If Serenity 2 had to have 'big stars'.... by Schism

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

If Serenity 2 had to have 'big stars'....

POSTED BY: SCHISM
UPDATED: Thursday, February 26, 2009 01:55
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Friday, February 20, 2009 6:45 AM

...would it ruin it?

When listing off the things the movie Serenity had working against it, one of the things was that it had no stars.

No Hollywood 'A-Listers'.

Personally I think movies can be made better by NOT having a big star in them. If their face is too well known then you don't see the character, you see the star. For example, in the movie DaVinci Code, did you see see Robert Langdon, or did you see Tom Hanks pretending to be Robert Langdon?

So if the only way they could have Serenity 2 (or whatever it would be named) was to have a big name celeb in it, would that be okay with you?

I think as a temporary character it would be acceptable, such as a villain. Not as a new crew member or anything though.

BTW, did you know that, in their many failed attempts to make a Red Dwarf movie, Grant/Naylor were offered money from a large American production company to make it, but ONLY if they replaced the crew with known actors. Replacing David Lister with....ack.....Hugh Grant!!

Grant/Naylor said 'no thank you' - they would rather see the movie not made (which, btw, it still isn't), than sell it out like that.

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Friday, February 20, 2009 7:21 AM

INSTANTKARMAGIRL

So long as it didn't replace any of the main characters, fine.

I think they could get a decent actor to play a villian or depending on the story, someone in Inara or Mal's past.

I don't think that would take away from the Verse...and I don't care if I only saw Brad Pitt pretending to be an Alliance General...I'd still have shiny new Serenity to love.

~**~
"How come you're flying about with us brigands? I mean, shouldn't you be off bringing religiosity to the Fuzzie-Wuzzies or some such?"~Cap'n Mal

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 2:35 AM

ZZETTA13

Good question,

Although it’s been a while I think this question has come up before. Anyhow , as you’ve stated as long as any of the known actors of Serenity (Firefly) weren’t being replaced with a big name star I have no problem with having somebody with a lot of clout signing on for Serenity 2.

I remember after my kids got me started playing video games one of my first and favorite games was Tomb Raider. I played every game and when I heard that there was going to be a TR movie I was excited. The only thing wrong with that was when they announced Angelina Jolie as the TR I thought, “ Heck that’s all wrong!” My opinion was that AJ wasn’t the Tomb Raider and felt that it was totally a money move by all the companies involved. It didn’t matter, the TR movie was made and from what I understand made enough money to spawn a sequel. So in the end I guess they knew what they were doing.

If a big name star is what it would take to get us a BDM2 then I’m all for it. I can envision a rival pirate vessel ( maybe even another Firefly) competing with Serenity over the same loot. The captain of that vessel would have to be as strong and charismatic an individual as Mal Reynolds and I think I have the perfect Hollywood star. Will Smith has become quite a bankable and fine actor IMO and I for one think he would bring in a ton of money for Serenity the Sequel. If Robin Williams was along for the ride as kind of a Badger like guy I can see that too.

Anyway the list could go on and on and I may edit this post to add other names. Also I don’t feel the other Firefly pirate ship (Tranquility) would necessarily need to have a crew of nine ( like Serenity did), no reverse image of our beloved transport, like Jennifer Love Hewitt = Inara, or Tommy Lee Jones = Jayne Cobb. Nope, just a simple crew of 5 or 6 would do.

Well that’s about it,

Hold the line, Z

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 2:50 AM

RALLEM

I would like maybe to see Tommy Lee Jones play a cameo role as Jayne's father, because I think I remember Joss saying he always figured that would be the actor who could portray the father figure capable of brow beating Jayne. I think the reason Serenity didn't sell as well as it could have was that it didn't have a marketable name for movies. Maybe that will change after we get the new space station module named Serenity.

http://www.swyzzlestyx.com/index.html

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 2:51 AM

NCBROWNCOAT

Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
Good question,

Although it’s been a while I think this question has come up before. Anyhow , as you’ve stated as long as any of the known actors of Serenity (Firefly) weren’t being replaced with a big name star I have no problem with having somebody with a lot of clout signing on for Serenity 2.

