Firefly
FOX

Could it be?  Could the cult classic sci-fi western series ‘Firefly’, created by Joss Whedon, actually return?  What’s more, could it actually return on the very same network that originally axed the show after less than a season, after pre-empting it constantly and shuffling it around on its schedule– FOX?

Well, never say never.  While attending the Television Critics Association press tour, FOX president of entertainment, Michael Thorn, told The Wrap:

“The macro answer is, any time we look at one of our classic titles, if there’s a way to reinvent it for today so it’s as resonant now as the original was, and is, to the fans, we’re wide open.  I loved ‘Firefly,’ personally, and I watched every episode. I didn’t work on it, but I loved the show. It had come up before, but we had ‘The Orville’ on the air and it didn’t make sense for us to have, as a broadcast network who is very targeted, to have two space franchises on our air.”

Well, ‘The Orville’ has flown the coop.  Due to production delays, it will now air on Hulu, starting with its third season, later this year.  Could that mean that ‘Firefly’ could replace it?

 

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Thorn added:

“It’s a good idea…  In this crowded marketplace, if you can start with some kind of brand awareness and IP that has a vocal support and, in this case, a crazy, passionate love for it, you’re ahead of the game.”

Logistically speaking, that would be difficult to pull off.  ‘Firefly’ aired off and on during the 2002-03 season.  Creator Joss Whedon is busy working on his upcoming HBO series ‘The Nevers’.  Executive producer Tim Minear recently signed a development deal with Fox, and currently acts as EP on ‘9-1-1’ and the upcoming spin-off, ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’.

Lead actor, Nathan Fillion (Capt. Mal Reynolds) now stars on ABC’s ‘The Rookie’.  Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra) is currently filming a new series, ‘Home Invasion’.  Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye) recurs on ‘The Magicians’.  Summer Glau (River Tam) most recently appeared on Netflix’s ‘Wu Assassins’.  Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb) and Gina Torres (Zoë Washburne) were both recently starring on series which have since ended, but they are working on other projects.  Ron Glass (Shepherd Book) passed away in 2016, and Alan Tudyk (Hoban “Wash” Washburn) does a ton of voice work these days, but their characters were killed off in ‘Serenity’ anyway.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that this could be a reboot and not a continuation of the first series.  How would you feel about that?

Would you like to see ‘Firefly’ return?