Thursday, June 30, 2011

SPY REPORT



 Thanks to an anonymous source we are proud to be able to bring you a scene description from Merlin, series IV!

Read below......

Scene with Merlin and Lancelot:
Lancelot: You shouldn't be here, Merlin. You have no powers.
Merlin: (walking nearby, gathering firewood) It doesn't matter.
Lancelot: You're not a warrior, Merlin. I don't want to see you die.
(Some dialogue missing here)
Lancelot: We leave in the morning.

-In another scene Merlin and Lancelot (this time in his Camelot cloak) ride through the woods. Merlin bends over in his saddle looking in pain, and Lancelot offers him something (it seemed to be a drink).
-In yet another scene, Merlin and Lancelot ride together. Merlin was using the last of his energy to tell Lancelot something, before he apparently collapses to the floor, unconscious.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

SFX mag "Saturday Knight Fever" Article Scan

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 A HUGE thank you to x_dragonfly_

Monday, June 27, 2011

'Merlin' Q&A: A chat with Katie McGrath ('Morgana')




Will Morgana be an out-and-out villain in series four?
"You'd like her to be, wouldn't you? I think everyone is waiting for that! It's funny, it was the number one question I used to get asked over the first three series. When is she going to be bad? When is she going to go over to the dark side? It's one of those things, because everybody knows where [the characters are] ending up, they're kind of desperate for you to get there! What I liked about it was that it wasn't going to be so obvious, how she gets there. I would love if people could see Morgana's point of view, that she is a victim of her circumstances. If you had been persecuted by one group of people and accepted by the other, then you're obviously going to side with the ones that accept you and turn against the ones that are persecuting you! That's what happened to her, so when you say she's a villain, I may not exactly agree with you, but I see it from your point of view because, yeah, Merlin's the good guy. Great! So technically yes, Morgana would be his foil. Not necessarily evil, because evil's just a point of view. But for the purposes of the show… this is a really roundabout way of me saying, 'Yeah, she's the villain!' But I'm trying to make my case at the same time. She's the misunderstood bad girl!"

I'm not sure a character can do that many evil smirks and not be a villain…
"There were many different levels to the evil smirks! They weren't all evil, some were maniacal. Sometimes, she was just pleased with herself. There were levels to those, they were difficult!"

Is there a part of you that misses playing the 'good' Morgana?
"No, I love a bad girl! Absolutely. I couldn't wait for her to become like this, because at the same time that she became the bad girl, she became powerful. All her uncertainty goes. In the first series, she was the opinionated, spoiled princess, and then in the second series, she was very unsure of herself. In the third series, she was still playing both sides. So by the time we get to the fourth series, she's got to where ultimately she's going to go. But in typical Merlin fashion, it's not what you expect. It's never what you expect, and in series four, it isn't either. But I like the fact that she is strong and she's accepted who she is. She's assured, and even if you don't agree with her point of view, she's committed to it. She believes that she is doing the right thing and that she is saving people like her. She wants to bring back the old traditions, so she will no longer have to hide. I really respect that in somebody, that she is committed to what she believes. To be that strong and powerful is great, especially when you're a girl. Without being a weak woman and soft, she's still feminine. She's a great woman to play!"

Series four will take place one year after the events of series three. What's changed in that time?
"I think I'm bound to silence! I'm not sure what I can say. Well, Morgana has entirely changed in the year away. She's been out of Camelot, and she's probably been hunted and had to hide who she is. So to go from being such a privileged woman to being a hunted fugitive is going to change her. It's going to make her harder, stronger and more committed. A year has also passed with everyone knowing that she is magical, so that's also going to have changed how everybody else views her and how she views herself. I'm quite lucky. I'm probably completely biased, but I always say that I have the best character in the show. From season to season, I think she's changed the most, and this season is no different. I know that everybody will be shocked by what she does in the first two episodes, and how she looks. It's a complete new image for her. Very cool!"

Morgause appeared to die at the end of series three, so will Emilia Fox be back?
"Yes! Nothing's ever the way it seems!"

And is there any chance of Mordred returning?
"I'd like Mordred to be back. He's such an integral part of the story. I don't know if he's going to be back, because we've only got the first three scripts. But I'd like to think that at some point over the next few years, he'll turn up, because you can't tell the story without him. But again, what's nice about Merlin is that it's never going to be what you expect, so you can't think that you know the legends. Even if you do, the show will trip you up and you'll get a surprise! But I hope he'll be back. Although [Mordred actor] Asa [Butterfield]'s off working with Martin Scorsese! I love it, we're so proud of him! That boy, we've seen him grow!"

