Summary
It looks like the Hellmouth is opening up once again. While Sunnydale is just a smoldering crater in the ground,Buffy the Vampire Slayeris ready to sink its fangs into a new generation of viewers. While fans have been here before, Sarah Michelle Gellar is officially locked in to reprise her role as the titular Slayer for aBuffy the Vampire Slayerreboot. If true, it brings Buffy back to the small screen for the first time since season 7 ended in 2003.
Joss Whedon’s 1992 movie of the same nameis something of an underrated cult classic starring Kirsty Swanson, but it was Gellar that helped bring Buffy to life for the hit series, which ran for 144 episodes from 1997 to 2003. There’s been a lot of talk about a Buffy revival over the years. While the story continued in Dark Horse Comics' canonized comics through toBuffy the Vampire Slayer Season Twelve, a live-action return has been in the cards for a long time.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Needs to be Careful With its Legacy Characters
Despite plenty of buzz that Gellar would reprise her role as the no-nonsense Slayer, it took until February 6 to confirm it on her Instagram. Early reports said Hulu was nearing a deal toreviveBuffy the Vampire Slayer, with the Oscar-winning Chloé Zhao tipped to helm it and Gellar appearing in some capacity. It was also claimed that Whedon will have no involvement, withDeadlinereiterating:
He has not worked in Hollywood in any official capacity since facing a slew of misconduct allegations in 2021.
Gellar’s return doesn’t come as much of a surprise, especially considering she spoke openly about the idea ofreprising her role as Buffy Summers. Although originally saying she was ‘done’ playing the character, Gellar admitted that seeing the work that’s been done in terms of returning to theSex and the CityandDexterfranchises (herself starring inDexter: Original Sin) might have persuaded her to pick up her crossbow once again. The former show lead hasn’t revealed exactly how much fans will see of her, but there are questions about what aBuffyrevival will look like if she’s no longer the main character.
It would have always been hard to call the projectBuffy the Vampire Slayerwithout Gellar. However, doesn’t mean she has to be the focus all over again. Zhao would be wise to take a leaf out ofScream’s book and the franchise’s handling of legacy characters. In spite of theScreamseries looking like it was done after 2000’s malignedScream 3, it was resurrected for the equally divisiveScream 4in 2011. Despite again looking like it had died a death, 2022’s confusingly namedScreamtook fans back to Woodsboro and was a master class in how to balance new blood and familiar faces. Looking ahead, 2026’sScream 7is poised to bring back the OG final girl in the form of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott.
Some putScream 4’s failure down to its focus on new characters like Emma Roberts’ Jill and Hayden Panettiere’s Kirby, but in reality, it killed off most of its new additions and left the original three alive to fight another day. This left it without other characters to carry it through into a new era. It’s a major coup getting Gellar to return to play Buffy all over again, but like theScreamseries tried to evolve beyond Sidney Prescott, aBuffyrevival needs a new story to tell. After appearing in 2022’sScreamand 2023’sScream 6,Melissa Barerra’s Sam Carpenterlooked like she was the ‘new’ Sidney. That’s no longer the case due to behind-the-scenes drama, meaning it’s unclear how her arc would have continued inScream 7.
Gellar is obviously the star attraction here, but to truly bring back old fans and give the Buffyverse another chance on the small screen, a younger Slayer or Slayers have to pick up the mantle.Buffytried this a couple of times. While there’s not enough recognition for Bianca Lawson’s short-lived Kendra,Eliza Dusku’s Faithbecame a standout addition to the cast. The hard-as-nails replacement Slayer went on to star inAngel, share a comic miniseries with Angel, and was even supposed to get her own live-action spin-off series at some point. Like howScreamstruck gold with Sam being loosely tied to the franchise of old, theBuffyrevival needs another plucky Slayer to step out of Buffy’s shadow.
This Isn’t the First Buffy Reboot
Importantly, this isn’t the first time areturn to the Buffyversehas been announced.Alias’ Monica Owusu-Breen was supposedly working on a reboot in 2018, although it was an outing that Gellar distanced herself from. Like the 1997 series was a full reboot of the movie, that iteration ofBuffy the Vampire Slayerwas expected to start again. While nothing was ever confirmed, it was rumored to recast Buffy with an African-American actor and hope to modernize the story to focus on more modern issues. Things slipped into development hell until executive producer Gail Berman announced it was ‘on pause’ as of August 2022. Now that Gellar has confirmed her involvement in the next chapter of the Buffyverse, it can follow the ‘requel’ idea of 2022’sScream.
Like how the newerScreammovies have also made the most ofCourteney Cox’s Gale Weathers, aBuffyrevival needs to get more of the old crowd back. Core members of the Scooby Gang like Nicholas Brendon’s Xander Harris, Alyson Hannigan’s Willow Rosenberg, and Anthony Stewart Head’s Rupert Giles feel like must-have inclusions. Giles mentored Buffy throughout the show’s original run, so it’s easy to imagine the latter taking on a similar role this time around.Buffy the Vampire Slayerseason 7 already leaned into this with the inclusion of the Potential Slayers and a return to the ever-complicated Slayer Line. If Buffy doesn’t take on the ‘Giles role,’ Hannigan’s Willow would also be a popular choice.
By including a mix of new characters and the old guard, a new series ofBuffycan also increase the shock factor by killing off some fan-favorites.Buffy the Vampire Slayerhad plenty of tragic deaths. Just asScream(2022) packed a punch when it killed off David Arquette’s Dewey Riley, the impact of killing someone like Giles could cement a new series ofBuffyas an all-time great.
It’s unclear whether a new series ofBuffy the Vampire Slayerwill keep the canon of seasons 8 to 12 and whether it will even extend beyond a single season, but the reinvigorated success of theScreammovies gives hope to the idea that it can live up to the legacy of the original. LikeScreamtook some time away to gather its thoughts, audiences will be hoping that the long-awaitedBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevival can come back stronger than ever.
