The most blasphemous of blasphemies is upon us … and I’m so thrown off by it, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the news. In early April a new rumor started to make its way around the Internets that Sarah Michelle Gellar was “finally ready” to take on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie which got all the Buffygeeks (me included) excited at the prospect that BtVS might be coming to the big screen. Not long after that report took off, it was reported that Sarah Michelle Gellar is pregs with her first child (meaning she prolly wasn’t going to do a Buffy movie) and BtVS creator Joss Whedon himself insisted that the movie was “not gonna happen”. It turns out that he was wrong … kinda. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting today that a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie is, in fact, in the works … but here’s the kicker (in the privates), the movie will have nothing to do with Joss Whedon and will not include any of Buffy‘s amazing supporting characters … ie. no Willow, Xander, Angel, Spike, etc. So now it turns out that the Best.News.Ever is actually the Worst.News.Imaginable!

A new incarnation of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” could be coming to the big screen. “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon isn’t involved and it’s not set up at a studio, but 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. She developed the script while her husband put together the financing to make the 1992 movie, which was released by Fox. 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.” The new “Buffy” film, however, would have no connection to the TV series, nor would it use popular supporting characters like Angel, Willow, Xander or Spike. Vertigo and Kuzui are looking to restart the story line without trampling on the beloved existing universe created by Whedon, putting the parties in a similar situation faced by Paramount, J.J. Abrams and his crew when relaunching “Star Trek.” One of the underlying ideas of “Buffy” allows Vertigo and Kuzui to do just that: that each generation has its own vampire slayer to protect it. The goal would be to make a darker, event-sized movie that would, of course, have franchise potential. The parties are meeting with writers and hearing takes, and later will look for a home for the project. The producers do not rule out Whedon’s involvement but have not yet reached out to him.Speaking from Tokyo, Fran Kuzui said the company is constantly approached not only about sequels but theater, video games and foreign remakes for “Buffy.” When Vertigo’s Lee contacted them, they were intrigued. “It was Roy’s interest in taking Buffy into a new place that grabbed us,” she said, noting that original exec producer Sandy Gallin also was consulted. “It was based on our respect for what he does, and his particular sensitivity to Asian filmmakers, that we wanted to work with him.” Kuzui, who is prepping do direct a movie in Japan in the fall, added: “Everything has its moment. Every movie takes on a life at some point, and this seems like the moment to do this.”

NOOOOOOO! This is such a terrible idea … a Joss-less Buffy is no Buffy at all. As I understand it, Joss was not a big fan of the Kuzuis. I believe he took issue that their names were splashed all over every ep of Buffy and Angel even tho they had NOTHING at all to do with either series and only got credit because they financed the original, cheesy film. I imagine their plans to hijack his creation for more financial gain will not sit well with him this time. But, I have to say, on the one hand … there is hope that this drive to bring Buffy to the big screen can work — but only if Joss Whedon gets involved. I hate, no LOATHE, the idea of a new Buffy with new friends … but if Joss is able to take control of the story and write the script, I think he could come up with some way to make it work. If these people decide to move forward with this idiot idea without Whedon‘s involvement, I’ll have NOTHING to do with it. I am very curious to hear what Joss has to say about all of this. I imagine he may make a statement on this new development. One thing is for sure, at least for me, no Joss = no Buffy = no chance in hell I’ll want anything to do with any bastardization of one of my favorite things in life.

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