Hmm. Mebbe the BBC said, look, we'll do the Giles TV movie if we can do three more.

If wishes were horses...

Caroline | July 06, 22:40 CET

I'm not buying this.

Did anybody watch it?

Invisible Green | July 06, 22:42 CET

I so want this to happen! 4 movies that tell a larger overarching story would be fabulous. One of them should be about Illyria. If these movies don't depend on SMG and Boreanaz, maybe there is a good chance they will be made because the other actors are more likely to sign on.

And the other question is will the WB actually follow through on their offer to air these movies?

electricspacegirl | July 06, 22:42 CET

Well, I hope this is legit, and if it is, I hope it happens. I also would love one of the stories to at least have Illyria in it. Would love to see Willow and Giles again too!! Would love to see what they've been doing with the Watcher's council. Again, just hope this isn't just another rumor.

Firefly Flanatic | July 06, 23:07 CET

Huh. Color me skeptical, but intrigued. I'd love a quartet of tales, only I'm puzzled by the suggested character choices. I mean, isn't Wes (much as I adore him) dead? Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm just surprised they didn't include Illyria. In a two-hour movie, the Wes issue could also be dealt with, but I think it would require her first and foremost, what with the Mutari generator and her time-travel powers being useful for engineering his resurrection and all.

And I'm thinking Joss might be talking to someone besides the WB for this, if there's anything to it. He's mentioned how he likes the cussin' on cable. Although, with Jordan Levin gone, perhaps Gail Berman or Garth Ancier has approached ME to continue their relationship? Hmm. Hope more info is forthcoming, so's the online fandom don't get in a froth over nothin'.

[Edit: Is this a reputable Australian source? I guess it's a talk show or something? And now that I think about it, how could JM be in a two-hour film, much less four, if he's working on the 'MacBeth' project?]

[ edited by Wiseblood on 2004-07-06 21:15 ]

Wiseblood | July 06, 23:12 CET

This is an excerpt from the full transcript (reg. req.) by Julz:

James: Yes, Joss Whedon, who wrote and uh, along with David Greenwalt, developed both of Buffy and Angel, together. Umm, and it was weird because I was doing some, just basic work for the show, voice over stuff and filling in bits, and he came up to me and he’s like “Man, I really like your work and I’m hoping you’re still interested-“And he’s kissing my butt! And I’m like, “What are you doing Joss?” And I told him, I said, “Joss, stop it. 3 lines, 50 lines, lead role, whatever you want man, call me. I’m there for you, cuz frankly, you’re one of the best writers I’ve ever worked with”. And uh, he said that he wanted to do a Spike move – TV movie. But it’s also contingent upon other characters. He wants to do four TV movies, one of them is Spike. So, uh, I said ‘yes’ immediately, “I’m your bitch” (complete with hands surrendered “Dead Things”-style above head, may I add). Right, but I don’t know if the others signed off on it. So it may or may not happen, not because I didn’t sign off on it, but it may not really sell as a single project.

faith1984 | July 06, 23:12 CET

I seriously doubt the WB would back it, they barely have enough money to stay afloat - it might be a DVD based movie from FOX.

However - could the voice over work he was doing when Joss approached him mean he might be in the animated series.

[ edited by RavenU on 2004-07-06 21:23 ]

RavenU | July 06, 23:16 CET

Okay, this is officially the best news i've had over this massively crappy month i've been having. Finally a little something i can consider a silver lining.

Whilst i'm bordering between sceptical and hopeful i'm choosing, perhaps stupidly, to believe that something will come of this. I mean, at this point, what do we have to lose huh?

As for the other three characters i would assume that Joss will go with fan favourites for the leads so most likely Willow, Giles and Faith although you would imagine that Illyria would also be a likely candidate considering how popular she has become, not to mention the fact that Amy has said she wants to return to the character.

I'm definately going to be looking out for news on this, fingers crossed everyone ;)

Disciple of Spike | July 06, 23:29 CET

Well in July & August Joss is going to be ask a lot of questions?

Ed & Slayer - you best be taking notes. :)

RavenU | July 06, 23:37 CET

I think it would be about Gunn, Illyria, Spike and Angel. Didn't Amy or somebody say at that British convention that they overheard the writers talking about having a movie about each of the characters, fighting on their own? This seems to follow that. Although, I don't see how they'll get Boreanaz back on board. But we know James and Amy are game (and J. probably is too), so who knows.

narky | July 06, 23:44 CET

Do they have to air on the WB? Is Angel's position similar to Firefly? Fox (the network) still have the rights to the Firefly tv series for 10 years.

