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Angel's James Marsters still up for Spike spinoff, but he's not getting younger
James Marsters, who played the vampire Spike on TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, told SCI FI Wire that a spinoff centering on his character is still a possibility, but the aging actor needs to be sure that lighting and makeup can still make him look like the eternally young vampire.
"Oh, yeah, when Angel was coming down, [creator] Joss [Whedon] came to me and said, 'Do you want to do a Spike project?'" Marsters said in an exclusive interview on Monday in Beverly Hills, Calif., where he was promoting Dragonball: Evolution. "And I said, 'Heck yes. In fact, whatever you want to do, whether it's Spike or not, wherever I am in the world, just call me. I'll come running. But you have seven years, Joss, because I don't want to do Spike aging. Let's keep him the same age, and I think that I can hold that look for about seven years before it starts to become too different.' Maybe there's a few more years, but at this point, really it would all have to do with a camera test. Can we light my face in such a way that it's still in the same ballpark as what the audience is used to? If that's possible, then I think that it would be a good thing to do."
Angel wrapped in 2004, and time is running out. "Oh, he's got one more year," Marsters said. "Come on, Joss. I wrote it for him. I gave him the story."
Marsters' plan for Spike is to finally step up and get what he wants. "I would like to see Spike proactively accomplish something for himself, not be a guinea pig or along for the ride, but to actually decide that he needs something and go get it for himself," Marsters said. "That would be nice."
Unfortunately, as it always goes with Buffy, the Spike series would be a tough sell to the networks. "I think that Buffy has always been swimming upstream," Marsters said. "It's always been fighting uphill. It's no different now. You would have to really get behind it and sell it, even if Sarah [Michelle Gellar] were the lead. But asking the powers that be to put their money behind a secondary character of that show, there's just resistance. I think if Sarah wants to come back, I'll jump on behind her again, but I think that's the way there would probably be something else."
By Mandy at 6:21 AM ON 04/02/09
Ha! How very practical of him. That's right, fan girls. Spikey is pushing fifty. He's forty seven. And considering he started playing Spike on Buffy at around thirty six it's going to get tougher for him to pass for an ageless vampire. However I'd love him as a vampire at any age. Christopher Lee carried Dracula from the fifties through the seventies. And he was one of the hottest Draculas ever (aside from Tom Hewitt in the Dracula Broadway musical but that's another thing entirely...)
By Farcaper at 7:14 AM ON 04/02/09
wow, since he's doing the scifi original movie, they decieded we need more James crammed down out throats. I guess if you're not doing one of their movies, you're not worth talking about.
By marcintosh at 7:43 AM ON 04/02/09
I have great respect for how Marsters is protecting this character. If it can't be done well he won't do it. Awesome.
@ Farcaper: I think it's more like since he's doing a SciFi original movie he makes himself available to answer questions, so they ask him every question they can possibly think of. And instead of giving us pages and pages of answers in one ginormous post, they spread them out over a couple weeks. I don't see a problem with that.
By Berry at 9:50 AM ON 04/02/09
I am one of those for whom "Hope springs eternal". I would love to see a Spike project. Twelve years after "Welcome to the Hellmouth" first aired and I am still totally intrigued by the fate of all the characters...but Spike most of all.
By pedantic one at 10:03 AM ON 04/02/09
We don't know how the last battle ended on Angel, or if Spike having been burnt up, ghostified and revived as a power for good has effected his immortality in any way. Plus there is that real boy prophecy.
So let Spike have aged since the battle. He doesn't necessarily have to loose all vampiristic traits but can have evolved to half demon/half human as a gift from the Powers for his help in saving the world. Plus, if the last battle killed Angel, and we know if killed Wes we need another hero.
By stealthgear at 10:08 AM ON 04/02/09
Maybe they should give him his own series as a different character thats not in the Buffy-verse.
By elainecleo at 10:25 AM ON 04/02/09
I will take James any way I can get him, if not as Spike, go with a different vamp. Of course Spike has been around in Angel After the Fall & Spike comics, so don't know if that would have to figure in. Spike was the only reason I watched the last 4 years of Buffy.
By Veiriti at 10:35 AM ON 04/02/09
I want to see James Marsters as SPIKE again!!! Spike is my favorite vampire ever!!! James made Spike one of the greatest tv character!!! So, I’d love to see a Spike – spin off project. I don’t mind his age – he still looks cool!!!
And James Marsters needs his own tv show – he is very talented actor – he deserves it!