I remember after my kids got me started playing video games one of my first and favorite games was Tomb Raider. I played every game and when I heard that there was going to be a TR movie I was excited. The only thing wrong with that was when they announced Angelina Jolie as the TR I thought, “ Heck that’s all wrong!” My opinion was that AJ wasn’t the Tomb Raider and felt that it was totally a money move by all the companies involved. It didn’t matter, the TR movie was made and from what I understand made enough money to spawn a sequel. So in the end I guess they knew what they were doing.

If a big name star is what it would take to get us a BDM2 then I’m all for it. I can envision a rival pirate vessel ( maybe even another Firefly) competing with Serenity over the same loot. The captain of that vessel would have to be as strong and charismatic an individual as Mal Reynolds and I think I have the perfect Hollywood star. Will Smith has become quite a bankable and fine actor IMO and I for one think he would bring in a ton of money for Serenity the Sequel. If Robin Williams was along for the ride as kind of a Badger like guy I can see that too.

Anyway the list could go on and on and I may edit this post to add other names. Also I don’t feel the other Firefly pirate ship (Tranquility) would necessarily need to have a crew of nine ( like Serenity did), no reverse image of our beloved transport, like Jennifer Love Hewitt = Inara, or Tommy Lee Jones = Jayne Cobb. Nope, just a simple crew of 5 or 6 would do.

Well that’s about it,

Hold the line, Z

Will Smith as a rival captain would be awesome. If needed, he can submerge himself into the character.

Also Kevin Bacon as an Alliance officer with a crisis of conscience would be wonderful. He can also play a smiling villian wonderfully.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 3:49 AM

ZZETTA13

RALLEM,NCBROWNCOAT !!

A Serenity sequel with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones? I can see it now, instead of “ Men in Black” it could be called “ Men out in the Black” …..lol

Z

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 7:19 AM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

from what I understand, Universal wanted a bigger name in Serenity, something they could market. The first name on every casting director's lips, though, was Chiwetel Ejiofor. They passed him by a number of times trying to find a bigger name for the part, but in the end he got it. And we all know why, he did a hell of a job.
The problem with getting an A-list actor would probably be money. Unless the studio was willing to shell out more for a bigger name, the budget on Serenity would take a major hit.

I'm a fan of Will Smith, I think he'd be great. He seems to be moving away from action movies more and more, but maybe he'd do it. Good characters can be a draw :)

[/sig]

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 8:16 AM

SCHISM

I have a problem with Will Smith.

Not in general, just in a Serenity movie.

He's TOO big - he'd steal the spotlight.

Rather...they execs would try to give him too much of the spotlight.

I'd like to see a more experienced and notable actor.

Tommy Lee Jones was a great suggestion.

Hell, I can see David Bowie as an Alliance figure. After seeing his calm, calculated, but slightly mad portrayla of Pontius Pilate, I think he'd play a great 'professional' mad man.

Those guys aren't exactly the 'big draw' like Will Smith and Johnny Depp, but if the movie stoops to that level it'll lose a peice of it's integrity.

I dunno.

It's a slippery slope, and today's playing field is surrounded by people with A.D.D...

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 2:43 PM

JONGSSTRAW

They'd probably have Christian Bale play all the male parts himself.

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 4:04 PM

TUJIAOZUO

Quote:
Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:
Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
Good question,

Although it’s been a while I think this question has come up before. Anyhow , as you’ve stated as long as any of the known actors of Serenity (Firefly) weren’t being replaced with a big name star I have no problem with having somebody with a lot of clout signing on for Serenity 2.

I remember after my kids got me started playing video games one of my first and favorite games was Tomb Raider. I played every game and when I heard that there was going to be a TR movie I was excited. The only thing wrong with that was when they announced Angelina Jolie as the TR I thought, “ Heck that’s all wrong!” My opinion was that AJ wasn’t the Tomb Raider and felt that it was totally a money move by all the companies involved. It didn’t matter, the TR movie was made and from what I understand made enough money to spawn a sequel. So in the end I guess they knew what they were doing.

If a big name star is what it would take to get us a BDM2 then I’m all for it. I can envision a rival pirate vessel ( maybe even another Firefly) competing with Serenity over the same loot. The captain of that vessel would have to be as strong and charismatic an individual as Mal Reynolds and I think I have the perfect Hollywood star. Will Smith has become quite a bankable and fine actor IMO and I for one think he would bring in a ton of money for Serenity the Sequel. If Robin Williams was along for the ride as kind of a Badger like guy I can see that too.

