Wil Wheaton has gone from playing one of the most unfairly despised characters on Star Trek: The Next Generation, to being one of geekdom’s most popular figures – and playing Sheldon’s recurring arch-nemesis on The Big Bang Theory. Beginning May 27th, Wheaton will be hosting a weekly comedy show called The Wil Wheaton Project on Syfy.
The half-hour show will feature rapid-fire commentary on genre entertainment and pop culture – something that has earned Wheaton a good reputation already, thanks to (among other things) his incredibly popular blog, willwheaton.net and his online gaming series, Tabletop – not to mention his books, voice-acting, podcasting and witty use of Twitter.
For more, check out the press release after the jump.
WIL WHEATON HOSTS NEW COMEDY SHOW FEATURING RAPID-FIRE COMMENTARY ON GENRE ENTERTAINMENT AND POP CULTURE WHEN THE WIL WHEATON PROJECT (WT) PREMIERES MAY 27 ON SYFY
Syfy Greenlights Twelve Half-Hour Episodes of Weekly Topical Series
NEW YORK – April 2, 2014 – Syfy has greenlit the 12-episode summer series, The Wil Wheaton Project (working title), a weekly topical comedy show hosted by actor, blogger and champion of geek culture Wil Wheaton. The 30-minute show will offer a fast-paced, lighthearted exploration and celebration of all things within the realm of science fiction and genre entertainment. The series premieres Tuesday, May 27 at 10PM ET/PT on Syfy. The announcement was made today by Dave Howe, President, Syfy.
Each week, Wil provides his insider point-of-view, sense of humor and genre expertise as he dissects the week’s most popular and trending topics across science fiction film, television and pop culture, video games, viral videos and news. Wil is on his feet for the rapid-fire half hour, delivering witty commentary on the things he knows and loves in this golden age of sci-pop culture. The result is a fun appreciation and celebration of fandom and all things science fiction.
“Wil Wheaton’s rock star status within the genre fan base, along with his insatiable passion for all things pop culture make him the ideal arbiter of what’s hot and what’s not in the genre space,” said Dave Howe. “Wil’s legion of fans will relish his wry sense of humor and sharp wit, coupled with his unique commentary on the most popular genre entertainment out there.”
“The Wil Wheaton Project has been incredibly fun to develop, and I can’t wait for my fellow geeks to see it,” said Wheaton.
Wil Wheaton began acting in commercials at the age of seven, and by the age of ten had appeared in numerous television and film roles. In 1986, his critically acclaimed role in Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me put him in the public spotlight. In 1987, Wil was cast as Wesley Crusher in the hit television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Recently, Wil has held recurring roles on Syfy’s Eureka, TNT’s Leverage and CBS’s The Big Bang Theory. He played Axis of Anarchy leader Fawkes in Felicia Day’s webseries, The Guild, and currently hosts Falling Skies: Second Watch for TNT. Off-camera, he is the creator producer, and host of the wildly successful webseries Tabletop, which is currently in its second season. Tabletop was awarded the 2013 Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming and the gold ENnie for Best Podcast at the 2013 Gen Con EN World RPG Awards. Wil was also awarded Best Host (taped) and the webseries was honored as the Best Hosted Series (Pre-Recorded) at the 2013 IAWTV Awards.
Wil is also an author, blogger, podcaster, voice actor and widely-followed original Twitter user. Wil personally maintains a popular social media presence, and his frequently-cited Twitter account is followed by over 2.3 million people from all over the world. He has published a number of acclaimed books, among them: Just A Geek, Dancing Barefoot and The Happiest Days of Our Lives. His latest book is Memories of the Future Volume 1, a humorous and nostalgic episode guide of the first half of the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. All of his books grew out of his award-winning weblog, which he personally created and maintains at WIL WHEATON dot NET. Wil is also widely recognized as one of the original celebrity bloggers, and is a respected voice in the blogging community.
All-new summer episodes of Heroes of Cosplay also debut that night, airing at 9:00PM ET/PT on Syfy.
The Wil Wheaton Project is a production of Pilgrim Studios. Craig Piligian and Mike Nichols (Ghost Hunters) are executive producers.
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.(Syfy. Imagine Greater.)