Firefly (franchise)
Encyclopedia
The Firefly media franchise is an American
space Western
media franchise
created by Joss Whedon
and produced
by Mutant Enemy Productions
. The franchise includes the TV series Firefly
, the film
Serenity
and other media.
, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. Whedon described the Serenity crew members as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things".
The franchise explores the lives of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and now make a living as part of the pioneer
culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In addition, it is set in a future where the only two surviving superpowers, the United States
and China
, fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance
, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures as well. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today."
, the first part of the franchise, was a short-lived TV series. One season of 14 episodes was produced. The series was initially broadcast on Fox
from September 20, 2002 to August 19, 2003. Fox canceled it after 11 episodes were aired. The remaining 3 episodes were later aired on SciFi (now SyFy). Despite its relatively short lifespan, the series received strong sales when it was released on DVD
and has large fan support campaigns. It won an Emmy Award
in 2003
for "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series."
was released on September 30, 2005. The film acts as a sequel to Firefly and features much of the same cast and crew. The film was directed by Joss Whedon. It was released on DVD
, VHS
and UMD
on December 20, 2005, on HD DVD
on April 18, 2006 and Blu-ray on December 30, 2008.
It received generally positive reviews and opened at number two, taking in $10.1 million its first weekend, spending two weeks in the top ten, and totaling a domestic box office gross of $25.5 million and a foreign box office gross of $13.3 million. However, it did not make back its budget until its release on DVD. Serenity won film of the year awards from Film 2005
and FilmFocus
. It also won IGN Film
's Best Sci-Fi, Best Story and Best Trailer awards and was runner up for the Overall Best Movie. It also won the Nebula Award for Best Script
for 2005, the 7th annual 'User Tomato Awards' for best Sci-Fi movie of 2005 at Rotten Tomatoes
, the 2006 viewers choice Spacey Award for favorite movie, the 2006 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form and the 2006 Prometheus Special Award
.
of the film Serenity, written by Keith R. A. DeCandido
, was published by Pocket Books
in 2005. At the time that book was contracted, Pocket Books also contracted to publish two original novels, and solicited proposals from various authors. However, none of these proposals were approved by Joss Whedon, and after a year had elapsed, the contract was canceled.
One of the novels, My Own Kind of Freedom
by Steven Brust
, was released under a CC license.
have been produced for the franchise, all published by Dark Horse Comics
. Serenity: Those Left Behind
, released in 2005, is a three-issue miniseries
which acts as a bridge between the TV series and the film. Serenity: Better Days
, a three-issue miniseries released in 2008, tells of the Serenity
crew becoming rich after a successful job. Serenity: The Other Half is an 8-page story released online as a part of Dark Horse Presents
. In November 2010, Serenity: A Shepherd's Tale was released as a hardcover graphic novel
that depicts the secret former life of Derrial Book
.
is a series of five short videos released online in promotion of the Serenity film. They were also released on the Serenity Blu-Ray.
Set before the events of Firefly, the R. Tam sessions depict excerpts of counseling sessions with the character River Tam while she is held at an Alliance
"learning facility" known only as "The Academy." The counselor in these sessions is played by Joss Whedon
himself, while Summer Glau
appears as River. The videos shed some light on the experiments and torture "The Academy" conducted on River. They "document" her change from a shy child prodigy to the mentally unstable character of the television series.
role-playing game
was produced by Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd
and released in 2005
. Its mechanics are the first iteration of the Cortex System.
. The theme song of the series, "The Ballad of Serenity," was written by Joss Whedon and performed by Sonny Rhodes
. The soundtrack to the series was released on CD on November 8, 2005 by Varèse Sarabande
, although a 40 minute soundtrack was released by Fox Music in September 2005 as a digital EP. The soundtrack
to the Serenity film was composed by David Newman
and released on September 27, 2005.
: Malcolm Reynolds
"Mal", Zoe Washburne, Hoban Washburne "Wash", Inara Serra, Jayne Cobb, Kaywinnit Lee Frye "Kaylee", Simon Tam, River Tam and Shepherd Book
.
and focusing on the character of Wash, was published in June, 2010.