With the launch of Merlin: The Dragon Tower and the show's success in America, does it feel like Merlin gets bigger each series?
"It's amazing! I mean, we're at Warwick Castle and they've got a Merlin attraction here! It's the most bizarre thing. If you'd told me three years ago that I'd have my own action figure and that I'd be at the opening of a Merlin ride, I'd laugh in your face. We just found out that the viewing figures in America jumped 30% for the final [episode]. It's 1.8m people! I mean, that's nothing on the 6m-plus that watched it in England, but for that channel, those were some of the highest ratings ever. You're in a bubble when you're filming. You're doing a show about magic, you're in Cardiff and you're in this old world. But I did in a film in Romania, and I used to get stopped all the time in Romania! I don't get stopped in England, but apparently in Romania, they all know who I am! It's just the most bizarre thing. Colin [Morgan] said he was on holiday once in this tiny village in Northern Italy, and this guy comes up to him and goes, 'Hey! Merlino!' So yeah, it does feel like every year it gets bigger. And we get better at it."

Has fan reaction to you changed since Morgana went to the dark side?
"I don't get recognized in England. Not at all. Every so often, I get recognized in other countries. But I think because she looks quite different to me, in my boots and jeans, I don't tend to get stopped. I actually quite like that, because I was paranoid that little children would scream at me in the street and throw things at me for trying to kill Merlin! It hasn't happened, so we're all good! Give it time though, you never know!"

What teasers can you give about series four?
"I know we say it every year, but every year it's true. This series is darker. Very much so. It's also much more filmic, because we're actually shooting on 35mm film. I'm not sure how many other TV shows do that. It looks just gorgeous, absolutely wonderful. What else can I say? Another member of Arthur's family comes in, so he becomes a part of it. Obviously my story is slightly separate from everyone else's, because I'm no longer in Camelot."

Do you miss interacting with your fellow cast members?
"I do miss it. I miss hanging out with the guys. I have different types of scenes now. I remember at the end of last year, I figured that I probably wouldn't have that many more scenes with Angel [Coulby] or Bradley [James]. It's a very different feeling now. I won't have been in for a few days, and I'll want to catch up and find out what's been going on! Bradley's now with his merry band of knights, his little football team that he's got going on, so it is very different. But it keeps it fresh and new, because I'm having a completely different experience this year than I have over the past three years.

Tickets for Merlin: The Dragon Tower are available now from www.warwick-castle.com

Full credit goes to the Digital Spy for providing the interview. Thanks!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

'Merlin': Q&A with Nathaniel Parker ('Agravaine')

Digital Spy recently caught up with the actor while he was promoting his new ITV1 drama Injustice and took the opportunity to ask him about his Merlin role!



You've got Merlin coming up - tell us about your character.
"I think mythologically-wise he is Arthur's nephew. It doesn't work with me being Bradley [James]' nephew, so I'm now his uncle. You know what happened at the end of the last series? Morgana, Morgause, a big battle - obviously Camelot won. So we tidy up that and I become a presence at court. Quite a dark and brooding presence."

I like Katie's evil smiles. Do you get to do an evil smile every now and then?
"I do! I wouldn't call myself evil - in fact, we're not allowed to use the word evil - but I would call myself misunderstood. Only by Arthur. Actually, after 20 minutes you know exactly that [my character is] a baddie, but you're not allowed to say it too much, and obviously Arthur doesn't know. It's only Merlin and Gaius who really suspect, and really only Gaius at the beginning as well. That's great fun. Working with Richard [Wilson] is a treat, and Colin [Morgan]. Well, all of them, obviously. But Colin's a sweetheart."

Do you enjoy playing a villain?
"Love it, love it. I said when I started, 'Should I be Alan Rickman?' And they went, 'Ooh, nothing as big and broad as that'. Little did they know my baroque history of my baddie-playing! I do, I love it. It's good fun. I like playing good guys too. I like playing the bad guys to make them good."

Will you be in every episode?
"Yes, I believe so. I'll be there for the series, maybe more. I don't know if they're making another series - every year they say they might, they might not."

This series has been extended from the original ten episodes, hasn't it?
"13 episodes [now]! It's quite a long time."

