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WIRE Buzz: NBC decodes Robert Langdon pilot; Sonic speeds toward the Super Bowl; more

By Josh Weiss
Tom Hanks Felicity Jones Inferno

Dan Brown's famous symbologist, Robert Langdon, is coming to the small screen. SYFY WIRE has confirmed that NBC placed a pilot order for a TV show based around the main character of Brown's best-selling novels like Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code.

Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie (MTV's Scream, ABC's Revenge, NBC's The Event) are writing the script and executive producing the CBS Television Studios, Universal Television, and Imagine TV co-production.

Brown is executive producing the project, which is currently titled Langdon and based on the third book in the series, The Lost Symbol. The plot will follow the Harvard professor's early adventures (à la The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles) as he solves "a series of deadly puzzles to save his kidnapped mentor and thwart a global conspiracy."

By the way, that pretty much sounds like the premise of every Robert Langdon-centric novel. Each book in the series takes a deep dive into history and/or religion before pulling the rug out from beneath the reader with some sort of big twist — some of them sci-fi in nature. Armed only with his wits and Mickey Mouse watch, Robert must decode ancient imagery and artwork in order to solve murders and uncover dastardly plots.

Aside from Angels & Demons The Da Vinci Code, and The Lost Symbol, Langdon also appeared in two other sequels, Inferno and Origin. Tom Hanks played the character in director Ron Howard's live-action film adaptations of Angels, Da Vinci, and Inferno.

Howard, Brian Grazer, Anna Culp, and Samie Falvey will also produce the potential TV show.


You can't have a major sporting event without including the fastest creature in the known universe: Sonic the Hedgehog.

In a new Super Bowl spot from Paramount Pictures, famous athletes like Christian McCaffrey and Allyson Felix talk about a mysterious individual who inspired their various careers. Of course, that enigmatic person turns out to be the blue-quilled SEGA mascot, who is voiced by comedian Ben Schwartz in the upcoming live-action movie from Jeff Fowler.

Take a look at the Big Game ad below:

The Sonic movie also stars James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Neal McDonough, Adam Pally and Jim Carrey. In one of his biggest film roles in recent memory, Carrey plays the titular hero's biggest enemy, Dr. Ivo Robotnik. His surprise attack on one of his hench-people in the video above proves that Stanley Ipkiss was the perfect person to cast in the role.

Sonic the Hedgehog speeds into theaters everywhere on Friday, Feb. 14.


Jon Favreau's remake of The Lion King roared with pride last night during the Visual Effects Society Awards.

The photorealistic re-imagining of the 1994 Disney classic pounced on three major wins for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature; Outstanding Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature (the Pridelands); and Outstanding Virtual Cinematography in a CG Project.

The Lion King Simba Timon and Pumbaa

Disney's Star Wars universe took home two awards, one for Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature (The Rise of Skywalker) and one for Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature (Rise of the Resistance).

Laika's Missing Link tracked down two victories as well: Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature and Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature.

In the realm of television, Stranger Things 3 and Game of Thrones came away with a pair of prizes, too.

Netflix nabbed Outstanding Animated Character in an Episode or Real-Time Project (Tom/Bruce Monster) and Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project (Melting Tom/Bruce).

The streaming giant was also recognized for Outstanding Special (Practical) Effects in a Photoreal or Animated Project, thanks to Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

HBO's fantasy series, on the other hand, got Outstanding Compositing in an Episode ("The Long Night"; Dragon Ground Battle) and Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project ("The Iron Throne"; Red Keep Plaza).

Disney+ secured its first-ever awards recognition for Favreau's The Mandalorian. The live-action Star Wars series won Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project ("The Sin"; The Razorcrest) and Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode ("The Child").

Baby Yoda The Mandalorian

Other winners include: Frozen II (Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature); Toy Story 4 (Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature); and Alita: Battle Angel (Outstanding Animated Character in a Photoreal Feature).

Interestingly, Avengers: Endgame didn't win a single award.

For the full list of this year's winners, click here.