Sarah Michelle Gellar debunks the reports released so far about theBuffy the Vampire Slayerreboot. It was announced in February that Hulu was moving forward with a pilot order for aBuffyreboot. Gellar is slated to recur, reprising her seminal role as Buffy Summers, but the main focus will be on a new slayer. Oscar-winningNomadlanddirector Chloé Zhao will direct the pilot, withPoker Faceshowrunners Lilla and Nora Zuckerman writing the script. So far, along with the news that the pilot will film in Los Angeles, that’s all that is known about the reboot.
In an interview withElite Daily, Gellar addresses recent reports of the characters that will appear in the reboot and said thatthe character details that have circulated online so far are fake. That would include the mention that the potential series will focus on a slayer named Nova, with her friends Hugo and Gracie. Gellar, an executive producer on the reboot, who is currently partnering with MyFitnessPal on its new meal-planner tool, also opened up about why she agreed to be part of the Hulu project. Read her quote below:
“Every pitch I heard was just like, ‘Let’s just do Buffy again.’ Why? But the passion that [Zhao] came to me with, what she wanted to do with the show and the character, and why Buffy is needed now — it was the first time where I thought, ‘OK, there’s a reason.’”
“We’ve been at this for three-and-a-half, maybe four years now. We won’t do it unless it’s 100% right and there’s 100% a reason.”
“Those are all fake characters. That thing that got released is all fake.”
“The whole point of an antihero is to be a hero for the people who don’t fit in the box, the people who aren’t like everybody else. That’s who I want to tell stories for: the person that really looks to these stories to feel a connection.”
What Gellar’s Remarks Mean For The Buffy Reboot
The Project Is Still Developing
For a comparison of the progress of theBuffyreboot, it is worth looking at thePrison Breakpilot, which is also in development at Hulu. The project was first announced in November 2023, with casting only starting to be announced in 2025. It may be the case that theBuffyproject will move on a faster track, but it also could be that the producers are taking their time to figure out which characters to put front and center.
This isnot the first time aBuffyreboot has been tried. There were reports of a movie reboot in the 2010s, which wouldn’t have involved any of the original cast. It didn’t move forward. A reboot attempt announced in 2018 stalled right out of the gate and was put on ice after the workplace abuse allegations against franchise creator Joss Whedon. In an era where almost everything gets a reboot, it hasn’t been easy bringing Buffy Summers back. That puts extra pressure on which characters might join her.
Our Take On The Buffy Reboot News
It’s A Tough One
Considering that almost every show ends up getting rebooted, it is a badge of honor that the supernatural teen drama leaderhas managed to avoid getting rebooted for the sake of it. But, given its status and importance to generations of viewers, there’s also added pressure to the question of whichBuffy the Vampire Slayercharactersshould appear alongside Gellar.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sequel Series
Cast
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series puts a brand new slayer in the spotlight and carries on the continuity of the iconic seven-season original series. Sarah Michelle Gellar returns as the titular Buffy Summers in a supporting role.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
