I am a heartfelt and passionate closet Browncoat. If you don’t know what that is, then you are missing out. One of the most bitter cancellations in TV history was Firefly, and due to fan response and begging for closure to the series we got the feature film Serenity. But ever since the fans have been itching for more, and little is done to move forward on it.
A story about a fan response campaign at Whedonesque says:
The purpose of the campaign is to show Universal that producing a sequel to Serenity is a smart and profitable business decision. To convince Universal of this, our campaign will show them exactly how much Browncoats are spending on Serenity- and Firefly-related products. From multiple copies of BDCE DVDs to Companion Books and action figures, from theater tickets to CD soundtracks and iTunes downloads, we will explicitly list every purchase and price thereof related to our ‘Verse, thus showing Universal how much money they stand to make by expanding our ‘Verse via the Serenity sequel we all so long to see.
Now I am as eager as any to see a return to the Serenity ‘Verse. But I don’t see myself participating in this particular campaign.
I wrote my letter to save Angel and Buffy. I wrote to insist they cancel Charmed. But I won’t be taking part in this campaign and I will tell you why.
The effort is to illustrate how much money Universal stands to make off the merchandising of a continued franchise. This is smart on the surface, but lacks any real substance. Despite the rabid fanbase, Serenity was considered a “failure” at the box office, but a huge success in DVD sales. The movie even caused a resurgence of new fans buying the collected TV series DVD set. So yes, attempting to appeal to the studio on grounds that will make sense to them is valid.
Just one problem: Universal is perfectly aware of just how much money is being spent on merchandising.
So as much as I would love to attend a hijacking of the national anthem at a hockey game and replacing it with the Ballad of Jayne, this campaign road seems to be paved with good intentions (for which I applaud them) but seems to be telling Universal what they already know.
You can check out the campaign effort at Faces of Serenity
My boyfriend of a year now actually got me really into the show. I wanted to go shopping one day and he’s like well it’s snowing so let’s have a movie and dinner here.I didn’t think much of it so i said fine.We then sat down and watched the first episode of Firefly, and it was quite amazing.I missed my first day ever of work the next morning because i had watched every episode of season 1 straight through, and was too tired to go.I’ve seen every episode and it ticks me off that i still don’t know preachers’ story.I just recently finished Serenity, and i have to say it had an amazing turning point towards the end. I remember i made a remark to my boyfriend that went something like this, “Serenity where have you been all my life?”..Please Joss Whedon if you are reading sites about Serenity,how fans want a second movie to tie things together; i beg of you please write the second one..(:
having only just come across firefly/serenity through watching glau on ttscc, I fell in love with firefly and all the characters, I would love to see another movie, tv series and can only hope someone will financially back it!
I fall back to Serenity/Firefly every few months. Seems like I need a fix, lol. I’d sure like to see it continued, but only if they do it right. I’ve still never watched the last disc in FF yet. It’s almost like I’ve got my own special bonus episodes to watch….but not until the time is right. Silly, huh?
I fully support any production of Serenity II, hell I would even buy 1,000 copies to ensure the profit of the franchise
Don’t give up… Don’t stop, don’t even slow down. As long as we the voice of the verse keep it alive & as long as all the actors & Joss are still alive & kicking, anything is possible… look at Star Trek…
You can’t take the sky from me either!!!
Browncoat for life!
I would love for the firefly to come back in any shape or form even after all these years. BRING FIREFLY BACK!!!!!!!!
Serenity is the best movie ever, the only reason I did not see it at the theaters is I had not seen it advertised or new it existed. I need Serenity 2, the thought of it keeps me going.
I’d just like to say that Firefly was an excellent series and I hope that they make another season. The show had good acting, plots, and the story line was very interesting.
Ive been a fan of firefly for years and always find myself rewatching the series. Extremely disappointed that the movie didnt get good reviews, or whatever. I loved it! Could watch it every day. Their needs to be a sequal! And a third one , and a fourth one…
Hi im new fan of firefly and the movie. I am one the people who didnt know the show ever exstice intill recently.[sidebar:charmed was good show for what was entertament]i dont understand why the show got cancelled or even why they would not bring out part 2 i just know this much time has pass and people still crying for the show they should put a part 2 out there if not for the money then for the fans old and new
@lunatic/chris lee…. what makes you so sure she couldnt do both?