By Kandy at 10:50 AM ON 04/02/09
We do know how the last battle ended.Joss Whedon did a seventeen issue Angel Season 6 comic series called Angel After The Fall at IDW like his Buffy Season 8 comics at Dark Horse.It was based on his original plans for Angel Season 6 on T.V. and he co-scripted it..It just recently concluded.
I think James Marsters is too old to play Spike now and that ship has sailed.I doubt there will ever be a continuation of the Buffyverse other than the comics.
By stargazer_1682 at 11:03 AM ON 04/02/09
You have to hand it to him though; for someone pushing 50, he's held up pretty well.
By Colleen at 11:07 AM ON 04/02/09
I doubt there will be more Spike, though I think the PTB underestimated his popularity, focusing all the attention on Angel when talking films (which wouldn't have happened without Sarah anyway). I think at the time a Spike spinoff would have done well.
I would happily be up for more Captain John, though.
By elainecleo at 11:12 AM ON 04/02/09
James will never be to old to play Spike, after all they have him made up as Piccolo for Dragonball, so it would not be hard for Spike to come back. I would be glued in front of the TV for Spike, well really that happens anytime James is on the screen. Capt John would be more than great also.
By itoy247 at 11:16 AM ON 04/02/09
i'd say YESSSSSSSS
i'd love to see James play Spike again...he still looks really good and both Spike and James deserve their own show
whatever plans you have for him, tv show, movie...i'll watch anything with Spikey in it :D
By muviefan02 at 11:32 AM ON 04/02/09
If I had the money to fund a Spike tv movie, I would. It is a no-brainer, especially for the SciFi Channel. A lot of the tv movies that come out of it aren't great, no offense.. and usually the only ones I check out are ones that have good people in them like Marsters, Amy Acker, Bruce Campbell, etc. To have a built in audience for a SciFi original tv movie would be an enormous advantage for them.
By muviefan02 at 11:34 AM ON 04/02/09
When Buffy Season 8 crossed over into comic shops everywhere.. people who wouldn't normally step into a comic shop showed up to buy it. SciFi, do you want to try and attract new viewership.. a Spike movie is sure to bring people that wouldn't normally tune into your channel. Plus, think of the DVD/Blu ray sales.. I really do not see why this isn't happening right now. I think I'm going to write you an open letter or start a petition.. and all you SciFiWire readers... write into SciFi channel and let them know that a Spike movie is much needed/wanted.
By Muldfeld at 12:56 PM ON 04/02/09
I wanted Angel Season 6 so badly. The least we could do is get a Spike story, but why not a series? WB/CW and Fox home video, which must have made a killing in DVD sales, really dropped the ball on this one.
I'd like as much of the Angel cast as possible. That idiot Boreanaz thinks he's too good to keep doing Angel, but Bones is just awful. It's all about the money.
By Mandy at 2:01 PM ON 04/02/09
I did a comment suggesting that Scifi should try to pick up the Spike series to redeem itself to the fantasy audience it's been losing but apparently it was too snarky and got taken down. Considering all the James Marsters articles I'm surprised they haven't covered the fact that he's narrating three audio books being released this month.
By Snow13 at 2:02 PM ON 04/02/09
Actually James is going to be 47 only in August. It is close to pushing 50, but not just yet. For his age he is in excellent shape. But what is more important, that he is a wonderful actor. He created an unforgettable character and kept us entertained for 7 years. I do not care if he would look a little older, one can always invent some magic reason for him to look a bit more aged than before. Remember vampire Kakistos? He was so old, he had hooves or something. So vampires do change a little with age. The problem was that Joss was more interested in Faith spin-off, he loves his empowered women a bit more than his extraordinary men. Now when he is busy with Dollhouse and probably has lots of other ideas, I'd say that Spike's spin-off chances are about as slim as Firefly revival. Pity, really. I would have loved to see both. I do not wish Dollhouse to get cancelled, but honestly, anything by Joss with Marsters or Firefly is more interesting and exciting than Dollhouse. I am still watching it though. Joss is still sci fi god.
By Spikes KittyKat at 2:09 PM ON 04/02/09
I would love to see Spike come back again in his own show but only if James Marsters played him. I think it's great that he's so willing to play the character and for almost 50, he's still looking as great as he did when he played Spike years ago. Personally I hope they do give him his own show. I'm really surprised that they didn't do that after Buffy's show got cancelled. He was and always will be popular and played the part perfectly. I almost tend to think towards the end, his show would have done better than Angel's.
By Belinda at 2:28 PM ON 04/02/09
I'd definitely see a Spike movie... I'm sure they can arrange the aging thing. I mean... look what they did to Brad Pitt in Benjamin Buttons... So I think aging shouldn't be a problem. And Spike still has a lot of fans. But the story has to be great in order to sell a Spike without Buffy to the rest of the world.
