A sequel series of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ran between 1997 and 2003, was reported to be in development in early 2025 by Hulu, with a pilot episode written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman and directed by Chloé Zhao, with Dolly Parton, whose production company Sandollar made the original series, serving as an executive producer.
Also serving as executive producers on the series are Sarah Michelle Gellar, Zhao, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman as well as the original series’ executive producers Gail Berman of the Jackal Group and Fran Rubel Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui via Suite B.
It was reported that Gellar would be reprising her signature role as Buffy Summers from the original series. Zhao was the one who convinced Gellar to reprise the role of Buffy.
In May 2025, Ryan Kiera Armstrong was announced to be joining the cast. Faly Rakotohavana, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Kingston Vernes joined the cast in July 2025. Production started that August, with filming of the pilot taking place in Los Angeles.
In August, Chase Sui Wonders, Merrin Dungey, Audrey Hsieh, and Audrey Grace Marshall joined the cast in guest roles. That same month, Zhao stated that they had finished filming on the pilot and that the new series was set 25 years after the original.
In an interview with ET Online, Gellar clarified that the show is not a reboot but a "continuation of the world". It was also meant to be "approachable" for audiences who had not watched the original. The show was given the official title of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale. According to Zhao, they were to bring back characters from the previous show. The show was tentatively expected to premiere on Hulu in 2026.
Recently several photos and videos would appear online showcasing the new and old cast members hitting the gym, training hard.
Unfortunately, today Gellar took to socials to break the bad news to the masses, confirming in a video posted on Instagram that the show will not be moving forward at Hulu.
This is a devastating update for fans who have been anticipating their return to Sunnydale. But in the age of a million steaming services, there is still a chance some other company might scoop up the project and give it a second chance.
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