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Firefly, the cult sci-fi series that was famously cancelled after just one season, is being rebooted – with two key changes.
The new series, which brings back the original cast, will be animated, rather than live-action, and will not feature the involvement of creator Joss Whedon.
Nathan Fillion, who played the lead role of Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds in the original 2002 series, announced that the reboot was in development during a panel appearance at Washington DC’s Awesome Con.
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Nathan Fillion in ‘Firefly’ (Fox)
Firefly co-stars Alan Tudyk, Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau were also in attendance, and are expected to return for the series, as is Adam Baldwin, another of the original cast.
The original Firefly focused on a band of misfit space smugglers. The series, which served as a mashup of the sci-fi and western genres, ran for just 11 episodes before it was cancelled. (A further three episodes had been produced, and were later released on DVD.)
Firefly is frequently listed among the best cult TV shows, and the best series that were cancelled prematurely.
A movie sequel, Serenity, was released in 2005. The new series is reportedly set between the events of the original series and Serenity.
“The dedication of Firefly fans has kept this 25-year-old show relevant. Clearly, the return of Firefly is something the fans want. More importantly, it’s something they deserve,” Fillion told Deadline.
The Firefly revival will, according to Deadline, be lead by the married writing-producing team of Marc Guggenheim (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) and Tara Butters (Agent Carter).
Whedon, who is also known for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer and writing and directing 2012’s Avengers Assemble (2012), is not involved in the project.
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Joss Whedon created the original ‘Firefly’, but is not involved in the reboot (Getty Images)
The showrunner and filmmaker has been largely absent from the public eye since 2021, following a series of allegations about his conduct on the set of Buffy.
Yesterday, Buffy actor Sarah Michelle Gellar announced that plans for a Buffy reboot had been cancelled, after Hulu declined to pick up the series order.
A pilot, which saw Gellar return to her iconic TV role, had already been filmed. Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloe Zhao had directed the episode.