Kevin Smith came up with a touching way to honor the deceased Shannen Doherty in the order of The Mallrats.
The director, 54, said he wanted to sign up Doherty’s best friend, Sarah Michelle Gellartaking on the role of a dead character in a conversation with him The Hollywood Reporter published on Wednesday, October 2.
Doherty starred alongside Rene Mosier Jason Lee, Claire Forlani, and Jeremy London in the 1995 film. Smith wanted to make a follow-up, titled Night of the Mallrats“years” before the actress died of breast cancer in July.
“My first feelings after Shannen passed were like, ‘Okay,'” Smith told the outlet. “His character, Rene, didn’t just appear in the film; you are a big factor. Brodie [Jason Lee] and Rene are the main characters in the movie. So when Shannen passed, it was like, ‘Okay, the movie’s not going to happen and it’s probably going to be a lot better.’
Celebrities pay tribute to Shannen Doherty, who died on Saturday, July 13, at the age of 53. “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. “On Saturday, July 13, he lost his battle with cancer after a long battle with the disease,” said Doherty’s spokeswoman Leslie Sloane. […]
However, Smith added that he now believes a sequel could be back on the cards and serve as a tribute to Doherty and Gellar on board.
“Shannen’s best friend was Sarah Michelle Gellar, and I worked with Sarah Kings of the World: Revelation,” Smith explained. “So being Shannen’s friend has already tried The Mallrats 30 years ago next year, I would have asked Sarah to step in for Shannen… She would have given Shannen the warmth, and maybe the next best thing to having Shannen there.”
After the article was published, Gellar responded to the suggestion by commenting on a post shared by The Hollywood Reporter via Instagram.
“Here’s the 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 her passing. After the Beverly Hills 90210 star died in July, Gellar posted a heartfelt tribute to Doherty and urged fans to “respect her”.
“How do you find the right words to sum up 30 years of friendship? I keep reminding myself that this hurts because there was so much love,” Gellar wrote alongside a series of photos posted on Instagram in July. “Thank you, for all your kind words and support. I love all the messages about how @theshando how important he was to you. So let’s respect him.”
Before her death in July 2024, Shannen Doherty made a name for herself in film and television. The actress, who was born in Memphis in April 1971, began her career as a child star in Little House on the Prairie and went on to appear in the dark comedy Heathers. Doherty’s fame continued to grow thereafter […]
Public spokesperson Leslie Sloane confirmed to 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 passing of actress Shannen Doherty. On Saturday, July 13, he succumbed to cancer after many years of fighting the disease,” the statement reads. “A devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones and her dog, Bowie. The family is asking for privacy at this time so they can mourn in peace.”
Doherty was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2015. The actress revealed her health battle in 2017, after going into remission. At the time, Doherty shared that the cancer had returned. In November 2023, he shared that the cancer had spread to his bones.