But people love it.
"Quite rightly. I know a lot of people who love their Saturday evenings with that."

What's your character's relationship like with Arthur?
"He's avuncular. He tries to give him the best advice he possibly can. The truth is, he would run Camelot in a very different way if he had a chance. It's not that he dislikes Camelot, he'd just run it in a very different way. It's sort of the old guard - Arthur's so much the new guard - the old guard coming in. With some strength, I think. I think he's definitely a force to be reckoned with."

Did you enjoy filming at the castle in France?
"It's an amazing place. Great fun. Cantering up those cobbled steps into the gates, good fun. I love it. I love all that dressing up and playing around. We do quite a lot in Cardiff in a warehouse there and then in the Forest of Dean. It's a laugh, actually. It's quite extraordinary. I wish it was real! Somehow Merlin sometimes makes things look like a set - it's not! Actually we almost always use real things for exteriors."

Were you a fan of the show before?
"Yeah, I was. I watched all three series. My daughters love it, so I watched it with them."

How did they react when they heard you'd be in the show?
"So thrilled. When I got it I was absolutely over the moon because I knew they'd be able to watch it and they'd love it. This [Injustice] is harder for them to watch - I've got a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old so I'm not sure I'd recommend the 12-year-old to see this. Or the 14-year-old! But that, yeah, love it."

You've been in Stardust and Narnia - is the fantasy genre something you're interested in?
"Yes. Clive Barker was an old chum, who wrote Books of Blood and the Hellraiser movies and things like that. He was a colleague of my brother's - they worked together on fringe theatre for a while. I did used to like fantasy. It's not something I've grown out of - I enjoy it still. I'm not a fan of any one particular genre, but I think getting people out of their shells and doing something magic is always a top thing to do."

The fourth series of Merlin is currently filming in the UK and France. Nathaniel can next be seen in Injustice, starting this Monday at 9pm on ITV1.

Thanks to Digital Spy!

Angel Coulby ('Guinevere') teases fourth series

Merlin star Angel Coulby has revealed new details about the upcoming fourth series.



At the launch of new Warwick Castle attraction Merlin: The Dragon Tower, the actress told DS that her character Gwen will have a "changed" role in future episodes.

"She's obviously no longer Morgana's maid servant, but she's been looking after the King," explained Coulby. "That's what she's been doing in the year that Morgana's been away."

She also suggested that Gwen's relationship with Arthur (Bradley James) will become more open in the new run.

"I think you can say that… it probably will be," she said. "You see that happen at the end of series three. You seem them embrace and kiss in public, so I think Gwen certainly hopes that they're moving in that direction."

Coulby also confirmed that the character of Lancelot will return in the new series, despite actor Santiago Cabrera's new role in Fox pilot Alcatraz.

"Lancelot does come back,"
she insisted. "I don't know how long he'll be around for, but he definitely comes back! I don't know what's happening with him and Gwen. I think at the moment she's focused on Arthur. He's there for her and Lancelot keeps disappearing!"

Special Thanks to Digital Spy for the interview!

