“Buffy” Fans Won’t Like This – Sarah Michelle Gellar Reveals Disappointing Update
Fans who were hoping to see Buffy return to television have received disappointing news. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar revealed that the planned reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not move forward.
Gellar shared the update in a video posted on Instagram on March 14. According to the actress, the streaming platform Hulu has decided to cancel the project before production could move ahead.
“So, I am really sad to have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear it from me,” Gellar said in the video. “Unfortunately, Hulu has decided not to move forward with Buffy: New Sunnydale.”
The new series was meant to continue the story of the Buffy universe more than twenty years after the original show ended. The project was titled Buffy: New Sunnydale and was designed to center on a new vampire slayer. Gellar was not expected to return as the main character full-time. Instead, she planned to appear in a recurring role while also helping guide the series as an executive producer.
The actress also spoke about working with director Chloé Zhao, who had joined the project and was supposed to direct and executive produce the reboot. Gellar thanked Zhao and said the collaboration reminded her how important the character still is.
“I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots, and thanks to Chloé, 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.”
She ended the message with a line that longtime fans of the series will recognize.
“And I promise, if the apocalypse actually comes, you could still beep me.”
The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons from 1997 until 2003 and became one of the most popular supernatural dramas of its time. It later led to the spin-off series Angel, which aired from 1999 to 2004.
Many actors became closely associated with the show. The cast included Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head, David Boreanaz, Nicholas Brendon, James Marsters, Eliza Dushku and Seth Green. Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, who also appeared in the show, died in 2025 at the age of 39.
The reboot also had several well-known names behind the scenes. Writers Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman were attached to write and run the show. Singer and producer Dolly Parton was also involved as an executive producer through her company, which helped produce the original series in the 1990s.
Gellar had spoken about the project before. In an interview with People magazine in March 2025, she said she was excited about the creative team working on the reboot and the idea behind it.
“There was no world where I thought Chloé Zhao was going to call me and partner with me, and ask my advice on things and my opinion — especially because she hasn’t done television,” she said at the time. “She’ll call me, and she’ll say, ‘Well, I have to defer to you,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’ Those aren’t words I ever thought I would hear.”
Even though the reboot has now been canceled, fans can still revisit the original series. All seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are currently available to stream on Hulu.
This news will likely disappoint many longtime fans who hoped to see the Buffy world return with a fresh story. At the same time, reboots can be difficult to get right, especially for a show that already has such a strong legacy. Some fans may even feel that leaving the original story untouched is the better choice. What do you think about the cancellation of the Buffy reboot? Would you have liked to see the new series, or do you think the original should remain as it is? Share your thoughts in the comments.
