Cornering the market on science-fiction production, Starhunter producer Danforth Studios has launched a new sci-fi entity, Spaceworks Motion Picture Company.

Under the new parent company, founders Daniel D’or and Philip Jackson will produce high-end sci-fi series, features and Internet programming, and build a new Toronto studio equipped with post equipment, camera gear and lighting facilities. Danforth, which gets rolled into the new prodco, will continue to produce projects outside the sci-fi genre.

Meantime, with the studio real estate still under negotiations, the producers have already greenlit three new sci-fi projects to be produced in the new facility, starting in May.

Based on the H.G. Wells work, The Sleeper Wakes is a 22-episode Canada/u.k. coproduction (with Harry Towers) starring Patrick Muldoon (Starship Troopers). The story involves a L. Ron Hubbard-like character who wakes up one day to find a cult following has created an empire around him. The pilot episode will be directed by John Hough (American Gothic) in May.

Directly following is the second season of Starhunter, which moves back to Toronto from New Brunswick where Danforth shot the first 22 episodes.

The $25-million series moved east to shoot the first time around because Toronto was so busy and the tax incentives in New Brunswick were enticing. Danforth even had an ambitious plan to help create a solid production community in New Brunswick, but D’or says the incentives were overridden by the cost of bringing the production to the province. ‘I had to bring half my crew from Toronto, which meant paying for transportation and lodging. Now coming back, we know the city, we have relationships with crews and we don’t have all the added expenses.’

Season two of the series, called Starhunter 2300, is budgeted at more than $25 million, with Le Sabre (France) and Grosvenor Park (u.k.) as coproduction partners. It will begin shooting its six-month run in June at the new studios.

Finally, Earthspell, a 22-episode, fx-heavy, outer-space adventure, authored by Starhunter co-head writer Peter Horton, will go to camera by the beginning of 2002.

Spearheading the financial development of Spaceworks is new hire Leonard Bellam. An entertainment finance lawyer, Bellam was a founder and partner in the entertainment finance firm Meg Media Group and is president of 3V Capital Corporation, an electronic commerce and entertainment company.

Projects that don’t fall under the sci-fi umbrella will continue to be produced under the Danforth name, including the $10-million wwii feature The Scarlet Crown, the true and controversial story of Father Kolbe, set in Auschwitz.

Plans to launch an Internet broadcasting unit specific to sci-fi are underway and may be solidified with an unnamed, California-based company after this month’s natpe. *