Firefly Revival Gets Mixed Update After Five Months of Radio Silence

Firefly arrived on Fox in 2002 as a genre-blending space western from creator Joss Whedon, following the crew of the transport ship Serenity as they worked the edges of a lawless solar system. While the series had a lot of potential, Fox aired some episodes out of their intended order and eventually cancelled the show after a single season, cutting the story short before Whedon could resolve its larger arcs. Despite that abrupt ending, Firefly built a dedicated following that first helped the creative team to get a movie, Serenity, to wrap up the first season’s storyline. Since then, fans have been campaigning for the story’s return, while Firefly went on to become a revered cult classic that’s nearly universally appraised. Things took a surprising turn last March, when Nathan Fillion and several of his original castmates confirmed a revival was finally in motion. Yet, we haven’t heard much on this revival since then.

“Nothing happens fast is something I have learned,” Fillion told ScreenRant, taking a deep breath before addressing the status of the Firefly revival during a press run for HBO’s Lanterns. “I have also learned not to give up,” He added. “I’ve learned that this is something that I want to do, and the amount of support I’ve gotten from the fans has been tremendous and heartwarming, and makes it easier to go out and fight the fight.” The comment marks the first substantive update on the animated project in five months, and while Fillion’s remark about things moving slowly and him needing to fight for it, his message also signals the revival remains alive despite the extended silence.

Will the Firefly Revival Happen?

While Fillion’s update underlines how the revival is not a done deal, several major pieces are already in place for Firefly’s return. Fillion’s production banner, Collision33, is partnered with 20th Television Animation on the project, and the writing duo of Marc Guggenheim and Tara Butters has signed on as showrunners. Guggenheim brings experience from Arrow, with Butters having worked on Agent Carter. The pairing marks something of a reunion, since Guggenheim and Butters first met while working on the original Firefly series. The story is set to take place in the gap between the original series and Serenity, giving the creative team a limited window to tell their story. Finally, Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, Summer Glau, and Adam Baldwin are all expected to reprise their roles, and creator Joss Whedon has given the project his blessing despite not being involved.

Landing a distributor is the remaining hurdle for the Firefly revival, with the project still being shopped for a network or streaming home. That search is complicated by the original series’ track record, since Fox ultimately canceled Firefly before even airing all episodes of the season, a history that gives investors reason for caution before funding a second attempt. Still, over two decades of sustained pop culture presence should help dismiss that caution, at least if the creative team can manage the budget. So, while nothing is certain yet, the Firefly revival sits closer to actually happening than ever. More importantly, Fillion has been open about his willingness to keep fighting, and how fans help him have the energy to work on the revival. That’s a clear sign that fans should keep pushing until the revival gets a home and a release window.