Lots of TV actors take a break to go make a movie. Its not like they work a 9-5 50 weeks of the year like the rest of us grunts.
I think Summer Glau would say “Fuck Terminator” and play River Tam again. The cast are just as big of fans of Joss’s story telling for the crew, as are the fans that claim the title of Browncoats, Respectfully, most of Summer’s fans are composed of browncoats and would love nothing more than her to play the character she was BORN TO PLAY rather than a terminator. Although I love the Terminator franchise and it’s origional story as well, Summer Glau is the Only River Tam. There are way too many “Terminators” to embody one actor/actress.
“Love keeps’er in the air when she outta fall down.” Capt. Malcom reynolds
i agree with the possibility of a sequal being slim, but there is a point with the direct to DVD American Pie spin-offs. I didn’t like any of them past American Pie 2, they just used the American Pie name for profit from the popularity as well as the National Lampoons franchise, they both still made a ton of money. And I’ll throw in 100 credits out-of-pocket, with Christian, for a Serenity sequal/prequal. There is too big of a fan base to ignore. Fuck Star Trek, Fuck Star Wars. “There’s no place I can be, since I found Serenity”!
I am sure that producing the TV series doesn’t take up 365 days of the year. Summer Glau could easily do both without missing a beat and cash in on both. LOTS of TV stars do movies too, often to transition.
However, this movie is still not going to be made. Joss said so, and it wont be made without him.
(Type your comment here. Make sure you’ve read the commenting rules before doing so)With Summer getting that what has to be a great paying gig as the female terminator on the Sarah Conner chronicles. She might turn down an offered role on Serenity 2; Putting the whole thing into a tale spin.
I’d be willing to donate 100 bucks out of my own pocket for a sequel. I’m sure there are 10s of thousands of fans world wide who would do the same.
First and foremost, I was a late comer to Firefly, it was the dvd Serenity that blew me away, and when I found out it was based on a short lived fox show I just had to know more about it. Somebody at Comcast must have been a Firefly fan as well, because they put all the Firefly episodes on demand, I purchased and watched every episode, soon after that I bought the dvd box set of season one. Everyone of my friends I introduced to Serenity immediately got hooked, and basically bought the movie, then the series as i did, and repeatedly watched the episodes and big damn movie over and over. I still do, although for awhile I couldn’t because the pain of promise unfulfilled was just too damn much. Since then i’ve bought merchandise, comics, apparel, and toys. There really needs to be a sequel to this great movie, it would be a crime for there not to be.
I’m holdin Captain
Ray Taylor aka agm (Detroit)
I just got into the series… But I can tell you that I was immediately into it. Enough so to actually look it up online and see if there were going to be any sequels. I didn’t even know about all the controversy until a few minutes ago. But, I think it’s kind of stupid. Pointless. Just because a few people really, really liked the movie\series, Universal is going to make a sequel? Um, no. However much I-and I am sure many more-would like for something like that to happen… It just isn’t. So go ahead and dream. But, really, don’t beat yourselves up too much.
Don’t get me wrong, I really, really, really want another movie to come out but it’s just so impossible. I can’t help being practical. It keeps me going. But, I hope that Universal proves my practicality wrong and makes another two movies! How awesome would that be?
I’m all for another Serenity film. Having just finished the series today I’m now more of a fan than ever. My only fear being: how do we compensate for two killed off main characters (Wash and Shepherd)? Perhaps a prequel of such? My point being; it would be foolish to make a second film and try to get most of the fanbase to fall in love with 2 (minimum) new characters.
