Firefly movie a good sign for Farscape

[goblin]

I was just reading about movies coming out in the next couple of years. Fall 2005 will feature a sci-fi movie called "Serenity," based on the cancelled series Firefly. According to the blurb, the series was cancelled....but because DVD sales were so robust, the creators got the go ahead to do a feature film.

Hmmmmm.....sounds like a recipe for success for our beloved Farscape.

Keep buying Farscape DVDs!!!

goblin

[canberra_boy]

The main difference though is that the Firefly DVD sold like hotcakes because it is insanely cheap and has unaired eps and other great extras on it. Constantly expanding its audience, etc.

Whereas Farscape DVDs are selling like dog turds because they are absurdly expensive, and even though they have good extras too, it isn't as worth it as Firefly is. No one is going to pick up a Farscape box set in the stores and say, "Hmm $100. I think I'll give this show a try."

I hate to burst your bubble, and I hope that I'm wrong, but ...

(Maybe the Starburst Editions will change things around. Here's hoping!)

[odedh]

well in Amazon, the Firefly DVD is #171 on the DVD sales chart

Farscape best selling DVD is PKW which is #207

not that far behind

the Starburst edition don't come close to those, but you have to remember people also bought the 1st release of the series, and the complete season editions. Also Farscape has much more episodes then Firefly so owning them all is much more expensive no matter what

[Firecracker]

Another thing to think about is that Farscape was aired on a cable channel with a relatively small audience.

Firefly was aired on Fox Network available to a much larger audience.

With Farscape moving into syndication this September - and for the first time available to that much larger audience - I think we can expect Starburst sales to pick up - even more than they have been.

Not to mention that ADV has indicated that they are *very* pleased with the performance of the Farscape DVDs.

I think Serenity is a very good indication of where Farscape's future is heading.

[Winona]

Fircracker, I like that your so positive.. you totally rock!! I agree with Goblin.. it is good for us.

By the by I just finished watching a borrowed copy of Firefly it was good (except for the early 'desert based' eps) it was kind of Farscape with no aliens ( cheap budget comparatively ) Though a major difference would be that the women never took on stronger rolls than the men (by that I probably mean that they were painted as 'just females', even when they acted out male rolls ie soldier, mechanic.. they still came across as the weaker. Maybe thats a good thing? - or maybe bad casting )

[bugmenot]

I thought Zoe was a very strong character. It was so obvious she was wearing the pants in her marriage anyway.

[Cattivo]

I think Serenity is a very good indication of where Farscape's future is heading.

That doesn't sound very promising then. Firefly might have had a large enough audience for good dvd sales, but they simply don't have the number of fans to make the box office gross respectable. So they're relying on new viewers, which isn't very promising. The same problem caused the cancelling of the Babylon 5 movie, The Memory of Shadows, and it's the reason any Farscape movie would fail unfortunately. Farsape would be better off with more mini-series, but TPTB are obsessed with this movie prospect that is doomed from the start.

[Firecracker]

I think Serenity is a very good indication of where Farscape's future is heading.

That doesn't sound very promising then. Firefly might have had a large enough audience for good dvd sales, but they simply don't have the number of fans to make the box office gross respectable.

I disagree with your facts. Firefly's audience has been growing exponentially since their cancellation. And their initial DVD Sales were large enough to get financing for a movie within a few months of being released on DVD. I am not prepared to rely upon the success of Serenity, but all indications are that for some reason Sci Fi does much better on the big screen than it does on TV.

So based on initial DVD sales, the knowledge that their fan base has grown quite a bit since then, and the popularity of sci fi on the big screen I think the potential is quite good for Serenity.

Not to mention Rockne O'Bannon said just last week at I-Con24 that new Farscape does not depend on successful Serenity. If Serenity is a blockbuster it would help - but future Farscape does not sink or swim on Serenitys success.

Always good to find out the details before making prouncements.

So they're relying on new viewers, which isn't very promising. The same problem caused the cancelling of the Babylon 5 movie, The Memory of Shadows, and it's the reason any Farscape movie would fail unfortunately. Farsape would be better off with more mini-series, but TPTB are obsessed with this movie prospect that is doomed from the start.

