A newly found poster has some thinking a potential Firefly sequel, titled Serenity: Echoes of Tranquility, could be headed for Disney+ in 2024.
The Internet Spots a Fake Firefly Sequel
A new poster making the rounds of social media has gotten the hopes up of Firefly fans worldwide, as it teases the series' long-awaited return with a sequel known as Serenity: Echoes of Tranquility.
The poster features series mainstays Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and Summer Glau, with the franchise's iconic ship, the Serenity, drifting in the background, and the title coming to Disney+.
The alleged synopsis for Echoes of Tranquility describes "an intergalactic thrill ride" for "the crew of Serenity," listing a "July 2024" release date:
"Get ready for an intergalactic thrill ride as the crew of Serenity returns in 'Serenity: Echoes of Tranquility,' soaring onto Disney+ this July 2024! Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, and Summer Glau reprise their iconic roles, plunging fans into a mesmerizing tale of adventure, betrayal, and newfound alliances. Brace yourself for a space odyssey that will redefine the meaning of loyalty, exclusively on Disney+!"
However convincing the poster may be, it is sadly a fan-made Photoshop creation.
The Firefly series aired for a single season on Fox in late 2002 but has since cemented its cult status with swaths of devoted fans remaining hopeful the franchise will come back in some form down the line.
Sadly, Disney does not have a Firefly sequel project on its slate, especially one that would be ready as soon as July 2024.
Will the Firefly Franchise Return?
Fans of Firefly (and its sequel film Serenity) have long been starving for information when it comes to the beloved sci-fi franchise, and this poster debacle is just the latest hit in nearly two-decade-long beating the Firefly faithful have been putting up with.
Since Serenity hit theaters in 2005, there has been little to carry the torch of the series. Fans have gotten some comics and novels to pick up the story, but that has been about it.
At one point, an online role-playing game set in the fictional universe (aptly named Firefly Online) was set to, at least in part, satiate the ravenous Firefly fanbase; however, the last update audiences got from that project was in 2016.
Originally, the Serenity film was set to start a big-screen trilogy for the franchise. Still, the financial underperformance of that first film squashed any hopes of the franchise moving on beyond that point.
As of 2020, Firefly executive producer Tim Minear and Fox President of Entertainment Michael Thorn are open to reviving the series.
In a conversation with The Wrap, Thorn hinted that conversations of bringing the series back "had come up" on the network:
“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.”
Minear said he and creator Joss Whedon have "talked about different permutations and how that might work" should the show come back:
“Joss did sort of revive it by making ’Serenity.' But we have talked about different permutations and how that might work. Do you take two of the characters and put them in a different place and sort of retell a new story with two old characters, with new characters?”
"You’re not gonna get everybody back — unless you did something like a limited series," the series creative added, perhaps setting up the idea of a limited revival somewhere down the line:
“You’re not gonna get everybody back — unless you did something like a limited series, like they did for ‘The X-Files.’ Then maybe you could get these people to come back. ’Cause Nathan is a little busy doing ‘The Rookie.’ But I also know, ’cause I just texted a little bit with Nathan over the weekend, when I posted those pictures from ‘Firefly’ and he got very sentimental. Everyone who worked on that show dearly loves it and they all still talk to each other. I still see Alan occasionally.”
While the Firefly team and Fox have never put pen to paper on another adventure in the universe, there have at least been conversations in recent years that could eventually lead to something (at least, that is what the franchise fans are eagerly hoping for).
Firefly is streaming now on Disney+.
