News circulated recently that Warner Bros. is planning to reboot the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ franchise by making a new movie without any involvement from creator Joss Whedon. This sounds like the worst idea in the history of all things ever. What worse way could there be to alienate a series’ fan base than by taking away the one thing that everyone loves most about it? Now, Whedon himself has spoken out about this fiasco. His response is predictably awesome.
So far, no director or cast have been announced for the reboot project. However, Warner has hired a young writer named Whit Anderson (who apparently says she was the same age as the character when the show aired) to pen the screenplay.
In an email interview with Kristin Dos Santos at E! Online, Whedon said the following:
Kristin, I’m glad you asked for my thoughts on the announcement of Buffy the cinema film. This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths—just because they can’t think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.
Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, “Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER.” Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, “I’ll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!” Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?
I always hoped that Buffy would live on even after my death. But, you know, AFTER. I don’t love the idea of my creation in other hands, but I’m also well aware that many more hands than mine went into making that show what it was. And there is no legal grounds for doing anything other than sighing audibly. I can’t wish people who are passionate about my little myth ill. I can, however, take this time to announce that I’m making a Batman movie. Because there’s a franchise that truly needs updating. So look for The Dark Knight Rises Way Earlier Than That Other One And Also More Cheaply And In Toronto, rebooting into a theater near you.
Leave me to my pain! Sincerely, Joss Whedon.
Shine on, you crazy diamond.
[via Topless Robot]
Dick Ward
“But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?”
Gotta love Joss 🙂
HuskerGuy
I’m only a recent Whedon devotee after catching up on Firefly/Serenity and Dr. Horrible (and Commentary: The Musical)last year. Those things were amazing enough for me to support anything this guy does from now on though.
Shannon Nutt
We get “reboots” and sequels all the time where the original creators aren’t invovled, so why should Whedon’s creations be an excpetion? That’s showbiz, folks.
Josh Zyber
AuthorOh, this doesn’t really surprise me, but it does seem amazingly dunder-headed, even by Hollywood standards. The thing that people love about Buffy is the quality of its writing, which transcends the (intentionally) goofy concept. Buffy was an “auteur” show. Everything that was good about it is inextricably tied to Joss Whedon. Imagine someone making a Twin Peaks movie without David Lynch. Who would want to see that?
But the studio seems to think that it was only the concept (teenage girl slays vampires) that people care about. That just has never been the case.
I don’t know anything about this Whit Anderson person. The fact that she’s young doesn’t really bother me. If she was 16/17 when the show aired, that would put her at approximately 30 now. Not exactly a kid fresh out of college. Maybe she’s really talented? I don’t know. Orson Welles was 26 when he made Citizen Kane.
(Perhaps a more appropriate example would be Diablo Cody, who was 29 when she wrote Juno, and wound up winning an Oscar for it.)
It sounds like Anderson formed a strong emotional bond with the series when it aired. That could be a good thing, or this could wind up being like some dreadful fan fiction. It’s too soon to tell, but the mere existence of this project at all screams out that everyone involved doesn’t really “get” what Buffy was about at all.
Dick Ward
Fan fiction was my first thought too.
I think the thing that’s really weird about this is that the writer and the actors from the series would probably still be able to pull off a good movie. It’s not like the show’s that old.
Ben Jennings
Jesus christ Josh I saw the words “Diablo Cody” in your post before reading it in context and was briefly even more depressed about this idiotic reboot.
William Henley
Reboots don’t bother me, but couldn’t we have gone with a series that was off the air a little longer than this? Like, maybe in another ten years, then a reboot would be cool.
And obviously Whedon is oblivious to the whole Twilight thing (which I wish I could close my eyes to).
Still, a GREAT comeback.
HuskerGuy
That vampire line was a joke I believe.
Shayne
Joss wins. I seriously can’t conceive of the logic behind this reboot.
Dail Whiteley
Stephine Meyer should at least give 15% of her twilight royalty’s to joss. it was such a legendary show. on would think not to do it, if they were thinking. when it’s on and nothing else is on , i will put my DVDs of Buffy in.and enjoy.
Jane Morgan
The Buffy IP is a monster.
Joss ran two of the seven seasons. But add in a hundred novels, comics, games, toys and action figures, etc… This was destined for reboot.
This is like Star Wars. The only purpose of the movie is to launch a new line of merchandise.
It’s sad that Joss doesn’t own the Buffy IP, but we wouldn’t benefit from having him involved. His time is better spent creating new content.
Chaz Dumbaugh
Yeah, creating new content that will most likely get the shaft and taken off the air, its a stupid move to not involve the CREATOR of the show/movie with the remake, what is the reasoning behind not doing that, I wish Hollywood would just move on if someone said no, the worst part is, because Vampires are so in, if this is targeted at the Twilight crowd it will make a mint, go watch the trailer for Red Riding Hood and tell me that wont make a ton of bank, it looks, sounds and tastes like Twilight, glad Hardwicke can be original….ugh