| Runtime: | 4 minutes (pilot) |
| Creator: | Joss Whedon |
| Starring: | Giselle Loren Alyson Hannigan Nicholas Brendon Charisma Carpenter Anthony Stewart Head |
| Country: | United States |
| Network: | Fox (developed for) |
| Num Episodes: | Single 4-minute pilot Six+ scripts completed but unproduced |
Buffy: The Animated Series is an animated television series concept based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer created by Joss Whedon. Initially greenlit by 20th Century Fox in 2002, it went ultimately unproduced and unaired when no network was willing to buy the series. The series would have taken place in the middle of Buffy season 1, as writer Jeph Loeb described the continuity as "Episode 7.5".[1]
Whedon and Loeb would later revisit the style of the series in the Season Eight comic story "After These Messages... We'll Be Right Back!".
Development began on the show in 2001. Joss Whedon and Jeph Loeb were to be executive producers for the show, and most of the cast from Buffy would return to voice their characters. The series soon ran into problems. 20th Century Fox were going to produce the show, and it was initially planned that the show would air on Fox Kids, possibly as early as February 2002.[2] When Fox Kids ceased operations, Fox shopped it to other networks. When no network was willing to purchase the series, production halted.
Two years later, in 2004, Fox once again showed an interest in developing and selling the show to another network. Various key actors, including Anthony Stewart Head, did voice work, and artwork was produced to make a four-minute presentation. That pilot was used to try to sell the series to a network. Once again no network was willing to take the risk of purchasing the show. Loeb explained that networks find the show difficult since it would be too adult to air with children's television, but not suitable to many people in a prime-time slot.
In a Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter on May 16, 2003, Whedon explained:
In an interview with TV Guide in September 2005, Whedon announced that the series was effectively dead.
Jeph Loeb revealed that there are thirteen scripts of the animated series.[5]
Sarah Michelle Gellar was not interested in returning to the role.[6] Giselle Loren had already voiced Buffy in the Buffy video games, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Chaos Bleeds.
On August 1, 2008, the four minute unaired presentation was leaked online via YouTube.[7]
On August 20, 2008, Nicholas Brendon said on his audiolog:
On August 26, 2008, Jeph Loeb declared in an interview to MTV:
During the Buffy EW reunion in 2017, the cast remarked that one of the few ways they would consider returning to the world of Buffy would be the animated series, to which Sarah Michelle Gellar expressed interest. However, all agreed that a revival of the series would be dependent on Joss Whedon, who remarked that he had moved on from producing Buffy media for television.[8]
Jane Espenson has revealed only two short extracts from the scripts on her website:
Buffy realizes she's eaten her Mother's breakfast by mistake. She holds up the last bite of bagel and, instead of saying, "there's a bite left," she says:
BUFFY
There's a remnant.
Buffy has just inappropriately used her Slayer-Strength on the volleyball court, so she vows to restrain herself:
BUFFY
Sure. Okay. I can hold back. Call me Dairy Queen, 'cuz here comes a soft serve.
(then)
Sorry, that was kinda lame.