elisi | Just a thought...

Yep, same here. Either that happens at some point or the franchise ended with "Not Fade Away".

Thing is that the feminism bit is very important to me and I'm not sure if that's the concept that'll survive or if it might be "hot chick kills vampires", which in itself doesn't do anything for me.

We'll see, could go either way.

Yep, same here. Either that happens at some point or the franchise ended with "Not Fade Away".
*nods* If it doesn't work as a movie, it doesn't work as a movie, and that's that.

Thing is that the feminism bit is very important to me and I'm not sure if that's the concept that'll survive or if it might be "hot chick kills vampires", which in itself doesn't do anything for me.
The writer is an ardent fan, but we all know how studios can destroy things... Ah well. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Yes I would like for it to becom like Doctor who or a kind of myth that is central to the idea of feminism. But the actual situation and film being proposed smells like a cheap ripoff. I mean the film has not been written yet and it is meant to be released in 11 months time which is not the timeline for a carefully scripted and well done film that I would expect from the buffy franchise- add in no involvement from joss and maximum involvement of studio chiefs and the writer they have carted out for publicity has plenty of enthusiasm but not a lot of writing credits=not a lot of reason for hope here. I reserve the right for an open mind and will eat my hat if It is..likeable.But I won't hold my breath.
I was expecting this in fifty years or after joss was cryogenically frozen.(Whichever came first!)

Yes I would like for it to becom like Doctor who or a kind of myth that is central to the idea of feminism.
Have you been reading my mind?

But the actual situation and film being proposed smells like a cheap ripoff.
Yeah, that's the problem - it's like they're cashing in on vampires being hot stuff right now, so I'm not especially optimistic. Mostly though, it doesn't really bother me. Nothing can touch the TV show, so...

Yes, we still have the memories...As long as the film doesn't become a major hit that actually is complete crap in disguise and talking with non fans grows complicated due to their sole familiarity with the new work, I have absolutely no problem with it other than the fact it exists and betrays the actual real show.

God, this makes me sound like an obsessive fan but I really have to dig up some of the dvds and go look on the internet to get reaquainted. I really didn't know how important this show was to me before I heard this news. It was huge to me back in the day during my awkward years (which kinda still is current with me!) and I was in fandom for a long time. Of course, I got distracted with other fandoms *Doctor Who for one* but it was the one I matured with(the one I had as a child was with was Star trek in general!). But it never went away and I think in a lot of fans minds it is still fresh and current and lets face it the tv show only ended 7 years ago and I know the comics are still coming out and the online fandom is not going away.
So it feels like the studio is just hunting fresh meat for lack of actually producing anything interesting and the interval has gotten shorter. Somewhere back at the tail end of the 80's, the studios started revisiting tv shows from 20 years before and it has gotten quicker and quicker. It has gotten to the point where there is a new spiderman reboot of a series of successful films (whatever you can say about spiderman 3, it did make money) from 5 years ago. I would rather the major studios looked into original scripts or if they had to have comic book films (which I love)invest in good scriptwriters who can put a fresh twist on films for real which they are capable of doing. Joss whedon himself is developing The avengers which I think has never been live action filmed before with a good cast. We need more like him and new stories rather than the rather tired 'origin' story that every superhero seemingly needs filmed which was ok back in the 70's but most audiences can take the hero from nowhere and fill in the gaps (if the writer has good writing behind it).

As long as the film doesn't become a major hit that actually is complete crap in disguise and talking with non fans grows complicated due to their sole familiarity with the new work
Well you can always say 'The TV show is VASTLY superior!', and everyone will know that there is NO JOSS INVOLVEMENT, so...

I really didn't know how important this show was to me before I heard this news. It was huge to me back in the day during my awkward years (which kinda still is current with me!) and I was in fandom for a long time.
It's funny, because it's almost the opposite for me. Not that I don't love the show - of course I do - but it's such a part of me that I'm perfectly confident that nothing can ever touch it.

