'Buffy' back on big screen without Joss Whedon?
Today's news that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" could be coming back to the big screen without TV head honcho Joss Whedon at the helm has already set off a firestorm of criticism. After all, it was Whedon who created the iconic characters for the original 1992 movie. While that film earned a mere 48 at Metacritic and a meager 33 at Rotten Tomatoes, five years later the screenwriter adapted it into the critically acclaimed TV series of the same name.
However, as per the Hollywood Reporter, "Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment are working with original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband, Kaz Kuzui, on what is being labeled a remake or relaunch, but not a sequel or prequel. While Whedon is the person most associated with 'Buffy,' Kuzui and her Kuzui Enterprises have held onto the rights since the beginning, when she discovered the 'Buffy' script from then-unknown Whedon." And, as the Reporter notes, "Kuzui later teamed with Gail Berman, then president of Sandollar Television, bringing back Whedon to make the TV series, which was produced by Fox TV and launched on the WB in 1997. Kuzui and Sandollar received executive producer credits on 'Buffy' and its spinoff, 'Angel.' "
In 2003, the Television Critics Assn. honored "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with the prestigious Heritage Award as it signed off after seven seasons. During its long run on the WB and then UPN, the critics constantly chided the Emmy Awards for snubbing the show.
Out of 14 Emmy nods, "Buffy" won only two – for music and makeup in 1998. And it contended only once for a noncreative award when Joss Whedon earned a 2000 nod for writing (he lost to Aaron Sorkin and Rick Cleveland for an episode of "The West Wing.") When the show ended, the TV academy tried to make up with the cast and crew by throwing them a tribute, but star Sarah Michelle Gellar did not attend.
Since then, Whedon has created a comic book series "Buffy the Vampire Season Eight" that has sated the desire of fans to know what happened to the beloved characters. What will this devoted following make of a movie that does not include any of their favorites?
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Not interested anymore. The show has been over too long. As far as no Joss I'll just say this. When he stopped full time involvement at the end of season 5 the last 2 seasons were awfull. For me Marti Noxon fubared the the final 2 seasons. The complete abandonment of the show's original and powerfull concept(1 person(slayer) being able to change the world for the better) was a huge mistake. Having someone else do this will have the same consequences for a movie. It's done move on. Like a poster said not everybody was 12 when the series was on. The DVD's are available.
Posted by: Janine Pavlik | June 23, 2009 at 03:13 PM
ho ho, let them make the silly movie. Are there no fresh ideas left? Joss Whedon has moved on in his life as has SMG, who IS Buffy. If the Kuzui folks were going to simply re-make the movie they fouled up, and do it as the author had wanted it, that would be something. If they are using the director from the Grudge, it's going to be dull, as I nearly fell asleep at that one and kept waiting for something to happen. And not everyone who watched Buffy was 12 years old at the time, I know a few grandmothers who really liked the show. I have a Buffy marathon at least once a year now. Good luck, Kuzui people!
Posted by: cyndi | May 29, 2009 at 12:39 PM
I'd really like to know what they are thinking because Buffy w/out Joss at the helm doesn't make good business sense at all. They won't get the built in core BTVS fan dollars w/out him (me included) and Twilight /True Blood fans will prefer to watch Twilight and True Blood.
Posted by: EmZappa | May 28, 2009 at 02:40 PM
this only shows to me the incredible shallowness of the American people....loyal fans....more drama L.A.!!! you make the country laugh
Posted by: Timray | May 28, 2009 at 07:44 AM
This movie will be a joke. I'm a massive BTVS fan, but I wouldn't consider going to see it. People like me who are fans of Joss Whedon are incredibly loyal to him, and simply won't support this joke of a movie.
Posted by: NFA | May 27, 2009 at 10:50 PM
Dragyn, please stop. You're embarrassing yourself. I'd be willing to bet money that if you asked her, even Kristy Swanson would tell you're an idiot. Luke Perry and Rutger Hauer definitely would. The movie was just sad all 'round, and I'm sure they'd all admit it.
As for the Kuzuis, you'd think they would've learned from past mistakes and come to appreciate Whedon by now. The idea of them moving forward with this project is just sick. If they do it without him, they'll lose the support of Buffy's key fan base. Why even bother? It's doomed for failure without him.
Posted by: Fray | May 27, 2009 at 09:30 PM
I only watch it if Sarah Michelle Gellar is Buffy.
It be weird watching the movie if Sarah Michelle Gellar is not Buffy since I grew up watching Buffy being played by Sarah Michelle Gellar .
Posted by: Johnson Yip | May 27, 2009 at 06:57 PM
if it was a Fray movie, I'm for it - but still they'd need Joss
Posted by: gus | May 27, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Great writing and casting Kristy Swanson made the movie a classic. The TV show was a pale shadow. They been there done that.
