Hulu Cancels Buffy The Vampire Slayer Sequel Series Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar has taken a brief break from the "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" press tour (read /Film's review of the upcoming horror sequel here) to deliver some bad news. The sequel series to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," starring Gellar as the titular heroine, will not be moving forward at Hulu.

The series, titled "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale," would have featured Gellar reprising her role as Buffy Summers. Filmmaker Chloé Zhao ("Hamnet," "Eternals") directed the series' pilot, written by sisters Lilla & Nora Zuckerman ("Poker Face," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.").

Gellar shared the news in a brief Instagram video, transcribed in full below:

"I am really sad to have to share this but I wanted you all to hear it from me. Unfortunately, Hulu has decided not to move forward with 'Buffy: New Sunnydale.' I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy's stylish but affordable boots, and thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means not only to me but to all of you, and this doesn't change any of that. And I promise, if the apocalypse actually comes, you can still beep me."

A "Buffy" sequel series was announced to be in production in March 2025, with Zhao not only directing the pilot but also executive producing through her production company Book of Shadows. Zhao told the LA Times in August 2025 that she had "just wrapped" working on the "New Sunnydale" pilot, saying that "The ['Buffy'] fandom is so special to me and I'm excited about how that's going to go into the world." So what went wrong?

Deadline cites insider sources as saying that "Zhao's sensibility may not have been the perfect match for the reboot." While Zhao directed the Marvel superhero film "Eternals" to mixed reception, she is primarily known for grounded human-scale dramas, a bit removed from the fantastical world of "Buffy." Hulu also apparently considered reworking the pilot before deciding to cancel it.

However, Deadline added that there may be hope yet, because Hulu is apparently still interested in developing a new "Buffy" series and is weighing how to proceed with the franchise. Gellar did not indicate in her video if "New Sunnydale" could be optioned to other networks, but if Hulu is indeed interested in trying a different "Buffy" continuation, that could suggest it won't be. 

It's also unclear if Gellar would return for another stab at a reboot. Gellar told Variety in October 2025 that Zhao's passionate pitch is what convinced her to play Buffy again. In a January 2026 appearance on the "Shut Up Evan" podcast, Gellar added that: "I've seen people with passion before, but [Zhao] knew how to go into the world. She knew what the world was, and she knew the way. And that was the first time I said, 'Maybe, could I possibly do this?'"

Sarah Michelle Gellar was the only original "Buffy" cast member confirmed to be returning for "New Sunnydale," which would've been set 25 years after the original finale, "Chosen." Based on available details about this reboot, the new cast would've included Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Nova, a young girl chosen as the new Slayer. Nova would find friends named Hugo (Faly Rakotohavana) and Gracie (Sarah Bock). Perhaps Buffy herself would've played a role like Giles (Anthony Head) in the original series: a mentor to the next generation of the Scooby Gang. 

In the gap between "Buffy" ending and "New Sunnydale" entering production, several "Buffy" comic books continued the story after season 7. (The first was even called "Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight.") It's unclear how, if at all, the series would've accounted for the events of those stories, or if it would've declared them non-canon, like Disney did with the "Star Wars" expanded universe.

Original series creator Joss Whedon was not attached to "New Sunnydale." Whedon has become a controversial figure since several "Buffy" cast members haccused him of creating a hostile work environment. (Most prominently Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on "Buffy" and then spin-off "Angel," and has said Whedon fired her after she became pregnant during production of "Angel" season 4.)

Gellar has corroborated the problems on the "Buffy" set, and following Carpenter's initial comments in 2021, she posted on Instagram: "While I am proud to have my name associated with Buffy Summers, I don't want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon."

Whedon's legacy certainly complicates loving "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." A "Buffy" without him may still be coming, but it appears it won't be "New Sunnydale."