Revival of Iconic Fantasy Show Canceled, Star Reveals

The highly anticipated revival of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is now canceled. The titular vampire hunter in the original 1990s series announced over the weekend that Hulu has decided not to move forward with the planned sequel series.

Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals Buffy revival isn’t moving forward at Hulu

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival’s cancellation news came as a surprise to fans. Even Sarah Michelle Gellar reportedly learned of Hulu’s decision Friday night while attending the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas (via Deadline).

The streaming platform had ordered a pilot for the project, tentatively titled Buffy New Sunnydale, just last year. The sequel would have seen Gellar reprise her iconic role as Buffy Summers, decades after the original series ended. Director Chloé Zhao, known for Nomadland and Eternals, was attached to direct the pilot, and its script was being written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman.

Furthermore, the creative team had assembled a cast that included Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new slayer, alongside series regulars Ava Jean, Faly Rakotohavana, Jack Cutmore-Scott, and Sarah Bock.

Now, in an Instagram video posted on March 14, Sarah Michelle Gellar shared the disappointing update directly with her followers. “I am really sad to have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear it from me,” Gellar said, adding, “Unfortunately, Hulu has decided not to move forward with Buffy New Sunnydale.”

Despite the setback, Gellar expressed gratitude toward Zhao for reigniting her connection to the character. “Thanks to Chloe, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means not only to me, but to all of you. And this doesn’t change any of that.” Further, the actress signed off with a beloved line from the original series, saying, “I promise, if the apocalypse actually comes, you could still beep me.”

However, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s New Sunnydale cancellation doesn’t necessarily mean the end for the franchise. It seems Hulu remains high on the Buffy intellectual property and reportedly plans to explore new incarnations of the series (via Deadline).

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