My heart says 'Please God just for once...' but my head still thinks 'So many if's in there'. Still its not an outright 'No' is it? Is it? Is it? *hangs head in despair YET AGAIN*

catalyst2 | October 11, 10:55 CET

Okay, SMG? Never gonna do the movie. Ever. Her "ifs" and "never say nevers" are simply PR that she HAS to do. Really, I swear, i will eat my computer if she agrees to do it(if* that every got off the ground, which I'm also doubtful of).

i also don't think David Boreanaz, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, Michelle Trachtenberg, Eliza Dushku(well, she may get desperate, but i hope not), or Emma Caufield would either. And as much as i love James Marsters, just a Spike movie is not the answer.

I know, i know, unpopular opinion. Flame me, flog me, tie to me to the rack. I will still stick by this.

[ edited by syd on 2004-10-11 09:48 ]

syd | October 11, 11:34 CET

Syd, You set high standards for yourself and I will hold you to every one of them in perpetuity! But isn't this one of those few times when you would love to be proven wrong!

catalyst2 | October 11, 11:39 CET

Not particularly, no. I've said many a time that I want the actors to move on. This does not change my love for the characters or the show, even though i'm sure some would question it if i don't want it to go on and on and on... I've loved this universe, but i've been quite content with it ending for some time.

[ edited by syd on 2004-10-11 09:46 ]

syd | October 11, 11:45 CET

It doesn't sound like an outright No, but it does sound like an "It's too early to do this movie when I have more offers lined up right now" kind of No. I think the main reason she ended with a "No" was more or less to let fans know that she has some interest but would rather not get anyone's hopes up in case it doesn't fall through.

BlindHawkeyes | October 11, 12:13 CET

I have to agree with Syd about this. I cannot see any way at the moment that SMG would do a Buffy film, and I suspect her career is likely to stay healthy enough that she won't need to. I think Syd is also right in saying that several other of the actors would hesitate about getting involved. Quite apart from anything else, is there even a film studio out there crying out for a film?

For myself, I am happy with what we got, seven extraordinary seasons of the show (I thought the final season, for all its minor faults, was superb). I think Gellar has a point when she says that a film is not necessarily the greatest idea. I'm more interested in finding out what these people do in the future. Let's face it, given a choice, would we rather see Joss Whedon continue to go over old ground or wait to see what amazing new things he comes up with next?

alien lanes | October 11, 12:13 CET

Well syd in a way your wrong on one of them not returning -Alyson is returning to do the voice of animated Willow in BtAS, and Eliza has always said she would come back but I think she just wants guess spots and nothing permanent. Boreanaz is keen on movies cause he feels they are the only thing that can do true justice to Joss's work. I'll guess we will see that with Serenity and who knows by this April we may on the ideas of Joss only movies as well. Esspecially with the current state of TV as it is. As for SMG I'm with you and I don't see her coming back.

RavenU | October 11, 13:43 CET

I think all of the people that have been regulars (and Eliza) would return for a big-screen project (except maybe Charisma). If it was on TV the only people I can see not returning are David and Charisma (for Sarah, I believe she would possibly if the script were good). Once Tru Calling's cancellation is official I hope someone from Mutant Enemy approaches Eliza (don't wait for her to beg, 'cos I doubt she would).

RavenU I've always read David's reluctance to come back to TV as just him wanting to get his face on the big-screen, to me it really doesn't seem like he believes that the only place Joss' work may be done justice. I may be wrong, Serenity might blow everything he's ever done out of the water and prove that TV is too small for Joss.

Ghost Spike | October 11, 13:55 CET

AH coming back to do a voiceover is very different than appearing in a live-action movie. And from the interviews I've read from ED and DB, they both seem to be playing the same PR game that SMG has had to do. I agree with Ghost Spike in that he wants his face on the big screen, and given his acceptance of The Crow sequel, he doens't care about the quality of the script.