Of course, I got distracted with other fandoms *Doctor Who for one*
Ah yes. I too fell down that particular rabbit hole... ;)

We need more like him and new stories rather than the rather tired 'origin' story that every superhero seemingly needs filmed which was ok back in the 70's but most audiences can take the hero from nowhere and fill in the gaps (if the writer has good writing behind it).
Oh goodness yes. S2C mentions Modesty Blaise further down, and that would be interesting to see! Ah well, Buffy will probably die in pre-production, so no one need worry yet.

I'd love to see a franchise - but will always think of the tv show as 'my' Buffy. My caveat is the humor: If the movie isn't funny in the very intelligent and hip way the show was - then it's just another vampire movie.

11 months really is about right for a movie sked. Principal shooting is usually between 15-30 days and Warner is a huge company with lots of resources to throw at a lucrative project. It's not as if it is some indie film that takes years to finance while the production team works other jobs and scrapes for resources.

Thanks for the info-but still it seems it is a big ask for the fanbase to come out in favour of the film which they clearly did in that statement yesterday. And I don't think they are planning a direct to dvd job so they seem to be planning for the film to hit the big screens. But what kind of actors and actresses are they aiming for (not 'high school buffy') so older? unknown? known? What about the level of director? Once some of these blanks are filled in then we will have a better idea. Until then, I will stick with Joss whedon wh has never led me wrong...and sceptical thy name is Joss where this is concerned.

:) I could go for that too. At the moment my loyalty doesn't exactly lie with Joss, so if it's writteng well enough and doesn't make me cringe I'd be OK.

Indeed! *g* And yeah, I would be *more* worried if Joss was involved. This way, everyone can just dismiss it if it's crap. :)

Everyone is upset about the Buffy movie with no Joss, no SMG or any of the other characters we love and associate with BVtS. BUT..... I think you have the right idea if we think of the movie as separate from "our" BVtS and think of it as something totally different, like a paranormal female Bond then it could work.

It's the only way of approaching it, I think. To make Buffy into an icon, proper, like Bond, or the Doctor. The eternally female and kick-ass. ;)

(Plus, just look at the mess that is s8. I'm rather relieved that Joss isn't involved...)

Even Bond always has Q, M, Moneypenny, and martinis shaken, not stirred though.

Edited 2010-11-23 15:47 (UTC)

I love that idea. And I think it would tickle SMG to death, as she's on record as wanting a woman to play Bond.

I don't think it's very likely, but... I would be neat!

That's probably what will happen, in some form or other. Any time an artist doesn't own a property outright, whatever Soulless Corporation they engage with to get it to the public is gonna turn it into a franchise sooner or later.

If it encourages more people to check out the TV show...

I think I'd like it more than the continuation of OUR Buffyverse, anyway.

But I am mostly "meh". People who make movies need to start using new ideas.

I think I'd like it more than the continuation of OUR Buffyverse, anyway.
Yup, same here!

And 'whatever' is pretty much my reaction too...

I like the idea in principle, but like a lot of others, I don't really think that is what is happening here. I kind of think this is more of the 'OMG vamps are hawt now let's use that to make money!!eleventy!!' The telling factor is probably going to be whether or not Spike and Angel appear as sparkling pretty boys or remain conspicuously absent.

I nearly went off on this whole meta thing about actors, physicality and Spike and Angel, but I need more coffee before it will come out in English.

The Kuzui's only had rights to the original Kristi Swanson movie/concept. All the characters save Buffy belong to FOX and Mutant Enemy. They could use Luke Perry's character again if they wanted...

Eh, I was more thinking along the lines of the fact that the style of vamps that are popular now are polar opposites of most of the vamps in the Buffyverse, especially Spike and Angel.

If one was holding on to the idea that the studio was cashing in on the vampire craze, one would expect to see a vampire of some kind as a more central character rather than a human like Pike. Of course that could also draw on the idea that Pike ends up turned which would be interesting.

I kind of think this is more of the 'OMG vamps are hawt now let's use that to make money!!eleventy!!'
Oh probably. And no Spike or Angel, although maybe Pike?