Anyway the list could go on and on and I may edit this post to add other names. Also I don’t feel the other Firefly pirate ship (Tranquility) would necessarily need to have a crew of nine ( like Serenity did), no reverse image of our beloved transport, like Jennifer Love Hewitt = Inara, or Tommy Lee Jones = Jayne Cobb. Nope, just a simple crew of 5 or 6 would do.

Well that’s about it,

Hold the line, Z

Will Smith as a rival captain would be awesome. If needed, he can submerge himself into the character.

Also Kevin Bacon as an Alliance officer with a crisis of conscience would be wonderful. He can also play a smiling villian wonderfully.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

I actually wrote a rival captain with Will Smith in mind named Virgil East, Captain of the Rising Sun, a big fish compared to the Serenity crew and an old war buddy that Mal seriously resented due to a few things Virgil screwed him over on (They did though set their differences aside to save a dying Zoe via teaming their crews up and hiesting the meds to cure her). Glad to see I'm not the only one that thinks he would fit in well to the 'Verse.

Kiera Knightly as some sort of baddass/possible villain (Domino anyone?)

Kristen Bell as possibly another reader untainted by the Alliance.

Tom Sellick as Mal's Pa.

Kevin Bacon would also make an awesome Alliance Officer, good call.

Your Indian Pirate Lord,
Ash

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 4:40 PM

DEWRASTLER

I don't know, something about having a big name hollywood A-lister would just seem wrong to me. It would take something away from the tone of the movie. It'd be more about that actor/actress rather than the story. Imagine an Evil Dead 4 with Bruce Campbell up against Johnny Depp. Something about that just feels wrong, b/c it wouldn't be about Bruce and Sam Raimi anymore, it'd be about Depp.

________________________________
People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 5:31 PM

RALLEM

Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
RALLEM,NCBROWNCOAT !!

A Serenity sequel with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones? I can see it now, instead of “ Men in Black” it could be called “ Men out in the Black” …..lol

Z

Umm, I am a NE Browncoat, and I did not mention Will Smith, but I do think he is talented enough to do the job. I honestly think that Serenity might need some more color in its casting, but I think that color should be Asian. Maybe Jet Li would make a great recurring role character.

http://www.swyzzlestyx.com/index.html

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 6:15 PM

ZZETTA13

Howdy browncoats!

There are a couple of posts that have been put up saying that having Big Name Stars might not be a good idea for the rest of the cast of a BDS and therefore a Serenity sequel could loose it’s identity due to the overpowering name of said movie star.

Schism & Dewrastler I agree with you both, a BDM2 could run the risk of loosing some of it’s low-key flare by having Will Smith or someone like him play a role in that movie. The only thing I can think to say is movie making is a numbers game and big movie companies respond to big money numbers. Bringing in a big name to bring in more fans to bring in bigger box-office may mean more of everything. More movies, more fans, more of our BDHs and more happiness for everybody involved.

This doesn’t mean that any big name would have to stick around for a third movie or a forth, heck they could be killed off or sent out to the far reaches of the Black and never seen again. The idea is to have big box-office and make a ton of cash so Serenity can keep flying. I think once every seat is filled and every theater sold out the first weekend or so Joss could have his bargaining chip. I do think that once the audience (other than fans already) get to the theaters and see the show they’ll be as hooked as the browncoat family is now.

TUJIAOZUO, your fan-fic sounds amazingly interesting. I will look up the Rising Sun and check out Virgil East. Any old war friend of Mal’s is a friend of mine.

Rallem, my post above was referring to your post and the one by NCBrowncoat who had posted just after you. You posted about Tommy Lee and NC’s post had Will Smith. Together they made me think of “Men in Black”.

Z

PS: I think Jet Li would make an excellent operative!Kevin Bacon I think too, would make a great alliance officer NCB

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 7:26 PM

TUJIAOZUO

Quote:
Originally posted by zzetta13:
Howdy browncoats!

There are a couple of posts that have been put up saying that having Big Name Stars might not be a good idea for the rest of the cast of a BDS and therefore a Serenity sequel could loose it’s identity due to the overpowering name of said movie star.

