Editing Buffy the Vampire Slayer (section)

===Undeveloped spinoffs===
{{main|Undeveloped Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoffs}}

The popularity of ''Buffy'' and ''Angel'' has led to attempts to develop more on-screen ventures in the fictional 'Buffyverse'. These projects remain undeveloped and may never be [[greenlight|greenlit]]. In 2002, two potential spinoffs were in discussion: ''[[Buffy: The Animated Series]]'' and [[Undeveloped Buffyverse productions#Ripper|''Ripper'']]. ''Buffy: The Animated Series'' was a proposed animated TV show based on ''Buffy''; Whedon and [[Jeph Loeb]] were to be executive producers for the show, and most of the cast from ''Buffy'' were to return to voice their characters. [[20th Century Fox Television|20th Century Fox]] showed an interest in developing and selling the show to another network. A three-minute pilot was completed in 2004 but was never picked up. Whedon revealed to ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'': "We just could not find a home for it. We had six or seven hilarious scripts from our own staff–and nobody wanted it."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1889839 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930204043/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1889839 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |title=Dialogue with 'Buffy' creator Joss Whedon |author=Hockensmith, Steve |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=May 16, 2003 |access-date=May 23, 2010}}</ref> Writer [[Jane Espenson]] has teased small extracts from some of her scripts for the show.<ref>Espenson, Jane, "[http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000095.php Reading what's been written to sound written as it's spoken] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411213112/http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000095.php |date=April 11, 2016 }}", ''Janeespenson.com'' (May 9, 2006) & "[http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000097.php Sorry, JVC, but it's simply true] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411213113/http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000097.php |date=April 11, 2016 }}", ''Janeespenson.com'' (May 11, 2006).</ref>

''Ripper'' was originally a proposed television show based upon the character of [[Rupert Giles]] portrayed by [[Anthony Stewart Head]]. More recent information has suggested that if ''Ripper'' were ever made, it would be a TV movie or a [[Direct-to-video|DVD movie]].<ref>''[[Buffyverse Magazines (UK)|UK Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel Magazine]]''. Titan Magazines, Issue 80, (December 2005), p19.</ref> There was little heard about the series until 2007 when Joss Whedon confirmed that talks were almost completed for a 90-minute ''Ripper'' special on the BBC<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aoltv.com/2007/07/28/comic-con-joss-whedon-panel-report/ |title=Comic-Con: Joss Whedon panel report |publisher=HuffPost TV |access-date=January 19, 2022 |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729162113/http://www.aoltv.com/2007/07/28/comic-con-joss-whedon-panel-report/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> with both Head and the BBC completely on board.

In 2003, a year after the first public discussions on ''Buffy: The Animated Series'' and ''Ripper'', ''Buffy'' was nearing its end. Espenson said during the time spin-offs were being discussed, "I think [[Marti Noxon|Marti]] talked with Joss about ''[[Undeveloped Buffyverse productions#Slayer School|Slayer School]]'' and [[Tim Minear]] talked with him about Faith on a motorcycle. I assume there was some back-and-forth pitching."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/buffy/2003/07/03/5522.shtml |title=Dear Jane |publisher=BBC.co.uk |date=July 3, 2003 |access-date=March 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030708105652/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/buffy/2003/07/03/5522.shtml |archive-date=July 8, 2003}}</ref> Espenson has revealed that ''Slayer School'' might have used new slayers and potentially included [[Willow Rosenberg]], but Whedon did not think that such a spinoff felt right.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/14787 |title=Way Interesting Buffy Bits (Courtesy Jane E & Others) |publisher=Ain't It Cool News |date=March 21, 2003 |access-date=January 19, 2022 |archive-date=January 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119052545/http://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/14787 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/buffy/2003/03/24/3421.shtml |title=Spin-offs stop spinning |publisher=BBC.co.uk |date=March 24, 2003 |access-date=March 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040405030949/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/buffy/2003/03/24/3421.shtml |archive-date=April 5, 2004}}</ref>

Dushku declined the pitch for a Buffyverse [[Undeveloped Buffyverse productions#Faith the Vampire Slayer|TV series based on Faith]] and instead agreed to a deal to produce ''[[Tru Calling]]''. Dushku explained to [[IGN]]: "It would have been a really hard thing to do, and not that I would not have been up for a challenge, but with it coming on immediately following ''Buffy'', I think that those would have been really big boots to fill."<ref>{{cite web |author=Kuhn, Sarah |url=https://ign.com/articles/2003/05/28/an-interview-with-eliza-dushku?page=2 |title=An Interview with Eliza Dushku |website=IGN |date=May 28, 2003 |access-date=March 9, 2013 |archive-date=October 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002134323/http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/05/28/an-interview-with-eliza-dushku?page=2 |url-status=live }}</ref> Tim Minear explained some of the ideas behind the aborted series: "The show was basically going to be Faith meets ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]''. It would have been Faith, probably on a motorcycle, crossing the earth, trying to find her place in the world."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/buffy/2003/04/14/3812.shtml |title=Kung Fu Faith |publisher=BBC.co.uk |date=April 14, 2003 |access-date=March 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314055320/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/news/buffy/2003/04/14/3812.shtml |archive-date=March 14, 2007}}</ref>

Finally, during the summer of 2004 after the end of ''Angel'', a movie about [[Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Spike]] was proposed.<ref>[http://whedonesque.com/comments/3877 Spike TV movie on the cards?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624162344/http://whedonesque.com/comments/3877 |date=June 24, 2016 }}, ''Whedonesque.com'' (May 9, 2004). Marsters is indirectly quoted about the possibility of a Spike movie in May 2004.</ref> The movie would have been directed by Tim Minear and starred Marsters and [[Amy Acker]] and featured Alyson Hannigan.<ref>Saney, Daniel, "[https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a24796/whedon-eyes-willow-for-spike-movie/ Whedon eyes Willow for Spike movie] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119052543/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a24796/whedon-eyes-willow-for-spike-movie/ |date=January 19, 2022 }}", ''Digital Spy'' (September 28, 2005). Originally reported by ''TV Guide''.</ref> Outside the 2006 [[Saturn Award]]s, Whedon announced that he had pitched the concept to various bodies but had yet to receive any feedback.<ref>"[http://whedonesque.com/comments/10310 Video interview with Joss from the Saturn Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624165143/http://whedonesque.com/comments/10310 |date=June 24, 2016 }}", ''Whedonesque.com'' (February 15, 2006). Originally reported by ''Iesb.net''.</ref>

In September 2008, ''Sci-Fi Wire'' ran an interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar in which she said she would not rule out returning to her most iconic role: "Never say never", she said. "One of the reasons the original ''Buffy'' movie did not really work on the big screen–and people blamed Kristy, but that's not what it was–the story was better told over a long arc", Gellar said. "And I worry about Buffy as a 'beginning, middle and end' so quickly. ... You show me a script; you show me that it works, and you show me that [the] audience can accept that, [and] I'd probably be there. Those are what my hesitations are."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whedon.info/Sarah-Michelle-Gellar-New-Buffy.html |title=Sarah Michelle Gellar – New "Buffy" Movie – A Film Wouldn't Work |publisher=Sci-Fi Wire |date=January 22, 2008 |access-date=September 10, 2010 |archive-date=April 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410204658/http://www.whedon.info/Sarah-Michelle-Gellar-New-Buffy.html |url-status=live }}</ref>