Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Joss Whedon ’s cult classic television serial publication , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , had several spin - offs in the works , but none ultimately pass . The 1992 film - which Jehovah Joss Whedon famously hat - only had temperate box spot success , and fail to connect with critics . gratefully , Whedon was award a second chance to see his sight truly realized in the form of a TV series . The groundbreaking show run for seven seasons from 1997 - 2003 and spawned the spin - off series , Angel . Long before time of year 7 wrapped , there were rumors that more show would soon be added to the Buffyverse .
It is easy to undervalue just how muchBuffy the Vampire Slayeraltered the TV landscape , which was drastically different in 1997 . The pilot light aired well over twenty yr ago , but the series consistently continues to attract new witness thanks to innovative streaming service . High schooling as Hell is a timeless metaphor , and the show explore themes that still resonate with viewers of all ages . The show may have been grotesque , but it was always grounded in very real emotions . Buffy the Vampire Slayerwas live with a mint of characters that were both lovable and unforgettable . The show truly transcended literary genre and brought audiences one of TV ’s in force fictional distaff ikon , Buffy Summers ( Sarah Michelle Gellar ) . It also popularized serialized storytelling during a time when shows were largely occasional .
Thanks toBuffy the Vampire Slayer ’s vast encroachment on pop culture and its extremely loyal fanbase , both creator and watcher had hopes of hold the Buffyverse alive afterAngeltook its last bow in 2004 . Years later , Angel ’s jaw - drop cliffhangerremains the last word on the subject with the exclusion ofBuffy ’s comic continuation . Dark Horse published seasons 8 - 12 , after which time the belongings was bring up by Boom in 2019 . Although none of the TV spin - offs in reality materialise , there is aBuffy the lamia Slayerrebooton the agency , though rooter remain shared out on whether or not the show require one .
Buffy: The Animated Series
Buffy : The Animated Seriesseemed like the consummate way to blow up the Buffyverse . The show began ontogenesis in 2001 with mirthful author Jeph Loeb onboard . It was mean to take place duringBuffy ’s first season . The serial publication was set to strain on Fox Kids in 2002 , but this plan fell aside when Fox Kids ceased to exist . Somewhat surprisingly , no other networks were concerned in airing the toon serial . In 2004 , an attempt was made to resurrect the labor . A promo was put together with the intent to trade the show to a web . Sarah Michelle Gellar choose not to return as Buffy , but the majority of the cast had agree to recapitulate their roles . Despite the committedness from cast members , the several scripts that were already written , and all the promise express by the brief promo , the serial was not picked up .
Whedon felt the show ’s potentially high price tag combined with its somewhat obscure matter subject ultimately go to the failure of the animated series . The promo provedBuffy the Vampire Slayercould be lightened considerably , but the material still may not have proven suitable for younger viewing audience . Alas , the closest buff ever get to see the series fully realized was in Loeb and Whedon ’s time of year 8Buffycomic " After These Messages … We ’ll Be Right Back ! "
Faith the Vampire Slayer
It ’s difficult to believe that Eliza Dushku ’s Faith was ab initio only signed on for a bare five episodes , conceive the impact she had on the serial publication . do as Buffy ’s glum reflection , the rogue slayer went on quite the hero ’s journey across bothBuffy the Vampire SlayerandAngel . AsBuffywas wrapping up in 2003 , Buffyverse writer Tim Minear pitched a spin - off , Faith the Vampire Slayer . Dushku ’s character had long been a fan favorite , but the actress elect not to reprise the persona , effectively ending the show before it had begun . Although she explained that she trusted everyone involve to make the spin - off keen , Dushku felt she necessitate to move on , choose to star in the excellent , but tragically short - lived serial publication , Tru Calling . She would later re - team with Whedon for two seasons ofDollhouse .
According to Minear , the show would ’ve featured Faith traversing the globe , set about to find herself , and probably helping others along the way . Being on the running would have made sense , considering the killer had broken out of prison duringAngelseason 4 . Some minor aspect of the tailspin - off were afterward incorporate into the time of year 8 comics during Brian K. Vaughan ’s arc . In fact , his stint on the leger lead off with his pitch for a direct - to - videodisc Faith pic . Faith ’s adventures have persist in in the comic strip , in which she did carbon monoxide gas - headline her own serial with Angel .
Ripper
At first glimpse , Rupert Giles ( Anthony Stewart Head ) appeared to be a stuffy Englishman do as Buffy ’s viewer . However , Buffy the Vampire Slayerseason 2 reveal there was far more to Giles than meets the eye . The watchman had been quite the rebel as a adolescent , raise literal Hell in the unconscious process . He had been known to his friends back then asRipper , which would ’ve swear out as the whirl - off ’s title . This long - rumour serial would ’ve seen Giles return to England as something of a touch hunting watch . The hope was forRipperto air on the BBC , but what form it would take ( videodisc moving-picture show , TV show , miniseries ) was ceaselessly evolving . unhappily , Whedon ’s direction onDollhouse , in conjunction with a battle for the rights to the type of Giles , causedRipperto stall out all .
AlthoughRipperhad been discuss since 2001 , Whedon was still mentioning it in interviews as late as 2012 . He seemed to think that due to the assumption and Head ’s immense talent , that it would never really be too late to revisit the idea . Giles is human , soRipperwouldn’t pose the same challenge as a project focusing on an ageless character , such as Angel or Spike . Much like the other fail spin - offs , some of the ideas forRipperhave since appear in comical form , mainly inAngel & Faith .
Slayer School
Never a show to cease subverting expectations , Buffy the Vampire Slayersurprised audiences once again in the show ’s series finale , " opt " , by induce all the likely slayers into right I . Buffyverse scribe Jane Espensen explained that Whedon and formerBuffyshowrunner / writer Marti Noxon had hash out aSlayer Schoolseries . The thought was a show focus on on the newly - minted slayers , perhaps direct up by Willow Rosenberg ( Alyson Hannigan ) herself .
Like all of these propose twirl - offs , Slayer Schoolnever do to fruition . In fact , this one never made it past the pitching phase . This makes sense , as it ’s the washy idea of the bunch . Fans adore Willow , but one of several complaint deposit atBuffy ’s seventh season is that there was too much time spent on the potential . There may have been some standouts in the bunch , but it ’s difficult to imagine audiences tuning in for a show revolving around the new killer . Even the strip lift up largely ignoring the bulk of the original potentials in favour of introducing newfangled ones instead .
Spike Movie
AfterAngelwas unceremoniously cancel , there were hope of giving the show a proper ending with a movie . However , star David Boreanaz was n’t interested in the idea unless the release would be theatrical . James Marsters , on the other manus , was absolutely glad to reprize the function of Spike in any capacity . So , the focus for the moving picture became the other lamia with a soul . The project was discussed for a few years , with Whedon even considering having some crossover between the movie and theBuffy the Vampire Slayercomics he began writing in 2007 . He hint that Hannigan could return as willow tree , and Amy Acker revealed plans for Illyria to be a part of the plastic film as well . The actress also mentioned that J. August Richards would have repeat his part as Charles Gunn , but as a villain after becoming a lamia , following the events of theAngelseries finis . Minear was tapped to direct .
Despite all the bread and butter , the Spike movie never materialized , with Whedon citing money as an progeny . Also , Fox have the characters , but go past on the movie . The other major hurdle face the dramatis personae was time , regard Spike is immortal and obviously , Marsters is not . Marsters did eventually see his pitch for the film brought to animation in some pattern . The original graphic novel was unfreeze in 2014 asSpike : Into the Light , which was written by the actor and drawn by Derlis Santacruz .
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