Posted by: Gary Ogletree | May 27, 2009 at 09:15 AM
I agree with drayn, sorry ladies. i alsways thought the movie was great and the show tried to take itself too seriously with little success. Then again, I was an adult when both came out, so I may be offending a bunch of people who were 12 at the time (in which case I can understand why you have such an irrational attachment to the show.)
Posted by: sunstroked | May 27, 2009 at 06:04 AM
Dragyn, your off the mark on just about everything...
Except Sarah going from hot to skeleton.
Posted by: Hawksstock | May 27, 2009 at 05:04 AM
I haven't seen Wolverine. I haven't seen Star Trek. And I sure won't see this which has "pre-turkey" stamped all over it. Stay away, guys. Try it. It's really easy. If you need to buckle, remember the DVD is only months away at any time. You may be afraid that Hollywood will stop offering you genre films altogether, but I promise you they'll stop making crap ones first.
Posted by: Steve | May 27, 2009 at 04:44 AM
It's unlikely they'll get the funding together without Whedon's involvement. The studios won't touch it without him.
Even if they do put make it happen, it won't be considered "canon." Just a curiosity, like the Star Wars Christmas Special.
Posted by: Philip Eisner | May 27, 2009 at 12:30 AM
#NoJossNoBuffy
Posted by: Holden | May 26, 2009 at 11:07 PM
buffy fans will not put up with this proposed perversion. There is no other show fandom that is so attached to its writers, particularly joss, whose style personality is in all the characters we love. I can only suppose they are trying to attract the younger 'twilight' demographic, because real buffy fans will not only HATE this, we will pretty much RIOT against it.
Posted by: lee | May 26, 2009 at 09:29 PM
I know it's not cool or proper to openly criticize other posters, and I very seldom do... but in this case I'm compelled to.
dragyn... you are an idiot. And an idiot who quite obviously really never actually watched the series either on television or the DVDs. So please, STFU.
Laughable dialog indeed! Sheesh.
Posted by: iRikk | May 26, 2009 at 06:33 PM
Dragyn is an idiot. The Kuzui's are also shameless hacks who, despite the "executive producer" credits, allegedly did not so much as step on set for one day of the tv series. The movie was an awful, forgotten joke until the tv series came long. Let's hope this crashes and burns, I won't be going to see it.
Posted by: Ian | May 26, 2009 at 05:53 PM
One of the best if not the best writing on tv ever. The original movie was a total joke and not what Joss intended. Another Buffy movie by the same people who made the first one is bound to be a flop also. If they had any brains at all, they would beg Joss to come on board. Anyone who really liked the movie and not the tv show, obviously only watched it to drool over Kristy Swanson.
Posted by: ria | May 26, 2009 at 05:24 PM
dragyn,
You're just plain wrong on this.
It will be outrageous and outrageously stupid if they don't put Whedon at the helm of any Buffy retread.
Please sign the Get Joss! petition if you agree:
http://bit.ly/getjoss
Posted by: Oyez H. | May 26, 2009 at 05:01 PM
@dragyn trashing Joss Whedon doesn't make sense. The TV series was successful and the movie was not. The snotty comment about his talent as a writer only proves you're from L.A...
It sounds like someone trying to cash in on the "reimagining" thing without paying the writer of the successful series.
It will end up like that Batman with Nipples movie whatever it was called.
Posted by: Rene | May 26, 2009 at 04:27 PM
I have to disagree with dragyn, who apparently thinks too highly of him or herself. For the record, Kristy Swanson was not a believable athlete in the movie. She embodied the cheerleader aspect of Buffy Summers and that was it. She would have made a great Cordelia. Nothing more.
The original film was horrible. You have no taste whatsoever.
Posted by: O-town | May 26, 2009 at 04:21 PM
That is the worst idea ever. Part of the reason for the failure of the first Buffy film was the fact that they mangled Whedon's original script when they filmed it and now they are doomed to repeat history all over again. The film will not work at all without Joss Whedon in the helm and Sara Michelle Gellar as Buffy.
Posted by: Spike | May 26, 2009 at 04:16 PM
BRING BACK JOSS!
AND BRING IN NUDITY!!!
Posted by: ATSTAKE | May 26, 2009 at 03:58 PM
What's the worry? Whedon is wildly overrated as writer and the BUFFY Tv series was terrible, filled with laughable dialogue that drove me out of the room every time. I welcome a revamp. The original film was fun and at least Kristy Swanson was totally hot (and not anorexic at all).
Posted by: dragyn | May 26, 2009 at 02:19 PM