Joss Whedon Actually Turned Down the Buffy Reboot

When Warner Bros. announced they’d be rebooting Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a movie curiously missing Joss Whedon, a lot of people were pretty unhappy about it. However, it turns out the folks over at Warner Bros. weren’t initially really stupid, in that Joss was actually offered the helm to the Buffy remake, but he declined, so they were forced to look elsewhere, rather than having ignored him like people initially thought.

The Hollywood Reporter reports:

According to studio insiders, he was approached last year after Buffy rightsholder Fran Rubel Kuzui and husband Kaz Kuzui began developing a remake with Vertigo. After presented with the opportunity, Whedon decided he’d rather work on other projects (he’s making Marvel Studios’ The Avengers). Producers then began searching for a writer and late last year hired actress-turned-scribe Whit Anderson. The unknown Anderson, with only bit film appearances to her credit, came up with a take on the Buffy myth that was strong enough after a couple of drafts to lure Atlas, which partnered with Vertigo to set it up at a studio.

It makes sense that Joss would turn down the Buffy reboot, in that a reboot means Joss would have to start Buffy all over again, creating a new universe for something he built and developed for seven seasons, which seems fairly tedious and unnecessary. Plus, if Joss helmed the Buffy reboot, Buffy fans might feel a bit used and dirty about seeing all of the same story and dialogue tropes coming out of different actors’ mouths.

Personally, as a huge Joss Whedon fan, I’d much rather have him make something new for me, rather than see him rehash something from thirteen years ago.

(The Hollywood Reporter via Blastr via Topless Robot)