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| “Give Me Back My Childhood”: My Date With A Vampire Movie Reboot Slammed by Fans (Photo: HK.on.cc) |
For many viewers, My Date With A Vampire wasn’t just a TV drama — it was a weekly ritual, a teenage obsession, and the reason Ma Xiaoling became etched into pop culture memory. So when the franchise resurfaced as a movie remake, it didn’t feel like a normal reboot announcement. It felt like someone tapping fans on the shoulder and saying, “Remember this?” Unfortunately, what followed left many wishing that memory had been left untouched.
After all, the original 1998 series wasn’t just popular — it was era-defining.
The romance between vampire Kuang Tian You and ghostbuster Ma Xiaoling turned the show into a cult classic, ran for three seasons, and made Joey Meng’s Ma Xiaoling a pop-culture icon that fans still talk about decades later.
So when news broke that Joey Meng would return for a cameo, expectations instantly went through the roof.
Unfortunately, reality hit hard.
The film, titled 驱魔龙族马小玲 (also known as My Date With A Vampire), finally dropped on Chinese streaming platforms on December 11 this year after multiple delays.
Originally planned for a theatrical release in 2023, the project quietly shifted to an online release instead — and the reception has been brutal.
The biggest issue fans can’t get over is Joey Meng’s cameo. Despite heavy promotion, her appearance lasts just around three seconds. Worse, she doesn’t even fully appear on screen — viewers only see her eyes. That’s it.
Many fans felt outright misled.
Several pointed out that the footage shown in the trailer was exactly the same as what appeared in the actual movie, with no additional scenes at all. For those who tuned in purely to see Joey return, it felt like a bait-and-switch.
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| Joey was billed as Ma Xiaoling’s grandaunt, yet this brief moment was all the audience got |
Some viewers admitted they kept watching and waiting, convinced she would show up properly later on. Others said they began fast-forwarding once the story felt off, only to realise her cameo had already come and gone.
Unsurprisingly, the frustration boiled over. Comments ranged from accusing the film of misleading marketing to saying it “ruined childhood memories”.
A number of viewers openly questioned whether this counted as deceiving loyal fans who had supported the franchise for decades.
The criticism didn’t stop there.
Karena Ng’s take on Ma Xiaoling also came under fire. Fans weren’t just comparing her to Joey Meng — they felt the character itself had been stripped of everything that made Ma Xiaoling special.
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| Karena Ng |
Instead of the capable, cool-headed, and quietly warm heroine fans remembered, the new version was criticised for relying heavily on dialogue rather than action to convey strength.
Viewers also pointed out that many of Ma Xiaoling’s signature abilities barely appeared, leaving the character feeling oddly powerless for much of the story. For longtime fans, it didn’t feel like an evolution of the role, but a complete rewrite of its core identity.
Adding to the disappointment were complaints about rough editing, awkward story transitions, and even suspected use of AI-generated footage.
Many described the overall production quality as rushed and careless, especially painful given how beloved the original series still is.
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| Joey, once dubbed the owner of the “Most Beautiful Legs in Hong Kong”, clearly still earns that reputation. |
Some fans went as far as sarcastically renaming the film My Misunderstanding With A Vampire, while others said they regretted every minute spent watching it.
On Chinese platforms, reviews quickly turned overwhelmingly negative, with early box office numbers reflecting the backlash.
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Director and writer Chan Sap Sam, who also created the original series, previously stated that this reboot exists in an “independent universe” and was never meant to replace the classic. However, for many viewers, that explanation did little to ease the disappointment.
In the end, what was meant to be a nostalgic comeback has instead become a cautionary tale. For fans, the consensus is clear: some classics are remembered fondly for a reason — and revisiting them without care can do more harm than good.