After a week of teasing an announcement on social media, Nathan Fillion has confirmed that the cast of Firefly are reuniting. But it’s not what anyone had anticipated. The cast is working to get development underway on an animated series to continue the story of Captain Mal and his crew.
The news was revealed by Fillion during a panel at Awesome Con alongside fellow cast members Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau, all of whom are expected to reprise their roles. It is also anticipated that Adam Baldwin will reprise his role for the project should it get off the ground.
The animated series is being developed through Fillion’s production banner Collision33 in partnership with 20th Television Animation, which controls holds the rights to the franchise as it does with all of Joss Whedon’s TV creations. Fillion explained in a video posted to social media that Whedon has given his blessing to continue the series.
Watch the full video in the player below:
The new series is being helmed by writing-producing team Marc Guggenheim (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter, Reaper) with a script already completed.
According to Deadline 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.
Originally produced by 20th Century Fox Television and created by Whedon, Firefly aired for a single season before developing a long afterlife through DVD sales, streaming platforms, and its theatrical continuation in Serenity. It followed a renegade crew aboard the transport ship Serenity, living on the fringes of society in the year 2517. The late Ron Glass also starred on the series and the film as Shepherd Derrial Book.