In regards to ME approaching Eliza when Tru Calling is officially cancelled, i kinda hope not. I really like ED, but it wasn't only the writing on Tru that lost it for me, Eliza needs to brush up on her acting skills when she is not playing the bad girl sexpot. Watching her being all wind-blown and earnest on Tru was painful. I'd much rather see her doing a good job in a supporting role, than a lukewarm job centerstage.

And again, in regards to Sarah, i think the only way she'd appear on a Buffy movie is if the well had completely gone dry and it was a choice between Scooby 3 and that. Was that harsh? Hm...maybe. But i thnk for her, that would be taking a big step back.

Personally, i would much rather see where everyone in the cast can go...elsewhere. I would be much more excited about James Marsters in some random film, rather than him pulling on the ol' duster and peroxide again.

syd | October 11, 14:31 CET

I'm pretty sure this quote is from Comic Con. I read this all in a fan report back then.

eddy | October 11, 15:11 CET

I think I'm still waiting for the bang Buffy should go out with - ever since I read Fray I knew it was there somewhere. And I still think it is.

What people say in interviews when there's no script, no studio or any other hint that a movie could seriously be coming, and they need to attract attention to get other projects going while maintaining their fan base, should not really be taken as a definitive aye or nay.

If Joss thinks there's a movie to be made (and because of a couple of pictures in Fray I think he does) my bet is that one will be made.

sasja | October 11, 15:15 CET

I think a Spike-centric TV movie or mini-series could happen. But I only believe that to be a remote possibility because James Marsters still seems so enthusiastic about the whole thing (and, of course, because Spike remains so popular, with Spike fans still campaigning for further Spike stories.)

But I don't see any of the other actors being involved if that did ever come to pass. And I'd bet my grandmother that SMG will never again pick up a stake.

The other thing is the "be careful what you wish for" factor. I don't think Joss is interested in doing anything Buffy-centric in the near (or foreseeable) future. He seemed pretty sick and tired of the Buffy stories at the end of season 5. The final two seasons helmed by Marti Noxon recieved a hell of a lot of negative press and fan backlash. If a TV movie happened I think it would be written and directed by someone not Joss, some other ex-ME alum, maybe Steve DeKnight or Jane Espenson (I mention those two because, to my knowledge, they're the only two who've expressed interest in the idea). And I think there would be a lot of people not happy with that...

Bad Kitty | October 11, 16:45 CET

Many excellent points there, Bad Kitty, especially about Joss' state of creativity.

syd | October 11, 17:26 CET

As was said if her choices are few I am sure she will do it, such if The Grudge bombs big time and Southland Tales does poorly I'm betting she would be open to it.

I think at the moment she is trying her best to prove she can be a box office draw without the shadow of Buffy, in the Scooby Doo movies who didn't see Buffy in those fight sequences, especially in the second one, the fight with the black knight ghost could have been taken directly from Buffy.

Believe me if the money is offered and her other movies haven't done well at all, she will jump at it.

Nuke | October 11, 17:37 CET

I must question this article. I don't think it's true. But I must thank you, syd. You raised several points.

Madhatter | October 11, 17:45 CET

Nuke, I wouldn't be so sure. It seems unlikely that 'The Grudge' is going to bomb, and we will find out soon enough. It's too early to say what might happen with 'Southland Tales'. What we don't know is what other negotiations are taking place. She will undoubtedly have other options on the table at the moment.

Gellar is already a successful film actress, irrespective of individual opinions about the quality or otherwise of the films she has made to date. I really can't see that a Buffy film would hold any great appeal for her. She gave the show eight years of her life and now she's moved on. It's all pie-in-the-sky, anyway. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I am not aware that Joss Whedon or any film studio are jumping at the bit to make a film.

[ edited by dashboardprophet on 2004-10-11 16:23 ]

alien lanes | October 11, 18:01 CET

Thanks, Madhatter, i was curious about this article as well, it seems to be an edited snip of a longer interview, but i could be wrong.

