This Forgotten Buffy the Vampire Slayer Detail Should Be What the New Reboot Is About

After the release of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer feature film, but just before the property’s eventual status as a WB television staple, the network put together a marketing video dubbed “The History of the Slayer” that intertwines historical canonical context on past Slayers and clips from the show’s earliest episodes. The show’s marketing strategy proved plenty effective, seeing as we’re still talking about it more than 20 years on after cancellation. Not to mention, fans are currently insanely excited about the upcoming series reboot from Hulu. On that note, the previously referenced promotional video might just be the perfect template for the upcoming redux.

For context, “The History of the Slayer” promotional video briefly chronicles different Slayers from different points in history; imagine if the upcoming reboot took a similar approach and realized the redux as an anthology series that features different Slayers learning the ropes at different points throughout the series.

Will Hulu Capitalize on the Distinction That Buffy Is One of Many Slayers With the Upcoming Franchise Reboot?

There are a few different ways to realize the anthology conceit, the first being season-long arcs that catch up with a different slayer in each new season. Depending on how much material there is to explore, a particular arc could theoretically extend for more (or less) than a single season. Inversely, the concept could also feature self-contained episodes with a new Slayer in each, but that might well be too much of a departure from the proven format fans know and love.

[RELATED: Charisma Carpenter Wants Cordelia to Return for Buffy Reboot, Shares Dream for the Series]

Hulu walks a delicate balance with aspiring to give fans what they want, yet trying not to deliver a cynical rehash of a widely beloved series. Going the anthology route might just be the ticket to succeeding in both conceits.

We know that Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers will appear as a recurring guest star. So, perhaps she returns as a mentor who carries through otherwise self-contained seasons, training the next crop of Slayers from around the globe. Each season could theoretically feature her training a different recruit.

With Gellar as a baseline in this hypothetical scenario, the writers of the next incarnation would have the chance to color outside the lines of the anthology format slightly to work fan-favorite characters back into the narrative organically as they emerge. More specifically, we might see a recruit with whom viewers develop a deep connection staying on after the training process in any number of potential capacities.

What Will the Hulu Reboot Be About?

There are endless possibilities, and we don’t have much information to go on regarding where the reboot will actually go. Although a so-called leak seemingly revealed pivotal details about the upcoming series, Gellar recently debunked what we thought we knew, assuring us that all of the info in said leak was bogus.

As for which direction the impending Hulu series reboot will actually take, we’ll just have to wait and see. So far, we know that Oscar winner Chloé Zhao (Eternals) will helm the pilot episode of the reboot, and Poker Face showrunners Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman will assume writing responsibilities and serve as co-showrunners. Gellar will executive produce, in addition to featuring as a recurring guest star.

Additionally, Fran Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui, Gail Berman, and Dolly Parton will executive produce through the Sandollar Productions banner. Reports reveal that series creator Joss Whedon will not be involved.

Though it’s anyone’s guess how the new show will come together, it would certainly be interesting to see the reimagining take an unexpected approach and opt for a revolving door of Slayers, rather than focusing on just one.

Since Buffy and its spinoff, Angel, went off the air in the early ‘00s, the original canon continued in comic form, giving fans of the show a place to catch up with the Scooby Gang in print.

Additionally, the program spun off a short-lived audio drama in 2023 called Slayers: A Buffyverse Story. That series will not return for a second season, however, with the upcoming Hulu reboot on the way, it’s a good time to be a fan of this beloved IP.

Stay tuned for more details on the franchise (including the release date for the reboot) as we learn them.

If you’re keen to pay the program a repeat visit, we have good news. All of the original episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are currently available to stream on Hulu.

What are your expectations for the much-anticipated reboot? Are you planning to tune in when it eventually bows on Hulu? Let us know in the comments section!