We have good news for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fans: A reboot is officially in the works, with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning as the titular character—or should we say, Slayer. According to Deadline, the follow-up to the beloved cult hit that ran from 1997–2003 is nearing a pilot order at Hulu, and a writers’ room is reportedly being assembled soon.
This means casting opportunities will likely pop up once the show rises from the dead. To learn more about this exciting new sequel, including who else may be involved, read on for everything we know so far.
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Though there aren’t a lot of details yet, Variety reports that the show will focus on a new Slayer, and Gellar will appear in a supporting role (perhaps as a mentor?) as Buffy Summers.
There is a lot of material for the reboot, given the legacy of “Buffy.” On the 2003 series finale (spoiler alert!), Buffy shared her power with all the potential Slayers in the world, making her one of many. However, it’s unclear if that will still be true in the reboot. We also aren’t sure if the reboot will reference the plot of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” comic books, which Dark Horse Comics ran from 1998–2018. The comics take place between individual episodes of the TV series, but they also continued on with additional seasons after the series finale. There’s even the potential to pull from the 2023 podcast “Slayers: A Buffyverse Story,” which starred many of the actors from the series in their original roles, including James Marsters who played Spike, one of Buffy’s vampire boyfriends.
Besides Gellar, who is attached to executive produce, Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao, a lifelong “Buffy” fan, will direct the pilot and executive produce the series for her Book of Shadows production company. Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are currently writing the pilot and will be showrunners as well as executive producers.
On Feb. 7, Geller wrote to fans in an Instagram post: “I have always listened to the fans and heard your desire to revisit ‘Buffy’ and her world, but it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right….
“I feel so lucky to be on this journey with these four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love ‘Buffy’ as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you.”
In addition, multiple “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” executive producers will return: Gail Berman of the Jackal Group, Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui for Suite B, and Dolly Parton (yes, that Dolly Parton) for Sandollar. Joss Whedon, the embattled showrunner of the original series, will not return. (Whedon has been accused of misconduct by “Buffy” and “Angel” actor Charisma Carpenter, among others.)
Photo: Chloé Zhao Credit: DFree/Shutterstock
So far, Gellar is the only star on board to reprise her iconic role as Buffy Summers. We still don’t know if other cast members from the Scooby Gang will return, like Alyson Hannigan, who plays Buffy’s best friend Willow. Or, better yet, will we see any of Buffy’s vampire boyfriends, like David Boreanaz’s Angel (who also spawned another spinoff series “Angel”)?
Former stars appear more than willing to return to the “Buffy” universe. Juliet Landau, who played the villainous vampire Drusilla, shared her excitement about the reboot and the possibility of returning. She told RadioTimes, “My gosh, yes [I’d return]. It would be so much fun to play, absolutely.” She continued, “In terms of what [the fanbase] is saying is that they really want that mix of original cast members and new talent as well. And so I think that will be a key element.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar Credit: DFree/Shutterstock
It’s still too soon for casting opportunities as the reboot is in the early stages of its development cycle. As Gellar said in her post, “This has been a long process, and it’s not over yet. I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right.” As a result of that deliberation, the pilot has yet to be officially ordered.
In the meantime, be sure to check out our main casting page to keep your résumé fresh. Also, while you’re waiting for news about opportunities on the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot, check out these similar projects:
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Unfortunately, the reboot doesn’t have a premiere date yet. Hopefully, it’ll get an official pilot order soon, bringing us closer to learning about when the premiere could happen.
Check back here for more updates on the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot!