No need to be so down…I don’t think there is any hope for another feature film. However, if there is money involved then Hollywood will make another. There is no need for a list of franchises that keep spawning crappy sequels–American Pie will do. A straight to DVD Serenity 2 should turn a nice profit. The DVD consumer base for Serenity/Firefly is proven. The sequel wouldn’t need large-scale promo. CGI cost have gone down as well (Serenity didn’t break any visual barriers anyway, so no loss). I think its possible. If someone can turn possible into probable regarding money, then hollywood will bite.
i have hope that universal will make anew film. But even better would be a new t.v series of firefly sure it was a head of its time, so was star trek that did not take of until it was aired in the U.k so why cant they make anew firefly or serenity. star trek is finished. bionic women failed,there is only Stargate that is on at this time so how about tv series that is as good if not better than these. I feel that we need an underdog to cheer for and mal is that guy with the crew it was a family unlike star trek firefly is the ship for me. for my family to sit & watch this decade. so please let the brown coat captain his ship again.
the film left some unanswered questions like what is to happen now to this fine crew sure wash is dead now that is shame however we saw at the end of serenity that river was flying. what about Mal & Inara. these just a few questions we need FIREFLY
I’m still holding out on Firefly coming back, I was in an army barracks the other night and I got into a rather in depth conversation about Firefly with a bunch of squaddies I never thought would have batted an eye at it. It has a potential and a fan base that goes largely unnoticed and there’s such potential for the whole thing.
I’m hoping that Universal will see sense and realise that investing in Firefly would not only be a guaranteed financial success for them, but also prove that production companies are still willing to invest in ideas that are good, as opposed to continually pumping out the same inane jargon and remakes that we’ve been seeing for the past few years for nothing more than our own morbid curiosity.
What an amazing story it tells. I just finished seeing the whole Firefly series myself, now I understand why the characters worked so well in Serenity – they already had been played and brought to a deeper level of depth before the movie was made.
It’s kind of amazing how the series plays more into the problem of Serenity’s crew with River a smaller but mysteriously epic problem. Then in Serenity the film her situation explodes to the forefront as well as the reaver idea is properly introduced.
There is much more that could be told (I always imagined seeing a “bad” version of River; another project of Blue Sun) so I do hope for another movie. And with all these special editions of the series and movie it makes me hopeful that someone can be convinced somewhere.
I loved buffy and angel and was annoyed when angel was cancelled just before a big fight i loved serenity and hope they will make a second but thats if universal can stop making soppy love films
+
As the creator of the Faces of Serenity campaign, I hear the author’s argument a lot, that Universal is well aware of the money they make from Serenity merchandise. That’s true; however, Serenity merchandise isn’t the only merchandise that Browncoats are buying.
I first watched the show Firefly in January via iTunes. Bought the whole season, and have since “gifted” the pilot numerous times. Bought the DVD box set, too. Universal does not see this money. FOX does. Therefore, Universal is unaware of this money.
The point of is to make Universal aware of the volume of merchandise being purchased, and the volume of fans making those purchases. Yes, again, if a product comes from Universal, then Universal knows the numbers already. But as with iTunes and box DVD copies of Firefly, Universal does not.
On top of that, by encouraging people to send in their pictures (and post them onto the site), we are giving Universal a glimpse into the very wide demographic base of customers for a sequel. (Geographically, our first three members have come from Germany, the UK, and the US.)
The campaign isn’t even a week old and already word is spreading. For anyone who has ever loved this show, these characters, that ship, take the time to give this campaign a try. I designed it to be fun, easy, and as cheap as a postage stamp to participate.
Thank you.
I’d watch anything that has the wonderful Summer Glau in it! ;)
Quit all your cryin’.
The series was ok and the movie was good, but this isn’t a show that appeals to the masses.
Let it die.
It worked in television with Jericho. The fans sent a bunch of rice, I believe it was, to CBS and they were overwhelmed by the fan response to CBS canceling they had no choice but to bring it back. Who’s to say something similar couldn’t happen with another Serenity movie? Yea, t.v. isn’t the movies and they spend a lot of money on making that movie compared to the t.v. series but there is a movement out there for the browncoats. Stronger I’d say than the movement for Babylon 5 and J. Michael Straczynski has created many forms of media in which to tell that story. Whether it be books, straight to DVD movies or just odd little direct to Sci-Fi movies. Most, sadly unsuccessful, but nonetheless he’s showed dedication to his fan base. I think it’s time the Firefly fans received the same in return for their devotion.
