance we will see any Red Dwarf movie on the horizon.

From http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/

As many will know, the recent Dimension Jump weekend included a statement by Doug Naylor. This open letter, which has sent pleasing shockwaves across the fan community, was read in absentia by GNP's Andrew Ellard - and now we can make it available exclusively at reddwarf.co.uk. The full, original content follows.



Hi everyone,

I'd really like to say how truly sorry I am not to be with you this weekend but sadly I can't. The truth is I'm absolutely thrilled, I couldn't be happier - and not because I won't have to eat the Moat House fried breakfast, but because American funders are flying into the UK today to continue discussions we began at the Cannes Film Festival to fund the Red Dwarf movie. I fully expect that in a matter of a few days, maybe a couple of weeks, Red Dwarf the Movie finally will be green lit, and by early August I expect to be deep into pre-production in Australia.

It's taken an age, I know, but I'm sure in the end, the struggle will be worth it. When I first embarked on this little adventure I was assured that a film company had guaranteed to put £10 million pounds into the movie which was then budgeted at £15 million. It's now a bit under that. Within seconds of me finishing the script, something that took nine months, the company's share price went through the floor and so did their money.

We started again. A tax incentive EIS scheme was drawn up, something which took almost a year and cost legal fees into six figures. Contracts were signed, and then at the last minute the founders got cold feet and the scheme never happened. Our production team - which included Pat Carr who worked on Empire Strikes Back and two Indiana Jones movies and Alan Cameron, production designer of both Mummy movies and most recently Van Helsing - had to be disbanded.

We started again. I visited Germany, Austria, Spain, I talked to people in Canada, France, Italy and New Zealand in the search for a home for the movie because the UK studios were full of American films and we could no longer afford to shoot there. Three years ago, two weeks before Christmas, I shook hands with a man who promised we would be in pre-production two weeks into the New Year. He was the Managing Director of the company and there seemed to be no stopping us. A few weeks into the New Year he called and said he'd spoken to his number two and they'd decided not to invest in the film. 'But I thought you were the Boss?' I said. 'I am but I have to do what my number two says,' he replied.

A while after this we found a distributor - the guys who sell the movie around the world. They loved the project, they put the budget up, sold the film to Russia, Thailand, Australia, and Japan. Then their CEO left and the new guys came in. One of the new guys was the guy who'd had to do what his number two said. For the second time he shot us down in flames, slashing the budget from 13 million to somewhere below six. The film couldn't be made for six. We started again.

We joined a UK funding body that was going to fund a whole slate of UK films - there was lots of press coverage, we were to be first out of the traps - a year later, despite representing most of the top UK Film Producers, they hadn't raised a cent. We discovered later, that when they talked to investors, they hadn't even told them what the projects were - none of the investors even knew one of the movies they were being asked to invest in was Red Dwarf. They didn't think it would make any difference!

Then one day we got a call from a guy who represented WETA, the guys who made Lord of the Rings, they wondered if they could do the special effects for the Red Dwarf movie. I said I doubted we could afford them. They said they were fans and would love to work on the project and could cut us a deal. For a time we talked about shooting in New Zealand in the Weta studios, because Peter Jackson was planning on taking a break after Return of the King. For a few short days it all looked good, then Peter decided not to take his sabbatical and go straight onto King Kong and another plan hit the dust.

The Weta guys wished us well and recommended I check out Australia. I did - for almost two months, checking out locations, VFX houses, putting together yet another production team. Everything looked good apart from the fact we still didn't have the money in place. But it was coming. Another funder had shown us he had money and was happy to invest.

Then I got a call from the UK. An Australian guy had called the GNP office, he had sixty million pounds to invest in movies and he wondered if we were funded yet. He said he'd just withdrawn from a Will Smith film and his money was freed up and he was a huge Red Dwarf fan. How much did I need? The whole 60 million or would something less be okay? I said, 'We could do something amazing for 20 million, maybe less. But, let me think about it because maybe 60 million was the way to go'. I thought about it. It took 3 nanoseconds. Yes, 60 million was indeed the way to go.

He asked if we could meet. I said, 'Sure, how about tomorrow?' He said he was based in Melbourne and would fly up to see me in Queensland. Everything was set. Just before he put down the phone he asked if I could I pay his airfare and could he sleep in my apartment and incidentally he was the Duke of Manchester.

Now, I come from Manchester, and I've never heard of the Duke of Manchester. Especially one who lives in Melbourne. I sarcastically called the GNP office and thanked them profusely for putting me in touch with his Dukeness. 'Thanks, guys,' I said, 'thank you so much. Incidentally, if Napoleon Boneparte calls put him straight through to my mobile.' Ten minutes later they called back. 'There is a Duke of Manchester and his family moved to Melbourne at the start of the 20th century.'

We called the Duke back and asked for proof of his money in a very respectful way, of course. We asked if, maybe, we could speak to his bank manager. He said his bank manager was a really busy guy and he wasn't sure if he'd have time. We said, 'If you've got 60 million we reckon you're probably one of his favourite customers, aren't you? Certainly in the top five. We're sure he'll do anything to help you.' The Duke didn't sound so sure. Instead he suggested he send us a statement of his bank account. He faxed it through to us.

Slowly, it came out of the fax machine, inch by agonising inch. We looked. It said in his account was the sum of 100 million US dollars. 100 big ones. Completely faked of course. He was not the Duke of Manchester and he did not have 60 million pounds. He even tried one last attempt to convince us by saying he could get one of Australia's most famous actresses to vouch for him. We called her. A woman's voice, which sounded as if she had a clothes peg on her nose. 'I've got such a bad cold', she insisted, 'but I really am the famous actress.'

Older and wiser we started again.

