Hulu puts ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ reboot back in the crypt
Hulu puts ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ reboot back in the crypt
The streamer will not move forward with the show’s revival, according original star and executive producer Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Anyone hoping that “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was about to rise from the grave got bad news over the weekend. Sarah Michelle Gellar, star of the original 1997 series and executive producer of the announced revival, posted on social media over the weekend that the series’ streaming partner Hulu had decided not to move forward with the project.
Key Details:
- Not happening: Hulu isn’t going ahead with a planned “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot.
- Misfit: Speculation around the pilot indicated that director Chloé Zhao may not be the right fit for the show.
- Long process: Word of the new “Buffy” reboot first surfaced over a year ago.
Gellar posted a video on Instagram over the weekend telling fans that the “Buffy” reboot was dead. In the communique, she thanked director Chloé Zhao for the work she put in on the revival’s pilot, and that she was “really sad” that the project wasn’t moving forward.
Gellar was set to reprise her role in the show, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong cast as the new slayer. Zhao, whose recently directed film “Hamnet” won an Oscar on Sunday evening, was attached to helm the pilot episode. Reporting from Deadline indicates that Zhao’s sensibilities may not have been the best fit for this version of the show, which contributed to its downfall.
Deadline also reports that Hulu remains optimistic about the future of the “Buffy” franchise and will regroup to consider a different possible incarnation. The streamer had been mulling over making changes to the existing Gellar/Zhao pilot, but in the end, decided to simply start again.
The reboot of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” has been in the works for some time. Word of the new show was first reported in February 2025, when Hulu ordered the pilot. Fans can still watch the 1997 series in full on demand on Hulu with any subscription to the service.
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