Simon | July 06, 23:48 CET

I think Joss is free to take Angel anywhere, or at least to use the characters as he sees fit in a new venture. It hasn't sounded to me, based on what he's said in the past, that his deal with Fox re: BtVS/AtS is as binding as it apparently is with Firefly.

Maybe TNT will be considered for this project since the reruns are doing so well for them?

Wiseblood | July 07, 00:08 CET

So this is legit? Wow, what amazing news, even if nothing's set in stone yet.

TNT would be a good network for this project. They've done plenty of original telepics including ones for "The Pretender" after that show, which they show in reruns, was cancelled.

But since Joss's deal is with Twentieth Century Fox, would that mean that, if the project was pitched to cable, they'd have to ask FX first. FX could be a good choice, too, since they show BtVS reruns 20 times a week.

Honestly, I can't imagine a broadcast network picking up this project. Maybe UPN, FOX is less likely, The WB is even less likely, and any the others shouldn't even be considered.

But I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Invisible Green | July 07, 01:10 CET

FOX production studios a seperate division from the television division holds the rights to all of Joss's creations until they descide to sell them - Joss may have some say but FOX has ultimate control, cause finacially they have the most invested. FOX also owns the rights to 'The Pretender', so they have done the deal before with TNT - 'The Pretender' had 2 made for TV movies on TNT.

As for legit - who knows - if you take it from the source being James - then a big grain of salt on standby would be advisable. He's known to get overly excited about stuff and to speak before he thinks it out. So take it as you should but someone should be asking Joss about it in a few weeks....***cough, cough*** Ed & Slayer ***cough, cough*** :)

[ edited by RavenU on 2004-07-06 23:33 ]

RavenU | July 07, 01:28 CET

However - could the voice over work he was doing when Joss approached him mean he might be in the animated series.

I doubt it--he was probably doing some ADR/looping work in the final episodes of Angel.

areacode212 | July 07, 02:24 CET

sorry, being the pessimist that I truly am, I doubt this to happen...I won't even allow myself to have that glimmer of hope...for fear of "the pain"...much pain, with the sobbing...you know...we've all been there.

Coll | July 07, 04:05 CET

I watched Rove Live last night - which, by the way, is probably the best thing to have happened to Australian Buffyverse fans - and hearing James reveal this news was really exciting. I'm really interested in this idea, and I hope it does go ahead.
In that vein, I hope that if they do go ahead, they'll get screened over here.

Flair | July 07, 04:07 CET

Maybe the WB doesn't need to back it - it could pump up enough money to be straight-to-DVD project with sales to both FOX Network and TNT... hopefully it'll see the light of day

aapac | July 07, 04:22 CET

Wow, umm, wow, and some more umm, umm being the thinking, all this hope, damm you hope, umm, im so freaked that IF this dont happen, BIG let down to so many peoples, i know exactly what you mean Coll, every time i come on this site, its mostly 3 or 4 times a day, i read EVERY single post, and in the post i read every single comment, so far this has been the most hopeful iv been in a long time, i have my fingers AND toes crossed for this one...

vastgirlie | July 07, 07:32 CET

I'm also afraid to get my hopes up. There has been just too many promising stories and they end up turning into a big let down. So I'm not getting too excited until I hear something definite.

That said, if this is true, I'd be very happy if it was something being geared to be a direct to DVD market. They could make it how they wanted and we could get a nice new shiny package with no commercial interruptions, stupid pop-ups or execs telling them what they can and can't put in it.

Firefly Flanatic | July 07, 07:38 CET

yay I get to go to the Wizard World Convention in August... Joss goodness.

BlindHawkeyes | July 07, 07:39 CET

Color me hopeful but cautious. As someone who thought Angel could have been the first series to go straight to DVD, the direct route has serious potential. Otherwise, you've got to think TNT or F/X because if indeed Joss is having discussions with HBO, it stands to reason that they would want a new property. Fingers crossed.

NOLA64 | July 07, 08:12 CET

If I were a woman I would have James' babies. His interview was fun to watch, and he said Rove was better than Letterman. He seems so amazingly nice. It's a shame it only went for five minutes because of that stupid Big Brother presenter. What's 'er face.

But, yeah, I was very pleased when I heard about the TV movies, and eagerly await further details.

