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

Buffy Series Pilot Not a Reboot; "A Continuation of a World": Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar on how it's felt reviving Buffy the Vampire Slayer and why you're getting it wrong when you call the pilot a reboot.

As "Buffy" fans await word on where things stand with EP Sarah Michelle Gellar, 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 spinoff series pilot for Hulu, Gellar is attempting to fix a mistake that a lot of folks have been making in their coverage. No, it's not a reboot  – the reason why we're describing it as a "sequel spinoff series" has to do with it being set in the original "Buffy" universe and not going "Big Bang" to reinvent a new one. "There's so little I can say about what we just shot. I will say that it's not a reboot. It's a continuation of a world. So it's picking up 25 years later in a world of 'Buffy," Gellar shared with Entertainment Tonight, making it clear that the series is not rebooting the original series but actually building upon its universe.

Gellar also discussed how she feels about bringing back the franchise after so long. "It's equal parts incredibly thrilling, but also it's very nerve-wracking. People have been asking for this for so many years, but everyone also has an opinion on how it should be done. I'm doing it for the fans, so I hope that they love it. It was made with a lot of love and a lot of passion and a lot of thought behind it," she added. Here's a look at the clip, with Gellar explaining how amazing it is that "Buffy" resonates with new generations of viewers and how its themes are universal:

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.

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