Serenity is the 2005 science fiction film that continued the story seen in the series Firefly and marked the feature film directing debut of series creator Joss Whedon. The film had the entire cast from the series returning, including Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, and Summer Glau. Whedon and Universal, who had purchased the film rights from Fox, had hoped that the movie would be successful enough to justify sequels, but the film disappointed at the box office and only broke even thanks to strong home video sales by devoted fans. With no further movies or television series in sight, the franchise continues only in comic books.
The following weapons were used in the film Serenity:
Mal's "Moses Brothers Self-Defense Engine Frontier Model B"
Captain Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) carries as his signature sidearm the "Moses Brothers Self-Defense Engine Frontier Model B", a Taurus Model 85 revolver completely covered by a brass casting which makes it look like an semi-auto handgun. The look of the weapon is based on the Volcanic repeaters used in the Civil War (pictured below) as explained by TV show and film creator Joss Whedon in the visual companion. The same prop gun was used for the feature, but given to a new prop house who made the magazine straight on the bottom, and bulked up the right side plate and added a spring loaded rear sight.
Throughout the film, Jayne (Adam Baldwin) carries an 1911-type pistol with dressings to the front and rear of the slide to make it look more futuristic. For a scene, River stole it from Jayne (Adam Baldwin) and held Mal at gun point while she searches for the planet Miranda. Jayne hands it over to Zoë (Gina Torres) when the crew makes their last stand.
During the payroll robbery scene, a customer (Glenn Howerton) is seen producing a Japanese Type 94 pistol before being sensed by River (Summer Glau) and disarmed by Zoë. The history behind this handgun is that it is one of the worst in the Japanese military during WWII. It is hard to tell from the screen that this is even a Type 94 at all.
During the fight scene in the bar, a patron pulls a heavily-modified Enfield No.2 Snubnose revolver before being subdued by River, who takes it and aims it at Mal. It has the barrel cut back into the frame, a shortened grip, and a number of attachments to the front and rear of the frame.
A pair of folded M1A1 Carbines are seen in the gun rack on the back of the "Mule" hovercraft at the beginning of the film. The new "mule" is a four-place hovercraft, replacing the smaller (and cheaper) ATV from the series.
An AR-18 modified with a handguard and front sight similar to a MAT-49 submachine gun is carried by Mal at several points in the movie, most notably while searching the abandoned city on Miranda, and before the final firefight. It has some sort of scope attachment and the magazine has some kind of dressing maybe a Magpul. Mal hands it to Zoë before the final battle.
During the final firefight, Jayne (Adam Baldwin) carries a rather large rifle which appears to be built around an AK-47 converted into bullpup configuration. A custom machined scope as well as a large number of parts are attached to disguise it, including what resembles a water jacket from a Vickers machine gun (though this is custom also). If you look at the bottom of the gun in the first picture you can see they took the magazine tube and foregrip off a Mossberg 500.
During the payroll robbery scene, a bank clerk (Weston Nathanson) is briefly seen carrying a Swiss Vetterli Carbine identifiable by its short length, spurred trigger guard, bolt action and side loading port.
Jayne Cobb's (Adam Baldwin) other main weapon is a dressed up Heckler & Koch MP5K with the front hand grip removed and LED lights added, carried on a chest harness. A similar example is used by Wash (Alan Tudyk), Kaylee (Jewel Staite), and Simon Tam (Sean Maher). It also uses the old straight type magazine.
Dressed up H&K MP5SDs are carried by several characters throughout the movie, most notably Jayne (Adam Baldwin) first scene in the bank job and remained his primary weapon for the rest of the film and also Simon during the final firefight. They have some kind of scope attachment which looks more like a flashlight (it's probably an old telescopic sight). There are dressings on the front end of the barrel and on the fore end of the weapon. Like Jayne's (Adam Baldwin) MP5K, it also uses the straight type magazines.
Most of the weapons used by Alliance forces in the film are modified paintball guns of various makes and models. These were sold to private collectors and movie museums through the auction house "Propstore of London" after the film wrapped.
This weapon is based on a Psycho Ballistics Silver Bullet Paintball Gun heavily cut up and modded.
This is the hero stunt gun used by "The Operative" (Chiwetel Ejiofor) against Mal in the final fight between them as Mal tried to make it to the "hard to get to" back up signal generator.
Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin) uses what appears to be some sort of bow in the final battle. It replaces a more traditional bow, which could still be seen in some shots.
