Variety is reporting that Warner Bros. is planning to revive Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The phenomenon started with the campy 1992 film which starred Kristy Swanson, and then turned into the angsty television drama (1997-2003) starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. It then spun off the tv series Angel, and continued with an eighth season in comic book form.
Now we get word that Warner Bros is working with Atlas Entertainment. Charles Roven and Steve Alexander of Atlas will be producing a new film along with Doug Davison and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment. Whit Anderson is currently creating the script.
Warner Bros optioned the feature from creators Fran and Kaz Kuzui and Sandollar Productions.
Roven said “Whit approached us with an exciting idea about how to update Buffy. There is an active fan base eagerly awaiting this character’s return to the big screen. We’re thrilled to team up with Doug and Roy on a re-imagining of Buffy and the world she inhabits. Details of the film are being kept under wraps, but I can say while this is not your high school Buffy, she’ll be just as witty, tough, and sexy as we all remember her to be.”
Curious to note that the name of Joss Whedon doesn’t appear anywhere in this announcement, and even moreso that the Kazuis are listed as Buffy’s “creators.” I’m sure someone more in tune with the Whedonverse than I could shed light on the situation.
The Kazuis own the necessary rights to make the film (can’t remember all the details, but unfortunately Whedon can’t stop them). He isn’t involved in this. Here’s a recent interview with him re this: http://www.familyvideo.com/entertainment-news/article/800260412/joss-whedon-chats-about-buffy-the-vampire-reboot
IMO, this is just a money grab to cash in on the Twilight-fuelled vampire craze. Without Joss, this will be a disaster.