Series creator Joss Whedon will not be involved in the project, but he has given his blessing for the sequel to go forth.

Firefly revival will be animated series, original cast to reprise roles

Series creator Joss Whedon will not be involved in the project, but he has given his blessing for the sequel to go forth.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

EW's editorial guidelines

March 15, 2026 1:01 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Adam Baldwin, Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres on 'Firefly'. Credit:

20th Century Fox Film Corp/ Courtesy Everett Collection

A long-anticipated *Firefly* announcement has finally arrived.

Twenty-four years after the cult sci-fi series started and abruptly ended, star Nathan Fillion has revealed plans to reunite the OG crew of the Serenity. At this year's Awesome Con, the actor disclosed that an animated *Firefly* series is in advanced development at 20th Television Animation, and it will bring the original cast back together.

The announcement came during a panel at the Washington, D.C., event, which Fillion taped for an episode of his *Once We Were Spacemen* podcast alongside his cohost and fellow *Firefly* alum, Alan Tudyk. The duo were joined by several of the show's original cast members, including Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau. Missing from the lineup was Adam Baldwin — who is, however, expected to reprise his role as Jayne Cobb — and Ron Glass, who played Shepherd Book and died in 2016.

Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Ron Glass, Sean Maher, Morena Baccarin, Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, and Summer Glau on 'Firefly'.

20th Century Fox Film Corp/ Courtesy Everett Collection

After the panel announcement, an Instagram video featuring the show's OG cast members went live.

"As of this moment, the word is out," Fillion began in the clip. "We are going to try to bring back *Firefly*. And this time, we're gonna animate it."

He added, "Guys, bringing back *Firefly*… crazy? Or not crazy?"

The video then cut to cast members Glau, Torres, Staite, Baccarin, Maher, Baldwin, and Glau, all weighing in.

From 'Firefly' to '9-1-1: Lone Star,' Gina Torres looks back on her decades-long career

Morena Baccarin has a theory about why 'Firefly' is still so beloved

"Not crazy," said Torres.

"Crazy," insisted Baldwin.

"It's crazy, but it just might work," replied Tudyk.

Fillion then revealed that the revival already has the blessing of the original series creator, Joss Whedon — who is not involved in the animated project — and a creative team is in place for the new show. Married writing-producing team Marc Guggenheim (DC's *Legends of Tomorrow*, *Arrow*) and Tara Butters (*Agent Carter, Dollhouse*) are attached to serve as showrunners, and a script has been completed. Now the project just needs to find a home.

"And for that, we need you," Fillion told fans in the video. "Like this post. Comment on this post. Repost this post... I'm asking you to do what you've always done: keep *Firefly* alive."

The animated cast of the upcoming 'Firefly' revival series.

Once We Were Spacemen

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

The proposed, currently untitled series will cover the time period between that of the original 2002 television run and the one depicted in the 2005 feature film continuation, *Serenity.* This means that members of the crew who did not survive the events of the movie can still return for the revival without altering the established lore.

The announcement comes after a weeklong social media campaign fronted by Fillion and Tudyk that teased news about the future of the beloved series.

Set 500 years in the future, Whedon's original series followed a renegade crew aboard the transport ship Serenity. Living on the fringes of society, the group take on risky jobs to survive while avoiding the governing body of the Alliance. After premiering in 2002, *Firefly* was canceled, with only 11 of its 14 produced episodes airing. Strong fan support helped continue the story on the big screen with the 2005 release of *Serenity*. The series has had a long afterlife due to its theatrical follow-up, DVD sales, and streaming platforms.

- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Shows

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Sci-Fi”