The cast of Angel will be reuniting at New York Comic Con to celebrate the show’s upcoming 20th anniversary, but David Boreanaz will not be among them. He played the titular vampire with a soul on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff, which ran for five seasons. Angel began airing in 1999, but was unceremoniously canceled in 2004.
Angel’s journey began on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in which he appeared for three seasons before headlining his own series. Buffy Summers’ true love, the vampire who had been cursed with a soul chose to spend the rest of his long life atoning for a multitude of past sins. The relationship between vampire and slayer may have been poetic, but it wasn’t built to last. The couple broke up at the end of season 3 and a heartbroken Angel headed to Los Angeles. He set up shop as a sort of paranormal private investigator who “helped the helpless.” A few months back, Boreanaz hinted that something was “in the works” for the show’s 20th anniversary. It would appear that he’s not actually a part of it.
New York Comic Con announced via Twitter that the cast of Angel would be gathering at New York Comic Con (October 3-6) this year in honor of the show’s anniversary. The post included messages from the cast members who would be involved and star Boreanaz was conspicuously absent. Three Buffy alums who made their way over to Angel will appear: Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase; James Marsters, who brought Spike to life; and Wesley Wyndam-Pryce actor, Alexis Denisof. Carpenter states that having never attended the famed convention, she is “super excited” and according to Marsters, “everyone is looking and feeling fabulous.” Two other key members of Angel Investigations will also be in attendance as well: J. August Richards, who played Charles Gunn and Amy Acker, who portrayed Winifred “Fred” Burkle. So, almost every major character from the series, aside from Angel, will be there, with the exception of Glenn Quinn and Andy Hallett, who tragically passed away in 2002 and 2009, respectively.
Boreanaz may not be appearing alongside his former costars for the Angel reunion, but he has previously voiced support both of the upcoming reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as the potential recasting of his character for that project. The news of the show’s new incarnation prompted divisive reactions from fans. However, showrunner Monica Owusu-Breen explained that the reboot, which will center on a black slayer, is to feature a brand new cast of characters. Former Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar echoed Boreanaz’s sentiments, also giving the reboot her blessing, though the actress revealed that she won’t be a part of it.
Although the fact that Boreanaz won’t be part of Angel’s 20th anniversary celebration is upsetting news, viewers will still be very excited to see all of the other actors appearing together after such a long time apart. Angel may never have gained quite the same level of popularity as its parent series, but it was undeniably great in its own right. Even when the two shows wound up on different networks, the series survived thanks to its lovable characters and ability to reinvent itself. In fact, many would argue that Angel got the ax too soon. Boreanaz may not be dropping by NYCC, but most fans will be overjoyed to spend some time with the rest of this unforgettable cast.
Source: New York Comic Con