The Hollywood Reporter says that Buffy the Vampire Slayer could be returning to the big screen. Creator Joss Whedon isn't involved and it's not set up at a studio, but Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment are working with original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband, Kaz Kuzui, on what is being labeled a remake or relaunch.

The trade adds that Kuzui and her Kuzui Enterprises have held onto the rights since the beginning, when she discovered the "Buffy" script from Whedon. She developed the script while her husband put together the financing to make the 1992 Fox movie.

Kuzui later teamed with Gail Berman in bringing back Whedon to make the TV series, which was produced by Fox TV and launched on the WB in 1997.

The new film, however, would have no connection to the TV series, nor would it use popular supporting characters like Angel, Willow, Xander or Spike. Vertigo and Kuzui are looking to restart the story line without trampling on the beloved existing universe created by Whedon.

One of the underlying ideas of "Buffy" allows Vertigo and Kuzui to do just that: that each generation has its own vampire slayer to protect it. The goal would be to make a darker, event-sized movie.

The parties are meeting with writers and hearing takes, and later will look for a home for the project. The producers do not rule out Whedon's involvement but have not yet reached out to him.