By truegemini at 2:54 PM ON 04/02/09
I would definitely watch a Spike series/movie/anything.
By Mandy at 3:17 PM ON 04/02/09
Oh, I don't deny he's VERY attractive, especially for his age. In comparison Christopher Lee was a very attractive Dracula back in the fifties and he kept that role up into the seventies. There were rumours not long ago that Tom Cruise's company United Artists were bidding for the rights to Anne Rice's Tale of the body thief which would mean Tom Cruise would reprise the role of Lestat (the character he played in 1994's Interview with the vampire) and I think it would be great, no matter how old he looks because no one could get Lestat quite as well as Tom Cruise did (even if he is a bit eccentric now but then again so is the character). And that's how I feel about James Marsters as Spike.
By Mandy at 3:20 PM ON 04/02/09
They don't need to 'magically age' Spike or explain it away. Make up effects are wonderful today. You can get a man in his fifties to look thirty if you have a gifted enough make up artist back stage. As a Broadway fan I'll use the example of the Lestat musical. The lead actor was in his forties, the character is meant to be in his twenties and the woman playing his mother was only ten-years-older than he was. The make up did the trick.
By Nicole at 5:02 PM ON 04/02/09
I would LOVE a SPike spinoff!!
By Claire at 6:27 PM ON 04/02/09
YES YES YES! Please! I would go see it 18 times in theatres, and then buy the DVD and watch it as often as Twilight people watch Twilight!
By Katie at 6:38 PM ON 04/02/09
James could be sixty and I wouldn't care. If there is ever a film or spinoff with Spike, it HAS to be played by Marsters. The Spike fans are loyal to him no matter what age he is. Spike can only be played by one guy and one guy alone. And hey--it's not like it'd be a hardship to say Spike shanshued so he's getting older...Come on, people! Let's do a Spike movie with a Sin City spin! It'd be a great movie...the big wigs are bloody stupid for not doing it.
By Shayme at 7:12 PM ON 04/02/09
I agree with those who said the Shansu idea would be a good way to go. Half vampire and still keep his powers but no longer immortal... Maybe he can just age slower..lol I dont know and I really dont care. I just hope he doesn't not let SM dictate if he takes the role or not. It would be GREAT to see them both together, and really...,i think it would be a smart move on her part...but he should not bank on her going that route. After dollhouse falls....(sorry but everyone can see this one coming), Eliza will be free....so why not a Spike and Faith reunion.. Like I said..i dont really care...just keep his character as is and Im there!
By Kandy at 7:38 PM ON 04/02/09
Joss Whedon's Angel Season 6 comic series established once and for all that the shanshu is Angel's and Angel's alone.That was one of the whole points of the story.Angel is going to get the shanshu.The question now is whether getting the shanshu is a good thing or not..After The Fall set up the idea that Angel is going to bring forth the apocalypse thus fulfilling
the shanshu prophecy.
By Taylor at 7:53 PM ON 04/02/09
Ooo, me likey! Man, wouldn't it be awesome to see the Buffyverse back in line! I was kind of young to be fully addicted to the BTVS series when it was on, but under some wonderful mentoring by my own "Watcher", I am a happy member of the Buffy Occult! And of course, Spike is my favorite character.
I know this is certainly blasphemy, but what if someone else played Spike? Is that even possible? I feel disgusting even saying it, but if we have to consider possibilities. But then again, he was pushing 40 in Season 6 and we all know how freaking AMAZING he looked then, so....
By oldblackmagic at 8:02 PM ON 04/02/09
Give James his own show! If not Spike, something else! He's too talented of an actor to not have his own show. Of course, I would love it if he got to play Spike again. If that happens, nothing else would be on t.v. as far as I would be concerned.
By Carrie at 8:32 PM ON 04/02/09
Taylor, you speak blasphemy. I can't believe you even typed that...
And James should have had his own show ages ago...what is wrong with execs?
By bobkat at 8:43 PM ON 04/02/09
Well, wouldn't be a bad idea. And heck, -enagge sarcasm font- isn't Sy-Fy about the last place that still *does* TV-movies and "miniserieses" now? -close sarcasm font-
And heck, Kandy, nor eason for a enw show not to be set *in* the Buffyverse, regardless of the characters. Heck, a meidcal show even....
By wondering at 12:42 AM ON 04/03/09
Why couldn't Joss cast him as Alpha in Dollhouse?
By superorange at 12:50 AM ON 04/03/09
What I think would really work, insted of a one hour a week series, would be TV movie.