Believe me if the money is offered and her other movies haven't done well at all, she will jump at it.

And I look at the interviews of this actress, and i see a certain stubborn integrity where she would rather stop acting than fall back on the old stand-bys. I don't think a heaping amount of money, and that would be by ME standards, as by the time the a movie would come out, the draw from the semi-faithful fans would have moved on and i have uncomfortable visions of what that movie would consist of. Without a big drawn, there would be a smaller budget and therefore definitely a smaller salary for the actors. So...i don't see that desired amount of money ever being on the table, if that is the opinion that she could spin her integrity on a dime for some extra pocket change.

But yeah, let's say it's the money, let's say every movie she does flops, as im sure some wish for, because dammit, she ended Buffy(*cough*)! Let's say that, and all she has is the Buffy movie, which is the scenario that is being painted. Now, would anyone really want that movie made? Would anyone really want a movie to be made because people settled?

Frankly, that sounds awful to me.

syd | October 11, 18:03 CET

Whether or not Sarah would make the film seems like a moot point at this moment in time: let Joss write the script first. If he's really interested in doing a big screen film I'm sure he'd at least write a treatment, then we could get a better idea of who would and wouldn't be interested. For now it's up to Joss to kickstart things, not Sarah.

As for the idea of a big screen film, I think it would be one of the high points of my life. Serenity times ten for me. But if it doesn't happen, I'm still more than pleased with the series finale and have no complaints.

MindPieces | October 11, 18:15 CET

I notice that there is some confusion about the validity of this interview. Moviehole.net has the same interview with Sarah at their site. Latino Review, on the other hand, has it coming from their site.

So.

At a rough guess, Sarah was interviewed very recently at a press junket/conference for The Grudge and various sites took notice of the Buffy relevant quotes and try to make it look that SMG spoke "exclusively" to them.

Simon | October 11, 18:36 CET

I think Sarah sounds very intelligent in her remarks and makes some good points. Based on this interview, it sounds like if the script were really special, she'd come back...but given the general state of disrepair that the Buffyverse fell into in its last two years (IMO), that's very unlikely to be the case.

Ilana | October 11, 19:27 CET

Ah, that makes sense, Simon. I knew we were missing something there.

Madhatter | October 11, 21:03 CET

I think the Buffyverse is well closed, so... why more? They could ruine the great image of the show, if they do something unoriginal, only for money.
I want to see a film. Seeing Buffy in a big screen could be mortal :D , but not now, with the story told.

"I think I'm still waiting for the bang Buffy should go out with"
I think Buffy go out with a really big bang, after two espectacular and great seasons.

Angel TheVampire | October 11, 21:47 CET

One of the great things about BtVS was the season long plots and character arcs, decisions having repercussions and consequences way down the line. I can't help but think that a movie wouldn't come over rushed. A "Oh god it's a big bad and now he's killed someone let's fight he's dead" that's over in an hour and a half can't compare to twenty two episodes.

zz9 | October 12, 01:29 CET

I understand her concerns, and share some of zz9's concerns. The movie would soooo have to be longer than an hour and a half - most are these days.

The logistics of transitioning it to the big screen in a way that is marketable to both those that have never watched an episode of Buffy and the diehard fans like us that love to talk about, dissect, and analyze it all seem daunting. More so than with Firefly, which had so few episodes aired, and only 13 total.

Having said that, there's a fundamental part of me that just believes this will happen. Joss can do it. At some point, I believe he will want to. Of course, that may just be my obsessive wishful thinking, but there are things that haven't happened, been seen yet.

Maybe I am incredibly off base here, but I don't see Joss writing a script for the movie that wouldn't be so fantabulous that SMG wouldn't do it. It's going to come down to Joss and I have to think Joss will want to write it at some point. If he never wants to take this to the big screen, at some point, hopefully he'll bring us back a spin-off to TV, which works for me too.

