Coymoon Creations

SUMMER 2004 NEWSLETTER

On Sunday, July 9th, the USA Network limited series "The 4400" shattered the record for basic cable's most-watched series premiere! A staggering 7.4 million total viewers tuned in to the two-hour show easily outdistancing previous record holder "The Dead Zone" by 1 million. "The 4400" was the highest-rated program on USA since the 1998 miniseries "Moby Dick," which averaged 10.4 million over two nights. "We're thrilled with the extraordinary response to 'The 4400' from critics as well as viewers," says Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network. "Its success is a result of a great product enhanced by creative marketing and strong on-air promotion, in other words, the total collaboration of a great team."

In casting Coyote as the Homeland Security chief, producer Suro says, "We wanted someone who has the strength and the credibility. Coyote offers the compassion he showed as a NASA official in 'E.T.' and the authority he has while narrating documentaries."

Eclipse Magazine echoes my sentiments (and I'm sure yours :) with the following critique - "Peter Coyote lends weight to 'The 4400'. He has a presence that can be as gentle as a fawn, or as menacing as a tiger – but here he has a role that allows him to be both tough and gentle in the same moments and he carries it off well. Ryland is the kind of boss we would all like to work for: if someone goofs, they get chewed out but then it’s over; if someone does something noteworthy, it’s noted and then they move on. Coyote can convey that kind of personality with a minimum of fuss and make it stick. 'The 4400' works because of its excellent scripting and direction, but Coyote's thoughtful performance nails it down."

From the NY Times: Scott Peters, creator and co-executive producer reveals that "the heart of the piece is loosely inspired by events from 9/11. How do you deal with something like that? The scope is enormous. It touches everyone. Something that has such a large global impact, it changes us, challenges us and, like 9/11, it ultimately defines who we are by how we react to it." Coyote, who calls science fiction "the morality of the play", says the story of the interracial relationship was something that interested him. He further comments "What Peters said is really good. You're taking a slice of what happens to a nation when it's impacted by a huge event and you see every scope of reaction - everything from heroism to government oppression and paranoia.... I represent the element of the bureaucracy and all the forces positive and negative that attend to it and deal with it and stress it."

For those who may have missed some or all of the episodes, six hours of "The 4400" will be aired this Sunday beginning with the pilot episode and ending with the season finale. Check your local tv listings for exact times.

The DVD/video release of Bon Voyage is scheduled for August 17th. San Diego Metropolitan lends its praise with "Bon Voyage boasts an excellent ensemble cast across the board. Adjani's spoiled diva, Depardieu's cautious politician, Coyote's smooth spy, Derangère's hopeless lover, Kopolski's aged scientist, Attal's almost sympathetic criminal and Ledoyen's sweet student are all memorable characters and charmingly played." Check it out!

Sources had previously indicated that Shadow of Fear would premiere with a limited opening on July 14th. However, upon returning from vacation, I've learned that the film must have been pulled for whatever reason.  Director Rich Cowan had previously made these comments about the film's release - The financiers have a deal with Sony and some of these movies go to the theaters, and some go straight to video and television, but they typically don't make that evaluation until the movie is complete. We shoot for theatrical. However, most of the films in this range do not go to the theaters. It takes another $10 million to $15 million just to release the movie. Usually they'll only invest in a movie that has a higher budget. But you never know." Whatever new information I find will be posted here. Click here to view the trailer.

Update - July 9:

The USA Network's new offering, "THE  4400" debuts Sunday with a two-hour premiere, which will be followed up with one-hour episodes every Sunday evening through August 8th. Coyote plays Dennis Ryland, head of the Washington state Department of Homeland Security. For complete information on this new series, read updates below or visit the official web site. British Sky Broadcasting's Sky One has secured exclusive U.K. TV rights to the series, which will debut in the fall in the United Kingdom. TV Guide calls it "Spooky Summer Fun" and claims that "judging from the two-hour opener, this is the summer treat many of us have been waiting for... This is science fiction with a soul." The Hollywood Reporter praises it with, "Director Yves Simoneau encouraged some angst-ridden performances, but the scenery isn't the only thing that gets chewed. To Simoneau's credit, there's also a lot of tasty chewing on the intriguing idea of what it's like to try to fit into a formerly familiar world that has become, well, alien."

[this is the last update until August when I return from vacation]

Update - June 28:

The photo to the left is the latest one issued by "The 4400"series about to premiere on the USA Network on July 11th. Publicity for the show is full steam ahead. Over the July 4th weekend and continuing through the 11th, expect to see the trailer attached to several theater showings, which include Spiderman II and King Arthur. For those in NYC, look for the Loews theater window at Lincoln Center, which will feature a huge 4400 interactive display. There will also be a billboard on Sunset in Hollywood, plus several at Universal Studios in both LA and Orlando. The NY Times magazine will feature "The 4400" on its cover next week, and coverage will show up in the media including newspapers, magazines, the Internet, radio, and several television stations - NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Lifetime and Sci-fi. Yes, unless you're living under a rock in the next couple weeks, you're bound to see plenty of publicity! Check out the official web site for the trailer and great info.

Update - June 11:

Peter will be a guest on HBO's Deadwood series on Sunday evening, June 13th! He plays General Crook of the U.S. Army in this season's final episode, "Sold Under Sin". He'll also return next season in this recurring role. The series takes place in Deadwood, South Dakota at the end of the 19th century before South Dakota was a state. It's an age of plunder and greed where the richest gold strike in American History draws a throng of restless misfits to an outlaw settlement where everything — and everyone — has a price. Interestingly, it'll team up Powers Boothe, Keith Carradine and Coyote again - anyone remember the film they starred in back in 1981? Click here for the answer.

The Praxis Peace Institute will hold a conference June 13-18 in Pacific Grove, CA. Peter will be a speaker at this conference called "The Alchemy of Democracy: Restoring Soul to Culture", which will feature many programs and workshops. The institute is a non-profit, peace-education organization dedicated to radical inquiry, deep dialogue, creative problem solving, and informed action.

A few years ago in the early days of this web site, there was a Photoplay quiz consisting of several scenes from Coyote's films put under different themes. We actually had a monthly contest with winners and prizes. This time it's back again for just pure fun with a few new pics, so both past and present visitors can test their knowledge. The answers are on each quiz page in the pop-up menu. Enjoy!