# "Serenity" (Firefly movie) delayed to September **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334 "2004-11-23T19:20:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/1 "2004-11-23T19:20:06Z")
Originally scheduled release date: April 22. The “Matrix” slot, so named because the first Matrix movie had a lot of success opening a couple of months before the first “Star Wars” prequel. New release date: sometime in September. Apparently the “XXX” sequel and a bunch of other stuff is trying to take advantage of the same slot. “Serenity” will now be released in the “Sky Captain” slot, which worked so brilliantly. ☹ This is according to Joss Whedon, who [posted a note on Whedonesque.com](http://whedonesque.com/?comments=5406#42829) announcing the change. There’s some followup discussion there also. I’m very bummed out, obviously. See, I can’t stop watching “Firefly.” I’ve been through the DVD set, beginning to end, three times in the last three months. Whenever I decide I’d like to watch some television, “Firefly” is almost always the best thing on. It never stops being fresh; I continue finding small details and surprises in the shows. Plus I’ve been having fun speculating about the movie. Joss has said he designed the movie story very carefully, in order to set up the world and the overall plot such that a first-timer wouldn’t be lost, but that fans wouldn’t feel like it’s too repetitive. He says, rather vaguely, that he’s going to cover some previous events in different ways, as a means of catching up newbies. (I suspect this means he’s going to show us how Simon got River out of the “school,” which in the pilot episode is dismissed with a quick “money, and luck” explanation. It’d make a lot of sense to make this an early centerpiece of the film; it’s new material for fans, and it’s highly expository for new viewers. Just speculatin’, like I said.) I even invited a bunch of friends over starting in January to go through the episodes, one per week, leading up to the movie. Some of my friends know and love the show. Some will be coming to it fresh. Now… not so much. Maybe I’ll do it anyway. Maybe I’ll wait. Maybe I’ll do it twice, once when I had originally planned, and then again starting in August. Anyway, thought y’all should know. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/2 "2004-11-23T21:02:11Z")
Well, crap. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/3 "2004-11-23T22:07:38Z")
Well put. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/4 "2004-11-23T22:10:28Z")
I was thinking “Aw, hell,” but **Miller** may have said it best. But I hadn’t even been sure of the April release in the first place, so I guess I’m not _that_ upset. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/5 "2004-11-23T22:50:58Z")
Another April down the tubes. ---
**Author:** ![ThatGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@ThatGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/6 "2004-11-23T22:59:25Z")
This is horrible news for me, i’m looking more forward to the Serenity trailer than i am for then entire Revenge of the Sith movie…Five more months to rely of the Firefly DVDs for my fix, darn it all! ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/7 "2004-11-23T23:04:56Z")
Sadness. I was just thinking about Serenity earlier this morning. ---
**Author:** ![vd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b19c9b/32.png) [@vd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vd)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/8 "2004-11-23T23:23:12Z")
So what you’re saying is that I need the Serenity to accept the delayed openings I cannot change, the Courage to watch the DVD’s I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/9 "2004-11-24T00:49:06Z")
For your edification, Adam Baldwin posts a couple of times in [this thread](http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/messages/?msg=19873.1) (starting at post number 221) about the new date. He talks about how he ran into Joss and chatted about it earlier today (yes, today: ain’t the Web amazing?), and in general he seems to think it’ll be a net positive. Mostly because they can pimp the movie by attaching the trailer to all the big summer titles, instead of relying on spring television ads. Still bummed. Gonna go home and watch “Objects in Space” tonight for the whatever-th time. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/10 "2004-11-24T02:33:30Z")
April is the cruelest month, after all. I’m disappointed, but I hope Adam is right about the heavier promotion. That would be pretty great for them… Still. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/11 "2004-11-24T06:21:36Z")
Does that sound right to you? Well, look on the bright side - at least they didn’t decide to send it straight to DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/12 "2004-11-24T06:37:46Z")
In the spirit of corporate synergy, they should be able to stick a trailer in front of the new Star Wars film. That can’t do anything but help it. it’s something of a myth that there are times when films can’t do well; films usually make more in the summer for various reasons, but quality films (read: commerical) will always find their audience. It’s all about getting people to the theater on opening weekend; from then on, it’s all up to word of mouth. ---
**Author:** ![merrily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@merrily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrily)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/13 "2004-11-24T16:57:06Z")
I wish it was original with me, but at least I can agree: Grrrr, Argh! You know, I’m older than Joss, but I’m still getting some life lessons from him. The way he announced it was classy. Back to the DVD, too, once I get through Buffy Season 7. And then there is Angel Season 5 in Feb., I believe. And then the long dark period until Autumn. For once, it is going to be shinier in Autumn than Spring. I just learned this week that efulgent means shiny. I’m slow sometimes, but at least I got there. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/14 "2004-11-24T17:14:56Z")
Gee, and here I was grousing that there was too much good stuff coming out in April and May and I was going to blow my budget. Now, problem solved. I can wait until September. I feel everybody else’s pain, though. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/15 "2004-11-24T17:23:01Z")
Well, on a personal level, I admit I’m bummed. But overall this delay could be a good thing. Think about it. If they put it out in April, up against a lot of other competition, _ **Serenity** _ might do well. I’d like to think that it would, but you can never tell with movie audiences. Or it might get lost in the shuffle. But with a kind of “stand-alone” debut date, it might get the new-audience recognition that might just re-start the TV franchise. I wouldn’t mind seeing Rupert Murdoch, seeing the box-office success of _ **Serenity** _, bowling with the bloody, severed heads of the FOX programming execs which messed with and ultimately tanked _ **Firefly** _. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/16 "2004-11-24T20:59:08Z")
Incidentally, the teaser trailer for _Serenity_ was supposed to be attached to _Elektra_ (the Jennifer Garner action flick following on the awful _Daredevil_, but directed by a different guy, Rob “X-Files” Bowman) in January. I’ve been running around looking for any clue about whether this will still be the case, or if the delay means everything is delayed. Nothing yet. I invite anyone who’s interested and who has equally powerful google-fu to join the hunt. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/17 "2004-11-24T21:22:31Z")
[Jewel Staite’s blog](http://users.ev1.net/~alternity/tv/jewel_staite/Jewel.html), filled with words of reassurance. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/18 "2004-11-25T00:07:25Z")
Another classic Sci-Fi TV show made into a movie. Seems like it was only about a couple of years ago that I was enjoying this on FOX/TV… ;j ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/19 "2004-11-25T00:22:36Z")
I just hope people don’t take the ‘It was pushed back, so it sucks’ stance that comes up so often. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334/20 "2004-11-25T06:19:26Z")
I haven’t associated a re-scheduled release date with bad news in the past. The choice of a release date can be a delicate thing, and the powers that be want to get it just right. And if they are going to promote it more, that’s good too. However, if they refuse to let audiences see previews, that’s a bad sign. But I doubt that will happen . . . [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serenity-firefly-movie-delayed-to-september/276334.md?page=2)