Angela | October 12, 01:44 CET

Angela and zz9 share some of my own thoughts regarding a big-screen BtVS movie. As much as I'd love to see it happen, I think it'd pose a rather large creative challenge.

i.e., as Angela was saying, there's a tricky balancing act involved. We fans would want a continuation of the rich plots and complex relationships that arose out of the show. Yet at the same time, the studio would want a movie that's accessible to the random Joe Schmoes who have never seen an episode of the series.

That's the area where I have a degree of concern: because the show has this intricate history, and dense mythology, and layered character relationships. There have been literally hundreds of hours of storytelling dedicated to this 'verse. But if the movie isn't solely for die-hard Buffy fans, then a lot of that crucial back-story will have to somehow, someway be recapped and summarized through exposition. Otherwise, the general viewing audience won't understand what's going on.

And that strikes me as a hard thing to juggle. Because if the movie has to hold the audience's hand and re-introduce each and every character? If it has to re-iterate the entire framework of the Buffyverse? And if it's not allowed to make complex allusions to the show's history? Then there's a chance the die-hard fans will be frustrated/disappointed.

So that's my main concern about a big-screen Buffy movie: i.e., is it feasible to take the intricately detailed back-story of the series and make it comprehensible to a general viewing audience? And even if that can be done, would it diminish what we die-hard fans are looking for in the movie?

Ultimately, I think it's an interesting juggling act. It's certainly not impossible, and if anyone can do it, it'd be the ever-talented Joss Whedon. But on the whole, I agree with Angela that it sounds like quite a daunting challenge.

inverse | October 12, 04:11 CET

A few thoughts on readint this thread:

-SMG has said in several mags that she's hesitant on a Buffy movie but would consider if the script was really good. I believe her. It depends on Joss actually making it (which is not for years if ever I'd say) whether or not she likes it and where she's at with her career schedule.

-Most of the other actors, have said time and again, that they'd return in a hearbeat. David has said he's not interested in Angel TV movies, but if it was silver screen he definitely would be interested. Eliza, James, Aly, etc. all have said they'd jump at the chance of working with Joss again. And pending any of them being the next Tom Cruise/Julia Roberts or something I think they would. (And even then. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon got pretty big and went back time and again to work with indie director Kevin Smith, whose movies are generally less succesful than theirs)

-As to actors moving on or taking up the mantles of old characters, I could see either. I think they should do what they see fit.

-I strongly disagree with SMG's hypothesis that Buffy can only work as a show. The first movie didn't 'prove' that. The first movie was simply screwed up beyond recognition. If Joss writes and directs it will be different. It had nothing to do with the movie format, and everything with the wrong people at the helm changing the whole project. For a new Buffyverse movie, the only factor is what is done with it and how it's done. The underlying philosophy seems to be that Joss probably couldn't do it. Which is odd considering Joss was a script writer/doctor long before he made Buffy as a series.

-People saying S6 and S7 was completely Joss-less and all marti Noxon: Joss was less hands-on with S6, but as he always points out, he wasn't 'gone'. The overall arc was still his (he'd planned the Dark Willow story years before). There wasn't a script he didn't read beforehand and okayed. "I wasn't as absent as people like to think". he's often said. And on S7 he pretty much was back being much more involved again. Once again the whole storyline was his. Many episodes where he isn't credited as a writer actually have whole chunks that he DID write. (Spike's speech in the church, Buffy's conversation with Holden Webster etc). He was there. He was ending his show, with Marti as his second in command. To simply dismiss 6 & 7 as if Joss didn't have anything to do with them is simply misrepresenting things.

"But yeah, let's say it's the money, let's say every movie she does flops, as im sure some wish for, because dammit, she ended Buffy(*cough*)! Let's say that, and all she has is the Buffy movie, which is the scenario that is being painted. Now, would anyone really want that movie made? Would anyone really want a movie to be made because people settled?"