Colin Morgan ('Merlin') interview


CultBox caught up with actor Colin Morgan, who plays the fantasy drama’s titular hero, to find out more...
Can you tell us a bit about the Merlin: The Dragon Tower attraction at Warwick Castle?
“I’ve been at Warwick Castle for the first time this morning actually, I’m absolutely blown away by the place. It’s just got so much going on there. I was there to get a waxwork figure of myself made in character as Merlin, which is going to be living up at the castle. It’s being made by the team from Madame Tussauds, so I had several hours of doing that this morning.
“Then I got the chance to hold some birds of prey and a giant eagle. It just feels like the right place for the UK’s first ever Merlin attraction, it makes sense to have it as the home of the great dragon.
“Visitors are going to get the chance to interact with the sets from Merlin, they’re recreating Gaius’s chamber and you cast spells in there, then you actually can come face to face with the great dragon himself. It’s hugely exciting for myself to be working on the show for so long and now visitors will get a chance to experience it all for themselves. It opens on April 16th.”
Have you begun filming the new series yet?
“Yes, we’ve just started last week on the fourth series. It feels like, coming into the fourth series, the show’s really taken its place in people’s hearts.”
Since you finished filming Series 3, what did you miss most and what did you miss least about filming the show?
“I did a play at the Royal Court Theatre in-between, so that was a great chance to do something completely different. I think one of the key things in any profession is to keep doing new things. So yeah, exercising that muscle was brilliant, but I did miss working on the show.
“We’ve got some fantastic storylines coming up on the fourth series; we’ve just got scripts for the first three episodes through and it’s hugely exciting.
“I guess one of the things I haven’t missed is the wet Welsh weather! We’ve been lucky so far, but once we start going out on location and do some night shoots, I’m hoping we don’t get the usual torrential rain like we did last year!”
Merlin's executive producer Johnny Capps has stated that the Knights of the Round Table will feature heavily in Series 4, are you excited about these storylines?
“Yeah, I think it’s fantastic. The basis of the story that we’re working on is so strongly established in legend, so it’s great to see these icons coming through. The show has always been about taking the legends and showing them in a different and unexpected way.
“But there are elemental icons in the Arthurian legend and when those images are created on screen, like we saw at the end of the third series with the round table and the knights and Excalibur and the lady of the lake... These are things that have worked for centuries, so the fact that those elements are very much part of the series is exciting.”
Can you give us any hints about what’s coming up for Merlin?
“There’s huge changes for Merlin in Series 4. I’m not sure how much I can say as we’ve literally only just got the scripts! But I think it’s clear that Camelot is heading in a new direction and the characters’ arcs are starting to take their place.”
Would you like to see Arthur finding out about Merlin's magic?
“It’d be a huge thing. It wouldn’t just be Arthur finding out about it; it’d be Merlin’s whole world collapsing. I think Arthur’s general attitude to Merlin wouldn’t change too much, but we’ve been working on the story for so long, so I think the storyline would be taken from a political point of view. I don’t think it’ll happen quickly and it won’t be resolved quickly. It’ll be a really interesting avenue to explore.”
Would you like to see more of Merlin’s family in the show?
“I think a big part of what works about Merlin is that his past is quite ambiguous and he doesn’t know very much about it himself. But it’d be great if there were some mysteries to uncover there.”
With a full 13 episodes for Series 4 (following initial talks of just 10 episodes) and the Warwick Castle attraction opening soon, it looks like the BBC are really committed to the show. How long can you imagine it continuing for and how long would you like to stay involved for?
“I think for as long as it works and people are still exciting about it. I’m genuinely intrigued by where these characters are going, where I can take it as an actor and where the writers can develop. It’s so exciting what’s been created for the fourth series so far and the massive steps that are being taken in terms of the storylines.
“Whenever I meet fans of the show, they’re never just a casual fan, they always really, really like Merlin. I think the show is entertaining people in a lot of ways, in different countries and in different languages. I think that’s a fantastic thing to be involved with.”
Series 4 will include the show’s 50th episode. Are there any special plans for this episode?
“I don’t know actually! We get the scripts about three at a time, often not very long before we film them, so I only know what happens in 1, 2 and 3 at the moment.”
Would you like to do a Christmas special?
“Yeah, I’d like to see Camelot covered in snow, that’d be great! If there’s the opportunity for that, I think it’d be fantastic.”
With the second half of Doctor Who’s sixth series being shown on Saturday evenings in September and October, do you know when Series 4 of Merlin is going to air?
“It’ll still be this Autumn, either in September or October this year.”
Tickets for the Merlin: The Dragon Tower attraction are available now from warwick-castle.com.

Merlin Series 4 Set Pictures































Some images are credited to Bruce Cox, others from various unidentified sources.

Rumor Mail


-It's confirmed that series 4 is gonna have 13 episodes.

-It starts with a two-parter written by Julian Jones and directed by Alice Troughton.

-Episode 3 is written by Howard Overman.

-The knights remain around even though some people are surprised with Arthur's choice of knights which brings about some tension.

-Uther is broken so Arthur takes a bit more of control.

-Quite dramatic things await Gwen and Morgana.

-There won't probably be as many comic episodes as in previous seasons.

-There's camaraderie, friendship and respect between the Great Dragon and Merlin, they help each other out.

-Changing the format so Arthur knows about Merlin's magic would completely change the dynamic of the show and it doesn't sound like a good idea to the producers since to them it was never about Arthur finding out.

