Joss Whedon developing inclusive Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot

[Batman1980]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is getting the reboot treatment.

20th Century Fox Television, who produced the original Joss Whedon drama, have put a new take on the beloved Sarah Michelle Gellar drama in development. Writer Monica reen, who worked with Whedon on ABC's Agents of SHIELD, has been hired to pen the adaptation.

Whedon will be an exec producer on the series and has been working with Breen on the script, which features a black actress stepping into the role of Buffy made famous by Gellar.

Gail Berman, Joe Earley, Fran Kazui and Kaz Kazui (who produced Whedon's original Buffy film that inspired the TV series) will also serve as exec producers on the potential series. A network is not yet attached for the new Buffy, talks for which began last fall. Producers Fox 21 TV Studios will pitch the Buffy re-do to streaming and cable outlets later this summer in a package bound to ignite a bidding war. It's unclear if Whedon will have any additional role on the new Buffy due to his other commitments, which include HBO's recent straight-to-series order The Nevers.

Talks for a new Buffy began last fall. A decision to move forward was determined after Breen was identified as the right writer for the reboot. A script or director has not yet been determined. Casting for the central role of Buffy has also not yet been determined. The new version, sources say, will be contemporary and build on the mythology of the original. Like today's world, the new Buffy will be richly diverse, with some aspects of the series, like the flagship, seen as metaphors for issues facing society today. Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons on The WB Network (which evolved to become The CW) and UPN. The series continued in comic book form after completing its run in 2003. Buffy was based on the feature film of the same name that starred Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry that was originally penned by Whedon.

The cult favorite series became a breakout and helped turn Whedon into a household name, while also launching the careers of the series' stars (including David Boreanaz and Alyson Hannigan) and writers (including Jane Espenson and Marti Noxon). Buffy ranks as one of the greatest TV series of all time and has been hailed for the way in which Whedon and the writers challenged gender norms and portrayed Buffy (Gellar) as a feminist hero.In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in March 2017, pegged to the show's 20th anniversary, Whedon said he wouldn't rule a Buffy reboot or reunion out but also expressed his "fear" at the idea. "I see a little bit of what I call monkey's paw in these reboots. You bring something back, and even if it's exactly as good as it was, the experience can't be. You've already experienced it, and part of what was great was going through it for the first time. You have to meet expectations and adjust it for the climate, which is not easily. Luckily most of my actors still look wonderful, but I'm not worried about them being creaky. I'm more worried about me being creaky as a storyteller. You don't want that feeling that you should have left before the encore."The decision to reboot Buffy comes a few months after Fox and 20th TV chairman and CEO Gary Newman hinted that the title could soon find itself into the studio's development pipeline. "[Buffy] is probably our most ripe show for a remake, it's something we talk about frequently," he said in March, noting that the choice to do so ultimately was up to Whedon.

For her part, Breen recently created and showran NBC's Midnight, Texas. She left the series after season one. Her credits include Revolution, Fringe, Brothres & Sisters, Alias, Lost and Charmed. She's repped by WME.

The Buffy reboot and HBO drama mark a return to television for Whedon, whose credits include Buffy spinoff Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse. The once-beloved showrunner has been criticized more recently after allegations of abuse and cheating from his ex-wife. Whedon is repped by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham.

Source - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/li...-works-1128888

The Earth is definitely doomed.

[MattmanAlpha]

Remember when TV shows and movies were more concerned with things like "plot" and "entertainment value" than "inclusiveness", "diversity" and "gender norms"? That was fun :/

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by MattmanAlpha

Remember when TV shows and movies were more concerned with things like "plot" and "entertainment value" than "inclusiveness", "diversity" and "gender norms"? That was fun :/

All of those things don't have to be mutually exclusive

[Red Dragon]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

All of those things don't have to be mutually exclusive

...but one gets the distinct impression that as of very recently, it has become infinitely more important to some, that any and all television and film projects must have social, political, racial, religious, sexually oriented, hand-capable, etc... etc... etc... total inclusion/diversity and that this agenda is being viewed as being more important than things like quality of plot and theme.

Someone's just gotta finally stand up and take the hit and basically call Bullshit on this SJW crap...

[Doctor Jack]

I thought the whole idea behind naming the character Buffy was to flip the script on the helpless, beautiful, blonde white girl to becoming the badass who does the killing? How many women of color are named Buffy?

[MechaGodzilla]

I don't think there's anything at all negative about casting a black (or whatever other ethnicity) lead vs. a white one in a film or series, but shouldn't it be secondary? What I mean is, shouldn't it be a desire to tell a story first, and then you write/cast the characters as you see fit following that? But to decide "hey I want a [insert combination of ethnicity and gender]" and going from there feels like it's the wrong way round.

But then again, I suppose all kinds of movies and shows began their life with "hey, let's make money off of preceding work/trend/whatever", or being tailored as a vehicle for a certain actor, with the story coming second, so this isn't really all that different. If at all. And sometimes that can result in something pretty good, no matter how cynical the original motivations may have been.

Maybe I should also clarify I'm not upset about this, I'm not even a Buffy fan. Just thinking out loud.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Red Dragon

...but one gets the distinct impression that as of very recently, it has become infinitely more important to some, that any and all television and film projects must have social, political, racial, religious, sexually oriented, hand-capable, etc... etc... etc... total inclusion/diversity and that this agenda is being viewed as being more important than things like quality of plot and theme.

