A diverting kerfuffle has blown up around a plan to make a new film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Readers (being educated coves) will know that Joss Whedon's staggeringly influential TV series (1997-2003), starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, was based on his own unsuccessful 1992 movie, which starred Kristy Swanson. The concept is as tied up with Whedon as Sherlock Holmes is with Arthur Conan Doyle.

It is, thus, unsurprising that Whedon has come over all cross at the news that somebody named Whit Anderson (no, beats us too) is to helm the upcoming reboot.

Not one to suffer in silence, Mr W – currently directing The Avengersfor Marvel Studios – sent a gloriously arch email to the people at E! Online.

The missive begins: "This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths – just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengersidea that I made up myself."

Is that all? Not even close. Whedon goes on: “Obviously, I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My

first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, ‘Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson? This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER.’ Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, ‘I’ll make a mint!’”

There is a great deal more where that came from. Fair enough.