It’s Not a Reboot — Sarah Michelle Gellar Shares Details on the New Buffy Series

Sarah Michelle Gellar has revealed new details about the upcoming series set in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe, which is coming to Hulu. According to Gellar, the project is neither a reboot nor a direct sequel, but rather a continuation of the original story—something that directly influenced its title.

Speaking on the ShutUpEvan podcast, Gellar explained that the show explores the world of “Buffy” as it exists now—with or without Buffy herself, but without immediately bringing back all the old characters. That’s why the series is subtitled “New Sunnydale”—a detail that was previously just a rumor, but has now been all but confirmed.

The pilot episode was filmed in August last year. Sarah Michelle Gellar is reprising her iconic role as Buffy Summers and also serves as an executive producer. The new generation of heroes is led by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who plays a character named Nova. The story will center around the students and teachers of the newly rebuilt Sunnydale High School.

The project was initiated by director Chloé Zhao, who managed to convince Gellar to return to her legendary role, despite Gellar’s previous statements that she would never do so. The actress admitted she changed her mind because she saw a way to continue the story respectfully—not trying to outdo the original, but rather to honor and preserve its legacy.

Gellar also emphasized that the team is in no rush to release the series. While little information about the project surfaced in the second half of 2025, she believes it’s important to wait until the show is fully realized, both creatively and conceptually.

There’s still no word on when the series will premiere, but the creators assure fans that the wait will be worth it, promising quality and respect for the iconic 1997–2003 show.

You can check out behind-the-scenes photos featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar in her updated Buffy look here.