Cast Signed Up For Sequels

[Dave]

from SCIFI Wire

Serenity Cast Signed For Sequels

Most of the cast of the upcoming SF movie Serenity told SCI FI Wire that they have signed on for two more movies if the film version of Joss Whedon's canceled Fox TV series Firefly is a hit. They include Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Jewel Staite, Gina Torres and Morena Baccarin. Star Nathan Fillion wouldn't say whether he's signed for more films, but writer/director Whedon said that the entire cast would likely return if a sequel is warranted.

As for his ideas for the sequel, Whedon said he was focused only on completing the first movie. "It's very sweet to mention the word sequel," Whedon said in a press conference in Beverly Hills, Calif. "Obviously that's the way my brain works. It continues to tell stories. ... So it's inevitable for me that I do that, and of course I love this universe. I love these people, and I would jump at the chance to do it again. But I couldn't think about that while I was making it, because, ultimately, you have to make [the first one]. ... It's a trilogy if you make two that are so good there's a third. ... Now that I've finished it, ... I think about it all the time. But it don't tell anybody that. Except just now."

Serenity picks up the story of the ragtag crew of a transport ship 400 years in the future as it tries to avoid a menacing central galactic government intent on capturing a fugitive aboard the ship. Whedon said it was a challenge adapting the TV show for the big screen.

"Well, ultimately, you know, that's certainly the hardest job I ever had," Whedon said. "It's a question of opening it up, and it's a question of closing it down. You know, opening it up in the sense of: We need a giant, epic story that is not the kind of thing these people usually get involved in in a TV series, which is more mundane. You need a reason for this to be a movie. ... The closing comes in making sure that it is accessible to everybody: that you explain everybody as much as you need to, that you explain the world as much as you need to, that you begin and you end, that you have an arc for the character, as well as a plot that has a question and then an answer."

Whedon added: "I've actually said once or twice that the difference between TV and movies is that TV shows are a question, and movies are an answer. And so in this we had to have a definitive statement about freedom and humanity and what we need and what we should be allowed to have as people, which is all our flaws. And then I answer that. I make a definitive statement. I put a period or, hopefully, an exclamation point on that, as opposed to just sort of pursuing the question for years, which is what a TV show would do." Serenity is being released by Universal Pictures, which is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM. The movie opens Sept. 30.

"We need a giant, epic story that is not the kind of thing these people usually get involved in in a TV series" -- I think there would be plenty of giant, epic stories left to tell, but I'd much rather see a TV series because you get more detail on the characters. I don't see how this film (at this point in time I haven't seen it yet) can give us what I'd like to see on River and Book. And all that "pursuing the question for years" -- that's called suspense.

"a TV series... is more mundane." -- not always! If it is it's because of the budget it has to live with.

[obcooke]

On a note related to sequels -

At this years DRAGONCON, held in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, Adam Baldwin (along with Morena Baccarin, Jewel Staite & Ron Glass) said it was an open secret that the opening weekend would be critical to the decision-making process. There will be a pretty quick GO or NO-GO on rather the movie has "legs" to support sequels after that.

The goal is $100 Million. (ex: Fantastic Four took 10 days to generate that much but probably locked in a sequel.)

So, go early and go often and drag all your friends that you can cajole, bribe or blackmail into going.

=== A few thoughts on marketing Joss ===

I look forward to a day when Serenity becomes a movie staple, like James Bond films. I keep thinking that Mal Reynolds is at least as interesting a character as Indiana Jones and people kept flocking to see his next adventure.

I also think that Joss should consider rather there is a secondary market for his work - for instance, would enough of us buy DVDs of his work without a supporting movie or TV show? Mutant Enemy productions might be able to shake off the onus of the "direct to DVD" label and turn it into a marketing strategy.

Or maybe I've been in the heat too long - who knows.

[obcooke]

According to Reuters News Service -

"Serenity," a film based on the short-lived Western-flavored sci-fi TV series "Firefly," opened at No. 2 with $10.1 million, a figure within the modest expectations of its distributor, Universal Pictures. It marks the feature directing debut of "Firefly" creator Joss Whedon.

[Dave]

Apparently the Box Office figures were poorer than hoped, not sure what they expected, but more films are still possible. I can't find the original USA Today report this relates to online, if someone read it it may have more details?

from SciFi Wire

Whedon: No More Firefly

Firefly/Serenity creator Joss Whedon told USA Today that he still hopes to tell more stories set in the futuristic universe, but added that there's no chance he'll do another Firefly TV show. "We'll never make Firefly again, because that was a thing that existed and is now gone," Whedon told the newspaper before Christmas. "And Serenity isn't Firefly, and whatever comes next won't be, either. But I would love to tell more stories of this universe and to hang out with these people on and off for the rest of my career."

