Posted in: CW, TV | Tagged: buffy, buffy the vampire slayer

Buffy: Sarah Michelle Gellar Offers Production Update on Sequel Pilot

Sarah Michelle Gellar offered an update on how production is going with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series pilot for Hulu.

Published Mon, 13 Oct 2025 18:21:14 -0500

by Ray Flook

Last updated Mon, 13 Oct 2025 18:22:22 -0500

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Article Summary

Sarah Michelle Gellar shares a production update on Hulu's Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel pilot.
Gellar explains what convinced her to return and reveals Chloé Zhao's unique "New Sunnydale" vision.
The pilot is being carefully edited to honor Buffy's legacy and resonate with longtime fans.
Expect a lighter tone, a blend of new and old characters, and possible returns of past favorites.

Though she was at New York Comic Con 2025 this past weekend to promote her Tubi adult animated series Breaking Bear, Sarah Michelle Gellar was kind enough to offer an update on where things stand with her, Showrunners Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman, director and executive producer Chloé Zhao, and EP Gail Berman's Gellar and Ryan K. Armstrong-starring Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series pilot for Hulu. During the panel (moderated by Collider's Steve Weintraub), Gellar was asked about the project.

As she's noted in the past, Gellar shared that she was very hesitant about returning to the franchise until Zhao impressed her with the "New Sunnydale" take. Gellar also felt that the time was right to have Buffy Summers, now more than ever. Following up, Weintraub asked where things stood with the pilot production-wise. "So, um, we filmed a little bit," Gellar shared, before praising co-star Armstrong. "Now, we're just gonna watch it, edit it, and make sure that, again, that we're honoring this legacy. It means as much to me as it does to all of you. So, we just have to… we gotta do it right. If we're going to do it, we're only going to do it right," she added.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sarah Michelle Gellar's "Dream"? Bring Back Everyone Who Died

Speaking with Vanity Fair Italia during the 18th edition of the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival, Gellar shared that she considered herself lucky to not have social media around during her run on "Buffy," adding how young actors today are put into positions of having to be social media personalities, too ("…asked to constantly post content and do silly dances on TikTok"). Regarding why she finally made the decision to return to the "Buffyverse" after all of these years, Gellar credits one person in particular for helping her make the move.

"For so many years, I said no to a possible return of the series. I didn't want to reintroduce something we had already seen. I waited for the right time to come. Then Chloé [Zhao], a big "Buffy" fan, proposed the project to me, and I accepted. The gestation was long. It's been three years, and we're still working on it," Gellar shared, though based on a recent Instagram post, filming on the pilot might just be in sight. As for what fans can expect from the revival, Gellar shared that, "It will be lighter than the last few seasons of the original. We will try to find a balance between new and old characters." Apparently, that includes characters who've passed on, if there's space and a reason. "My dream is to bring back everyone who has died, but space will have to be made for new stories as well," Gellar added.

Finding that right balance is key, a point that Gellar has been emphasizing since the news of the revival series pilot first hit. But as the show's continued success over the years has shown, "Buffy" has very diverse multi-generational fanbase. "One of the surprising aspects of Buffy is that it's always been a crossover series," Gellar explained. "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. What we want to explore are the space-time boundaries that affect society today."

Along with Gellar and Armstrong, the trio joined a cast that also includes Faly Rakotohavana (Unprisoned) as Hugo, Ava Jean (Law & Order: SVU) as Larkin, Sarah Bock (Severance) as Gracie, Daniel di Tomasso (Witches of East End) as Abe, Jack Cutmore-Scott (Frasier) as Mr. Burke, Kingston Vernes (The Survivor) as Carson, Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio) as Shirley, Merrin Dungey (The Lincoln Lawyer) as Ms. LaDuca, Audrey Hsieh (Found) as Keiko, and Audrey Grace Marshall (The Flight Attendant) as Jessica.