Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot: Release date speculation and latest news

One of the pictures was Gellar's name card, which sees her reprise her iconic role of Buffy Summers, but the other has kept fans guessing as she's cleverly blacked out the title of the series.

For now, we'll just have to keep wondering what the revival series will actually be called, but it's safe to say that the picture has sent Buffy fans into excitement overdrive.

It comes after it was recently confirmed that Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew) will be starring opposite Gellar in the series, playing a mysterious new slayer.

While we don't know much about the plot or characters just yet, we do know that Armstrong's character is an "introverted high-school student", so consider our interest piqued.

But when will the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival series be released and who else will star in it? Read on for everything we know so far.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot release date speculation

As of now, there's no confirmed release date for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, but we do know that it appears as though the series is officially in production.

With Gellar sharing a BTS shot of a table read of the pilot episode, it seems that the cogs are finally turning for the reboot.

We do know that the series is being developed by Hulu, and as of now, an international distributor hasn't been confirmed.

But, like many Hulu series, we'd expect the reboot to potentially be released on Disney+ here in the UK – that is, of course, subject to change.

Watch this space.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot cast: Who is confirmed to star?

It wouldn't quite be Buffy without the titular character, so obviously Sarah Michelle Gellar is reprising her iconic role.

However, in what capacity, we don't yet know, as it's been confirmed that Gellar will be starring alongside a new-generation slayer, who will be played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

The news was confirmed earlier this year, in May, via Deadline, with Armstrong known for her roles in Anne with an E, American Horror Story: Red Tide and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

The teenage star's character in the Buffy reboot remains under wraps for now, but she will be a new leading star in the Buffyverse.

Commenting on her casting, Gellar said: "From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side.

"To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room."

Gellar also revealed that several children of her original co-stars had come in to audition for the new show, but as of now, no other cast members have been revealed.

As for if any of the original show's cast will reprise their roles for any cameo appearances, that also remains to be seen.

In an interview with ComicBook, Daniel 'Oz' Osbourne star Seth Green has spoken about the possibility of joining the new show, saying: "I love that character, and if there was more story to tell, I’d be there to tell it."

Spike star James Marsters also commented on the revival, saying that he's going to "keep my mouth shut right now" about any news.

He continued: "I think I'm like everybody, I'm very excited that we're going to learn more about the journey of Buffy Summers and how she saves the world because I think the world needs it. So I'm going to do my part by doing nothing."

It also doesn't sound like Angel will be making an appearance in the reboot, with David Boreanaz reacting to the commission news and saying: "Excited for you and your journey. Enjoy the moments and continue to always give back to the fans. God Speed."

Charisma Carpenter has expressed hope at being included in the reboot, though, revealing that she thought her character Cordelia had an "unjust" ending in the Angel spin-off.

In an interview with IGN, she said: "To see this actually happen for the fans makes me thrilled. I am so hopeful to be included, for Cordelia to be a part of this new iteration."

In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, Juliet Landau previously also said she'd love to reprise her role as Drusilla. When asked if she'd be up for returning, Landau gushed: "My gosh, yes. It would be so much fun to play, absolutely."

While there continues to be plenty of speculation, we can anticipate some concrete updates as production gets further under way.

For now, the confirmed cast for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot are as follows:

• Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
• Ryan Kiera Armstrong as TBC

Who is behind the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot?

Coming from Hulu and 20th Century Television, Eternals filmmaker and Oscar winner Chloé Zhao will be directing the reboot series, with Nora and Lilla Zuckerman serving as showrunners, making the BTS team a gloriously female-led one.

Gellar will also serve as a producer on the series alongside Zhao, the Zuckermans and Dolly Parton, who is returning as an executive producer after producing the original under her Sandollar banner.

Gellar previously shared how the revival series came to be, sharing on Instagram: "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."

Gellar said that she took on the meeting "mainly just to meet Chloé", but that a "20-minute coffee quickly turned into a four-hour adventure", saying: "We laughed, we cried, but mostly we both talked about how much this show means to us."

She added: "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."

What will the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot be about?

As of now, plot details remain a mystery regarding the Buffy reboot, but if we can tell anything from the confirmed casting, it definitely seems as though the series will focus on a new generation of slayer.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "sources have stated that this new series will focus on a younger Slayer and that Gellar’s Buffy Summers won't be the central character".

While Buffy fans always understood that only one slayer could exist at once, the final season did away with that theory by awakening hundreds of potential slayers, so will it pick back up with that serious nugget of lore?

Gellar did tease some details to Vanity Fair, saying: "It will be lighter than the last few seasons of the original. We will try to find a balance between new and old characters. My dream is to bring back everyone who has died, but space will have to be made for new stories as well."

"One of the surprising aspects of Buffy is that it’s always been a crossover series," Gellar added. "We’re trying to figure out how to modernise 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."

There had been some rumours circulating earlier this year about the series focusing on a group of teenagers, but Gellar told Elite Daily: "Those are all fake characters. That thing that got released is all fake."

While she didn't confirm any plot details, the Buffy star did say: "The whole point of an antihero is to be a hero for the people who don’t fit in the box, the people who aren’t like everybody else. That’s who I want to tell stories for: the person that really looks to these stories to feel a connection."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Disney+ and ITVX.

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