'Firefly' added to Sci-Fi (1 Viewer)

[Ray H]

With the theater to DVD release windows closing in, it's fairly common. "Serenity" was released in theaters on September 30th; its DVD on December 20th. "Into the Blue" had the same theatrical debut and was released on disc a week later. Three months. Most films take another month or so though.

Maybe adding to the film's early release on DVD may have been because Universal had been sitting on the discs. The film was after all, originally slated for an April release.

 

[ThomasC]

With a $39 million budget, that's not a good number. DVD sales weren't that good. As far as I can tell, the Firefly universe is dead for film and television. I can only see it continuing in comic books/fan fiction.

 

[Jason Seaver]

Well, add in worldwide advertising costs and figure that a chunk of that is going to the theaters, and, again, who knows? Isn't the general rule of thumb that you have to gross twice your budget before making a profit?

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Phil

 

[BrianW]

Thanks, Phil. For some reason, I've been believing for months that the $25 million was net profit, not ticket sales. Sorry for the confusion.

I'm crossing my fingers...

 

[mattCR]

There are some films that were not box office hits, but big on DVD that then received sequels. So anything is possible.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Thanks for sharing, Phil! I know the "Firefly" set is still selling like gangbusters, but I hadn't heard any Serenity sales figures until now.

 

[Chad R]

And, this may neither be here nor there, but I just feel like Universal is still rooting for "Serenity" since they've announced it will be their first HD-DVD release. It just seems like they are pushing for it to make money, or at least get it out to enough people to make a sequel profitable.

There's also still pay-per-view profits, cable rights, TV rights and other revenues to make it poriftable, as well as get more people to see it.

 

[Charlie Campisi]

I was a late comer to the series but enjoyed it very much on dvd, and then bought serenity. Very good closure. You don't often get that. I'd be fine with them following it up, but it wouldn't be necessary. Serenity was a good ending, if that's what it was. Spoilerized for those who saw the series, but not the movie:Not to mention, the one story I wanted to be told was Book's background. All the references to non-shepherdly skills and about whom the Bounty Hunter said "that ain't a shepherd." Unless they do a prequel, that story likely won't be told.


One nitpick - can't imagine there were much ppv sales if any since the dvd came out so soon after the theatrical release.

 

[Chad R]

Not Hotel PPV, Cable PPV, which always follows DVD.

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Good point Chad, the HD-DVD angle can add to the movie $$$ gross, ... though the High Definition DVD war might not be contributing as much $$$ gross overall in the near future vs. the other revenue options you mentioned above.

Whedon just finished the "Wonder Woman" script, and based on if ... "WW" is a success, ... Universal might view the clout value of Whedon enough to fund another "Serenity" movie in the next 2-3 years or so?!? Like many "Firefly/Serenity" fans, ... it would be cool to see another chapter unfold!

Phil

 

[Holadem]

Thanks for sharing that Chad, this is a much more solid indicator of possible interest in a sequel (however small) than all the number stretching and wishfull thinking which has been going on amongst internet fans.

--
H

 

[Mary_P]

Count me amongst the wishful thinkers, but I think the "Serenity" DVD has to be selling reasonably well. It hasn't fallen out of Amazon's Top 50 since its release, and I don't think there's another late-December DVD release that can make that claim.

 

[Chad R]

Your welcome. Fans, including myself, have been using the box office numbers as the only indicator of a possible sequel for months now. In reality, that's not all there is. Marketing research, something every stuio does, can determine awareness of the movie, and interest in a sequel better than the numbers. With Universal leading HD-DVD with Serenity just makes me think they are trying to get the movie in front of as many eyeballs as possible.

I would bet just about every person who grabs a player this weekend, will get Serenity on HD-DVD next week just to have something in HD. Many of these people will not be Firefly fans. So, that's more eyeballs.

After PPV and cable, that's some more eyeballs. So after a few months, Universal can get some numbers on how well awareness for Serenity is, and how much interest there is in a sequel. Market research was a major factor in a second Austin Powers film, which was a huge hit over the first one.

 

[Andy_Bu]

Nice to see things like this are being produced to continue to promote Firefly

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/184...lance&n=283155


Andy

 

[Mary_P]

Note that that's the first of two volumes. Cover art for both is up at Titan Books' website:

http://www.titanbooks.com/firefly

 

[Henry Gale]

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/18/firefly.returns.ew/index.html

 

[RickER]

Thanks for sharing Henry.


That headline on the article, talk about a hook for nothing!

 

[xfile94]

The show is coming to the Science channel, not SyFy, although I used to see marathons sometimeson on there. I've never seen the Science channel.

 

[Garrett Adams]

I watch the Science on occasion. Currently it's Ricky Gervais' An Idiot Abroad on Saturday. Last season it was Morgan Freeman's Through the Wormhole.