On October 4, 2007, Alan Tudyk
said that sales of the then newly-released Serenity: Special Edition DVD had led to "talk [of] doing another movie". Joss Whedon has since discounted that statement as being "wishful thinking" and added "I want to do more, but nobody's talking about doing more right now."
announced that it had obtained the rights from Twentieth Century Fox to develop a massively multiplayer online game
(MMOG) based on the series. As of 2008, little progress had been made. On 3 September, 2008, as part of a press release announcing the development of an MMOG based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, Multiverse stated that work on the Firefly MMOG had been delayed as there were "some issues that need to be worked through", although some gaming news sites have expressed doubts, based on the lack of progress with the Firefly MMOG, about whether or not it will be completed or released.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
space Western
Space western
Space Western is a subgenre of science fiction, primarily grounded in film and television programming, that transposes themes of American Western books and film to a backdrop of futuristic space frontiers; it is the complement of the science fiction Western, which transposes science fiction themes...
media franchise
Media franchise
A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters, setting and trademarks of an original work of media , such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. Generally, a whole series is made in a particular medium, along with merchandising and endorsements...
created by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
and produced
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
by Mutant Enemy Productions
Mutant Enemy Productions
Mutant Enemy Productions is the production company created in 1997 by Joss Whedon to produce Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The company also produced the Buffy spin-off, Angel, and his two short-lived science fiction series, the space western Firefly and his high-concept Dollhouse, produced by 20th...
. The franchise includes the TV series Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
, the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Serenity
Serenity (film)
Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
and other media.
Plot synopsis
The franchise is set in the year 2517, after humanity's arrival in a new star system, and follows the adventures of the renegade crew of SerenitySerenity (Firefly vessel)
Serenity is a fictional Firefly class spaceship appearing in Joss Whedon's Firefly television series and related works. Set in the 26th century, the series revolves around nine characters, which form the crew of the small transport ship, as they try to make a living through various legal and...
, a "Firefly-class" spaceship. Whedon described the Serenity crew members as "nine people looking into the blackness of space and seeing nine different things".
The franchise explores the lives of people who fought on the losing side of a civil war and now make a living as part of the pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
culture that exists on the fringes of their star system. In addition, it is set in a future where the only two surviving superpowers, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, fused to form the central federal government, called the Alliance
Alliance (Firefly)
The Alliance is a fictional supra-governmental entity in the Serenity franchise, a powerful authoritarian government and law-enforcement organization that controls the majority of territory within the known universe...
, resulting in the fusion of the two cultures as well. According to Whedon's vision, "nothing will change in the future: technology will advance, but we will still have the same political, moral, and ethical problems as today."
Firefly TV series
FireflyFirefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
, the first part of the franchise, was a short-lived TV series. One season of 14 episodes was produced. The series was initially broadcast on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
from September 20, 2002 to August 19, 2003. Fox canceled it after 11 episodes were aired. The remaining 3 episodes were later aired on SciFi (now SyFy). Despite its relatively short lifespan, the series received strong sales when it was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and has large fan support campaigns. It won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 2003
2003 in television
The year 2003 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2003.For the American TV schedule, see: 2003-04 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:...
for "Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series."
Film
The film SerenitySerenity (film)
Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
was released on September 30, 2005. The film acts as a sequel to Firefly and features much of the same cast and crew. The film was directed by Joss Whedon. It was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and UMD
Universal Media Disc
The Universal Media Disc is an optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on their PlayStation Portable handheld gaming and multimedia platform...
on December 20, 2005, on HD DVD
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
on April 18, 2006 and Blu-ray on December 30, 2008.
It received generally positive reviews and opened at number two, taking in $10.1 million its first weekend, spending two weeks in the top ten, and totaling a domestic box office gross of $25.5 million and a foreign box office gross of $13.3 million. However, it did not make back its budget until its release on DVD. Serenity won film of the year awards from Film 2005
The Film programme
The Film programme is a British film review television programme, broadcast weekly on BBC One, presented by Claudia Winkleman and Danny Leigh. The title of the show changes each year to incorporate the year of broadcast, with the current series being Film 2011, but when referring to successive...
and FilmFocus
FilmFocus
FilmFocus is a British film website which has been running since January 2004. According to Alexa Internet data it is the second most popular film website in the United Kingdom behind Empire 's website.-Site Features:...
. It also won IGN Film
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Best Sci-Fi, Best Story and Best Trailer awards and was runner up for the Overall Best Movie. It also won the Nebula Award for Best Script
Nebula Award for Best Script
Winners of the Nebula Award for Best Script. The stated year is that of release; awards are given in the following year. Winning titles are listed first, with other nominees listed below. In 1974, 1975, and 1977 the award was for "Best Dramatic Presentation"...
for 2005, the 7th annual 'User Tomato Awards' for best Sci-Fi movie of 2005 at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the 2006 viewers choice Spacey Award for favorite movie, the 2006 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form and the 2006 Prometheus Special Award
Prometheus Award
The Prometheus Award is an award for libertarian science fiction novels given annually by the Libertarian Futurist Society, which also publishes a quarterly journal Prometheus. L. Neil Smith established the award in 1979, but it was not awarded regularly until the newly founded Libertarian Futurist...
