A KUNG-FU Inspired BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Faith Spinoff Was Being Developed But Eliza Dushku Turned It Down
While Buffy The Vampire Slayer was at the height of its popularity, there were a few different spinoff ideas that were being developed. The only one to ever move forward was Angel, but series creator Joss Whedon also planned on a spinoff that would focus on Giles titled "Ripper," which was described as "Cracker with ghosts.” A "Slayer School" spinoff was also considered, which would’ve featured Alyson Hannigan's Willow leading the group of newly activated slayers from the Buffy series finale. Finally, there was a spinoff that I didn’t know about until just recently that would’ve revolved around Eliza Dushku’s character Faith.
I was a fan of the character Faith, and she is a complex and multifaceted character, who was Introduced as a fellow Slayer alongside Buffy, Faith's traumatic past and struggles with her identity and power lead her down a darker path. Initially presenting as carefree and rebellious, she becomes a stark contrast to Buffy's sense of duty and morality. Over time, her actions and decisions highlight the thin line between good and evil, as well as the consequences of power without responsibility. Faith's journey is one of redemption, as she grapples with her inner demons and eventually seeks atonement for her misdeeds. Throughout the series and its spinoff, Angel, Faith evolves from an adversary to an ally, showcasing her resilience and capacity for change.
The show would have focused on Faith and her travels following the events of Season 7 of Buffy. Writer Tim Minear previously shared his idea spinoff series during a past interview with the BBC, saying:
"The show was basically going to be Faith meets Kung Fu. It would have been Faith, probably on a motorcycle, crossing the earth, trying to find her place in the world. I'm sure it would get an arc at some point, but the idea of her rooted somewhere seemed wrong to me. The idea of her constantly on the move seemed right to me."
That sounds like it would’ve made for a great show! I love the idea of a Kung-Fu style Faith story. Unfortunately, Eliza Dushku wasn’t interested. She was looking at doing something different at the time and in an interview with IGN, she explained: "I love Faith. She's my girl and she's been really good to me, but I kind of just wanted to try something else. Purely that."
Dushku went on to explain how she had played this character on and off for five years. She also said that her decision "had nothing to do with [her] not trusting Joss and his team of writers," who she called "amazing" at the time. She added:
"I just personally felt like... It would have been a really hard thing to do, and not that I wouldn't have been up for a challenge, but with it coming on immediately following the show, I think that those would have been really big boots to fill. I think it would have been compared to 'Buffy.'"
I get it, at the same time, a series that revolved around Faith would’ve been pretty awesome. It’s just one of those what-if scenarios that I would have liked to see happen. There was a cool idea there to explore.
After Buffy ended, Dushku went on to star in the supernatural drama series Tru Calling, which ran for two seasons. She then later teamed up again with Whedon for his Fox series Dollhouse.
Via: /Film