Nathan Fillion

In keeping with this week’s ‘ones to watch’ theme (which started yesterday with The Return of Virginia Madsen, in case you haven’t been paying attention), today we bring you news on another actor bound for greatness: Nathan Fillion. Coming off the back of Serenity, Fillion will next turned his hand to horror for James’ Gunn’s Slither.

Sci-philes among you will know Fillion as prickly cargo ship captain Malcolm Reynolds in Joss Whedon’s sorely missed Firefly series, a few more will recognise him as the maniacal preacher who put Xander’s eye out in the final series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but there’s more to Fillion than small screen success. While his previous appearances in cinemas have been forgettable (If you blinked at any point then chances are you missed his appearance in Saving Private Ryan, and if you exercise any judgement at all then you’ll have skirted his clerical turn in Dracula 2001 as well), the impending Firefly movie, Serenity, is should see his fortunes change.

Reprising the role of the smart-talking, six-shooting Reynolds, Fillion takes centre stage in Whedon’s film (due in cinemas this September) and early word is very good indeed. The series was one of the most interesting, original and downright enjoyable sci-fi shows to air in a decade, so while we still mourn its cancellation, the emergence of a feature film from the ashes of re-run oblivion is very welcome indeed.

Until Serenity hits though (and hit it will, mark our words), Fillion is keeping his irons in the fire with Slither. A sci-fi horror co-starring Michael Rooker and Adaptation’s Rheagan Banks, the film tells of an alien plague that spreads across a small American town. Residents (most notably Rooker) go on a killing rampage as a result and its falls to Fillion to put it all to rights.

What’s that you say? Straight to video? Don’t count on it. Remember, it’s Gunn who brought us the script for last year’s Dawn of the Dead remake, so the man certainly knows what he’s doing. Of course, he’s also responsible for the Scooby Doo screenplays, but let’s not dwell on that, shall we?