- Hulu has ordered a pilot for a revival of the cult TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Sarah Michelle Gellar is set to return as Buffy Summers, with Oscar-winner Chloe Zhao eyed up to direct
- Original show producers Fran and Kaz Kuzui will return, but Joss Whedon will not be involved
Since Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended with its seventh season over 20 years ago, not only has it become one of the best Hulu shows but a potential revival of the supernatural cult series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar has been bubbling away for some time. Now, it seems as though the Buffyverse is about to be expanded once more (with feeling) thanks to a pilot order from Hulu – and you bet that I can’t wait to sink my teeth into it.
Returning to the role that made her a household name, Sarah Michelle Gellar will star as Buffy Summers on one of the best streaming services, with Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) eyed up to take the reins on the pilot episode with Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face) lined up as writers. But one of the more exciting parts of its production team is the addition of Gellar herself as executive producer, in addition to the return of the original show’s producers Fran Kuzui and Kaz Kuzi. Original show writer Joss Whedon won’t be returning, which is only appropriate given his misconduct allegations.
Whether or not the original scooby gang members Willow (Allison Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendan), and Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) will make a comeback is yet to be determined, but for now, the news of Gellar’s return is enough to lock me in.
What’s next for Sunnydale?
In retrospect, the scale of the Buffyverse has grown since its final episodes aired in 2002 and 2003 with Buffy’s adventure continuing in the comic book series, and of course not forgetting its spin-off series Angel (1999-2004). Therefore, when it comes to its Hulu revival, there are many paths that Zhao and fellow executive producers could go down to relight the Buffy fire.
Following the news of the pilot order, The Hollywood Reporter has briefly touched on which direction Hulu’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival will take and has stated that it could focus on a new central character – another young slayer. Despite the golden rule of the Buffyverse being that there’s only one slayer at a time, the Hulu reboot could flip this on its head and explore the possibilities of there being multiple slayers just as its final episode did. With a new central slayer in place, this means that Buffy’s character will sit on the sidelines, however, in spite of Sarah Michelle Gellar’s previous stance on a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot I’m surprised her character is returning altogether.
An exciting return, or a nerve-wrackingly ambitious project?
In short, the answer is both. Being a huge fan of the original Buffy show, there’s no lie that I’m very excited to relive watching the show for the first time again, but now that it’s finally coming together I can’t help but wonder, what changed?
An official reboot was never really on the cards despite fans desperately craving one, and even Gellar (Buffy Summers herself) had never considered returning until now, having recently shared in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter; “I always used to say no, because it’s in its bubble, and it’s so perfect,” she said during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “But watching Sex and the City (sequel And Just Like That) and seeing Dexter, and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.’”
I think that when it comes to TV shows that have amassed a cult following like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a reboot is inevitable which is an exciting proposition, yet one that could easily crumble if not executed perfectly. As it stands, shows like And Just Like That have taken to the art of the reboot by modernising its approach to characters and story while maintaining that familiar charm we love in the original Sex and the City series. If they want a successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, in my opinion all they have to do is bring back James Marsters as Spike, and it’s all 10s from me.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