I"d have more confidence if it wasn't already clear that WB is going for a cheap solution. I mean, only optioning the Kuzui's rights? If it were a serious reboot of the franchise, FOX and Mutant Enemy's rights would be involved.

They just want 'Buffy', the brand. They're not bothered about any canon. (And probably quite happy to be able to disregard it...)

Not to slam the writer without knowing if she can write, what exactly her idea is and how much the studio cares, but the cynic in me wants to say "She's being interviewed about it - she's hardly going to say that she hated the original, is she?" Maybe that's very unfair. But everything about it, from hiring an inexperienced writer willing to work herself up to the stressed schedule, screams "quick and cheap Twilight ripoff" to me; no matter how much they say they're doing it for the Buffy fanbase, one quick look at the Serenity and Dollhouse viewer figures should put things in a different light...

But good luck to her. She's going to need it.

Oh I'm pretty cynical, and the whole thing will probably sink without a trace...

Agreed. I am certainly willing to give it a chance. I mean, I'm sure there were fans of the original movie who were like OMG they're making a series? NOOO! It'll be awful and all new actors and blah blah blah. And we see how THAT turned out. :)

*snerk*

Yeah, I'm going to wait and see. It'll probably sink without a trace and we can all go back to complain about the comics...

I'd be down with Buffy-Bond. So long as it wasn't feminism!fail.

Yeah, that's the problem. Although as long as no one sparkles, flies or is glow-hypnoled...

It's the only way of approaching it, I think. To make Buffy into an icon, proper, like Bond, or the Doctor. The eternally female and kick-ass. ;)

This was my way of thinking of it when I heard the news honestly. I won't be holding my breath, or rushing out to see it, but the idea that they're doing the movie at all keeps the idea of Buffy the TV show present in pop culture. And to me, I feel like that could only be a good thing, It reinforces that Buffy has become an icon for more that just the cult fans who remember her, but to the wider public. That just makes me smile.

It reinforces that Buffy has become an icon for more that just the cult fans who remember her, but to the wider public. That just makes me smile.
Same here. The more people know her name, the better. Esp since Buffy = feminist icon. *kicks Twilight's Bella*

There was a female version of Bond. First a comic strip and then a series of books, as much better than Ian Fleming's Bond books as Belgian chocolate is better than the sludge you find in coffee filters that haven't been changed in eighteen years, starring the ultimate kick-ass heroine. Modesty Blaise.

And then the first book was filmed by people who didn't understand it, the film was unutterably dreadful, and it pretty much killed the potential franchise dead.

Well, we'll always have the TV show... And who knows, maybe someone will give Modesty Blaise a reboot one of these days?

Quentin Tarantino is thinking of doing it with a script by Neil Gaiman - but he's been saying that for at least six years now and nothing has come of it.

Hmmm. Well it sounds like it is worth waiting for. *crosses fingers*

I think that this is going to be a Star Trek thing and Joss is going to be so sorry he didn't stay at the helm of this thing all along. He and Eliza should really have made a Faith/Council thing instead of Dollhouse and it would have headed this movie thing off or made them put him in charge of it. Sigh...or it hopefully would have. Remember that Star Trek had some pretty awful moments and then got rebooted into wonderful stuff. Let's hope that this awful moment will be followed by wonderful stuff for BTVS. We need a Giles series before it's too late! (No insult to Dollhouse)

I think that this is going to be a Star Trek thing and Joss is going to be so sorry he didn't stay at the helm of this thing all along.
Could be. I'm not sure there's enough money/investment in it, to be honest, but it could be...

He and Eliza should really have made a Faith/Council thing instead of Dollhouse and it would have headed this movie thing off or made them put him in charge of it. Sigh...or it hopefully would have.
Hmmm, yeah I remember that. It was supposed to have Spike in it too - hence the basement scene, to see how they played off each other - and it would have been VERY NICE. *sigh*

Let's hope this film stuff turns out nice, though. Although I fear Giles is a lost cause. :(

Just a thought...

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