Buffy Departs 'Buffy'

The widely-expected end to UPN show Buffy the Vampire Slayer seems certain now that lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar has been in discussions to star in a new film.

It came to light recently that Gellar has been in talks to star in Romantic Comedy, according to The Hollywood Reporter (via IMDb Pro). However filming is set to begin in August, when Gellar would ordinarily be filming Buffy — a strong indication that she is moving on. In the film Gellar would play Kate, a translator at the United Nations, who is the object of her friend Max's affections. He tries to woo her by copying romantic novel moments. Kate, however, is oblivious to his desires.

The news certainly comes as no surprise, with various people relating to the show sending signals that it was time to bring Buffy to an end. Gellar has indicated a desire to move on to film work, and after the recent box office success of Scooby-Doo is filming a sequel later this year. Back in August 2002 she told WENN: "It's important for me to go out on top. I don't want to be part of a show that runs eight years only to have people say of it, 'That should have ended years ago'."

Executive producer Joss Whedon has also indicated a desire to bring the show to a close, and UPN's opinion of the show seems to have cooled at a time when its ratings have fallen substantially from last season. "I wouldn't bet that it comes back, but it's possible," CBS president and UPN overseer Leslie Moonves said recently (story).

And it's not just Gellar that is showing up on the big screen. Emma Caulfield (Anya) recently went to #1 at the US box office with 'Darkness Falls' and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn) has signed on to a currently untitled project.

Although the news is not official yet, with the season seven finale episode 'The Final Hour' (a possible sign in itself) airing on 20 May 2003, an announcement could be released in the near future.

The original news item can be found here at IMDb Pro.

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