Could 'Buffy' Make A Comeback At Disney?

The ripples of the 20th Century Fox and Disney deal will be felt in many ways, and that could include in the Buffyverse.

As part of the deal, Disney received some popular shows in Fox's back catalog. That includes Buffy The Vampire Slayer, a property that has had continued success despite it not being on television since Buffy and Angel concluded. So, does that mean Disney could bring the popular Slayer back to TV?

Well, it's not as simple as Disney just snapping their fingers and making it happen. While Disney owns the rights to the television series and will likely offer it as a draw to their streaming service (it was formerly available on Netflix), launching a new series or movie would take a bit more negotiating. That's because part of the rights are held by Fran and Kaz Kuzui, who produced, directed, and helped fund the original Buffy The Vampire Slayer in 1992.

Joss Whedon wrote the script for the film, though they diverted greatly from his ideas. While the movie went nowhere, Sandollar Television's Gail Berman would bring him back in to develop a television series based on his script and the overall premise, since they held the TV rights to the movie at the time. That would later air on Fox, but the Kuzui's are still listed on that project as executive producers despite not having any creative involvement with the series.

So, before Disney can just launch a new Buffy franchise, it would first need to have discussions with the Kuzui's, unless Fox had already established some agreements with them that move over to Disney automatically.

If Disney did pursue a franchise revival, there's already a proven audience. Dark Horse Comics has continued the Buffyverse with both Buffy and Angel ongoing series, and will also launch a Giles mini-series next year. The comics are accepted as canon for the show, with season 8 - 11 tags for Buffy in particular.

A full reunion of the cast is probably not likely if a new show happens, but it seems like a perfect time to bring Buffy to a whole new generation doesn't it?