There have been many attempts to marry the TV and gaming worlds with interactive features that encourage viewers to immerse fully in a fantasy universe.  Most don’t take.  But the Syfy channel and game developer Trion Worlds are betting big — like a reported $100 million big — that their collaboration of science fiction TV show and first person shooter MMO will turn out to be a hit.

Defiance is set a mere 33 years in the future, where humans now live side by side with a number of alien races.  The world looks exceptionally different than it does now, with alien technology augmenting our science, and something called the “Pale Wars” destroying much of the planet.  St. Louis, it turns out, is one of the only refuges of civilization left, but those within its gated walls still have plenty to fear.  Hit the jump for more on this new series, and whether it’s worth a watch.

Hey gang: Who’s up for another Dane Cook departure into serious acting? Well, you’re getting one anyway. The trailer for Answers To Nothing, the popular comic’s latest venture outside Good Luck Chuck territory, has been released. Set in Los Angeles, the film is a sombre ensemble drama about an unrelated (or so you think!) array of people “trying to do the right thing.” Cook plays a man conflicted about cheating on his wife with a cool rocker chick, while the search for a missing child and a seemingly very distraught beat cop also factor into things. Based on the trailer, it comes off a bit like a darker, less cohesive Crash.

Directed and co-written by Matthew Leutwyler (Dead and Breakfast, or more recently The River Why), the pic features a solid group of mostly TV thesps, including Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) as Cook’s wife, Barbara Hershey (Black Swan) as Cook’s mother, Julie Benz (Dexter) as a police detective, and Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights) as someone who doesn’t appear to be in the trailer. Distributed by Roadside Attractions, Answers to Nothing will begin a limited theatrical run on December 2. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

The new ABC television series No Ordinary Family follows the Powell family and their journey from ordinary to extraordinary. After 16 years of marriage, Jim (Michael Chiklis) feels disconnected from his workaholic wife, Stephanie (Julie Benz), and two teenage children, Daphne (Kay Panabaker) and JJ (Jimmy Bennett). In an attempt to encourage family bonding time, Jim decides the family will join Stephanie on her business trip to South America, but when their plane crashes into the Amazon River, they soon realize that their lives have been forever changed, as each member of the family starts to show signs of new, unique and distinct super-powers. In trying to understand their abilities, they rebuild their family life and learn about what defines them as individuals.

In a recent interview to promote the series premiere, actress Kay Panabaker talked about her character’s power of telepathy and its pitfalls as a 16-year-old, how she would love to be able to read minds herself and that she would really like to be able to do physical stunts, at some point during the season. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

In Season 5 of the Showtime drama Dexter, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) goes from happily married husband to guilt-ridden single dad, after the huge dramatic twist in last season’s finale that took the life of his wife, Rita (Julie Benz). Now, America’s favorite serial killer will struggle with his ability to maintain an average-guy facade while satisfying his need to kill, as his secret life and new responsibilities threaten to overwhelm him.

During an interview to discuss the changes in Dexter’s life this season, actor Michael C. Hall talked about how being a single father will affect the character, the addition of some new cast members and how grateful he is for the support he has received, since publicly announcing that he had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which he is now in remission from. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

The new ABC series No Ordinary Family, premiering on September 28^th, tells the story of the Powells (played by Michael Chiklis, Julie Benz, Kay Panabaker and Jimmy Bennett), a family who goes on a bonding trip to South America, in an attempt to reconnect with each other. When their plane crashes into the Amazon River, they soon realize that their lives have been forever changed, as each member of the family starts to show signs of new, unique and distinct super-powers and they are left to navigate whether their newfound abilities will finally bring them together or push them further apart.

Following the show’s Sunday afternoon panel at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, co-creator/executive producer Greg Berlanti took a few minutes to talk about all of his current superhero projects – No Ordinary Family, Green Lantern and The Flash, for which he is currently working on developing the story. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Season orders abound today, as ABC’s superhero drama No Ordinary Family starring Michael Chiklis, Fox’s Will Arnett sitcom Running Wilde (formerly titled Wilde Kingdom), and NBC’s relationship comedy Perfect Couples co-starring Olivia Munn join the four pilots that Fox picked up earlier today (RideAlong, Midland, Traffic Light, and Keep Hope Alive) that will grace the fall schedule.  Family is ABC’s first official order of pilot season, while Fox now has five series slated with Wilde.  NBC is tops, as Couples represents the network’s seventh early pickup, joining Law & Order: LA, Undercovers, The Event, Outsourced, Love Bites, and Chase.  [The Live Feed]

Details on each of the new orders after the break.

Who deserves to pass judgment upon the wicked?  “The Boondock Saints” asked that question.  Now, because fans couldn’t get enough, we finally have a sequel.  Joining Connor and Murphy in this second outing are Clifton Collins Jr. as fellow vigilante Romeo, and actress Julie Benz as Special Agent Eunice Bloom.  I recently interviewed Benz and Collins, Jr.  Clifton was already immersed in the Saints milieu being good friends with writer/director Troy Murphy.  Benz, on the other hand, was new to this world, the group, and their ten plus years of inside jokes.  She also had to learn to twirl a gun. Watch the interview after the jump.

Last night I was on the red carpet at the 2009 Scream Awards. If you look at the front page of Collider, you’ll see how many interviews I’ve already posted. Anyway, another person I got to speak with was “Dexter’s” Julie Benz. If you watch “Dexter” on Showtime, you know she plays Dexter’s wife Rita.

So when I got to speak with her, I asked her how this current season has been going. She told me they just wrapped on the finale and when I pressed for some details, she gave me some minor spoilers. Since I don’t want to reveal anything to the people that want to stay spoiler free, only click the jump if you want to learn more about where this season of “Dexter” is going. She also talks about the five films she did during last year’s hiatus and says the plan is to start filming season five next May.

I know that “Boondock Saints” has a very strong cult following.  I also know that the cool thing to do is to hate on the film (and its fans).  I’m somewhere in the middle.  I remember renting “Boondock Saints” right before it became huge and not really loving the film, but enjoying the more insane and campy aspects to it.  I also remember trying to work in Willem Dafoe’s awesome delivery of “There was a firefight!!” into every conversation for about 2 weeks. Anyway, it kind of blows my mind the film has such a strong cult following.  I’m indifferent when it comes to the original film and I feel the same way with the sequel. But I know that some of you guys out are anticipating it.  To those who are, you can check out some stills and the film’s poster when you hit the jump.

I was hoping I could get one of the site’s other writers to do this story.  Someone who didn’t loathe “The Boondock Saints” as much as I do, but no such luck.  So now I have to hate this trailer apart.  I don’t want to.  I’m always open to the possibility that I may like a movie and that I misjudged the film.

And then one of the characters says “Let’s do some gratuitous violence,” and that pretty much sums up why I think the first movie is awful and why I think the sequel will be as bad if not worse.  Hit the jump to watch the trailer and then if you think these movies are great, say so in the comments and I’ll tell you why you’re wrong.  “The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day” somehow gets a theatrical release on October 30^th.