I don`t think they see potential and the main actors, SMG, DB etc. So a TV movie would be best. Keeping it short, while telling a new side of Spikes story. Possibly even doing a cameo here and there to give us more closure.
I just watched the Buffy series finale, I feel like bawling!
By gweedolaroo at 5:34 PM ON 04/03/09
I don't know why the aging thing is such an issue. Isn't it possible that a vampire WITH a soul might age a bit differently than a vampire WITHOUT a soul? Talented Joss-type writers should be able to cover that scenario easily.
By Oralee at 7:43 PM ON 04/03/09
Who cares how old he is, just bring Spike back, we all miss the character. Besides James looks good no matter his age.
Spike is just one of those characters that you never get tired of. I think a Spike should have been made a while ago when Angel ended.
I vote Spike show!!!!
By lookn_4_stars at 9:15 PM ON 04/03/09
The evolution of Spike from villain to anti-hero to just plain hero was one of the greatest story arcs of all time, and it was just as skillfully played (by Marsters) as it was written. Nobody else could play Spike and really do him justice. Personally I'd love one more go-round with Spike in either movie or series form. Aside to Mudfeld: You are dead wrong about Bones.
By ALBEGAO at 1:36 AM ON 04/06/09
Hello! Great actor! He is honest and humble too!
I like most of his work!
By Susan!!! at 9:01 PM ON 04/20/09
YES! YES! YES! OH MY GOSH I WOULD LOVE FOR HIM TO MAKE A SPIKE! HE WAS ABOSOLUTELY AWESOME AT PICCILO! I loved the fact that he looked like a turtle and could still pull it off. But he really is a GREAT actor, and no matter how old he is he will put his all in his Spike character. Plus anyway if he looks too old, they could always put a fuzzy over the camera, like they did in that one movie! HE IS STILL HOTT! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, give him some sort of movie to lead in!!!!
HE IS SOOO AWESOME! POWER TO YA JAMES MARSTER!!!!
By BeckyD at 10:32 AM ON 06/15/09
OMG I WOULD LOVE to see him get to do a Spike spin-off!! Today, next year, 2 years from now, 10 years from now. I had NO idea he was 47, HE DOES NOT LOOK IT. SO JAMES, honey, don't worry, you have plenty of fans and you look much younger than your years. HEY JOSS ARE YOU READING??? WHATCHA WAITIN' FOR? PITCH IT TO SCI FI THEY NEED SOME GOOD SHOWS! reeeeally. augh. My TV used to be on Sci fi A LOT, but not for several months now. PLEASE JOSS.
I wish I had seen this in April when it was written. But ya never know when someone will come along and read it late like I did.
By Eighmy at 8:35 PM ON 07/22/09
Wow I didn't realize he was that old(not that 47 is old), but hey I like guys in that age range better anyway. He's still hott so I don't really care how old he is. A new show would be really cool, cool enough to make me wanna buy cable.
By Sierraann at 11:11 AM ON 09/03/09
Sure they can just market it as a vampire movie for the Geriatric crowd...lmao
By Sandra at 5:14 AM ON 09/14/09
I watched High Plains Invaders tonight and am waiting for Angel to come on. It comes on at 2am my time and I stay up just to watch it. Bit of talk with a friend on my lack of sleep because of staying up to watch it in fact...
Her: and angel's seriously gonna kill you, man. it's be soooo much easier to hulu him while excercising, or even download to ipod
Me: When I watch Angel I clean at commercial breaks and get things done, and there are only about 4-6 more eppies to the season I think then I ain't interested no more cause Spike not on it no more it resets to first episode and I can just tell DVD player "Record that then"
Her: LOL at spike only interest
Yes, I have a Spike Only interest. I did not watch Buffy or Angel when they were on, it was Torchwood that brought James Marsters to my attention and I am hooked. When I was told he was on Angel I took a look one night and am totally hooked now, so will watch Angel and Buffy just because of Spike. Yeah, add me to the list of people that would LOVE to see James Marsters revive Spike in even a made for SciFi movie or something - would love a series focused on Spike though, really would.
And he is not too old, and if he gets there then come prod me and I'll give the writers a free plot bunny / muse on how to adapt. Won't share here just so that I don't echo any possible plans they might have already somewhere. Spike at any age is doable though. ;-)
And John Hart... Oh man, I'd watch James Marsters revive that role any time! Or Sam Danville from the movie tonight.
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Sandra:
I watched High Plains Invaders tonight and am waiting for Angel to come on. It comes on at 2am my time and I stay u...More »