Six months later once again it looked like we were funded using a tax incentive scheme but then overnight the Government changed the law. People have come and gone. At one point I got a rejection letter from Film on Four - then they went bust and all the Film on Four people lost their jobs. Then almost a year later, the person who had sent the rejection letter was put forward by our Australian co-partners, as a possible co-producer. Suddenly, she loved the script! Go figure.

Now she's gone too, so have our original Australian contacts. The film has been rejected by many, many people, they usually say they think it's really funny but isn't what they're looking for right now, or ask us to recast the leads. BBC Films, the same BBC who rejected the original TV script three times, have rejected the film script twice, two versions - how much money has Red Dwarf made them? They said it wasn't what they were looking for. Don't they like hit movies?

It's been rejected three times by the British Film Council. My favourite reason was when they told one of the Producers that they thought Red Dwarf the Movie was 'too commercial.' Let me repeat that - they rejected it because they thought it was too commercial. 'You'll get it made anyway you don't need our help,' they said. This from the people who brought you Sex Lives of the Potato Men, which they put nearly a million quid into, and that movie where the kid farts his way to the moon. Why did they put money into that? Maybe the readers' remarks simply said 'Fart Film' and they misread it and thought it said 'Art' Film.

'We're not in the business', they said, 'of helping people turn highly successful TV series into successful feature films.' And on and on it's gone. Countless rewrites, countless storyboards and screen tests, countless meetings with distributors and VFX companies and banks. Only last month I found myself negotiating with the Australian government to work out the qualifying Australian expenditure on the budget's tax offset to help raise ten percent of the budget and then a week later explaining the deal to a group of bankers. That isn't a typo.

But now we're closer than we've ever been, ever. We really, really are.

Now, I'd like to answer a list of fiendishly difficult questions that Andrew Ellard has compiled from emails he claims have been sent in to the website but quite honestly I think he's just made them up himself.

Question No. 1 - When is Andrew Ellard going to get his own office with a really nice leather swivelly chair and personal masseuse - surely this is the least you can get him after yet another awesome year from his smoking computer?

Did you guys really send that in? It's hard to believe.


AE: We get these all the time he never believes me. Same with all the fan letters asking that I get a pay-rise. He thinks I write them.

Question No. 2 - Is there going to be a film?

You bet your ass there will.

Question No. 3 - Red Dwarf's a big hit and makes loads of money, so how come you're not just using the millions in the Grant Naylor bank account to make the film?

Only a relatively small percentage of what Red Dwarf generates goes to the production company. Take a DVD. WH Smiths or whoever the shop is gets about half, then there's manufacturing costs and distribution costs and marketing. And then there's the BBC, they take a massive chunk, and then there's the cast, who get too much, and the writers, who don't get enough, and the director, producer, etc. etc. If Grant Naylor had £14 million lying around in its bank account, believe me the movie would have been made by now and I'd be drinking a pina colada in the Bedford Moat House with you guys talking about plans for movie number two.

Question No. 4 - Who's starring in the film if there is one?

The British cast, smeghead!

Five years ago a huge American film company, who are a household name, wanted to make the Red Dwarf movie and were prepared to put the money up so long as I agreed to an all-star American cast. For some insane reason I said, 'No.' I said we had to use the British cast. They said, 'How about a compromise? What about using British movie stars instead?' I laughed and said, 'Like who?' This is true. I swear this is true. They said, 'How about... Hugh Grant? He could be Lister. And what's Emma Thompson doing these days? She could be Kochanski.' I thanked them for their time and ran from the building.

Question No 5 - What's the film going to show me that I haven't seen before in the TV series?

Well, if it takes much longer Craig Charles in William Shatner's old corset and a Kryten with a zimmer frame! The truth is it will be a combination of the character comedy that is Red Dwarf's main strength and some big set pieces that will be funny and spectacular.

Question No 6 - How come you're filming in Australia?

We can't afford to shoot the movie in the UK and get the same production values that we will be able to get in Oz. Remember both The Matrix and the last Star Wars were made in Oz. Most Brit movies are shot on location in the UK and can't afford the expense of months of studio hire. Movies like Harry Potter aren't British movies, they're American movies, funded by American studios, with Brit actors in them, so they can afford to shoot in the UK studios because they're funded by the US. Red Dwarf is science fiction, so we need to build many of the sets, and therefore need several studios. That is much more affordable in Australia, plus they have locations out there which are very spectacular.

Question No 7 - We hate CGI, sort of. Well, except Gollum, obviously. So will you be doing the special effects with good old wobbly models instead?

We will be using both miniatures and CGI as most feature films do these days. Models for close-up and CG for backgrounds and less detailed stuff.

Question No 8 - The film's taking forever - have you considered going back to the TV series?

I'd love to go back to the TV series, but the movie wouldn't have got to the stage it has without my fulltime, or nearly-fulltime, commitment. Also, we can't accept a commission to do a TV series if we're on the brink of getting the movie off the ground any moment and that's how it's appeared for some time now.

Question No 9 - Why won't you do DVD commentaries?

I didn't know anyone wanted me to!

Question No 10 - Why does Rob Grant refuse to be involved in the DVDs?

He always says he might do them, but then it never happens. I don't really know why.

Question No 11 - Why don't you come to conventions anymore?

Last year I was in Australia trying to get the film off the ground, and this weekend I've told you about.

Well, that's about it. Have a great convention - and I hope I won't see you next year either, because I hope I'll be in Australia in the middle of post-production on Red Dwarf the Movie. But the year after that I'll be there as sure as eggs is hen periods.

Thanks for all your support. Keep smegging.

Best wishes, Doug Naylor.

Sheesh. No wonder it's been taking so long for production to get started.

Question No 8 - The film's taking forever - have you considered going back to the TV series?

And that's exactly what happened.