TV News

Joss Whedon Shares His Feelings on New Buffy Movie

Written By Clarissa on November 22nd, 2010 at 5:30 pm

You all heard about the horrible, terrible, devastating news that Warner Bros. plans to go ahead with a Buffy reboot movie that doesn't involve Joss Whedon, right? If you haven't, then you must have been off-planet today, because every geek and fangirl have been shrieking about it all over the internet for hours (myself included).

E!Online's Kristen had the foresight (and, you know, the contact information) to write to Buffy's original showrunner and ask for his opinion on the movie that will not be involving him. Joss replies with grace and humor. Especially humor:

Kristin, I'm glad you asked for my thoughts on the announcement of Buffy the cinema film. This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths—just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.

Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, "Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER." Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, "I'll make a mint! This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!" Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?

I always hoped that Buffy would live on even after my death. But, you know, AFTER. I don't love the idea of my creation in other hands, but I'm also well aware that many more hands than mine went into making that show what it was. And there is no legal grounds for doing anything other than sighing audibly. I can't wish people who are passionate about my little myth ill. I can, however, take this time to announce that I'm making a Batman movie. Because there's a franchise that truly needs updating. So look for The Dark Knight Rises Way Earlier Than That Other One And Also More Cheaply And In Toronto, rebooting into a theater near you.

Leave me to my pain! Sincerely, Joss Whedon.

Today when I told my colleague Mike about the Buffy movie he said "I'm not a Buffy fan (not that I didn't like it, I just never watched), but any attempt to do Buffy without Joss Whedon is a TERRIBLE idea. Especially after seeing Joss, what, like 3 times at Comic Con? Dude needs to be in charge". See? Even Mike who never watched Buffy appreciated Joss' humor and general personality at the panels we saw him speak on in San Diego.

The point is, Joss Whedon is a class act. And if he wants to go out and get drunk in order to drown his sorrows over what these people are going to do to something that he worked so long and hard at, then I am totally there with him. As long as he's paying.

And just for fun, Bones showrunner Hart Hanson posted this photo to his Twitter account with the caption "I just informed DB that they are remaking Buffy." I feel your pain, David. I had that same look on my face when they stopped putting Angel in leather pants every third episode.