Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot: Cancellation update and latest news

While rumours continued to swirl about the future of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and last year's behind-the-scenes pictures got fans even more excited about a reboot, some sad news has since been delivered.

It's been confirmed by Sarah Michelle Gellar that the Chloé Zhao-directed Hulu series will not be going ahead after all.

Despite there being Instagram snaps just last year of the actress appearing to be teasing a table read with a script of the reboot, it looks as though Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale is no longer going ahead.

But why has it been cancelled and is there any potential for a future reboot? Read on to find out everything we know so far.

Has the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot been cancelled?

Despite the series appearing to be officially in production last year, it has now been announced that Hulu will not be moving forward with the reboot.

Gellar revealed the news on Instagram, saying: “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 yet 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.”

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

It wouldn't have been Buffy without the titular character, so Sarah Michelle Gellar was set to reprise her iconic role.

She was set to star alongside a new-generation slayer, who was to be played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong. The news was confirmed last 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 remained under wraps, but she was reported to be a new leading star in the Buffyverse.

Commenting on her casting at the time, 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.

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."

Who was behind the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot?

Coming from Hulu and 20th Century Television, Eternals filmmaker and Oscar winner Chloé Zhao would have been directing the reboot series, with Nora and Lilla Zuckerman set to have served as showrunners, making the team a gloriously female-led one.

Gellar was also on board to serve as a producer on the series alongside Zhao, the Zuckermans and Dolly Parton, who was to be 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 was the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot going to be about?

Although the series has now been cancelled and plot details remain a mystery, it definitely seemed as though the series would have focused 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.

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."

Although the door has now been shut on the Hulu reboot, a source close to the show (via Variety) has seemingly indicated that there may still be a future for any further Buffy-related ideas. They said that there is a “lot of love” for “Buffy” and that Hulu will still consider future iterations on the IP: “Basically, the door is still open.”

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

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