Fox wants a Buffy reboot but they’re waiting on Joss Whedon

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I guess this was inevitable. Since networks are currently resurrecting so many past TV series, eventually they’d get to the one that actually dealt with resurrection – Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Last year, during the 20th anniversary, there was much speculation about the possibility of a BtVS reboot, which I get – it always stirs up emotions to see the gang back together. But not much came of those discussions – then. Just recently, Gary Newman from Fox hinted at a reboot, saying BtVS likely had the most potential of all their shows. However, everything hinges on one person, creator Joss Whedon, to say it’s time.

With reboots and revivals dominating the television landscape, it’s only natural that studios are scouring their archives for the titles worth dusting off. So it comes as little surprise that Fox has looked at bringing back cult favorite “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

I think if you look in our library, ‘Buffy’ is probably the most ripe show we have for bringing back,” said Fox TV group chair Gary Newman at the INTV Conference in Jerusalem. But he acknowledged that he “wouldn’t get out of the building alive” if he actually announced it.

“It’s something we talk about frequently, and Joss Whedon is really one of the greatest creators we ever worked with,” he said. “When Joss decides it’s time, we’ll do it. And until Joss decides it’s time, it won’t happen.

[From Variety]

Last year, the reunited cast was asked their thoughts about bringing the show back. Most were non-committal or conditionally interested in the idea with the exception being Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Sarah’s concern was, “At a certain point, when things are magical, you don’t want to go back and Godfather III it-right?” Her point was there is always the risk of not living up to expectations. James Marsters, who played Spike, was all for the idea but only if Whedon was at the helm. Whedon suggested this was possible by saying, “Everything sort of finds its way back somewhere.” I’ve long admired the way Joss got BtVS made in his original vision after hating the final version of the film. And I respected that instead of wearing out the series, he branched off into comic book series to continue the story in a different way. Unfortunately, we now know a much seedier side to Whedon. I worry that any attempt to bring this back will be under that cloud.

I don’t know if I can look past the Whedon scandal but I will say this, and I hope we can still be friends: personally, I enjoyed Angel more than I did BtVS. It’s probably an age thing, I was older when I was introduced to both. I mean, I enjoyed BtVS, certainly, but I loved Angel – like ‘participated in the blood drives to try and keep it on the air‘ loved. I’d be entertained by a “Where Are They Now” one-off with the BtVS characters but if you’re asking me about what series to bring back… *cues the cello music*

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21 Responses to “Fox wants a Buffy reboot but they’re waiting on Joss Whedon”

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  1. Babs says:

    NO.
    Just no.
    Don’t touch the legend. I got tar and feathers ready for this, Whedon or not.

    • Beatrix says:

      The series ended on a perfect note that is highly relevant to today’s place in time. It should not be re-opened, especially considering that the series was already revived once around season 7 or whatever season it was (SPOILER) Buffy was brought back from the dead. Plus, Whedon is problematic as F***.

      • LAK says:

        Season 5.

        It should have ended at that point. Season finale was perfect ending of the entire show.

        Follow up series about the different characters would have been spun out of that finale. Instead they continued with season 6 and 7 and it was so absurd.

  2. Bridget says:

    Please NO.

  3. Digital Unicorn says:

    Only if SMG reprises the role – don’t care about whether they bring Dawn and the rest of the Scooby Gang back as they got on my nerves, esp Xander and Dawn.

    My fave supporting characters where Spike, Faith and Anya.

    • Ankhel says:

      Oh yes. Xander the whiny misogynist, and Dawn who wasn’t even a real person, just the worst accessory ever. And you know they are the ones who’ll return, since they’ve made less cash than Gellar.

      BTW, I love the Spike character, but Marsters can’t possibly do it again, can he? Immortals don’t age 20 years.

    • Jag says:

      Only if SMG, Spike, Willow, and Faith return. The rest became problematic or just uninteresting characters on both shows, imo. Willow lost it at her one point, when that relationship ended; hated that episode! And then Cordelia became a goddess or whatever, so she wouldn’t be able to return.

      I think that both series were too far gone to even be able to come back, but Angel would have a better chance of it since they were left in the alley, if memory serves me. Spike could explain the aging by his becoming a ghost for a while.

      But my visceral response was “no!”

  4. Penguen says:

    Nooooooooooo

  5. Dorothy#1 says:

    YES! I would be allllllll over this. I loved Buffy AND Angel and would be so happy to have them on my screen again. ❤️

    BUT my bf was an extra on a David Boreanus show and said he was a huge asshole. The extras weren’t even allowed to look at him. 🙄

  6. lunchcoma says:

    No. I loved Buffy, but I am so tired of all these remakes. Feminism has come a long way. Fantasy has come a long way. Television has come a long way. Let’s do new things now, preferably without Whedon (though maybe with some of the cool Buffy cast members).

  7. broodytrudy says:

    Wasn’t he a dick and wrote Cordelia off the show because she got pregnant?

    • Ankhel says:

      And he slept with some of his (very) young actresses, whose careers and pay checks depended on his good will.

      • Apple Hat says:

        Yup.
        Not surprising at all really. He always has the look of the type of nerdy guy that turns out to be a bigger misogynist than all the so-called alpha men because he’s made himself believe he DESERVES whatever woman (or barely of age girl) he wants, because he’s SUCH A NICE GUY.

  8. blondems says:

    Nooo! Or if you must, do it again with the original cast (I’ll let you have Anya) – but really, what would be the point? It was great as it was. Why run the chance of ruining it?

    EDIT – It was great as it was *for its time*

  9. ida says:

    YES. 100 percent.

  10. schmootc says:

    Count me on the noooooooo train! I too am tired of the remakes and sometimes it’s better to leave well enough alone! Gah! Sorry for the exclamation points, but Jesus!

  11. Helen Smith says:

    No thanks. The first three seasons were the best and the series slid downhill from there. It started taking itself too seriously. It went too dark.

  12. hogtowngooner says:

    Ugh, can we STAHP with all these re-boots of good shows? I get networks are reluctant to throw money behind something that’s not a sure thing, but it’s just lazy at this point. Start investing in new ideas AND make seasons shorter like the UK does (10-13 eps). Less expensive and fewer “filler” episodes.

  13. Mila says:

    I am totally up for this, even though the chances of failure are really high. I would love to see them all together. But no Dawn for sure. And no Anya.

  14. ValM99 says:

    *cues cello music* YES I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ANGEL COME BACK! It ended on a eh note bc of the network. But god if they brought back Joss, David and the original cast I would Dieee. One of my favorite shows possibly more than Buffy. But rebooting buffy is a bad idea. This new generation isn’t into vampires anymore. Plus Sarah was irreplaceable as well as the cast. They’ll be wasting their money imo