Vampires are all the rage these days, what with the teen angst of the "Twilight Saga," the twenty-something angst of "The Vampire Diaries" and the soon-to-be historical angst of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" heating up the big and small screens. Now, the gal who made that perfect combo of teen angst and vampire slaying cool in the first place is headed back to theaters. Warner Bros. announced today that a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" reboot is officially in the works.
The original "Buffy" movie hit screens back in 1992, with Kristy Swanson playing the stake-wielding slayer. But it was in 1997, when "Buffy" screenwriter Joss Whedon spearheaded a TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (pictured above) in the title role, that the sassy, ass-kicking slayer truly exploded into pop-culture consciousness. The show was a huge hit, catapulting Gellar to superstardom and, over the course of its seven-season run, racking up critical praise and a rabid fan base.
Rebooting the franchise now seems like a no-brainer, what with the overflowing goodwill toward the vamp genre. Plus, "Buffy" already has that built-in fan base, which studios kind of dig. And it'll certainly get a boost courtesy of the wonders of modern-day special effects (not that they weren't awesome in the '90s).
According to WB's statement, actress-turned-screenwriter Whit Anderson is currently writing the script, and it was her fresh take on Buffy that convinced the studio to relaunch the franchise. "Whit approached us with an exciting idea about how to update Buffy," said producer Charles Roven of Atlas Entertainment. Though Roven is keeping plot details close to the chest, he did part with this nugget: "I can say while this is not your high school Buffy, she'll be just as witty, tough and sexy as we all remember her to be."
"Not your high school Buffy," you say, Charles? Interesting. This would seem to suggest an older Buffy -- perhaps a mature woman in her mid-to-late 20s? Of course, the big question now is: Who should play Buff? We've gone ahead and tossed a few of our suggestions in a poll below. Cast your vote or, if you don't like our choices, chime in with your own in the comments section!
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