I blame the Universal for its box office failure because they did a really bad job with advertising it. It was never on T.V. compared to 300 thats what helps most of the time not all the time. The trailer sucked you might have liked it if you watched the show but i never saw the show till i saw the movie and did not like the movie till the third time i saw it and then loved it and went and spent $50 on it and loved the show too. I really would love to see the show come back on try putting on another channel so it has a chance of coming back like family guy did and i rather watch firefly then family guy.
And Fire Fly is such a shity name they need to switch it to Serenity it sounds way better than firefly that sounds like a show thats on the sci fi channel which means it sucks
The first film was good, I can’t imagine how they would pull off a good sequel though.
I was a person that hoped the show got cancelled, I never watched it<- – But I did see the intro and “at the time” I thought it sucked.. Years later after it got taken off the air. I watched a marathon of it on sci-fi channel for one of there marathons.
I couldn’t beleieve how dumb I was for shirking this show off like another peice of crap show. Firefly is amazingly cool show with characters you actually like.
It saddens me still to this day that I hoped the show was cancelled. I really wish Firefly continues, even if it’s just in movies. Maybe it will become like star trek movies, but in a better sci-fi way.
I personally don’t want a sequal. The movie was awsome, and people realise it now. A sequal will probably ruin it. I like feeling like I got something the the massives didn’t. No, the FF series and Serenity was perfect, and it’s all I need. I don’t really need complete closure. Leave it in the air.
I agree a right to DVD film is the only realistic option. Not only that, but as with most franchise DVD films…someone could pull off one (or two) flicks a year. Regardless of the over praised Joss Whedon is behind the chair or not. He could take a producer approach and…
I’m sorry. It took me a good ten to fifteen minutes to find out what the hell was going on in the damn film, the alleged “Browncoat Audience” wasn’t as big as Universal thought it would be…
Look.
If it WAS, then when the film came out in theatres, the fans would know. Screw marketing! The fans would know.
If it WAS and they chose not to go because they thought they’d wait for DVD or, heaven forbid, BitTorrent, they sent the wrong message to the studio.
Look.
I’m tired of hearing how Whedon was wronged by Fox. If he had chose not to screw with Fox execs, the damn show would most likely not have been put out of order, thrown around different times, and may have been on a bit longer.
ALL I know is, the “fans” were heard. They kept it alive, They got thier film. They did not show up and/or the was not enough fanbase support.
Now, boo-hoo-hoo. I suppose they will get thier damn sequel, then start bitching how the DTV sequel couldn’t afford half the budget of Serenity, let alone Summer Glau’s new paycheck.
It’s time to move on.
If the film is straight to DVD then it would be a viable option. Universal is not going spend all that dough on another box office failure.
But as the TV series and the movie did very well on DVD I think they should seriously considering making a DTV film for the fans. I’m pretty sure that would do well.
You make a good point Rodney.
The studio is certainly very much aware how much money they make on stuff. That’s all they’re interested in, so of course they are keeping an eye on that.
I’m not a big fan, but I really liked both FIREFLY and SERENITY very much and I would love the franchise to continue.
Those kind of campaign however, seem pointless to me. If the studio calculates that a sequel is profitable, they will make one.
Lets be honest, there have been shows canceled in sourer fashion (I seem to remember the end of Invasion was just ridiculous), and as much as I enjoyed serenity, a sequel clearly isn’t THAT viable… or they would have made it (hollywood loves a sequel)
I’d be supportive any such campaign, but I won’t get my hopes up.
I had discovered Firefly only after the show was cancelled and really enjoyed the movie. In my mind, if a movie studio can make a direct to DVD movie like Stargate The Ark of Truth, or Butterfly Effect 2. I don’t see why they can’t make a Serenity 2. They know people will go out and buy it.
I totally understand that if you ONLY have a specific market like the Browncoats giving the movie a wide release in theater is not profitable.
Even a digital download model could work for the series, think about Sanctuary that proved they could make that model work and they’ve now been picked up by SciFi.
“So as much as I would love to attend a hijacking of the national anthem at a hockey game and replacing it with the Ballad of Jayne [. . .]”
Heck yeah!