Buffy’s Cancelled Reboot Can Now Give Us Something Better

In news that had to make most Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans sad, Sarah Michelle Gellar took to Instagram and announced that Hulu had decided to pass on the revival series. However, while this was a disappointing announcement for anyone looking forward to the return of the Slayer, there might be some good news about the cancellation. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, subtitled New Sunnydale, was supposed to be a continuation of the original story, but with Buffy taking the role of a mentor and a new Slayer on the scene, learning from her and creating her own legacy.

With the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival dead for now, this could end up resulting in something better. But this all depends on whether Sarah Michelle Gellar will give this another try after this failed attempt.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Revival Cancelation Isn’t The End

Sarah Michelle Gellar seemed sad when announcing that the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival had ended. However, she also made it seem like she wasn’t closing the door on her future with the franchise. This could mean that there could be something else that comes later, and that could be better than the idea that was in the works at Hulu for the past year. The revival was going to bring back Gellar as Buffy Summers as she worked to train a new Slayer named Nova, played by The Lowdown’s Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

There were no other former Buffy cast members known to return, although Gellar said not to count out anyone. Chloé Zhao directed the pilot, which was what initially convinced Gellar to sign on to work on the revival after rejecting it for years. Zhao is one of Hollywood’s best new directors, the second female director in history to win an Oscar for Best Director for Nomadland, and a nominee this year as well for her 2025 film Hamnet. However, despite her skills as a director and Gellar agreeing to return as Buffy, the actress revealed Hulu passed on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale after watching the pilot.

Gellar admitted it was Zhao who reminded her of how much she loved Buffy Summers, and that is the only reason she returned at all. Zhao herself said she was not surprised that Hulu didn’t move forward with Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale. Gellar also joked that, “if the apocalypse actually comes, you can still beep me.” But would Gellar return to the role again after this recent cancellation of the revival? A source close to Hulu said that they would consider future iterations of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but they were just passing on this version.

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What Could Be Next For Buffyverse Shows?

The odds of Sarah Michelle Gellar saying yes again are slim. Gellar rejected the Buffy revival series multiple times before Chloé Zhao convinced her to give it a chance and finally sign on. Could another filmmaker or director have enough swing to convince her to try again after Hulu canceled this attempt after filming the pilot? Without Gellar as Buffy, the idea of another series with the IP seems less exciting. However, if Gellar agrees to return, it could open up something better than Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale.

It was exciting to consider seeing Buffy back in action, but the Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale plot made it seem like this was going to be Ryan Kiera Armstrong’s show as the new Slayer, and Buffy was going to take a back seat to the next generation of the Slayers. The last season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer showed how the Potentials were never as interesting as Buffy and the Scooby Gang, and that could have hurt the new Hulu series, with fans seeing a new Slayer but wishing it was still Buffy.

If a filmmaker does come around who can convince Sarah Michelle Gellar to give it another try, the thought of the revival having Buffy herself returning to action as the main Slayer again might be the way to go. While bringing in the next generation to push the franchise into the future was a good idea, just having a one or two-season revival of Buffy back as the main Slayer could give fans what they want to see. It could even bring back Eliza Dushku as Faith and a few other former stars like Alison Hannigan and Anthony Stewart Head to really deliver a revival series that old-school fans would instantly buy into.

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