Slice of SciFi News Briefs

“Battlestar Galactica” executive producer Ronald D. Moore told trekweb.com his feelings about Abrams’ new Trek film:

“I’ve been following the news about the new Trek movie with great interest. It’s really fun to be a fan again, wondering and waiting to see what’s going to happen with the characters. I’ve been trying hard to stay away from spoilers — but I have to admit that I did peek at the spy photos of the extras and cast leaving the soundstages you posted on TrekWeb! All I can say is that I’m really happy that the franchise is in the hands of J.J. and Damon and that I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with it. I’ve said for several years that Trek really needed to go back to the beginning and start over and I’m excited to see that’s the road they’ve chosen to take.”

Speaking of J.J. Abrams — Check out the latest “Cloverfield 01-18-08 trailer HERE.

“Alias” star Jennifer Garner is in negotiations to star opposite British comic Ricky Gervais in the SF comedy “This Side of the Truth.” The alternate world plot centers on a world where lying doesn’t exist. Gervais plays an ordinary guy who learns how to lie and uses his skills to win over a beautiful woman (Garner) who would normally be way out of his league.

An ancient flood some say could be the origin of the story of Noah’s Ark may have helped the spread of agriculture in Europe 8,300 years ago by scattering the continent’s earliest farmers, researchers said this past weekend. Using radiocarbon dating and archaeological evidence, a British team showed the collapse of the North American ice sheet, which raised global sea levels by as much as 1.4 meters, displaced tens of thousands of people in southeastern Europe who carried farming skills to their new homes.

“Galaxy Quest” director Dean Parisot is in final negotiations to shoot the supernatural action comedy “Weekend Warrior,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Warner Bros. project, said to be in the tone of “Ghostbusters,” follows a high school teacher and armchair home repair enthusiast who unwittingly becomes a superhero. Parisot also directed the Jim Carrey comedy “Fun With Dick and Jane,” as well as episodes of “Monk,” “The Tick” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

In a recent interview with The Daily Record, the legendary actor George Takei had some candid statements about the actor (John Cho) who will portray his iconic role of Sulu in the next J.J. Abrams film and also had a few words about his relationship with William Shatner.

About Cho — “I was 27 when I first did Sulu but John, who is meant to play a younger Sulu, is 35 so there will be pressure there on his acting prowess.”

To read George’s full comments and his response to other questions posed to him go HERE.

Hayden Panettiere and Kristen Bell preview their electric on-screen “Heroes” meeting in the new TV Guide. Plus: Why they won’t carpool to work anymore.