No again. Memory of Shadows was not cancelled because of lack of viewership. I don't know specific details, but what I do know is that there were some casting problems.... JMS would not recast his main characters and the financial people wouldn't go forward without a recast.

That is what the public has been told. What the truth is might well be somewhat different, but it doesn't have anything to do with lack of viewers.

As far as Farscape's viewing audience goes... this is a point that seems to have been obscured. Farscape is moving into syndication in the US for the VERY FIRST TIME this fall. This means that the extremely select audience in the States that saw Farscape and liked it enough to impell the mini-series is now about to be expanded enormously. Hugely in fact.

That alone will impact Farscape's future far more than Serenity's success. Amazing what potential US syndication holds for Farscape. At last count, 92 percent of the US viewing public will be receiving Farscape for the first time this coming September. Pretty good coverage.

Finally, to assume that a Farscape is movie is doomed from the start is a rather pessimistic viewpoint. Each and every Farscape episode was filmed as a mini-movie. And more than one of their trilogies could make a nice translation to the big screen without any major adjustments.

I have faith in The Jim Henson Company who really do know what they are doing. The JHC has made many movies in the past and has been in the business for a long time.

If they think Farscapes future is on the big screen - then they have the experience, talent and resources to back it up.

[TINemo]

FYI comparing Farscape and Firefly is sort of apples and oranges, guys. Yes they are both scifi, BUT

Firefly played on FOX for only 10 eps, and even then they ran the 2 hour pilot last. The DVD has four additional eps never aired.

I'm pleasantly surprised they got a movie(although Josh Whelan's rep cetainly didn't hurt) and the latest guess is that it will premeire on or about Sept 20'

For more info: www.forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly

Farscape ,of course, ran 88 eps over four years, unfortunately only on sciffy---plus the mini. WGN which is channel 9 out of Chicago has purchased it in syndication but I am not aware of them running it yet.

It's also running in the UK on the Beep right now, I think.

I hope Brian Hensn can raise the bucks to make a movie--or another mini--or anything at all. SOON!

[Cattivo]

Firefly's audience has been growing exponentially since their cancellation.

Across sci-fi bboards? They still don't have the numbers to gross even 10 million dollars. Less money than that is what movie sales would equal when the same number of people who bought the dvd set buy movie tickets.

the popularity of sci fi on the big screen I think the potential is quite good for Serenity.

Sci-fi movies have been suffering at the theatres lately. Nemesis' gross was abismal, and the only reason Star Wars is generating money even though the quality is down is because of franchise reputation. The situation is even worse on television.

Not to mention Rockne O'Bannon said just last week at I-Con24 that new Farscape does not depend on successful Serenity

Yes, but much of their strategy still depends on the success of Serenity. O'Bannon said that if the Firefly movie earns a lot of money, it will be easier to convince investors, but they will still try if it doesn't. When Serenity fails, it will be incredibly hard to convince those same investors that a Farscape film would be lucrative. Combined with the mini-series' so-so ratings, and anyone would be foolish to put money on the success of a Farscape movie. It sucks, but it's the truth.

Memory of Shadows was not cancelled because of lack of viewership. I don't know specific details, but what I do know is that there were some casting problems.... JMS would not recast his main characters and the financial people wouldn't go forward without a recast.

Warner Brothers wanted to recast the roles because they didn't think the original cast had enough name recognition to bring outside fans in - because a movie only supported by the fanbase wouldn't be financially successful. Just like Firefly, and just like Farscape.

Always good to find out the details before making prouncements

Yes, I agree.

Finally, to assume that a Farscape is movie is doomed from the start is a rather pessimistic viewpoint.

Perhaps, but it's realistic. Excessive idealism can lead to catastrophic failures. It would be much more reasonable and less of a financial risk to make more mini-series or to do that Farscape Anime.

