Joss Whedon Talks Serenity and Wonder Woman

Posted on August 5, 2005

In Focus magazine has a lengthy and interesting interview with writer/director Joss Whedon here. Whedon talks about his upcoming film, Serenity, which opens September 30th. He also talks about directing the new Wonder Woman film and gives insight into days on the set of his show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Here he talks about the Western elements of the SF show Firefly, which is the basis for the upcoming film, Serenity.

In Focus: There are fewer horses and heads of cattle in Serenity than in the Firefly TV series. Do you suspect perhaps the series was somehow hobbled in the early going by its more overtly "Western" visual elements?

Joss: Yes and no. I think Fox was terrified of the Western concept. The fact that there are no horses in this movie is only by virtue of the fact I didn't find a place for them. Not by virtue of the fact that I deliberately avoided them. Because the Western element is still a part of the story. It's a frontier story. For example, I did look back at the series and say, "Okay, Mal being thrown through the holographic bar window is maybe a little jokey for the movie." It's a good shorthand for the series but I think for a movie you have to work through the logic just a hair more. But the ship scaring the horses that we used in the credits? The last image of the credits in Firefly? That works great. That to me is a timeless image that combines the two just fine. It just didn't happen in this movie, 'cause, well, a lot of things didn't happen in this movie. Because I had two hours instead of seven seasons.

In Focus: You did not set out to make the movie less "Western."

Joss: No. I wasn't looking to go less "Western." In fact, I was thinking, "Can't I find a place for a horse in this?" But the answer was no.

Nobody writes dialogue like the Whedon. We love the Whedon. And we're not at all pleased with Freddy Prince, Jr. mouthing off to the press that wife Sarah Michelle Gellar won't be doing a Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. Keep the Buffy hope alive and the Prince quiet.

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