Someone's just gotta finally stand up and take the hit and basically call Bullshit on this SJW crap...

OK, I get it, you were very happy with the status quo prior to this - presumably because you weren't negatively impacted?

[Red Dragon]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

OK, I get it, you were very happy with the status quo prior to this - presumably because you weren't negatively impacted?

probably best not to presume too much... I'm actually a liberal who believes all people are deserving of equality. I wasn't for 'maintaining the prior status quo' despite the rather obvious fact that it didn't negatively impact me. I'm all for social progress and enlightenment and I fully support diversity.

I happen to be a white, middle class American male who believes that women deserve equality, respect and equal pay, etc... and I've always supported equal rights.

I also fully support gay marriage...

Having said that, can we not be honest enough to admit that sometimes the liberal agenda is a blatant crock of shit...

Case in point: liberals support human rights including, but certainly not limited to, gay rights and woman's rights (as well we all should), but whenever we call out certain members of the Muslim/Islamic community throughout the world, on their continued, blatant disregard for any and/or all of these issues, liberal fanatics immediately label us as being phobic of Islam.

Even for something as silly (because in the end, it kind of is), as these ongoing sociopolitical based film discussions are... shouldn't we be able to basically agree that yes... you can do an all female remake of "The Godfather"... or an all female remake of "A Clockwork Orange"..... or an All African American version of "Lord of the Rings"... you can absolutely do it.... but just because you can do something, does that necessarily mean that you should? And if you choose to push such a project forward then perhaps it would be more honest to admit that the reason is simply diversity/inclusion over any false semblance of project integrity.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Red Dragon

Someone's just gotta finally stand up and take the hit and basically call Bullshit on this SJW crap...

It'll never happen. *****ing on the internet about PC Agendas and SJW Snowflakes takes a special kind of courage that few can muster.

[Red Dragon]

Originally Posted by octagon

It'll never happen. *****ing on the internet about PC Agendas and SJW Snowflakes takes a special kind of courage that few can muster.

I will say that I've had many interesting/difficult/uncomfortable conversations with friends (some of whom have come and gone), relatives, neighbors and co-workers throughout the years. And I will certainly continue to do so.

The obvious truth is... liberals are right with regard to certain things (IMHO), just as conservatives have a few rather decent points themselves. And any intelligent person whom I've ever met had leanings on both sides.

[spanky87]

What the ****, Joss?

Why can't this be about a future vampire slayer in between the Buffy and Fray timelines instead?

Please don't do this. The original series is a masterpiece and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy is too iconic for me to ever accept anyone else in the role. This is more severe than rebooting Star Wars with another actor as Luke Skywalker.

[JohnnyPresley21]

Terrible idea and again going to heavy hand on the whole PC movement.Said thing is Joss and company didn't have to do this,they where a head of the cover with the original series twenty years ago.


If they wanted a black woman as the new lead that's fine,just make a spin off or new series set in the same universe or could still call it Buffy the Vampire Slayer and bring back the original Buffy in SMG and have her and this new slayer team up for the new series.

[Geoff D]

Meh. As long as this leads to Fox giving Buffy a proper HD remastering so they can cash-in with a phat new Blu-ray release then that's fine, go crazy with all dat inclusive diversity.

[rikraq]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Meh. As long as this leads to Fox giving Buffy a proper HD remastering so they can cash-in with a phat new Blu-ray release then that's fine, go crazy with all dat inclusive diversity.

That's the only hope I have. Along with the awful upcoming Charmed reboot.

[Old Geezer]

Lots of responses here; some good, some bad. For me Sarah Michelle Gellar will always be Buffy. I can't imagine anyone else in that role. That being said I will give this new show a chance. Hopefully a new story line and new friends will make this different enough from the original to stand on its' own.
I remember when they announced Riverdale coming to TV. I'm old enough to remember Archie and crew as bumbling clowns with no purpose except to elicit a few grins from the comic reader. My first thought was "This is really going to suck". It's now one of my favorite shows (nothing like the original comic).

[kngtmat]

I would rather have a continuation than a remake. I would like a Slayer by another name because there is only one. Well two Buffy's film & TV versions and there just shouldn't be a 3rd.

[spanky87]

Originally Posted by kngtmat

I would rather have a continuation than a remake. I would like a Slayer by another name because there is only one. Well two Buffy's film & TV versions and there just shouldn't be a 3rd.

For real, I need middle-aged Buffy in my life. Seems like everyone but Sarah Michelle Gellar is open to do a revival. She was still adamant about it when they did the EW reunion last year. You'd figure she'd be more open to it after she's had like 3-4 failed shows in a row, but she seems pretty happy just doing the Food Stirs thing and being a mom now.

[brooks101189]

First time in awhile I've been annoyed at a reboot. Not really about the casting, that doesn't really bother me. It's just the fact that it's a remake and not a continuation. Still details are early, perhaps it will evolve into a new slayer that Buffy takes under her wing?

So I'll wait till we get more info.

[kngtmat]

I should have written it differently. Also I didn't think she would. That's part of why I was thinking for them to have a continuation of the show with another slayer.

[Gamma_Winstead]

What the hell? Why? Buffy ended in such a way it'd be SO easy to just have a new slayer, with cameos from the original cast. Like... they're still making stories with the comics. Why the hell would joss think this would work? He's put DECADES into the original Buffy continuity. Why toss all of that away?