The Sony And Aardman Slate

Variety have a list of the Aardman projects in development under the new deal with Sony, and they make for pretty exciting reading.

In escalating order of excitement then:

4) Peter Lord's Pirates, from Gideon Dafoe's books. Lord might be an Aardman pioneer, and a great director of animation, but he's not the best with camera, montage, story design. Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil are penning the script, which ensures a certain solidity to the end result, anyway.

3) The Cat Burglars from Steve Box. The screenwriters this time are Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh. Yep - the Life on Mars guys. Might be an odd choice for a claymation film about rascally cats? Who knows. This is described as 'family friendly Tarantino' - whatever that might end up meaning.

2) Peter Baynham's Operation Rudolph. Santa's gift giving endeavours portrayed as a military operation. Baynham is very funny, and with the right director this will be incredible.

1) Nick Park's next. Details are non-existent, with only one piece of negative information: It is NOT a new Wallace and Gromit film. Sure - that's what its not, but what is it?

Park has apparently been developing more Wallace and Gromit and it seems odd that this isn't it. The most likely reason, I think, is that he's planning a short for them, not a feature. BBC involvement had been rumoured, so that might be just what is going on. Another Bank Holiday special?

I'm very disappointed to see no Richard Goleszowski project in the line up. Boo. I'm hoping he's teaming with Baynham on the Christmas film. That might knock Park off the top of the tree.

Ashes To Ashes Is Now Official

I didn't see last night's last-ever Life on Mars (last ever, that is, until the US remake runs into four seasons at least) and indeed, I haven't seen a single episode but I was picking up a strong Vanilla Sky vibe from the 'clue sheet' in last week's Radio Times. Vanilla Sky with The Sweeney instead of old Bob Dylan record covers.

Of course - spoiler alert - I was absolutely correct and the finale walked a very familiar path by all accounts.

The BBC have now officially announced the sequel, Ashes to Ashes, that was rumoured for quite some time. Here's their description, in it's entirety:

DCI Gene Hunt is back but he's no longer the self-styled "Sheriff of Manchester".

Flanked by his faithful sidekicks, Ray Carling and Chris Skelton, and drawn to the action and intrigue of the London Met, Gene turns his attentions to taking on the "southern nancy" criminal scum.

However, Gene does not expect to be thrown together with sexy, intelligent, DCI Alex Drake.

Single mother to daughter Molly, Alex has rapidly risen through the ranks of the Met and, in the modern world of 2008, skilfully uses psychological profiling to capture suspects.

When Alex and her daughter are kidnapped she makes a daring attempt at escape, resulting in a horrific accident.

Alex suddenly finds herself in 1981 interacting with familiar characters, not just from her own life-time, but also from the detailed reports logged by none other than Sam Tyler, which Alex has previously spent months pouring over.

Alex is ripped from her current world of sexual equality and respect in 2008 and finds herself opposite an arrogant fellow DCI in a Two Tone, New Romantic Eighties London with a soundtrack of Adam Ant, Roxy Music and The Human League ringing in her ears.

Alex finds some of Gene's team has dispersed yet others, loyal as ever, are still in tow.

Now a technological whizz-kid in the squad's surveillance team, DC Chris Skelton has clearly moved with the times, along with a tight-permed DS Ray Carling who's keen to experience London's nightlife.

Frustrated by each other's stubbornness, the friction between Alex and Gene heats up. However, as the two titans collide, it becomes apparent there is more than just a professional tension emerging.

The series' executive producer promises "a touch of Moonlighting teamed with a measure of Miami Vice".

Alex is yet to be cast. Any suggestions?

Interesting to see they've basically decided to simply restart the whole 'am I nuts, in a coma or back in time?' plot all over again. Of course, this time round the viewer will have all sorts of info the characters won't. Interesting, sure, but I think series creator Matthew Graham owes both Alejandro Amenebar and Cameron Crowe some sincere thanks.