Studio: Warner Bros. Production Company: Jerry Weintraub Prods./Warner Bros.

Project Phase: In the Can.

Who's In It: Ralph Fiennes (John Steed); Uma Thurman (Emma Peel); Sean Connery (Sir August de Wynter); Jim Broadbent (Mother); Fiona Shaw (Father); Eddie Izzard (Bailey); Sean Ryder (Donovan, the 'Bully Boy'); Eileen Atkins; John Wood. Who's Making It: Jeremiah Chechik (Director); Don MacPherson (Screenwriter); Jerry Weintraub (Producer); Susan Ekins (Executive Producer); Roger Pratt (Director of Photography); Mick Audsley (Editor); Michael Kamen (Musical Score); based upon the 1960s ABC television show The Avengers.

Premise: An evil aristocrat plans to make the world bow to his will by his ultimate control of the weather. Operatives John Steed and Emma Peel don't think that's very sporting of the old chap, so they plan to stop him.

Release Date: August 14, 1998.

Comments: The Avengers was an above-average, highly amusing and often disturbing adventure show (when it wasn't savaged by the occasional Really-Bad-Plot-Device). A lot of the charisma and energy came from the almost-sexual tension between the secret agent duo of John Steed (played by Patrick Macnee) and Mrs. Peel (played by Diana Rigg). Both had sophistication, ruthlessness and grit - as well as a healthy dose of humor when placed in larger-than-life situations.

And from a strictly chauvanistic point, Mrs. Peel was definately one hot babe.

In a time when it's expected that the male hero rescues the female damsel-in-distress with a three-minute love scene, will audiences pay to see a man and woman secret agent pair engaged in a hands-off sexual chemistry? If the success of television's The X-Files is any indication, yes. The relationship that existed between the original Steed and Mrs. Peel is unique, and was one of the strongest selling points to the series. But the film should also utilize the advantages to working with a larger budget - bigger problems, more diabolical villany, and an opportunity to bring The Avengers into the 21st century.

Developments: Early April, 1998... The film is delayed from June 26 to August 14.

November, 1995... Director Nicolas Meyer (Star Trek II, Star Trek VI, Time After Time) has dropped out of filming the long-awaited Avengers project. Director Jeremiah Chechik (Benny and Joon) has taken over the reigns.

Rumors: 1995... Mel Gibson's name has been tossed around to play the role of agent John Steed.

Scoop Feedback:

Confirming Izzard's new role, the actor was interviewed on BBC radio 1 on June 18th. He confirmed he's playing the villain's henchman in the film, not Mother. He said he has a fight with Steed, then gets killed by Mrs Peel. He also said that Sean Connery is 'elusive': he flies in from Spain, films a scene then flies out again! In another interview on BBC teletext, Izzard said Sean Ryder's character is called Bully Boy. "He gets to have lots of fights and drive round in minis," said Izzard, which would explain the last scooper's black mini cars sighting. [Sent in by Mike Gambit.]

Reader Richard reports that Britain's June 16th edition of Daily Telegraph claimed that the producers tried and failed to get permission to cover London's Trafalgar Square with snow for a scene in the film. This strengthens the 'weather control' rumors. The article also had a photo of Uma and Ralph n costume: Ralph is wearing bowler hat and three piece suit while Uma wore a leather catsuit. Based on the photo the scooper saw, he said "I can believe the claim she has to be sewn in!" And a minor point-of-interest to Avengers fans: the Mother character never appeared while Emma Peel was in the series. He came when Tara King joined. [Scoop and trivia sent in by Richard.]

And a dozen readers have written in to comment on the Scarlet Witch rumor sent in last month. They point out that the Scarlet Witch is a Marvel Comics character in a group named The Avengers and not an Avengers TV character. True; maybe the robotic double of Uma is known as something similar in the script...? [Sent in by many knowledged comics readers.]

July 21, 1997... Shaun Ryder, the fellow who plays Donovan, the 'Bully Boy' in the Avengers movie, was interviewed today on BBC 1 Radio. In the interview, Ryder enigmatically mentioned that Patrick Macnee was in the film as "the Invisible Man." Whether or not Ryder was having a bit of fun at the expense of fellow Avengers fans remains to be seen (or not seen.) [Scoop mailed in by Mike Gambit.]

The UK-based genre magazine DreamWatch also reported on some of the wonderfully bizarre and hip weirdness that appears in the movie. In addition to also commenting on the reports of menacing, life-sized teddy bears skilled in martial arts the magazine reports that there will also be an animated statue, butlers outfitted in gas masks, floating Campbell's soup cans, secret chewing tobacco, Siberian sunbathing, a floating, talking pipe, and an agent who is killed by a rainstorm consisting of falling fish. We love it already! [Sent in by 'TC'; originally appeared in DreamWatch magazine.]

There is a robotic double of Emma in the script we've seen. [Courtesy of us.]

And this isn't from us: "I've read the script and it's more like a parody of a Tara King episode than the sparkling black and white classics of 1965. It certainly wasn't 'dark and brooding' as I've read elsewhere. Parts were amazingling confusing and it will take a stylish director to pull it off. That said, it's definitely in the spirit of the TV show unlike some recent blockbusters like The Saint." [Sent in anonymously.]

For clarification's sake, the character of Mother played by Patrick Newell first appeared in the Avengers episode 'Forget Me Knot' which was Diana Rigg's last episode. So, Newell did appear in the series when Mrs. Peel was still partnered with Steed, but just barely. [Sent in by 'Ploobis' and an anonymous sender, who're we're really hoping is Diana Rigg.]

Filming was completed at the Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London on July 5th. The ground was covered with fake snow flakes: more confirmation of the weather control plot. "This college is a very imposing building dating from the 18th century, I think," the scooper writes. [Scooped by Mike Gambit.]

April 10, 1998... A new release date for the film is confirmed: August 14, 1998, almost two months after its planned June release.

April 28, 1998... Michael Kamen will be scoring this film. [Contributed by 'C'.]

The Tag Line:

"Mrs. Peel, we're needed."

Official Web Site:www.the-avengers.com

-- Click here to download the trailer.