Schism & Dewrastler I agree with you both, a BDM2 could run the risk of loosing some of it’s low-key flare by having Will Smith or someone like him play a role in that movie. The only thing I can think to say is movie making is a numbers game and big movie companies respond to big money numbers. Bringing in a big name to bring in more fans to bring in bigger box-office may mean more of everything. More movies, more fans, more of our BDHs and more happiness for everybody involved.

This doesn’t mean that any big name would have to stick around for a third movie or a forth, heck they could be killed off or sent out to the far reaches of the Black and never seen again. The idea is to have big box-office and make a ton of cash so Serenity can keep flying. I think once every seat is filled and every theater sold out the first weekend or so Joss could have his bargaining chip. I do think that once the audience (other than fans already) get to the theaters and see the show they’ll be as hooked as the browncoat family is now.

TUJIAOZUO, your fan-fic sounds amazingly interesting. I will look up the Rising Sun and check out Virgil East. Any old war friend of Mal’s is a friend of mine.

Rallem, my post above was referring to your post and the one by NCBrowncoat who had posted just after you. You posted about Tommy Lee and NC’s post had Will Smith. Together they made me think of “Men in Black”.

Z

PS: I think Jet Li would make an excellent operative!Kevin Bacon I think too, would make a great alliance officer NCB

How about Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Memoirs of a Geisha, Hero, pretty much every single Chinese movie that's come over here) as a baddie? A reader who was groomed to full potential against River who was never entirely fully weaponized. I don't know how Ziyi's english had improved, but they could have her deliver everything in mandarin with subtitles and that in and of itself would be a sight to behold and bring into the Verse (perhaps a true Sihnon native speaking the tongue in the Core fashion, as opposed to the more butchered Rim pronunciations). But her character could be very multifaceted, coming after River while not truly knowing what she's doing due to the Academy, but River hesitant to attack back because she knows the other student is just a vessel. A lot of inner conflict, delving into topics Joss would probably love to tackle (is it wrong to kill someone who is not in control of their own actions? Is it mercy or murder or...?), not to mention action and two gorgeous women going head to head in mixed martial arts.

Zzeta the fic in mentioning the Rising Sun crew (they are a peculiar lot) is Lilac Syndrome. It's not the best piece of fiction, but aside from some canoning faux pause I had here and there I'd like to think it's decent reading. The Rising Sun crew also makes an appearance in my latest fic Retribution too.

Your Indian Pirate Lord,
Ash

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 7:42 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

Z....you make some interesting points, but I tend to agree with Schism that it's a slippery slope.

Having a big star may disrupt the balance that Joss has carefully created within the verse, especially if that big star makes certain demands regarding screen time. I'm not aware of any such demands from Will Smith, but you never know.

My initial thought about Tommy Lee Jones was also Jayne's dad (with Kathy Bates as his mom). I would think that if they could sign TLJ it would make it easier to sign up Will Smith (MIB connection). One of my first thoughts at the end of Serenity was that The Operative would return in the BDS and actually save the life of one of the crew. He would, of course, face another Operative namely Jet Li, who once trained him.

Now back to the problems with getting an A-Lister.
For one thing the movie's overall budget would take a major hit, thereby quite possibly affecting special FX and the like. Secondly, it would affect the ad budget. Of course getting the right star (like Big Willie) could attract a whole new set of fans (namely all of Smith's fans) over to our BDH. So doing the BDS with a big star my pay off in the long run, but the sun, moon, stars and all the planets would have to align for that to happen. But mostly the suits would have to go for it in a big way.

BTW Kevin Bacon is so good that I think he would make an excellent Alliance baddie or an HOB agent.

SGG

Tawabawho?

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 8:15 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

Hey Ash,

I really like your suggestion of Zhang Ziyi. Conflict, action and beautiful girls going at it - BRILLIANT!

I thought of some others:

Nicole Kidman as a Companion trainer from Zenon.

Anna Torv (from Fringe) as a member of Will Smith's crew who is the weapons expert and general BADASS. Of course Jayne goes for her in a big way, but she'll have nothing to do with him.

James Earl Jones as Zoe's father (finally he'll get to go out into the black) "Zoe, I am your father." LOL

Cloris Leachman as Wash's grandmother.

Kevin Spacey as another Alliance baddie.

Russell Crowe or Quentin Tarantino as a Bounty Hunter.

