Sarah Michelle Gellar opens up about her jitters about the upcomingBuffy the Vampire Slayersequel series. The actor is expected to reprise her role as the quick-witted Vampire Slayer, Buffy Summers, who made her debut in the supernatural drama in 1997. While Gellar has been adamant about leaving Buffy in the past, a team led by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, and producer Gail Berman brought her on board.TheBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevivalis rumored to follow a new slayer with Gellar in a recurring role.
In conversation withPeople,Gellar shared her conflicting emotions behind reviving such an iconic series, which has led to a sprawling Buffyverse with beloved audio adventures, comics, and the five-season spinoffAngel.Read what she had to say below:
I wish there was a better word than overwhelming.It’s heartwarming and exciting and also incredibly nerve-wracking at the same time… because you have to do it right.
And I think we have this team in place that is legendary, from Chloé Zhao to the Zucks [Nora and Lilla Zuckerman], to Gail Berman. And I think people are going to be pretty impressed.
What Gellar’s Nerves Behind The Buffy Sequel Means
Reviving A Beloved Series Is A Daunting Task
TheBuffy the Vampire Slayersequel joins a string of upcoming adaptations, revivals, and reboots of beloved stories. After the success of series like Netflix’sCobra Kaiand the Kathy Bates-ledMatlock,streaming platforms have been digging through the cultural archives for a sign of life among established characters and narratives. Now, reboot announcements have poured in for upcoming projects likePrime Video’sLegally Blondeprequel seriesand Disney+’s revival ofPhineas and Ferb. While these continuations come with a built-in audience, they also come with high expectations.
Gellar’s involvement with the project is a good sign thattheBuffysequel series is headed in the right direction witha creative team that Gellar describes as “legendary.“Zhao’s previous work includes the dramaNomadland,which secured the filmmaker Best Picture and Best Director Oscar wins in 2020. The Zuckerman sister writing duo have worked onshows likeSuitsand the award-nominated crime comedyPoker Face. Berman was a producer on the originalBuffyand has since worked on the Netflix seriesWednesdayand the filmElvis.
The Revival Is In Good Hands
While Hulu has yet to announce a pilot order for theBuffy the Vampire Slayerrevival, Gellar’s noted collaboration with a largely female executive team suggests thatthe show is closer than ever to becoming official. The “heartwarming and exciting and also incredibly nerve-wracking"process that Gellar describes behind the revival series speaks to the care and heart they’ll surely bring to the possessed town of Sunnydale. If the series has to return at all, it’s for the best that Gellar is the one shepherding the project forward.
