June 23 screenings will benefit Equality Now

The Browncoats, fans of Joss Whedon's "Firefly" and "Serenity," may be a little scary in their obsession, but what they're planning for June 23 can only be viewed as a positive.

Back in late April, Whedon devotees announced they were arranging screenings of "Serenity" worldwide for the week of June 23, with proceeds from screening benefiting the writer-director's pet charity Equality Now. As of May 25, more than 38 cities in five countries were planning screenings, with 23 showings already confirmed for locations like Austin, Louisville, Boston, Charlotte and Los Angeles.

The event, dubbed "Serenity" Now/Equality Now is meant to coincide with two occasions, one obvious and one a little bit more obscure. First, June 23 is the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator's birthday. It's also the one-year anniversary of the third and final advance screening of "Serenity" prior to its release.

A continuations of the swiftly cancelled FOX drama "Firefly," the feature film "Serenity" opened in late September, distributed by Universal Pictures. The film's worldwide gross of just under $40 million is roughly in line with its production budget.

Equality Now is an international organization which works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world through the mobilization of public pressure.

For more information on screenings in your area, check out http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com/.