Firefly

Diamond Select writes in with this press release officially announcing that Diamond Select is to produce figures based on the upcoming Joss Whedon movie: Serenity...

Diamond Select Toys and Collectibles announced today its licensing agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to produce action figures inspired by Universal Pictures’ upcoming futuristic action-adventure film, Serenity. Directed by Oscar®- and Emmy-nominated writer/director Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel), the film is scheduled for release on September 30th, 2005.

The Serenity action figure line will be based on several of the main characters from the film. This is Diamond Select Toys’ third addition to the Oscar® Winner Joss Whedon product line. Like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel lines, each figure will be approximately 6" high and will feature character-specific accessories and multiple points of articulation.

"When Universal announced its plans to produce the Serenity film, we knew that it would inspire a set of great action figures," said Diamond Select Toys Director, Chuck Terceira. "The series grew in popularity on DVD and the following of fans that Joss Whedon has created is phenomenal."

About Serenity

Joss Whedon- the Oscar®- and Emmy-nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel-now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity.

Based on Whedon’s cult hit television series Firefly (which has taken on a second life following its December 9, 2003, DVD release, winning new fans and critical praise worldwide), Serenity will continue and expand upon the adventures of the memorable characters launched in the series, who will be joined by new characters created expressly for the motion picture adaptation. Whedon will act as both screenwriter and director, with Barry Mendel (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and The Life Aquatic) producing and Chris Buchanan and Alisa Tager (of Barry Mendel Productions) serving as executive producers. The Serenity cast will include such returning Firefly cast members as Nathan Fillion as Captain Malcolm ’Mal’ Reynolds, Gina Torres as Zoë Warren, Morena Baccarin as Inara Serra, Jewel Staite as Kaylee Frye, Adam Baldwin as Jayne Cobb, Sean Maher as Dr. Simon Tam and Summer Glau as River Tam.

The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family - squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal.

When Mal takes on two new passengers-a young doctor and his unstable, telepathic sister-he gets much more than he bargained for. The pair are fugitives from the coalition dominating the universe, who will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl. The crew that was once used to skimming the outskirts of the galaxy unnoticed find themselves caught between the unstoppable military force of the Universal Alliance and the horrific, cannibalistic fury of the Reavers, savages who roam the very edge of space. Hunted by vastly different enemies, they begin to discover that the greatest danger to them may be on board Serenity herself.

This film has not yet been rated.