James Marsters

Marsters Fans Get Boxed In

Fans of James Marsters, the former co-star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, have gotten their knickers in a twist with the "Boxer Rebellion," a mail-in campaign to push for the theatrical release of his latest movie, Shadow Puppets. The gimmick: Fans have mailed in more than 100 pairs of boxer shorts (new, clean ones), a reference both to a scene in the film in which Marsters strips down to his skivvies and to a bit of Buffy trivia that Marsters’ character, the vampire Spike, killed a Slayer in China during the Boxer Rebellion.

Michael Winnick, the writer/director of Shadow Puppets, told SCI FI Wire that Shoreline Entertainment, which produced the movie, has received more than 100 pairs of boxers, which are being donated to charity. "I’m still not quite sure how it got started," Winnick said in an interview. "There’s a scene in the film where the characters are stripped down to their boxers. James Marsters fans got a kick out of seeing this in the stills and have taken that to a whole new level."

This boxer campaign originated on several Marsters fan Web sites, including Marsters Mobsters, and was also mentioned in a recent issue of Titan’s official Buffy fan magazine. "The fan support has been wonderful," Winnick said. "It’s really taken on a life of its own, which is always interesting to see."

Shadow Puppets, a psychological horror movie, tells the story of eight people who wake up in a government facility without any memory of who they are. As they try to take sense of things, their shadows come alive and try to destroy them. The film also stars Tony Todd and Jolene Blalock.