Sarah Michelle Gellar and New Buffy Star Team Up for Epic Vampire Slayer Training Video
Sarah Michelle Gellar is already jumping into action with the new generation of vampire slayers as the upcoming Buffy series moves forward. Instead of a full reboot, this new show acts more like a sequel, following a fresh group of demon fighters led by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, known for her role in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.
The new Buffy series hasn’t officially been picked up yet but has received a pilot order from Hulu. It’s set to be directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. The story will focus on Armstrong’s character, tentatively named Nova, while Buffy Summers, Gellar’s iconic role, will serve as a mentor. This makes sense since at the end of the original Buffy series, season 7, many new slayers got their powers, opening the door for this new chapter.
Gellar shared a video on Instagram recently showing her training with Armstrong, preparing for their roles as strong and fast demon hunters. In her post, she wrote, “Warrior 1 and 2. We don’t sweat … we sparkle.” This shows how seriously they’re taking the action, but also that they’re having fun getting ready.
The idea of bringing Buffy back has been in the works for years. Back in 2018, 20th Century Fox Television started developing a reboot with Monica Owusu-Breen as the showrunner and Joss Whedon, the original Buffy creator, involved as an executive producer.
Fans felt hopeful about Whedon’s involvement, but it was unclear how much he would really be part of the project. The producers wanted the new show to be more diverse and tackle modern social issues, similar to how the original series used supernatural stories as metaphors for real-life struggles.
There was some debate about whether the new show should recast Buffy with a Black actress or focus on a new character altogether. Monica Owusu-Breen’s comments suggested they planned to introduce a new slayer instead of recasting Buffy. However, the project was paused for a while and went through some changes. Dolly Parton, who’s also an executive producer, said in early 2024 that they were still working on it and revamping the series.
In February 2025, Variety reported that a Buffy sequel series was close to getting a pilot order from Hulu, this time without Whedon’s involvement. Sarah Michelle Gellar is set to return both as Buffy and as an executive producer, alongside Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui, and Dolly Parton. The pilot will be directed by Chloé Zhao and written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong was officially cast as the lead role of the new Slayer in May 2025. A few months later, in July, other actors like Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Jack Cutmore-Scott joined as series regulars.
Fans are excited to see Buffy back, guiding a new hero through a modern world of demons and monsters, and Sarah Michelle Gellar’s training video hints that this new series will have plenty of action and heart.
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