First of all, are there actually still people who say "Sarah ended Buffy"? Joss ended Buffy just as much. They were done. They ended when the time was right. Okay, rephrasing, are there actually still people on this board who say "Sarah ended Buffy"?

Secondly, no I don't want Sarah's career to tank and have that be the only reason she does a Buffy film. But frankly her career could go well, and if Joss writes a killer script she could still do that film.

Also, I'd rather see her 'settle' for a Buffy film than for say, Scooby Doo 3, 4, 5 and 6. (Last two straight to video). There are worse fates than doing a Joss written and directed Buffy movie.

EdDantes | October 12, 04:22 CET

EdDantes, I agree that the "Sarah ended Buffy" mentality on the internet (not specifically this board), isn't entirely acurate. Joss had decided that season 7 was his last before Sarah decided to leave. I believe the Entertainment Weekly article that came out around that time (the one that screamed "Buffy Quits!" on the cover)said that one of the reasons Sarah decided to leave was because Joss was leaving. To some extent, yes, Sarah did end Buffy by not renewing her contract, but the show had a good run and with Joss leaving, i'm sure it felt like the right time to hang up the stake and move on.

As far as a Buffy movie, i'd like to see it if everyone involved were making it because they WANTED to. I don't want it to be a final option in a failing career. Right now, i'd be happy if there were a new show set in the verse that had nothing to do with BtVS OR AtS. Something new with new characters that wouldn't require prior knowledge of Buffy or Angel might be the best way to go. A clean slate, if you will. Just my 2 cents.

thekey1313 | October 12, 05:41 CET

thekey1313 has my vote - I suspect the Buffyverse tale is told but I don't think the Slayerverse's tale is anywhere near told - in fact I don't even think Buffy's tale is the best tale to be told. A new series, neither BtVS nor AtS based, is the way to go but there are enough story lines in there that many of the old cast could still appear in old roles (or new if need be depending on timelines). Best of all worlds - new viewers pulled in, no painful (for old hands) backstory and Joss' glorious creativity gets to reign free again!

catalyst2 | October 12, 07:38 CET

As far as a Buffy movie, i'd like to see it if everyone involved were making it because they WANTED to"

Oh don't get me wrong, of course I would prefer that too. And I believe it's very possible. I just meant I'd still rather see SMG do that than some other options.

"Right now, i'd be happy if there were a new show set in the verse that had nothing to do with BtVS OR AtS. Something new with new characters that wouldn't require prior knowledge of Buffy or Angel might be the best way to go. A clean slate, if you will. Just my 2 cents."

I can go with that, but like catalyst2 I too would prefer at least some familiar faces in there. Introduce them in a way that new viewers get to know them fresh but old viewers are happy. But really, they should wait. It's still Reality Crapland out there. Wait for that to die down and scripted (genre) TV to make it's comeback.

EdDantes | October 12, 08:51 CET

Actually, EdDantes, scripted tv may already be makng its comeback. The first steps, anyway. Desperate Housewives and Lost are cleaning up in the ratings. Desperate isn't a genre show but hey, it's scripted. What a relief! And since imitation is the sincerest form of tv I think we'll see more scripted stuff being pushed soon. Not that scripted automatically = quality, but it's a start.

According to the Washington Post, NBC has already dusted off an old series spec written by Todd Holland (of Wonderfalls) that is Desperate Housewives-esque. And every network wants their own Lost - which is very good for genre tv in theory. Let the death of Reality TV be agonizing and fast!

phlebotinin | October 12, 18:02 CET

phlebotinin - Curiously, I can copy verbatim my original post on this topic - "My heart says 'Please God just for once...' but my head still thinks 'So many if's in there'. Still its not an outright 'No' is it? Is it? Is it? *hangs head in despair YET AGAIN" - and it makes sense (or as close to it as I ever come) for totally the opposite reasons! Such is the fine line of meaning that we tread.

catalyst2 | October 12, 18:30 CET