Following our first look at new Buffy the Vampire Slayer lead Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew) on the set of the New Sunnydale reboot/sequel series, Sarah Michelle Gellar has now been spotted on the Los Angeles set.
As we first reported on FearHQ.com, Buffy Summers has traded in her vampire hunting gear for a red power suit, with many fans wondering if she's gone "corporate" since we last saw her in action. If the vampire threat went away for a while, she's likely gotten on with her life before something happens to pull her back in.
The prevailing theory among fans is that Armstrong's character is Buffy's daughter, with the "Vampire Slayer" mantle passed down to the teenager.
Gellar is unlikely to be the only familiar face we see as the actress, who also serves as executive producer, recently said, "We will try to find a balance between new and old characters. My dream is to bring back everyone who has died, but space will have to be made for new stories as well."
Teasing the evolution of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gellar added, "One of the surprising aspects of Buffy is that it’s always been a crossover series. We’re trying to figure out how to modernize the themes of the series, especially what it means to feel like an outsider in a world dominated by social media."
Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman are attached to write, showrun, and executive produce the pilot. Eternals helmer Chloé Zhao is attached to direct and executive produce under her Book of Shadows production banner. Gellar executive produces with Gail Berman.
Fran Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui will executive produce through Suite B, while Dolly Parton will executive produce via Sandollar. 20th Television and Searchlight Television also produce, and Berman, the Kuzuis, and Parton were all executive producers on the original TV series.
A recent logline for Buffy the Vampire Slayer revealed that, "Nova, a 16-year-old bookworm, discovers she’s a vampire Slayer in a rebuilt Sunnydale, split between gritty Old Sunnydale and upscale New Sunnydale."
"During Vampire Weekend, a festival celebrating the town’s dark past, vampires Jack and Shirley emerge from a construction site, killing a teen and planning a ritual to raise a vampire army at the Cursed Circle," it concluded.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was released in 1992 as a feature film starring Kristy Swanson. Joss Whedon wrote that, and Fran Kuzui directed. Five years later, the franchise was rebooted for The WB with Gellar taking over the lead role. It ran for five seasons on that network, and moved to UPN for the final two.
A spin-off series, Angel, was led by David Boreanaz and also ran for five seasons. Buffy has been benched ever since, so this revival marks a long-awaited comeback for the vampire slayer.
You can see Gellar's return as Buffy by following the link in the X post below.