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

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Star: "Perfect Timing" for Sequel Series

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel star Juliet Landau shared her thoughts on Sarah Michelle Gellar returning for a sequel series at Hulu.

Saying that the news of Sarah Michelle Gellar teaming with showrunners, writers, and EPs Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman and director and EP Chloé Zhao on a sequel series to Buffy the Vampire Slayer that would see Gellar return to her iconic role as Buffy Summers was well-received would be a ten-ton understatement. Shortly after Gellar shared a personal message with fans confirming the project and explaining her decision to return, we began hearing from members of the "Buffyverse." Speaking with RadioTimes.com exclusively, Juliet Landau (Drusilla) shared that she believes "it is perfect timing for a reboot" of the popular series.

"'Buffy,' the original series, is more popular now than even when it was popular on the air. It just continues to grow and grow, and a brilliant team has been assembled [for the revival]," Landau explained. "High school is still hell – that doesn't ever seem to change. And in fact, life can be hell, and I think that's why the show resonates with such a wide range of ages. Everyone has felt like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders at times. Everyone has faced moral dilemmas. Everyone has had to access the warrior in themselves. Everyone has come into contact with bad people, evil people, narcissistic people, abusive people. Everyone has had times where they've had to battle their inner demons and come out triumphant."

As for how the news has been received by the fans, Landau added that "it's been incredible this week in terms of the outpouring from fans." In terms of the creative team, Landau also has high hopes – especially for Zhao. "I think that there are so many powerful female characters in the original and Chloé is such a brilliant director and has such a unique, special voice that I'm just excited about those possibilities," she shared. For those who still might be skeptical, Landau urges them "to give it a chance and see if it's your cup of tea. And if it's not, there's plenty of other stuff to watch. And if it is, roll your sleeves up and come and support!"

Gellar is set to serve as executive producer, along with Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui via Suite B, and Dolly Parton via Sandollar – with 20th Television and Searchlight Television serving as the studios. Here's a look at the complete text of Gellar's message:

"So….. you might have heard some news this week, but I realize you haven't heard from me: Gellar began her post on Instagram (waiting for you below). "Three years ago, I got a call from my dear friend and mentor, Gail Berman. She told me that she wanted me to sit down with Chloé Zhao to hear her take on a potential "Buffy" revival. I was blown away that Chloé even knew who I was, but, as I've always done, I told Gail that I just didn't see a way for the show to exist again. We'd always been aligned on that, but this time I heard something different in her voice. I eventually agreed to go (mainly just to meet Chloé) and our twenty minute coffee quickly turned into a four hour adventure. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we both talked about how much this show means to us."

Gellar continued, "While I didn't agree to anything at that meeting, I did shock myself by agreeing to continue the conversation. These conversations did, in fact, continue over the next few years and eventually we added the incredible Nora and Lilla Zuckerman to our little tribe until ultimately, one day, we landed on an idea. I have always listened to the fans and heard your desire to revisit 'Buffy' and her world, but it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right. This has been a long process, and it's not over yet. I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there. I feel so lucky to be on this journey with these four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love "Buffy" as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you."

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!