[scapecadet]

I think that an anime would have even less audience. When it comes to a movie - why are we even worrying about how many fans/viewers know Farscape? Most movies have never come out of a series background... After PKW, the movie does not have to address any backlog of issues - this means it can stand alone as a sfi-fi story. Which means that the Hensons should be able to get necessary finance based on their track record and a good story. The fact that 2 of the main characters will have been on SG1, should help with the problem of having cast, who can pull viewers and many of the other cast members will be under heavy layers of make up, so it does not matter, if they are unknown. I think that the movie is a goer..

[Cardelia]

Firefly's audience has been growing exponentially since their cancellation.

Across sci-fi bboards? They still don't have the numbers to gross even 10 million dollars. Less money than that is what movie sales would equal when the same number of people who bought the dvd set buy movie tickets.

It's not only the cinematic takings which Fox will be looking at. You can safely assume that everyone who bought the TV box set will also buy the DVD of the movie, as well as going to the cinema at least once to watch it. The Incredibles took as much money in its first weekend of DVD sales as it did in its first weekend in the cinema.

You've also got cinema junkies who'll go and see anything, not to mention other sci-fi fans who may well see trailers during Star Wars and H2G2, if Fox are smart (yeah, ok, that's Serenity doomed then ;)). The potential audience is out there, the film just has to be marketed properly.

Sci-fi movies have been suffering at the theatres lately. Nemesis' gross was abismal, and the only reason Star Wars is generating money even though the quality is down is because of franchise reputation. The situation is even worse on television.

Nemesis tanked because it was a crap film. It wasn't helped by the Trek franchise being in a bit of a slump, but it failed to pull in non-Trekkies because it was a bad film. Other sci-fi hasn't done too badly - I Robot had respectable figures (even though that was also pretty rubbish) and Spidey did rather well too.

Not to mention Rockne O'Bannon said just last week at I-Con24 that new Farscape does not depend on successful Serenity

Yes, but much of their strategy still depends on the success of Serenity. O'Bannon said that if the Firefly movie earns a lot of money, it will be easier to convince investors, but they will still try if it doesn't. When Serenity fails, it will be incredibly hard to convince those same investors that a Farscape film would be lucrative. Combined with the mini-series' so-so ratings, and anyone would be foolish to put money on the success of a Farscape movie. It sucks, but it's the truth.

*If* Serenity fails, not when.

If Farscape's ratings explode in syndication, then it won't make a jot of difference what Serenity does at the box office. It's all ifs and buts at the moment, but the truth is that nobody knows what the situation will be like after the summer. There are plenty of variables out there; Serenity is not the only one, and it is by no means the most important one.

[Firecracker]

Perhaps, but it's realistic. Excessive idealism can lead to catastrophic failures. It would be much more reasonable and less of a financial risk to make more mini-series or to do that Farscape Anime.

I would prefer to live in a world with excessive idealism and catastrophic failures. In fact I think that was what Farscape was all about - living on the edge. Pushing that envelope and making the risky choices.

Because otherwise - nothing would ever get done and people who nay say would just sit around and moan about how nothing ever gets done.

[Urpling]

Perhaps, but it's realistic. Excessive idealism can lead to catastrophic failures. It would be much more reasonable and less of a financial risk to make more mini-series or to do that Farscape Anime.

I would prefer to live in a world with excessive idealism and catastrophic failures. In fact I think that was what Farscape was all about - living on the edge. Pushing that envelope and making the risky choices.

Because otherwise - nothing would ever get done and people who nay say would just sit around and moan about how nothing ever gets done.

Yeah, Firecracker...it's Ben's fail gloriously riff...(which I agree with).

I totally love what you said...

Investors are understandably cautious however...and studios tend to be up-their-bums when it comes to pushing the envelope...and taking risks. They tend to stick to 'formula'...(unlike the Independents who have a lot more courage and hope).

[TINemo]

Speaking of independents and movies

What has happened to Ben's A Killer Within other than selling the DVD with the terrible sound track?? Has it ever played anywhere other than the premiere in Texas?????Weel, and Cannes and the Calif film festival?? Any place where people actually paid money for it? I have not seen one word of promo for it.

It's an OK little film but not much more.

Did Serenity the movie use all the former cast? Talk about unknowns. I'm a fan and can bartely remember all their names. What about the general public?