For comic relief:

Michael Sera as Kaylee's younger brother, who is a Mr. Universe type communications whiz. He falls for River.

Robin Williams as a used space ship salesman.

Whoopie Goldberg as a bartender at the Maidenhead, wait.......that was done already.

You get the idea.

SGG

Tawabawho?

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Saturday, February 21, 2009 10:21 PM

PEACEKEEPER

Keeping order in every verse

Lets just imagine the unthinkable. What if Firefly was a brand new concept and we had never seen any of the BDH before. Who would have been the ideal actors to have played the crew and supporting cast. Indulge me for a minute or two and see if you can better these suggestions.

MAL------- CHRIS EVANS
ZOE------- HALLE BERRY
WASH------ OWEN WILSON
KAYLEE---- ISLA FISHER
JAYNE----- JOSH HOLLOWAY
INARA----- JESSICA ALBA
SIMON----- CILLIAN MURPHY
RIVER----- EMILIE DE RAVIN
BOOK------ SEAN CONNERY

BADGER---- SIMON PEGG
SAFFRON--- GWYNETH PALTROW
NISHKA---- SIR IAN MCKELLEN
OPERATIVE- JET LI

None would be anywhere close to the crew we know and love, and im sure that you will have different suggestions. But please give me your alternatives.

Peacekeeper----keeping order in every verse.

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Sunday, February 22, 2009 3:57 AM

SCHISM

Can we ban him?
;p

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Sunday, February 22, 2009 7:34 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I think the only way this is likely to happen would be for a big star to fall in love with the 'Verse themselves, then seek out Joss to write a part for them.

Otherwise it's a pipe dream, and a pipe filled with some pretty potent ganja at that.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Sunday, February 22, 2009 7:51 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

Aaaaahhhhhh, ganja............anybody hungry?

TheLOLSGGisall (with apologies to me friend Chrisisall)

Tawabawho?

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Sunday, February 22, 2009 12:47 PM

TUJIAOZUO

Edited for horrific word vomit.

My bad.

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Sunday, February 22, 2009 1:45 PM

IMNOTHERE

Quote:
Originally posted by peacekeeper:
Lets just imagine the unthinkable. What if Firefly was a brand new concept and we had never seen any of the BDH before. Who would have been the ideal actors to have played the crew and supporting cast.

MAL -- HARRISON FORD
STUNT DOUBLE FOR Mr FORD -- NATHAN FILLION
MR UNIVERSE'S LOVE BOT -- PARIS HILTON
REAVER LEADER -- JOHNNY DEPP
THAT NICE WOODEN DINNER TABLE -- KEAUNU REEVES

Unfortunately, it would only be screened in that special hell, so you wouldn't hear it for all the talkin' and molestin'.

Or for the classicists amongst you:

MAL -- GARETH THOMAS
SIMON -- PAUL DARROW
WASH -- MICHAEL KEATING
RIVER -- JAN CHAPPELL
ZOE -- GLYNIS BARBER
JAYNE -- DAVID JACKSON
NISKA -- JACQUELINE PEARCE

Not sure about Book, though...

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Sunday, February 22, 2009 4:21 PM

RALLEM

Here is who I would cast if the current cast could not be there

MAL------- WOODY ALLEN
ZOE------- HALLE BERRY
WASH------ OWEN WILSON
KAYLEE---- UMA THURMAN
JAYNE----- MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN
INARA----- CATHERINE BELL
SIMON----- DAVID JAMES ELLIOTT
RIVER----- STACY KEIBLER
BOOK------ JET LI

I would love to see Woody Allen's expression in Our Mrs. Reynolds when Jayne approaches him with Vera in hand.

http://www.swyzzlestyx.com/index.html

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Thursday, February 26, 2009 1:55 AM

PEACEKEEPER

Keeping order in every verse

Quote:
Originally posted by Schism:
Can we ban him?
;p

CAN WE BAN HIM/!!!
How very trollesque of you. Im sorry, I failed to realize that no post could be made that disagreed with the sensibilities of "schism". This is a bit of fun.Or do I require a doctorate in "the sociological and psychological implications of the innovation of post industrial sci fi adventure tv series"?I welcome discussion and disagreement but please do it constructively.------Or perhaps being english means i am far too far up my own a**e.

peacekeeper-----keeping order in every verse

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