Diamond Select Toys has announced a licensing agreement with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to produce action figures inspired by Joss Whedon's Serenity, which debuts in theaters on September 30th.  The Serenity motion picture is based on Whedon's short-lived Firefly television series, which although it only lasted for 14 episodes (11 of which were broadcast) has developed a solid cult following and has done quite well on DVD.  The concept of an outer space 'western' may have been done before, but rarely so ingeniously in terms of the technology, political situation and language (English mixed with large doses of Chinese slang).

DST also makes action figures based on the Joss Whedon-created TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and the Serenity action figure line will resemble the DST Buffy figures -- approximately six inches in height with multiple points of articulation.  DST has not announced which Serenity characters will be included in the first series of action figures (though Captain Malcolm Reynolds would appear to be a certainty), but with at least nine well-developed major characters in the TV series, several series of action figures would appear to be in order.