A reboot of the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer is in the works and Sarah Michelle Gellar is expected to return as the titular character. According to Variety, the sequel series is nearing a pilot order at Hulu, with Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao attached as director and Dolly Parton on board as an executive producer.

While Gellar is in final talks to once again play Buffy, the plot is set to follow a new slayer, so she will have a recurring role rather than a lead one. Her involvement will come as a surprise to some, as in 2023, she stated: “I am very proud of the show that we created, and (a revival) doesn’t need to be done. We wrapped that up.”

However, late in 2024, she revealed she changed her mind, saying: “I always used to say no, because it’s in its bubble and it’s so perfect. But watching Sex and the City and seeing Dexter, and realising there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe’.”

Negotiations with Gellar for the reboot reportedly began after these comments emerged.

At the time of writing, no other actors from the original series have been confirmed in the cast. Joss Whedon, who created the show and oversaw its seven-season run, is also said to have no involvement in the reboot. He was accused of creating a toxic work environment on Buffy and its spin-off Angel by nearly a dozen people, including Charisma Carpenter who played Cordelia.

Nora and Lilla Zuckerman have been attached to the pilot as writers, showrunners and executive producers. The sisters are regular collaborators, known for their work on series like Poker Face and Suits.

Deadline additionally reported that beyond the pilot order, the Buffy reboot “is starting a writers room soon, a sign that Hulu and the studios have high expectations for the project going to series.”