.
Novels
A novelizationNovelization
A novelization is a novel that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work.Novelizations of films usually add background material not found in the original work to flesh out the story, because novels are generally longer than screenplays...
of the film Serenity, written by Keith R. A. DeCandido
Keith R. A. DeCandido
Keith Robert Andreassi DeCandido is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and musician, who works on comic books, novels, role-playing games and video games, including numerous media tie-in books for properties such as Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, Supernatural,...
, was published by Pocket Books
Pocket Books
Pocket Books is a division of Simon & Schuster that primarily publishes paperback books.- History :Pocket produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in America in early 1939 and revolutionized the publishing industry...
in 2005. At the time that book was contracted, Pocket Books also contracted to publish two original novels, and solicited proposals from various authors. However, none of these proposals were approved by Joss Whedon, and after a year had elapsed, the contract was canceled.
One of the novels, My Own Kind of Freedom
My Own Kind of Freedom
My Own Kind of Freedom is a Firefly fan book. It is written by Steven Brust and released via Creative Commons-External links:* - Steven Brust's website where you can download a copy...
by Steven Brust
Steven Brust
Steven Karl Zoltán Brust is an American fantasy and science fiction author of Hungarian descent. He was a member of the writers' group The Scribblies, which included Emma Bull, Pamela Dean, Will Shetterly, Nate Bucklin, Kara Dalkey, and Patricia Wrede; he also belongs to the Pre-Joycean...
, was released under a CC license.
Comics
Several comic booksSerenity (comics)
Several comic book stories have been released under the Serenity title, set in the fictional universe created for Joss Whedon's Firefly television series and Serenity film...
have been produced for the franchise, all published by Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
. Serenity: Those Left Behind
Serenity: Those Left Behind
Serenity: Those Left Behind is a 2005 three-issue comic book limited series published by Dark Horse Comics. It was written by Brett Matthews with Joss Whedon credited for story, illustrated by Will Conrad, and colored by Laura Martin....
, released in 2005, is a three-issue miniseries
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
which acts as a bridge between the TV series and the film. Serenity: Better Days
Serenity: Better Days
Serenity: Better Days is a 2008 three-issue comic book miniseries published by Dark Horse Comics, based on the 2002 science fiction television series Firefly, and the 2005 feature film into which it was adapted, Serenity....
, a three-issue miniseries released in 2008, tells of the Serenity
Serenity (Firefly vessel)
Serenity is a fictional Firefly class spaceship appearing in Joss Whedon's Firefly television series and related works. Set in the 26th century, the series revolves around nine characters, which form the crew of the small transport ship, as they try to make a living through various legal and...
crew becoming rich after a successful job. Serenity: The Other Half is an 8-page story released online as a part of Dark Horse Presents
Dark Horse Presents
Dark Horse Presents was the first comic book published by Dark Horse Comics in 1986 and was their flagship title until its September 2000 cancellation. The second incarnation was published on MySpace, running from July 2007 until August 2010...
. In November 2010, Serenity: A Shepherd's Tale was released as a hardcover graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
that depicts the secret former life of Derrial Book
Derrial Book
Derrial Book is a fictional character played by Ron Glass in the science-fiction/Western television series Firefly and its sequel movie, Serenity...
.
R. Tam sessions
The R. Tam sessionsR. Tam sessions
The R. Tam sessions are a series of five short videos released by Joss Whedon over the internet, which were set within his fictional Firefly universe...
is a series of five short videos released online in promotion of the Serenity film. They were also released on the Serenity Blu-Ray.
Set before the events of Firefly, the R. Tam sessions depict excerpts of counseling sessions with the character River Tam while she is held at an Alliance
Alliance (Firefly)
The Alliance is a fictional supra-governmental entity in the Serenity franchise, a powerful authoritarian government and law-enforcement organization that controls the majority of territory within the known universe...
"learning facility" known only as "The Academy." The counselor in these sessions is played by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
himself, while Summer Glau
Summer Glau
Summer Lyn Glau is an American actress, known for playing River Tam in the science fiction series Firefly and follow-up film Serenity, and for playing Cameron in the series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.-Early life:...
appears as River. The videos shed some light on the experiments and torture "The Academy" conducted on River. They "document" her change from a shy child prodigy to the mentally unstable character of the television series.
