News bits of a sci-fi nature have arrived today, here's the collection:

Firstly, a few "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" notes have come in from official sources. The big news on this front is a Force.Net guy has seen a rough cut and will be reviewing it early next week. He's already given some hints away on their messageboards. Anyway onto the main and confirmed stuff:

- General Grievous's ship is called "The Invisible Hand"
- One of the worlds visited is called Utapau
- General Grievous's visit to this planet is mimics the arrival of the Emperor shot in RotJ ( instead of rows of Stormtroopers at attention in the hangarbay, it's rows of battle droid infantry) and it is currently uncertain if that shot will remain.
- A shot similar to the one from 'A New Hope', where Obi-Wan winces when Alderaan is destroyed, but now with Yoda doing the wincing, is in the film.
- 1,367 shots still left to go, out of 2,300, and 23 weeks to do them in.

Next up, Suicide Girls talked with Frank Darabont and the issue of the Sci-Fi Channel's remake of "The Thing" came up. Darabont quickly confirms "It's not a remake as much as it is a miniseries sequel to the great John Carpenter movie. It got reported in the trades as a remake but I would not want to remake a movie as good as John Carpenter's. But to do a loving sequel as a miniseries really does appeal to me. Then you're not screwing up somebody's great movie". The story is being hashed out right now by scribe Dave Johnson, and Darabont hopes it'll pick up right at the end of the Carpenter classic.

Finally 'Clare' says the latest issue of Dreamwatch magazine has a big interview with Kenneth Johnson, who reveals for the first time that he's agreed to write a new remake of alien invasion drama "V". He also says he hasn't given up on the sequel mini-series he wrote & hopes it'll be produced AFTER the remake.

Thanks to 'Daniel', 'Paul' & ' Kenny'