Firefly Series to Movie to Series?

POSTED BY: Mephisto
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 00:25
VIEWED: 7576
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MEPHISTO

Saturday, January 3, 2004 11:09 AM

I think we've pretty well established the movie will be made. At least movies.com seems to think so. My question is: Will the series start up again if the movie does well? Buffy the Vampire slayer was a movie before a series too right? I just don't think they can fit the entire story into a movie. They could probably do more than one movie but would it be the same? I'd sure as hell rather they did a ton of movies than nothing at all, but the series was great.

HUMBLE

Saturday, January 3, 2004 3:59 PM

think more than just fox network incompetence got firefly cancelled. poor economic outlook, terrorism, wars, etc. all were contributing factors. sponsor's cost cutting probably had more to do with network tv's current trend of low-cost crappy shows. now, if firefly movie does great at the box office, it's fairly certain that another movie will be made. if economy picks up and sponsors start shelling out for tv advertising, another tv network could very well pick up firefly tv series. my only question is, if the movie is successful, would the original cast WANT to go back to doing tv series? if not, would it hurt show if new cast members fill in? looking at joss's other shows, i don't think it would be that detrimental for fan base.

Let's Do Some CRIME!

TIRED

Saturday, January 3, 2004 5:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mephisto:
I think we've pretty well established the movie will be made. At least movies.com seems to think so. My question is: Will the series start up again if the movie does well? ... I'd sure as hell rather they did a ton of movies than nothing at all, but the series was great.

Not terribly likely either way. Universal are the same nice people who completely fubar'd the MST3K movie, but Firefly would make a better film...even if the story ended up being the THIRD pilot episode they'd shot.

As far as the TV series, Fox can do whatever it wants, but it's not impossible Universal would spin a successful movie back into a TV series, these are the same people who own the scifi channel after all. However, I think the problem with the TV series was the cost vs. income, channels aren't much for loss leaders anymore, they're even dropping sports coverage, and the $2M to produce an episode of Firefly may be too steep for anyone to pick up, knowing they won't get a return.

Of course, if they somehow make $30M in DVD sales fromt the series so far, I suspect Fox, Scifi or someone else will have to rethink the value of producing the show. It's probably good to note at this point that this was discussed back when they first cancelled it, and that other shows are built around the straight to DVD business model (The Sopranos, that ridiculous ESPN Playmakers show, etc).

To go even further into left field, Disney makes an absolute killing on straight to video sequels of their movies, animated and otherwise. If you could turn $2M per episode into $4M for a 2-episode DVD retailing at $20, you could just make the show, sell it to whoever would pick it up cheap as a break even/loss leader for production, then cover your profit needs on the DVD sales and merchandising.

Of course, you'd have to buy all those rights back from FOX to do it. I don't know how much Mr. Whedon made on his shows to date, but it's an 8 figure risk to even try that.

As far as the show just coming back via Fox, well, I remember my parents telling me Star Trek was cancelled and then brought back later by the same network, and Fox is bringing Family Guy back in response to DVD sales (!), so it's not without precedent. The feedback loop is just faster now than it was in the early 60s, so the continuation of sites like this and the success of the Firefly DVD set is about the best you can hope for short of some fan winning the lottery and putting the money up as an investment against the show's future earnings.

MRGREEN

Saturday, January 3, 2004 9:04 PM

Quote:
short of some fan winning the lottery and putting the money up as an investment against the show's future earnings.

Wouldn't that be the funniest thing to see happen? Some 20 year old sci-fi fan, who is a total firefly devotee wins a $150 million lotto, buys the rights from fox, and bank rolls the first season of show direct to dvd?

I know I would do it. Would probably at least break even in the long run, maybe make a few bucks. On that note, we should start sending the DVD set to america's richest people. Anyone know if Bill Gates has seen Firefly yet?

CARDIE

Saturday, January 3, 2004 9:11 PM

Star Trek was in danger of cancellation, and the fan campaign helped get it renewed for seasons 2 and 3, but it was never cancelled and then brought back, on the same network or anywhere else, except in the movies. TNG was not on TOS's original network (NBC) but sold directly to individual stations via syndication.

Cardie

HKCAVALIER

Saturday, January 3, 2004 9:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by HUMBLE:
my only question is, if the movie is successful, would the original cast WANT to go back to doing tv series?

Everyone connected with this show considers it the best thing that they've ever done. Everyone. Nathan said he'd give up dialysis for the show. I don't think anybody would bag out no matter what form it continued in. Personally, I'd rather see Firefly once a week than once a year...

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

NIGHTTRAIN

Saturday, January 3, 2004 11:33 PM

Nah. It's too much story for one movie. I hope it will end up like the James Bond movies. One movie every couple of years, going on forever. I'll probably be taking my grandchildren to Firefly part 32. Of course i'd rather the series comes back, but that is really seeming like a long shot right now.

FLYINFREE

Sunday, January 4, 2004 11:57 AM

Come on people! Go for the gold! Set your sights on the moon! Bring back the series AND a Firefly movie every year!

"Well, we're still flyin'."
"That's not much."
"It's enough." Malcolm Reynolds and Simon Tam - Serenity

SHADOWKATE

Sunday, January 4, 2004 1:09 PM

Just as a point:

In Japan, entire anime series are made with the full purpose of making money on DVDs regardless of if it is shown on television or not...or so I've been told by a couple of reliably sources.

SAINT JAYNE

Saturday, January 17, 2004 6:01 AM

Excuse me, but who posted this? It seems to have appeared under my name, yet these are not my thoughts! Perhaps I'm insane.

I think this show will some back like another SF
show that was canclled because some management types couldent get their heads around the concept of a mixed crew of beings working togeather.In
Fireflys case the whole crew are ticking bombs
a situation that keeps evreyone guessing who is
going to happen next. Especialy with jane and his bad temper andlove affair with large wepons.
I hope the people in charge take a second look
if they don't and someone else with something beside stats and ratings for brains. This could
be a great show with lots of potential that up to now was gaing quite a following.

An old SF Fan

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