‘Terra Nova’ Premiere Delayed Until Fall 2011

Executive Producer Steven Spielberg’s Terra Nova easily ranks as one of the more anticipated series that will hit the small screen in the next year. The Super Bowl TV spot offered a glimpse at the show’s Avatar-inspired visuals and big-budget production design, which bears a strong resemblance to Spielberg’s Jurassic Park as well.

Fox originally delayed Terra Nova until Fall 2011, but had plans to air the pilot this May, following in the footsteps of its hit series, Glee. Now the premiere episode has been pushed back to the second half of this year as well.

For those who don’t recall, here’s the official synopsis for Terra Nova:

In the year 2149 the world is dying. The planet is overdeveloped, overcrowded and overpolluted. With no known way to reverse the damage to the planet, scientists discover a portal to prehistoric Earth. This doorway leads to an amazing world, one that allows for a last-ditch effort to save the human race…a second chance to rebuild civilization and get it right this time.

Fox Broadcasting’s President of Entertainment, Kevin Reilly released the following statement a the pilot’s delay:

“‘Terra Nova’ is one of the most ambitious television series ever produced. The cutting-edge visual effects used to create the world of ‘Terra Nova’, which is of massive scope and scale, require more time to be realized. This aspect of the series is essential, so we are pushing back the special early preview date to give the visual effects team the time needed for their ground-breaking work.”

Terra Nova has suffered its share of production woes in the past, but this most recent development isn’t the worrisome sign that it might initially seem to be. The brief footage of CGI dinosaurs on display in the Super Bowl spot looked decent, but still in need of refinement. Couple that with news that Terra Nova will feature prehistoric creatures whose physical design is based off more recent paleontological discoveries and it’s understandable that their development would require additional time.

If anything, it’s better that the Terra Nova producers are taking more time with, rather than rushing, the F/X work. Sloppy creature design or production values wouldn’t sit well with viewers – and getting off on the wrong foot several months before the show even begins airing could’ve been disastrous.

Terra Nova stars the likes of Jason O’Mara, Stephen Lang, Shelley Conn, Landon Liboiron, Naomi Scott, and Alana Mansour. It will begin airing on Fox this fall.

Source: Fox