Alan Tudyk shared some bold words in regards to Netflix's canceled Cowboy Bebop, and his take may have seemed like a good one until he realized it applied to Firefly as well. The actor took shots at the series (available to stream with a Netflix subscription) in an interview while also explaining how his acclaimed series totally differed from the anime adaptation, outside of both being canceled after one season.
Netflix axed the live-action Cowboy Bebop after it was panned by fans and critics for diverging from the anime, but Tudyk mentioned during an interview on Mythical Kitchen that the show often gets lumped in with Firefly. Below, he explained why the two differ, stumbling briefly when realizing the cancelation connection.
He understandably also mentioned Firefly's follow-up movie, Serenity, but his point is made well enough all the same. I would say there are far more people in the world asking that Firefly be brought back for a revival or another movie than the people asking for Netflix to renew Cowboy Bebop. The streamer has heavily leaned on adapting anime as of late, but it seemed to move on from that one rather quickly.
Why Did Firefly Get Cancelled?: What Happened To The 2002 Sci-Fi Series
While there were rumblings of a potential Firefly revival being in the works back in 2020, it seems far more likely we'll continue to see more live-action anime adaptations than the return of the Nathan Fillion-led series. The star remains active in Hollywood, starring in ABC's The Rookie and his upcoming role as Guy Gardner in James Gunn's Superman.
Additionally, the rallying cry to bring back Firefly subsided substantially in light of controversies surrounding creator Joss Whedon. Fillion has defended Whedon, but I think it's fair to say the court of public opinion reigns supreme. I can understand the hesitation by Disney to push for a revival, knowing there's a chance people may have opinions on whether Whedon is involved.
Alan Tudyk talking about Firefly doesn't necessarily mean he's dying for it to come back, as he's been working on other projects. His voice work in everything from Moana 2 to Creature Commandos keeps him plenty busy around Hollywood, and there's word that he's also appearing in Superman as well. Considering his schedule and what the rest of the Firefly cast is up to these days, the odds of it ever returning feel slim. All this to say, it also seems unlikely Cowboy Bebop will return, so that's another thing they have in common!
Those with a Hulu subscription can binge Firefly should they choose to do so, and it's also available for free currently on The CW app. As mentioned, Cowboy Bebop is over on Netflix, and as someone who really liked the series, I would recommend anyone who skipped out on it to give it a shot.
