5 Most Burning Issues With Buffy the Vampire Slayer Revival, According to Fans

The recent news about Buffy the Vampire Slayer getting a sequel broke the Internet.

We have yet another revival before us that may or may not live up to its original name. Let's dig a bit deeper: fans have plenty of concerns about the upcoming revival, and so do we.

Comic Book Canon Concerns

The Buffyverse was greatly extended with a series of comic books that continued the story after the series finale. As you can imagine, there are tons of new stories and characters in these comics. Yet, as it happens with adaptations, there is a reasonable concern about whether these stories will be recognized in a re-launch.

"My biggest question is will they ignore the comics. I'm assuming yes as supplementary material to movies and shows usually are (probably since a majority of returning viewers would have not read them) but we will see," wrote Danielfrindley.

And let's face it, oftentimes the entertainment industry abandons a lot of extra material in order to make the content that is more accessible to a wider audience. And we cannot blame them for it, though we also cannot give up hopes that we'll at least get a nod in that direction. Even a little easter egg would be lovely.

Bangel vs Spuffy Is Still Keeping the Fans on Their Toes

The eternal debate over Buffy's relationships with Angel and Spike is back again after all these years (though, it never stopped, tbh). And this is where we run into another problem. Vampires are supposed to be immortal and ageless (duh), but the actors portraying them naturally aged over the decades.

However, there's one creative decision that has sparked interest and hope:

"We have the Shanshu prophecy though. No reason they couldn’t make it apply to both Angel and Spike. They saved LA at the end of Not Fade Away and were granted their humanity. Have them be the older guys in a dual-Watcher role for the new series. Hell, make Buffy married to one of them to set the world on fire," Redditor wookiewin suggested.

And we are so hoping for that!

Is Buffy Sequel Really That Necessary?

One of the most obvious issues with the revival is the need for it story-wise. The original series had a strong and conclusive ending that essentially changed the premise of the show. The question of how to continue the story while honoring that ending is a major challenge that sisters, Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman, need to address.

Redditor Aggroninja made a good point:

"A great ending, sure, but is it a good setting for a continuation? With your main character as a forty-something trying to recapture the glory days of her youth? Hopefully she's more of a mentor figure for the younger generation, but is that really a role for the main character?"

Joss Whedon Is the Missing Puzzle piece...or Not?

The involvement (or lack thereof) of Whedon in the revival is possibly one of the most contentious points of discussion among fans. Some argue that without Whedon's distinctive vision and writing style, the show might lose its quintessential charm and wit that made it so special in the first place.

As Revolutionary-Sea246 expressed on Reddit:

"Sorry people, I want Joss input. Maybe he can do a Cyrano and be involved. Seasons 6-7 were no where near as good as the first 5 years."

Yet, in light of various controversies surrounding Whedon in recent years, many fans are actually optimistic about a fresh creative direction. The industry has evolved significantly since the late 90s, and new voices might be exactly what the franchise needs.

As pastense pointed out:

"I think Whedon not being involved is what gives the sequel series a better chance of being good in 2025 tbh."

The Revival Curse

And of course, our list cannot be complete without the obvious, yet necessary mention of what many fans consider the greatest threat to any beloved series: the dreaded revival curse. We've seen a lot of attempts to bring something fresh to our already favorite stories and some of those attempts have ended up...well...not so good, to put it mildly.

"Not a single reboot, sequel or whatever in recent memory was a success. Just a money grab at best, at worst spoils the legacy of the original. So I'd be really worried, and not that excited," wrote Redditor LonelyAssignment1680.

Regardless of all those doubts, we are still very much looking forward to our new adventures. And we have no doubts that the new characters will be as iconic as the old ones. Because with Buffy, it can't be any other way.