This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| SciFiNow | |
|---|---|
| Title | SciFiNow |
| Category | Science fiction magazine |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
SciFiNow is a British magazine that covered science fiction, fantasy, and horror media, including film, television, literature, comics, and gaming. Launched in the mid-2000s, it combined news, features, reviews, and interviews focused on genre properties, creators, and events across the United Kingdom and international markets. The title engaged with fandoms around franchises, adaptations, and transmedia projects, connecting coverage to festivals, conventions, and broadcasting networks.
The magazine was founded during a period of expansion for genre journalism alongside publications such as SFX (magazine), Total Film, Empire (film magazine), Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly. Its emergence followed trends set by specialist outlets like Fangoria, Starlog, Locus (magazine), Little White Lies (magazine), and Sight & Sound (magazine), while operating in a cultural landscape shaped by franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, The X-Files, Alien, and The Lord of the Rings. Founding editors and publishers drew on networks associated with companies such as Titan Magazines, Future plc, Rebellion Developments, and independent presses that had experience with tie-in journalism for events like San Diego Comic-Con International, New York Comic Con, and MCM London Comic Con.
Across its run the magazine responded to shifts in media distribution exemplified by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO, BBC One, and Sky and to industry developments such as the rise of cinematic universes from Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe. Changes in print economics mirrored those affecting The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, and specialist titles, influencing frequency, format, and online presence.
The editorial approach balanced coverage of mainstream properties like Marvel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures with attention to independent cinema from companies associated with A24, Neon, and Big Screen Entertainment Group. Features and long-form articles engaged creators from Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan, Guillermo del Toro, Denis Villeneuve, and James Cameron to television showrunners behind Joss Whedon, Russell T Davies, Vince Gilligan, David Benioff, and D. B. Weiss. Coverage extended to authors such as Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, Neil Gaiman, and Margaret Atwood and to comic-book figures including Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, and Brian K. Vaughan.
Regular sections included news briefs referencing studios, casting announcements involving Tom Cruise, Scarlett Johansson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Emma Watson, reviews that assessed releases distributed by Sony Pictures, 20th Century Studios, and Lionsgate, and previews timed to festivals like Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival. The magazine also covered gaming tie-ins connected to BioWare, Bethesda Game Studios, CD Projekt Red, Rockstar Games, and Valve Corporation as well as graphic novels from publishers Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics.
Printed and digital editions were produced to reach readers in the UK, Europe, North America, and Commonwealth markets, operating in distribution channels alongside titles sold at retailers such as Waterstones, WHSmith, Barnes & Noble, and genre-specialist outlets present at conventions like Dragon Con. The title timed issues to film release windows, television seasons, and tie-in marketing from networks Fox, CBS, Showtime, and streaming services. Advertising and partnerships linked the magazine to film marketing campaigns by Sony Pictures Releasing, Warner Bros. Pictures, and independent distributors, while promotional opportunities connected it with festivals and home entertainment releases from companies such as Arrow Films and Criterion Collection.
The editorial brand experimented with online content and social media strategies, engaging platforms and networks in the same ecosystem as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and podcast producers like BBC Sounds and Gimlet Media. Licensing and circulation were affected by wider industry trends impacting print magazines including consolidation moves seen at Future plc and acquisitions involving TI Media and other publishing groups.
The publication was discussed in the context of critical response alongside outlets like The Hollywood Reporter, Variety (magazine), The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. Its reviews and interviews sometimes influenced fan conversations about franchises such as Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse, Firefly, and Black Mirror. Coverage contributed to debates around adaptation practices involving Peter Jackson, Denis Villeneuve, George Lucas, and Ridley Scott and to scholarship and fan studies linked to academics who publish in venues such as Science Fiction Studies and Journal of Popular Culture.
The magazine's role in fandom culture intersected with organized fan events, cosplay communities tied to MCM London Comic Con and San Diego Comic-Con International, and charity campaigns associated with actors and creators who have participated in conventions and fundraisers. Its existence also reflected broader shifts in media criticism and the economics of specialist publications seen across the United Kingdom and international markets.
Contributors included freelance journalists, critics, and photographers who had bylines in outlets such as Empire (film magazine), Total Film, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and The Independent. The title published interviews with prominent directors and actors linked to projects from Marvel Studios, Warner Bros., BBC Studios, and independent producers. Notable interview subjects included filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, Guillermo del Toro, Denis Villeneuve, and Greta Gerwig and performers such as David Tennant, Jodie Whittaker, Benedict Cumberbatch, Pedro Pascal, and Emilia Clarke. The magazine also featured conversations with authors and comic creators including Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Brian K. Vaughan, G. Willow Wilson, and Kelly Sue DeConnick.
Category:Science fiction magazines