Merlin: Casting Magic - Here Comes Arthur's Uncle Agravaine

A trio of names have been added to the cast for Merlin series four, including Phil Davis as a circus master with a secret in episode three and Gemma Jones as The Cailleach, who deals in the worlds of spirits as ti’s gatekeeper.
A more prominent role is in the cards for Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine, Arthur’s uncle as well as a member of the Round Table.

The actor had this to say about his character:

“I think mythologically-wise he is Arthur’s nephew. It doesn’t work with me being Bradley [James]‘ nephew, so I’m now his uncle. You know what happened at the end of the last series? Morgana, Morgause, a big battle – obviously Camelot won. So we tidy up that and I become a presence at court. Quite a dark and brooding presence.”
“I wouldn’t call myself evil, but I would call myself misunderstood. Only by Arthur. Actually, after 20 minutes you know exactly that [I'm playing a] a baddie, but you’re not allowed to say it too much, and obviously Arthur doesn’t know. It’s only Merlin and Gaius who really suspect, and really only Gaius at the beginning as well.”

Shadowlocked.com Exclusive Interview: Anthony Head talks Merlin + his £2000 phone call


Well, while we are here (Merlin launch day), let’s start with this. How’s it all been going?
It’s been going great; very grateful for the production to let me potter over to the other side of the pond; they moved filming dates for me which was great. It’s looking gorgeous, they're now shooting it on a 35 million budget.
Well I think it deserves it considering its success...
Well yes, but these days everything’s shot on digital, thus cutting costs, but I think it loses so much from filming and from acting in general. But yes, I suppose it shows the BBC are 100% behind it, which they should be really. It’s in 183 territories (countries) so it deserves a budget complimentary of this achievement.
They’ve just finished season three in America and, from the viewing figures, they just can’t seem to get enough. On that note, have you been surprised by its success?
Anthony Head as Uther in MerlinErm, I’m always surprised...you always hope, but you just don’t know. From the very start, it had a good vibe about it, but even when I was offered the part I was concerned that it may limit itself to a young audience only; but the fact that it’s got such a wide demographic has really saved it. In fact, it was with NBC for the first year, and they said – on a number of occasions – that they were genuinely surprised by the numbers it got, especially considering it got little to no advertising or promotion, but it didn’t attract the demographic they were actually hoping for.
Well, duh...it got an older demographic instead of a younger one due to the fact that they showed it in the middle of the summer. Thankfully, Syfy saw the potential and picked it up, and they pitched it just right. It’s – well – one of those shows that has a genuine interest across all spectrums of society; it’s a show that the whole family can watch, with all members getting an honest level of enjoyment from it. A show like that is rare these days.
So many parents sit down and watch shows with their children that they have no interest in – to keep them happy – but there are very few shows that everyone can get into.
Marcus: My twin girls are big fans of the series, and when they started watching it so did their mother and I. I totally agree with what you’re saying, it’s like Doctor Who, you can grow up and watch it, regardless of your age. I think it’s very similar to Buffy really...
Well, it’s not the same writing as Buffy, but it’s got the same vibe. It’s humorous, but at the same time it’s capable of both its dark and somewhat surreal moments...
Marcus: Yes, I know – you are very scary sometimes.
Good – *evil smirk* – I’m glad to hear it...means I’m doing things right haha.
Marcus: You play a great Uther, and it’s a tricky character isn’t it? If you looked at Thomas Mannerie’s Uther, and how he gets off on countless maidens, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot more does there?
Yes, traditionally there is not much about the character Uther, other than the fact that he was a bit of a wino and liked to party. Oh, and he may have been partial to the odd woman or two.
And I’m sure, like any good actor, you researched this in depth for the role?
Haha, oh yes, to play a role well you must experience it for yourself. In all seriousness though, there is not a whole lot to research. I went to see a couple of other actors playing kings, but other than that the research element was fairly limited. For me, assessing the character of Uther, the most important aspect of the role was to make sure I understood his mythology and where he was coming from.
Anthony Head in Sold But that’s the point – it was the middle of the dark ages, and he was forever wrestling with his kingdom, holding onto it as best he could; with berserkers on every border. Basically though, he is an old fashioned father, and he’s just holding it together as best he can; whilst in the knowledge that Arthur is going to kick against everything that Uther stood for, and I think that’s what makes it interesting. The fact that he gets it wrong almost everytime – he wasn’t wrong about Mordred though – well that’s just a shame...

Read the full interview here

Merlin Series 4 Sneak Peek Photos!














Source: http://www.spoilertv.com