The movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer , filmed by director Fran Rubel Kuzui after a script of Whedon 's , was not well-liked by critics and audiences . Years after , Whedon picked up its idea again and turned it into a hugely successful television series , also called Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Years after having his script for the movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer produced , Whedon revived the concept as a television series of the same name .