Kevin Smith has come up with a touching way to pay tribute to the deceased Shannen Doherty in continuation to Mallrats.
The director, 54, said he wanted to ask Doherty’s close friend, Sarah Michelle Gellarto take over the role of the late actress in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published on Wednesday, October 2.
Doherty starred as Rene Mosier together Jason Lee, Claire Forlani, and Jeremy London in the 1995 film. Smith had wanted to make a follow-up, with the title Twilight of the Mallratsfor “years” before the actress’ death from breast cancer in July.
“The first feeling after Shannen passed was like, ‘Well, here it is,'” Smith told the outlet. “His character, Rene, doesn’t just appear in movies; he is a great feature. Brodie (Jason Lee) and Rene are the main characters in the movie. So when Shannen passed, it felt like, ‘Well, that movie’s not going to happen and it’s probably for the best.’ “
Celebrities are paying tribute to Shannen Doherty, who died on Saturday, July 13, at the age of 53. On Saturday, July 13, he lost his battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” said Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane (…)
However, Smith added that he now believes a sequel could be back on the cards and it’s a tribute to Doherty with Gellar on board.
“Shannen’s best friend is Sarah Michelle Gellar, and I work with Sarah Master of the Universe: Revelation,” Smith explained. “So he’s a friend of Shannen’s and has been trying Mallrats 30 years ago next year, I will ask Sarah to go to Shannen…She will bring the warm Shannen with her, and it might be the next best thing to having Shannen there.”
After the publication of the article, Gellar responded to the suggestion by commenting on a post shared by The Hollywood Reporter via Instagram.
“Here’s to this idea!!” Gellar, 47, wrote.
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shannen Doherty.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)Gellar and Doherty shared a close relationship for decades before their deaths. After the Beverly Hills 90210 star died in July, Gellar sent a heartfelt tribute to Doherty and many fans to “honor” him.
“How can you find the right words to sum up 30 years of friendship? I keep reminding myself that it just hurts so much because there’s so much love,” Gellar wrote alongside a photo she posted via Instagram in July. “Thank you, for all your words and support. I love all the messages about how important @theshando is to you. So let’s honor him.”
Before her death in July 2024, Shannen Doherty made a name for herself in film and television. The actress, born in Memphis in April 1971, began her career as a child star in Little House on the Prairie and later appeared in the dark comedy Heathers. Doherty’s fame continued to grow after (…)
Publicist Leslie Sloane confirmed for Us Weekly in July that Doherty had lost his battle with cancer at the age of 53.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, she succumbed to cancer after years of fighting the disease,” the statement said. “Daughter, sister, aunt and devoted friend surrounded by loved ones as well as dog, Bowie. The family requests privacy at this time to grieve in peace.
Doherty was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2015. The actress publicly announced her health battle in 2017, after going into remission. At that point, Doherty revealed that the cancer had returned. In November 2023, he revealed that the cancer had spread to his bones.
