“Trying to figure out how to modernize the themes of the series”: Sarah Michelle Gellar on blending social media storytelling in Buffy reboot

Sarah Michelle Gellar is getting ready to hunt vampires once again. Gellar will be reprising her titular role of Buffy Summers in the reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu. Fans of the show have welcomed the news of the reboot with much excitement. However, Gellar has shared that, unlike during its original run, today the world of entertainment is highly driven by social media, and so, the show would need a more modern upgrade.

While speaking to Vanity Fair, Sarah Michelle Gellar said,

“One of the surprising aspects of Buffy is that it’s always been a crossover series. 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.”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer had a successful run from 1997 to 2003 for seven seasons. The show follows Buffy, a regular high school student who is chosen to fight and slay vampires and supernatural beings. The show drew a cult following for its portrayal of a strong female lead and the experiences of young adults against an unconventional paranormal backdrop. Sarah Michelle Gellar became a global sensation, thanks to the show. She recalled,

“I was very lucky. Back then, social media didn’t exist. A young, famous actor experienced it in a completely different way than in modern times. I didn’t feel the pressure that today’s actors feel, who are asked to constantly post content and do silly dances on TikTok.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar is ready for Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot

Though fans have been wanting a reboot of the show for a long time, Gellar did not delve into it until Chloé Zhao decided to pitch an idea for the reboot. About the Oscar-winning director, Sarah Michelle Gellar said,

“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, 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, who will also be executive producing the show, shared that the reboot series will have a mix of old and new. Ryan Kiera Armstrong, known for Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, will be joining the untitled series. Gellar revealed,

“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.”

There has been no further update on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot on Hulu so far.

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