Gouki | July 07, 08:33 CET

I'm loving the straight-to-DVD idea. I'd have absolutely no qualms about slapping down dinero for a two-hour movie featuring characters from my favorite Joss-verse. Multiply that by four, and that's eight hours of commercial-free goodness.

If Angel isn't the ideal live-action series for StDVD (with its built-in fanbase and incredible internet presence making advertising to that fanbase so much easier than it would be with some other shows) then I don't know of one that's better. Someone's got to dip their toe in the water first so all the networks and production companies realize how many of us out here are feeling underserved by the current offerings on TV, and how willing we are to support series that cater to our specific tastes. Joss is known for breaking all the usual rules, so it makes sense that one of his babies could take that giant step, paving the way for other series to follow suit. Cut out the middleman, I say. Give us new stories! Take our money! We're begging you!

Slightly (okay, a lot) off-topic: I got a Nielsen postcard today and they're going to be giving me a call soon. If anyone out there is familiar with the Nielsen procedure, can you tell me if this 'five minute conversation' I'm supposed to have with them is going to lead up to me filling out a TV diary, or is a phone call all the input I'm going to get? I plan to tell them exactly how sick I am of reality TV, and how desperately I miss quality entertainment now that 'Angel' has been cancelled.

Wiseblood | July 07, 09:36 CET

In the Q & A on the weekend James said he's not involved with the animated series. Joss wants to go back to the theme of adolescence, and if the Spike movie goes ahead that Joss most likely will have no involvement.

jenniwren | July 07, 12:45 CET

"it was weird because I was doing some, just basic work for the show, voice over stuff and filling in bits"

Commentaries for the Angel season 5 DVD?

Simon | July 07, 13:22 CET

Commentaries for the Angel season 5 DVD?

Have any of the other Angel commentaries had cast involvement? I'm not saying S5 can't, but I'm just curious. But I still think it was just ADR things.

Gouki | July 07, 13:54 CET

Andy Hallett did commentary for 'The House Always Wins' and Alexis Denisof did the same for 'Spin The Bottle'.

Simon | July 07, 14:14 CET

jenniwren - if James said at the convention - that Joss would have no involvement in a Spike movie - then if the transcript was correct wouldn't that be a kind of contradiction since in the TV interview he said that Joss asked him about it - thus suggesting some involvement from Joss.

RavenU | July 07, 16:17 CET

I think that is perhaps taking things too literally RavenU. Whilt Joss will most likely have no day to day involvement in the projects to imagine that he would have no involvement at all is very unlikely.

Let's face it, he IS Mutant Enemy so he will, at the very least, be working behind the scenes on the bigger details. Just asking James if he would be interested in returning to the role of Spike could hardly be considered a major part of the movie's development.

Disciple of Spike | July 07, 16:56 CET

Commentaries for the Angel season 5 DVD?

My guess is he was just doing some basic looping of lines, etc (he does call it some "basic work for the show"). Someone asked him at Moonlight Rising, I believe, if he had recorded any commentaries for the Angel season 5 DVD and he said no, he hadn't done one, hadn't been asked, and thought that it was all done already.

teenes | July 07, 21:23 CET

I just downloaded the clip and watched it and all I can say is someone get the boy some help - he is wearing 2 nicotine patches now and has been wearing them for 5 years. Now I'm thinking that's not what they are suppose to be used for at least not that long. Also he did not sound to sure about the movies happening just that Joss mentioned doing them when he was finishing up work on Angel but nothing that it waqs going to happen definitely. Like everything else in Hollywood you have to keep options open and Jossverse characters are still a marketable commodity for FOX, esspecially in the DVD and Home Entertainment division.

Just a point of casual observation, James may have some well developed biceps but he needs to work on his triceps cause they are kinda a bit flappy like bat wings. Just an observation from watching him on Rove either that or it is time for him to move to jersey lenght sleeves that will help hide that - cause that is a premiere sign of age.

RavenU | July 08, 04:22 CET

Thanks RavenU for your insight because I don't want to get my hopes up over something that most likely isn't happening. Too much of an emotional roller coaster ride to keep hearing things are happening and then finding out it wasn't true.

Firefly Flanatic | July 08, 06:26 CET

As a response to the no Season 5 DVD commentaries by actors, I've gotta say that, although James may not be doing one, many of the other actors still may, as in Buffy's final season, Nicholas Brendon, D.B. Woodside, Tom Lenk and Danny Strong all did commentaries. Hopefully this will happen with Angel

Apocalypse | July 10, 20:53 CET