Role-playing game
The SerenitySerenity (role-playing game)
Serenity Role Playing Game is a science fiction role-playing game released in 2005 and set in the universe of the movie Serenity and television series Firefly...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
was produced by Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd
Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd
Margaret Weis Productions, Ltd is a publisher.It published Serenity role playing game in late 2005 to coincide with the release of Joss Whedon's feature film Serenity based on the television series Firefly...
and released in 2005
2005 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 2005. For video and console games, see 2005 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 2005:...
. Its mechanics are the first iteration of the Cortex System.
Music
The soundtrack to Firefly was mostly composed by Greg EdmonsonGreg Edmonson
Greg Edmonson is a music composer for television and movies. He is primarily known for composing the soundtrack to the cancelled TV series Firefly. He is also the composer for the successful Uncharted PS3 game series and for a number of episodes of the animated sitcom King of the...
. The theme song of the series, "The Ballad of Serenity," was written by Joss Whedon and performed by Sonny Rhodes
Sonny Rhodes
Sonny Rhodes is an American blues singer and lap steel guitar player. He has recorded over two hundred songs. "I'm what you call a self-proclaimed Disciple of the Blues!" said Rhodes about his years playing and singing for fans of blues around the world...
. The soundtrack to the series was released on CD on November 8, 2005 by Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
, although a 40 minute soundtrack was released by Fox Music in September 2005 as a digital EP. The soundtrack
Serenity (soundtrack)
- Reviews:* , by Spence D. at IGN.com* by Steve Townsley at tracksounds.com...
to the Serenity film was composed by David Newman
David Newman (composer)
David Louis Newman is an American composer and conductor known particularly for his film scores. In a career spanning nearly forty years, he has composed music for nearly 100 feature films.-Life and career:...
and released on September 27, 2005.
Characters
The franchise stars the crew of the ship SerenitySerenity (Firefly vessel)
Serenity is a fictional Firefly class spaceship appearing in Joss Whedon's Firefly television series and related works. Set in the 26th century, the series revolves around nine characters, which form the crew of the small transport ship, as they try to make a living through various legal and...
: Malcolm Reynolds
Malcolm Reynolds
Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds is a fictional character and main protagonist in the Firefly franchise. Reynolds is played by actor Nathan Fillion in the 2002 TV series Firefly and the 2005 film Serenity. In the series, Reynolds is the captain of the Firefly-class spaceship Serenity...
"Mal", Zoe Washburne, Hoban Washburne "Wash", Inara Serra, Jayne Cobb, Kaywinnit Lee Frye "Kaylee", Simon Tam, River Tam and Shepherd Book
Derrial Book
Derrial Book is a fictional character played by Ron Glass in the science-fiction/Western television series Firefly and its sequel movie, Serenity...
.
Future
A one-shot comic, Serenity: Float Out, written by Patton OswaltPatton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
and focusing on the character of Wash, was published in June, 2010.
On October 4, 2007, Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk
Alan Wray Tudyk is an American actor known for his roles as Simon in the British comedy Death at a Funeral, as Steve the Pirate in DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, as Sonny in the science fiction drama I, Robot, as Doc Potter in 3:10 to Yuma, as Tucker in the Tucker & Dale vs Evil and as Hoban...
said that sales of the then newly-released Serenity: Special Edition DVD had led to "talk [of] doing another movie". Joss Whedon has since discounted that statement as being "wishful thinking" and added "I want to do more, but nobody's talking about doing more right now."
Video game
On December 8, 2006, The Multiverse NetworkMultiverse Network
The Multiverse Network, Inc. is an American startup company creating a network and platform for Massively Multiplayer Online Games and 3D virtual worlds...
announced that it had obtained the rights from Twentieth Century Fox to develop a massively multiplayer online game
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
(MMOG) based on the series. As of 2008, little progress had been made. On 3 September, 2008, as part of a press release announcing the development of an MMOG based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, Multiverse stated that work on the Firefly MMOG had been delayed as there were "some issues that need to be worked through", although some gaming news sites have expressed doubts, based on the lack of progress with the Firefly MMOG, about whether or not it will be completed or released.
External links
- Firefly-Serenity Chinese Pinyinary - English translations of the Chinese words and phrases used in Serenity
- Firefly Streaming episodes on theWB
- SerenityMovie.com - Official film website