1-1 Interview with Joss Whedon

Before his mainstream success as the creator of the Buffy-verse, Joss Whedon was hard at work on some already classic television shows and movies. He helped make America laugh as a writer on the Roseanne show, and then scared movie goers with Alien-Resurrection. And after charming the pants off kids and adults alike with a screenplay credit on Toy Story, Whedon settled in on what he’s become best known for; Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He nurtured his creations for seven years amongst rumors that he would bring his children to the big screen. Unfortunately that never came to pass and we saw the TV life of Buffy and Angel end. Not to be held back, Whedon then went on to create another cult classic, Firefly. The show was met with disappointing ratings and soon cancelled. Whedon, showing he was as tough as the characters he creates, soon breathe new life into his new spawn and proudly displays it in Serenity. Although he says Serenity and Firefly are not the same, the characters are. Latino Review had the pleasure of sitting down with Whedon and talk to him not only about Serenity and its future, but we also talked about Buffy movie rumors, what he would have done with X-Men 3, as well as his next project Wonder Woman.

Latino Review: I was a big fan of the Buffy series.

Joss Whedon: So was I

Latino Review: Do you get tired of hearing that?

Joss Whedon: No, because there are a lot of people who still haven’t seen it and are barely seeing it now in reruns.

Latino Review: What was your inspiration for the Serenity series? Was it Star Wars? Star Trek?

Joss Whedon: The words millennium falcon might have crossed my mind at some point, but it was actually reading a book about the battles at Gettysburg. I got so caught up in the minutia of the world and all the current way of life and thought about life back then, you know? They didn’t have any Tivo, or internet and everything you had you made yourself. And I wanted to translate that to the screen in this type of movie. I wanted to make a movie that made me feel the way I did when I saw Star Wars or Star Trek. And ultimately, I feel that in the future everything will be made up from everything in the past.

Latino Review: Does that bother you at all? Technology? Do you wish for simpler times?

Joss Whedon: In some ways, after raising a child, its hard because you want to be able to handle things in this tactile world, you want them to know the difference between waiting for something and getting it right away; and also a lot of the most imaginative stuff comes from being left alone with yourself and being bored, and I think we’re losing a bit of that. I’m happy to have alot the convenient things that I have, I mean its not like I don’t live in this world, but I do think there are something’s that we miss; and there’s a kind of alienation that comes with that, that the matrix sort of dealt with.

Latino Review: What might the DVD for Serenity have on it?

Joss Whedon: There will be many deleted scenes, and stuff like that, but there wont be a directors cut. What you saw was the directors cut. I feel that ten times out of ten when there’s a director’s cut, all that means is that the movie is not that tight. I’m not a writer that direct just because I’m bitter.

Latino Review: Will there be a Serenity sequel and do you have any ideas for one?

Joss Whedon: It would be completely presumptuous to even think about a sequel before the movie even comes out, and yes.

Latino Review: Do you have plans to do a Buffy the Vampire slayer movie?

Joss Whedon: I’m looking into things regarding the Buffy-verse. But I don’t think it would be specifically movies. I had seven years on television to explore every possibility for each character in the Buffy-verse, but I do have my favorites for some of the characters that I would consider for something like that.

Latino Review: So it could be for television?

Joss Whedon: It could be but it wouldn’t be Buffy. It could be one of various characters from the Buffy-verse, a few of which I adore more than [Buffy] and if people want to see that again then we would have to get together to structure something, but then again you know how slow things movie in TV land.

Latino Review: And have any of the principles from the original show expressed interest in doing more with you?

Joss Whedon: Some have and some are busy working. It’s not something I’ve been talking about a lot lately but I know how important it would be to some people so it’s not something I’ve completely turned my back on.

Latino Review: What would you have done different if you would have been in charge of X-men 3?

Joss Whedon: You know I don’t really know what their doing, I’m sure its got a lot of critics, particularly me, but the one thing, and I’ve said this before, they were pitching me all these new characters they were going to have, and I was amazed by that because I was like...what about all the characters you already have? After Serenity, I’ve had the giant ensemble cast, which I just thought I would go backwards and tear it down. You’ve got phoenix, wolverine, professor X, you’ve got so many great characters already; I would just concentrate on them. it doesn’t mean they won’t do great stuff with 3, but...

Latino Review: So you would have just stuck with the “less is more” formula?

Joss Whedon: Yeah.

Latino Review: What’s the interest in doing a super hero movie based on a television show? Were you a fan?

Joss Whedon: It’s not based on the TV show. The TV show was campy and silly, and that’s not a slam on the makers or Linda carter, she is fine, but it’s not going to be based on the TV show. It’s not going to be based on the comic book except for the way she appears in the comic. She managed to become an icon without having any definitive text. And that to me is really impressive and speaks an enormous amount of power.

Latino Review: Who do you want to play Wonder Woman? Do you have a favorite?

Joss Whedon: (Nods head no)

Latino Review: You’re just going to wait for the casting process?

Joss Whedon: (Nods head yes)

Latino Review: Is there a script?

Joss Whedon: No. we’re going to write the script and then worry about who will play Wonder Woman.

Latino Review: Would you incorporate Linda Carter into the movie somehow?

Joss Whedon: If it lends to the movie. If it took away from the movie or the narrative because you were too busy noticing it, and then it’s a bad idea. But if it was something that felt right, sure!

Latino Review: Were you a fan of Batman Begins?

Joss Whedon: Sure I liked it. I loved the comics

Latino Review: Do you have any other ideas or plans for television?

Joss Whedon: I have plenty of ideas but I’ve waited and worked a long time to make movies and TV got pretty bleak for me there for a while, that I think I’m going to move ahead in movies for a while and ill come back to TV when they seem to want me.

Latino Review: Is TV more restrictive?

Joss Whedon: No its just they cant seem to sell my shows. And I’m not the sort of guy that does a pilot just to do one. I fall in love with something and want to then carry it through. I want to be able to tell the story all the way to the end. If you get to tell the story the rewards are great, unless you get cancelled.

Comments? Questions? Email me at edgar@latinoreview.com.