New Life For 'Dresden Files' ... In Edmonton?

The Edmonton Journal is reporting that the city could see one of two series move to the Alberta city, with one being "The Dresden Files."

The SciFi Channel series, which failed to really gain any buzz (or significant ratings), has been on the bubble since the American cable network allowed a self-set renewal deadline pass last month without any word on the series. "Dresden Files" currently films in Toronto, Ontario, and a move to Edmonton would mean a more than 2,000-mile relocation.

Of the two shows being considered for a move to Edmonton are "Dresden Files" as well as Showtime's "Masters of Horror," according to the newspaper. City officials in Edmonton said bringing either show to the region could result in more than $75 million in economic impact, and was thanks to a "cold call" made by a Lions Gate Entertainment executive to the Edmonton Economic Development Corp. last summer.

While "Dresden Files" is produced by Lions Gate, it's not immediately clear what the production company's interest in "Masters of Horror" is, since that production is handled by a completely separate company, Liberty Media Corp.'s Starz Media division. "Masters of Horror," which is planning its third season on Showtime, currently films in Vancouver, B.C., which is where Lions Gate is based.

Attracting "Dresden Files" producers could be the fact that both Alberta and Edmonton are offering nearly $9 million in incentives for one of the television programs to film 13 episodes in the city, whose province is located just east of British Columbia.

Although Edmonton may not get the publicity that Toronto and Vancouver do in Canada for being a filming locale, it has been the home of more than 100 movies and television series over the years, just few that would be familiar to audiences outside of Canada. The most notable was probably "Snow Day," which filmed exterior scenes in the city in 1999, however bringing in a series has a much more sustained positive effect on the economy than what a movie would, local producers said.

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