Torchwood Series 4 Title and Info Revealed! Plus some News regarding the Return of James Marsters

Torchwood creator and showrunner Russell T Davies and executive producer Julie Gardner provided some fresh information regarding the upcoming series 4 of Torchwood this past Saturday (August 7).

For starters, Zap 2 It reports that the title of series 4 is Torchwood: The New World. The website is right to report that the title does give the series somewhat of a ''Pocahontas'' feel when you hear it. Not sure I like the title for now. Hope it'll grow on me or that they will change it.

Now on to more news.

Davies reveals that the new Torchwood storyline ''is something that's been ticking away in the back of my head for a long while," following the success of Torchwood: Children of Earth - which sort of took Davies by surprise.

Of the new, overarching 10-part storyline, Davies says that it :

[...] has this global sweep to it which is justified by the story. I hate to say 'international in scope' because it usually means a scene set in Berlin for no reason.

The show's creator and showrunner also confirmed that most of the series will take place in the US and abroad but that it will also return to it's Welsh roots. Executive producer Julie Gardner says that :

The Welsh setting still features in a really significant way as we move forwards so when we start filming in January, we will start filming in Wales. There will be beautiful landscapes. Gwen Cooper is still that character. She's still Welsh. Her story will take place in the U.S. but also very much in the UK, so that flavor of Wales will be very apparent.

Davies reveals that the storyline will take place right after the events of Torchwood: Children of Earth, and that it will deal with Captain Jack Harkness' (John Barrowman) state of mind after the tragic events that took place in the last series which saw the death of his lover, Ianto Jones, and Captain Jack's ultimate sacrifice of his grand-son in order to save all of Earth's children.

Torchwood: The New World will also see the return of Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) as well as that of her husband Rhys Williams (Kay Owen) and their baby (Gwen learned she was pregnant during the events of Children of Earth). We will also see the introduction of new character Rex Matheson, a CIA agent, who as yet to be cast. Of Matheson, Davies says that:

Rex has no idea what Torchwood is and has to investigate. Torchwood has been destroyed. It's like a legend now, it's almost ceased to exist a long time ago and is spoken only of in whispers. We also have a watch analyst at the CIA called Esther. The two of them become embroiled in the Torchwood legend and investigate what Torchwood is or was and they find themselves on the run and meeting Captain Jack and Gwen, having to decide whether they're friends, whether they're enemies. It's a decision that takes a long time to be decided. That's part of the 10 episodes is the two teams coming together, a lot of sparks, a lot of excitement.

To my chagrin, however, Russell T Davies confirmed that we wont see Captain John Hart (James Marsters) when Torchwood returns, but he is keeping the door open for the character to return in future series. I had mentioned here that James Marsters was very keen on coming back to Torchwood. Let's hope it WILL happen in the near future.

As a bonus, the showrunner confirmed that since the series is on Starz - a premium cable channel that doesn't shy away from nudity or the occasional sex scene (you have to see Spartacus if you haven't yet. Not only is it a wonderful series but it contains a lot of nudity and sex) - there could be the occasional nude sex scene but only if the story demands it. In Davies' words: ''There's nothing worse than a great big global international thriller that stops for a sex scene. Get on with it please.''

Also, there is some good news for the international fans of the show: When the series will air both in the UK and the US, the scheduling will be very close on both side of the pond. All I can add to this is hooray!! There's nothing worse, in my opinion, than delays between airings of a popular series in different countries.

Torchwood: The New World will begin filming in Wales in January 2011, and the series is set to air on Starz in the summer.

[Zap2It]

So, what do you think of the Torchwood series 4 title and where do you think the series is heading? Good or bad? To early to tell? Chime in!

James Marsters Plans to Return to Torchwood!

Speaking recently to Io9, actor James Marsters - best known as the awesome vampire Spike on both Buffy and Angel but most recently as Brainiac on Smallville and Barnabas Greeley on Caprica - mentions his desire to return to Torchwood for the upcoming fourth series especially now that it will mostly be filmed in the US.

Marsters reveals his plans to get Russel T Davies to get him in Torchwood and says that:

If he doesn't call me, then I am going to find him. I will tickle him until he bleeds.

[Io9]

His words ladies and gentlemen, not mine. I can only say that I will, of course, support him 100% of the way in his endeavour. After all,  Torchwood needs Captain John Hart to return if only to see him aggravate John Barrowman's Captain Jack Harkness again and maybe repeat that famous kiss. Just saying.

Anyone else keen to see James Marsters' Captain John Hart return to the series?

Torchwood is set to begin filming in early 2011. It is written by showrunner Russell T Davies and co-produced by the BBC and Starz.

James Marsters Still Wants to Play Spike

James Marsters is better known for his role as the sexy bleached-haired vampire Spike from a little TV show called Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Yes, there were shows about Vampires before Twilight ever existed you know. But I digress.

He also had a recurring role in Torchwood's second series as Captain John Hart (he even got to exchange saliva with Captain Jack Harkness on the show). He was also on Smallville as Professor Milton Fine a.k.a Brainiac and we saw him just recently as Barnabas Greeley on Caprica.

Marsters is now currently in Melbourne Australia to attend the Supanova Pop Culture Expo at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds from Friday April 16 until Sunday April 18.

When asked by The Herald Sun about his most famous role and whether he would like to return to it, despite being 48 (I knowwwww!! How does that man do it I can't say. But boy does he look hot!) this is the exchange that went on:

Five years ago, when everyone was asking whether there would be some kind of Buffy comeback, you told the Herald Sun that you only had a couple of years before you’d be too old to play Spike. Has that window of time passed?

No, you know, I’m holding up better than I thought I was (laughs). I’ve discovered wheat-grass and stretching! I dunno. It’d have to all come down to a camera-test, and is there a way to light the character so that he’ll be pretty much the same? I think it’d be possible, but it would be hard to tell without a real camera-test. I don’t want to play an ageing Spike. If we could really fool the audience into thinking I haven’t aged a day, that would be cool. But we’d need a lot of duct tape. Just kidding, I look gorgeous. [Herald Sun]

A Spike tv movie was buzzed about for a few years after Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its run in 2003 but nothing came to pass.

Would you still like to see a Spike TV movie? Do you think it's too late for it?