Sarah Michelle Gellar Clears the Air: Is Buffy the Vampire Slayer a Reboot or a Continuation?
Sarah Michelle Gellar has cleared up a big misunderstanding about the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer project for Hulu. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, the actress explained that the show is not a reboot, but a continuation of the original series.
“There’s so little I can say about what we just shot. I will say that it’s not a reboot. It’s a continuation of a world. So it’s picking up 25 years later in a world of ‘Buffy,’” Gellar said, making it clear that the story builds on the existing universe instead of starting fresh.
Sarah Michelle Gellar promises fans that the upcoming 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' sequel series has a lot of love and thought behind it! ❤️
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) September 22, 2025
The actress is slaying her next role – starring in the campaign for "There is No Negroni without Campari." 🥂 pic.twitter.com/yHX5LyzsfO
The new series, currently a pilot at Hulu, will follow a new Slayer while also bringing back Buffy Summers in a recurring role. Gellar will not only step back into her iconic part but also serve as an executive producer.
She is joined behind the scenes by showrunners Nora and Lila Zuckerman, executive producer Gail Berman, and Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, who directed the pilot.
Talking about the return of the franchise, Gellar admitted the process has been both exciting and a little overwhelming. “It’s equal parts incredibly thrilling, but also it’s very nerve-wracking. People have been asking for this for so many years, but everyone also has an opinion on how it should be done. I’m doing it for the fans, so I hope that they love it. It was made with a lot of love and a lot of passion and a lot of thought behind it,” she shared.
Casting for the project has been rolling out throughout 2025. In May, Ryan Kiera Armstrong was chosen as the new Slayer.
Over the summer, more names joined as series regulars, including Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Jack Cutmore-Scott. Additional cast members such as Merrin Dungey, Audrey Hsieh, Audrey Grace Marshall, and Chase Sui Wonders were later announced. Filming for the pilot began in Los Angeles in August.
Variety first reported in February that Hulu was close to ordering the sequel spinoff to pilot. The report also confirmed that original creator Joss Whedon was not involved. Gellar was attached from the start, alongside producers Fran and Kaz Kuzui.
For Gellar, the most rewarding part of returning to Buffy has been seeing how the series continues to connect with younger generations. She explained how the themes of the show still matter today and said it feels special to bring that world back in a new way.
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