Firefly is (maybe) coming back. The TV series both started and ended in 2002, where it was prematurely cancelled by Fox after just 11 of its 14 episodes had aired, some of them in the wrong order. It has since gained a cult following, with a reputation as one of the best TV shows ever to be cancelled after just one season, and among the 21st Century’s greatest Sci-Fi series. The fandom it developed led to a sequel movie, Serenity, as well as a run of comic books.
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But now, something even bigger might be happening. For the past couple of weeks, Fillion has been teasing an announcement involving Firefly‘s cast. That has, naturally, led to speculation of a revival or reboot of some kind. All will be revealed on Sunday, March 15th, when a reunion will be happening at Awesome Con in Washington, D.C. While we don’t know the nature of that announcement yet, and whether it will be a revival, an audio series, a game, a reunion special, or just some sort of branding tie-in, we do know which actors are involved.
8) Nathan Fillion
Of course, Nathan Fillion is involved. As Mal Reynolds, he was the star of the show and the captain of Serenity, and he’s been the one in the videos going around and assembling the other cast members. Serenity ended with Mal having weakened the Alliance, and seemingly continuing for more adventures with his crew, so it makes sense he’s involved – there’s no Firefly without him. Fillion has been very active in the years since, including leading two long-running TV shows, Castle and The Rookie.
7) Gina Torres
Gina Torres, who played Zoë Alleyne Washburne, is also involved in the reunion. Where Mal goes, you can usually be sure Zoë will be there, too: she’s his long-time friend, served under him in the Unification War, and is the second-in-command aboard Serenity. If it is a revival, it’ll be interesting to see what it has in store for her, as she lost her husband, Alan Tudyk’s Wash, during the events of Serenity. Since Firefly, Torres has starred in Suits, the spinoff show Pearson, and 9-1-1: Lone-Star.
6) Morena Baccarin
Did Mal and Inara Serra finally figure things out? The pair has a complicated romantic history, but Serenity ended with a tease that they would indeed have a future together. And if we are getting a revival, we’ll find out what happened to the Companion, as Morena Baccarin is confirmed to be involved. Baccarin has enjoyed a lot of success post-Firefly, having played Vanessa in all three Deadpool movies, and earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Jessica Brody in Homeland.
5) Sean Maher
After going on the run and smuggling his sister aboard Serenity, Sean Maher’s Simon Tam may finally have the chance to settle down. The movie set up a happy ending, with the likelihood of pardons for him and River, and the surgeon getting the opportunity for a happy ending with Kaylee. Maher later became known as the voice of Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, voicing the character in seven different DC animated movies throughout the 2010s.
4) Summer Glau
After being such a mystery through a lot of Firefly, we learned more about River Tam in Serenity, and she started to realize the true potential of her abilities, not least in the standout scene where she killed the Reavers. The character seemingly left poised to become Serenity’s new pilot, something any potential continuation would presumably stick with. Glau has stuck with genre fare in the last 20+ years, including roles in The 4400, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Arrow.
3) Jewel Staite
Jewel Staite played Kaywinnet Lee Frye across Firefly and Serenity, better known to you and me as Kaylee, the ship’s mechanic. She was really the heart of the crew, so it wouldn’t be right for things to return without her involvement. Again, the end of Serenity set up a potential happy ending for her and Simon, so it remains to be seen whether they’d have fully returned to the fold or if they’re living a quiet family life now. Among Staite’s many TV credits are main roles in Family Law, The Killing, and The L.A. Complex.
2) Adam Baldwin
Jayne Cobb is the tough guy on the Serenity, a mercenary who tends to act first, think later. And yet beneath the hard, Vera-wielding exterior, there are signs of a more sensitive soul underneath. While he doesn’t always get along with everyone, he’s undoubtedly a crucial part of the crew. Adam Baldwin was well-established before Firefly, and his roles since then have included Chuck, Day Break, and The Last Ship.
1) Alan Tudyk
The final cast member to be confirmed for the Firefly reunion announcement was Alan Tudyk, who co-hosts the Once We Were Spacemen podcast with Fillion. He played Hoban “Wash” Washburne, the ship’s pilot, in both Firefly and Serenity, but ended up dying in the movie. If we are getting a revival, his involvement raises some questions about what that means for Wash, and just how they’ll bring him back. Tudyk has starred in Resident Alien, as well as Doom Patrol and, on the voice acting side, a slew of Disney franchise projects, including Rogue One and Andor as K-2SO.
The final member of Firefly‘s main cast, Ron Glass, sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 71. His character, Shepherd Derrial Book, was another key part of the series, as well as the movie, and hopefully whatever the announcement is, there’s space to honor that legacy in it.
Firefly is available to stream on Hulu.
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