Firefly news and Buffy petition
Mar. 15th, 2026 09:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatWell, I've got news on Firefly - they weren't rumors after all. Nathan Fillon is attempting to bring Firefly back as an animated series.
Fillion posts on social media that Firefly is happening, they just need a home
Firefly Cast is Reuniting to Bring Firefly Back as an Animated Series
"The animated series stems from Fillion's production banner Collision33, in partnership with 20th Television Animation. Marc Guggenheim (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper) are attached as showrunners, and a script has been completed. Joss Whedon will not be involved in the animated project. The animated series is expected to be set between the original 2002 television run and the 2005 feature film, Serenity. Early concept art from animation studio ShadowMachine was also shown."
https://deadline.com/2026/03/nathan-fillion-firefly-animated-series-development-1236754122/
" Fillion spoke on a panel at the Washington, D.C. event and live taping of his “Once We Were Spacemen” podcast alongside co-stars Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau, all of whom are expected to reprise their roles. Adam Baldwin, who played Jayne Cobb, will also lend his voice to the project.
The animated reboot is being developed through Fillion’s production banner Collision33 in partnership with 20th Television Animation, which controls the underlying rights to the franchise.
Married writing-producing team Marc Guggenheim (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper, Dollhouse) are attached to serve as showrunners (they met through Firefly and worked on it as well together), and a script has been completed. Joss Whedon, who created the original series, is not involved in the animated project. [He did however give his blessing to Fillion.]
The proposed series is set in the timeline between the original 2002 television run and its 2005 feature film continuation, Serenity, expanding the universe while preserving continuity with the established lore. Early concept art has been developed in collaboration with the Oscar and Emmy-award-winning animation studio ShadowMachine, which can be found below. The fully assembled package is expected to be taken out to buyers shortly."
So, Fillion is doing what I thought Gellar should have done. Which is bring back the show as an animated series with the original cast voicing the characters. Fillion wisely realizes that the audience was invested in the original cast and characters not the world. We'll see if he finds a home for it - being animated, there's a better chance, animation is cheaper.
Meanwhile the Buffy fandom is attempting to change Hulu's mind about the Buffy reboot with an Online Petition. (It's possible the Hulu was fine about the Buffy revival but wanted to change a bunch of things including the showrunners and Zhao. So, having not seen the pilot that Hulu passed on? Or knowing why they passed? I'm reluctant to sign a petition to get them to show it to us and continue with it? Also, I get the feeling everyone has moved on?)
Personally? I think Firefly has the best chance of the two? Firefly is planning on providing animated episodes of the series between the abrupt ending and the film Serenity, with the entire original cast (except for the deceased Ron Glass who will most likely be recast). And has show-runners who are familiar with the world, familiar with Whedon's writing style and the genre. If you are going to revive an old television series with the original cast? Animation is the best way to go, in my opinion. YMMV.
Fillion posts on social media that Firefly is happening, they just need a home
Firefly Cast is Reuniting to Bring Firefly Back as an Animated Series
"The animated series stems from Fillion's production banner Collision33, in partnership with 20th Television Animation. Marc Guggenheim (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper) are attached as showrunners, and a script has been completed. Joss Whedon will not be involved in the animated project. The animated series is expected to be set between the original 2002 television run and the 2005 feature film, Serenity. Early concept art from animation studio ShadowMachine was also shown."
https://deadline.com/2026/03/nathan-fillion-firefly-animated-series-development-1236754122/
" Fillion spoke on a panel at the Washington, D.C. event and live taping of his “Once We Were Spacemen” podcast alongside co-stars Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau, all of whom are expected to reprise their roles. Adam Baldwin, who played Jayne Cobb, will also lend his voice to the project.
The animated reboot is being developed through Fillion’s production banner Collision33 in partnership with 20th Television Animation, which controls the underlying rights to the franchise.
Married writing-producing team Marc Guggenheim (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper, Dollhouse) are attached to serve as showrunners (they met through Firefly and worked on it as well together), and a script has been completed. Joss Whedon, who created the original series, is not involved in the animated project. [He did however give his blessing to Fillion.]
The proposed series is set in the timeline between the original 2002 television run and its 2005 feature film continuation, Serenity, expanding the universe while preserving continuity with the established lore. Early concept art has been developed in collaboration with the Oscar and Emmy-award-winning animation studio ShadowMachine, which can be found below. The fully assembled package is expected to be taken out to buyers shortly."
So, Fillion is doing what I thought Gellar should have done. Which is bring back the show as an animated series with the original cast voicing the characters. Fillion wisely realizes that the audience was invested in the original cast and characters not the world. We'll see if he finds a home for it - being animated, there's a better chance, animation is cheaper.
Meanwhile the Buffy fandom is attempting to change Hulu's mind about the Buffy reboot with an Online Petition. (It's possible the Hulu was fine about the Buffy revival but wanted to change a bunch of things including the showrunners and Zhao. So, having not seen the pilot that Hulu passed on? Or knowing why they passed? I'm reluctant to sign a petition to get them to show it to us and continue with it? Also, I get the feeling everyone has moved on?)
Personally? I think Firefly has the best chance of the two? Firefly is planning on providing animated episodes of the series between the abrupt ending and the film Serenity, with the entire original cast (except for the deceased Ron Glass who will most likely be recast). And has show-runners who are familiar with the world, familiar with Whedon's writing style and the genre. If you are going to revive an old television series with the original cast? Animation is the best way to go, in my opinion. YMMV.
no subject
Date: 2026-03-15 06:14 pm (UTC)I am sure there will be some sort of audience for this (the genre is more popular than ever) but I have to wonder how strong the fandom for it still is.
no subject
Date: 2026-03-15 09:51 pm (UTC)I knew more Firefly fans offline than Buffy fans. It was a more racially diverse series, which attracted a broader fandom.
Now whether they are as strong now as they were - I don't know? But Alan Tudyke and Fillon got a following on their podcast Once We Were Spacemen - apparently, so who knows? Also animation doesn't require as much as live action.