Joss Whedon's FIREFLY soars again

Cancelled TV show gets a chance at the silver screen

By Patrick Sauriol     September 04, 2003
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

After watching his idea for a smart, strong monster stomping heroine get gutted on the silver screen, screenwriter Joss Whedon proved to the world that he could take a concept that everyone had written off and turn it into a successful television franchise. After seven seasons worth of episodes spread out over two different networks and a spin-off series too stubborn to die, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER beat all the odds and has now earned a lasting place in the hearts and minds of fandom.

But can Whedon make lightning strike twice? Can a cancelled TV series that lasted less than one season have a shot at becoming a successful feature film franchise?

Fans of FIREFLY, the Fox sci-fi televison show that got pulled from the airwaves after only 11 episodes, were praying for a miracle to happen. Today their prayers have been answered.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Universal Pictures has successfully acquired the rights to FIREFLY from Fox Television. Whedon has now been given the go-ahead to develop a feature film based on the show's characters and concept that he will make his feature directorial debut on. The man behind BUFFY wants to give all of the show's stars the chance to reprise their characters in the FIREFLY movie, expand the scope of the story to make it better suited for a feature film, and add new characters to the mythology. A budget for the movie wasn't floated; nevertheless the studio hopes to have the project in production sometime within the first few months of 2004.

Speaking at this summer's San Diego Comic-Con, Whedon told a packed room of his fans that he remained fully committed to keeping FIREFLY alive. It looks like that promise is coming true.


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