Serenity, based on the canceled Fox TV show Firefly, hit theaters last September and has pulled in a disappointing $25.4 million domestically since opening Sept. 30, 2005. The movie is now available on DVD. "The best-case scenario is that the DVD is such a spectacular, monster hit that we get to make another movie," Whedon said. "Then we get to make another movie. After three movies, we're all very tired. After Serenity: Revolutions, we feel like we've played it out. And then we make another series."

Whedon is currently writing the script for Wonder Woman, which he is slated to direct once Warner Brothers signs off.

[imported_EdOtt]

i don't think i could handle another firefly movie, i expected that they were going to kill off book, but was taken by surprise when wash died. i still cannot believe they killed wash.

[obcooke]

Originally posted by EdOtt
i don't think i could handle another firefly movie, i expected that they were going to kill off book, but was taken by surprise when wash died. i still cannot believe they killed wash.

We have a discussion about the deaths over in the thread -What do you think of it?

Feel free to hop over there and add your comments in more detail.


Edit: Hyperlink edited to a Chronicles URL

[little smaug]

I'm sure I read something the other day where Joss said the sequel might go straight to DVD, because Serenity didn't do as well as they'd hoped.

[Dave]

Was it this?

from IGN FilmForce

Exclusive: A Serenity Sequel?

This one's for the Browncoats.

December 1, 2005 - IGN FilmForce has heard that, although it was very disappointed in the poor box office showing for Serenity, Universal may not have retired Captain Malcolm Reynolds and his renegade crew just yet.

Sources said that, given the strong sales of the TV series Firefly on DVD, Universal is planning a sequel film to Serenity that will be produced with and to broadcast premiere on the Sci Fi Channel, which is part of the NBC Universal family.

The project is said to be a lower budget undertaking streamlined for the small-screen.

IGN FilmForce checked with Joss Whedon's camp who denied the claim; Universal did not comment.

Time will tell if this rumor pans out.

Interesting, but I don't think Joss would lie. Then again Universal may not have approached him yet.

[philoSCIFI]

Showing it on the SciFi channel? Bleh! I'd rather it go straight to DVD.

[Dave]

Me too, but only because I would expect we would see it quicker in the UK if it came out on DVD. As yet, Firefly has still not been shown on terrestrial TV here, only on the European Scifi Channel.

[philoSCIFI]

Yeah. Similarly I was thinking it would be more available to the masses. The masses being those who have or haven't seen the show or the movie. I know a few people who have tvs but don't have cable. Then theres those who may have seen the movie but not the shows. It just seems better to release it in a format that more people would be able to see it or even more likely to see it.

[little smaug]

I found the article I was thinking of, it was in the latest issue of SFX.

We prayed and were ready to sell our souls, but Serenity still wasn't the success we wanted it to be. And Joss Whedon is betting that, should he get the chance to helm a sequel, it'll most likely be straight-to-DVD. Whedon says the future of the franchise won't be decided until the tallies are taken from the Serenity DVD releases, but, regardless, ol' Joss has some ideas for the sequel. He says he'd like to bring back Jubal Early, the bounty hunter from the Firefly series, and Shepherd Book, who only had a tiny part in the movie.

[obcooke]

It may be that Joss is trying to cement a reputation as a movie-maker instead of being catagorized as a TV producer/director.

A lot will ride on the upcoming Wonder Woman project. I hope that the suits behind the project don't start shopping it around on him, based on lack-luster "Serenity" sales. The super-hero movie game can be very tough on egos with scripts and directors being changed every time you blink.

He just needs one big splash.

Take Paul Haggis for instance. He started producing several failed TV shows, including one of my favorites "Due South" - about an archtypical Mountie transplanted to the streets of Chicago. Then he wrote the screenplay for "Million Dollar Baby". Then he was green-lighted to write and direct the critically-acclaimed "Crash".

Joss is in a similar position - he just needs to be connected with one widely-recognized big screen hit. Unfortunately, as good as "Serenity" is, this is not the one.

But that might explain why he's trying to burn his bridges as to TV projects.

[Dave]

There may be rights issues here too. Fox may still hold the rights to the name "Firefly" even though Mutant Enemy holds the rights to the characters and story, hence the film being called "Serenity" instead. I've noticed that Joss is often not clear in what he says and is then often quoted out of context. He has apparently complained about being quoted out of context in this, that when he said there would be no more 'Firefly' he only meant 'no more TV show', but it was reported in the media as being no more stories.

Also bear in mind that IGN FilmForce said that they "checked with Joss Whedon's camp" which is not the same thing at all as speaking to Joss Whedon himself.

As for his reputation, he has quite an impressive portfolio as a film scriptwriter, so I don't think he could ever be seen as purely a TV producer/director, though I agree that if 'Wonder Woman' bombs it will be harder for him. It has never stopped Terry Gilliam making more films though.

[LongGunMenX]

Originally posted by little smaug
I'm sure I read something the other day where Joss said the sequel might go straight to DVD, because Serenity didn't do as well as they'd hoped.

I would love to see it at the movies. But at this point and time. If it's straight to DVD or nothing. I would rather have the DVD than nothing.



The LongGunMenX