Two decades on from when Sarah Michelle Gellar first kicked some undead ass on our screens, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is still just as popular as ever, with a large and loyal fanbase whose love for Joss Whedon’s supernatural adventure/high school drama series has never faded. It sounds like it’s prime time for a comeback, then, right?
For those hoping for such a thing, we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Fox Chairman and CEO Gary Newman has confirmed that a Buffy reboot or follow-up is something that’s frequently discussed at the network. The bad news is that they’re still waiting for Whedon to come on board and give them the go-ahead.
Speaking at the INTV conference in Jerusalem, Newman stopped short of confirming that Buffy was returning to TV screens soon, joking that if he did that he wouldn’t be able “to get out of the building alive.” However, he did admit that it’s at the top of his list of 20th Century Fox properties that he would love to relaunch.
“[Buffy] is probably the most ripe show we have for bringing back. It’s something we talk about frequently. Joss Whedon is one of the greatest creators we’ve ever worked for. When Joss decides it’s time, we’ll do it.”
If Buffy did make a comeback, it wouldn’t be the only classic Fox show to do so. Newman touched on that, too, saying that reboots aren’t necessarily a “focus” for the studio, but some series are just too successful to stay dead.
“Reboots aren’t actually a focus for us. Most of the time it starts with a creator coming in. Admittedly, we chased The X-Files for a while. But when we first brought it back it was Chris and David and Gillian. The 24 franchise… we’ll always want it.”
So, what are the chances of Whedon returning to the Buffyverse? The writer/director, who has moved on to make superhero blockbusters for Marvel and DC since finishing with the series, has said in the past that he’d worry about himself becoming “creaky as a storyteller,” telling THR:
“You don’t want that feeling that you should have left before the encore. I don’t rule it out, but I fear that.”
Tell us, what do you make of this news? Are you ready to see more of Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Have your say in the comments section down below.
