Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it’s time to dust off those leather coats and boots. The queen Sarah Michelle Gellar is coming back, and has shared her own statement in the wake of this week’s announcement that the long-running series would be returning. Hulu’s new revival, which only has a pilot order so far, is being steered by Eternals director Chloé Zhao.
In an Instagram post, Gellar wrote, “So… you might have heard some news this week, but I realize you haven’t heard from me.” Which made us geek out, truly, especially since the new project will be bringing in original show producer Gail Berman along with Zhao, who pitched the idea.
“Three years ago, I got a call from my dear friend and mentor, Gail Berman,” Gellar’s post continued. “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.”
Three years to keep this a secret is impressive, especially with all the fan interest around Buffy. “While I didn’t agree to anything at that meeting, I did shock myself by agreeing to continue the conversation,” Gellar continued. “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.”
While we don’t know who else is coming along for the ride, we’re at least hoping Willow (Alyson Hannigan) will be joining in. The prospect of new series with a new team of women is really exciting. “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,” Gellar said. “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.”
Gellar closed out her statement expression her gratitude with a dedication. “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.”
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