Greater than 20 years after Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its seven-season run, the beloved supernatural drama is eyeing a revival with a brand new chapter within the franchise. A followup collection is nearing a pilot order from Hulu, with Sarah Michelle Gellar anticipated to star, reprising her signature position as Buffy Summers, sources mentioned. Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, a self-professed lifelong Buffy fan, is about to direct the pilot, written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face). The reboot hails from Buffy the Vampire Slayer studio twentieth Tv and Disney sibling Searchlight TV the place Zhao has been below a first-look deal.
Past the pilot order, I hear the reboot is beginning a writers room quickly, an indication that Hulu and the studios have excessive expectations for the mission going to collection. It’s unclear but whether or not different unique Buffy forged members would return; that’s thought-about doubtless.
Described as the subsequent chapter within the Buffyverse, the brand new incarnation is government produced by Gellar, Zhao, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman in addition to the unique collection’ government producers Gail Berman of the Jackal Group and Fran Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui through Suite B. Additionally government producing the pilot is Dolly Parton whose firm Sandollar was producer on the unique.
Buffy creator Joss Whedon, who additionally wrote the 1992 film the collection was based mostly on, has no involvement within the reboot. He has not labored in Hollywood in any official capability since dealing with a slew of misconduct allegations in 2021.
If the Hulu pilot goes to collection, it might be the third within the franchise, following mothership Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired on the WB for 5 seasons from 1997-2001 earlier than dramatically shifting to UPN for 2 extra, and spinoff Angel, which ran on the WB for 5 seasons (1999-2004).
Nora Zuckerman, Lilla Zuckerman and Gail Berman
Getty/Alex J. Berliner/ABImages
Berman, Fran Kazui and Kaz Kazui beforehand teamed up with twentieth TV in 2018 for a possible Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot written by Midnight, Texas creator Monica Owusu-Breen, on which Whedon was an government producer. That mission, whose lead was envisioned as a Black girl, didn’t transfer ahead. Nonetheless, followers of the present have continued to foyer for a revival, their hopes fueled by a few excessive profile forged reunions.
Parton indicated a yr in the past {that a} Buffy return was nonetheless within the works, saying in an interview that “They’re nonetheless engaged on that. They’re eager about bringing it again and revamping it.”
Gellar, who had been against revisiting Buffy as lately as 2023, expressed openness to the thought in a December interview selling her newest collection, Dexter prequel collection Authentic Sin, on which she is a particular visitor star.
“It’s humorous, I at all times used to say no, as a result of it’s in its bubble and it’s so good,” she mentioned. “However watching Intercourse and the Metropolis and seeing Dexter, and realizing there are methods to do it, positively does get your thoughts pondering, ‘Nicely, possibly.’”
As as to if a possible Buffy revisit needs to be a prequel, she mentioned, “No, it might be something. It’s a universe. And it makes you notice that on this world, we want these heroes, I feel, extra so than ever.”
In response to sources, negotiations with Gellar for the Buffy reboot had began when she made the feedback. These negotiations at the moment are of their last levels.
Gellar earned a Golden Globe nomination for her position on the unique collection. Her credit additionally embody the Paramount + collection Wolf Pack, which she starred in and government produced, CBS’?The Loopy?Ones reverse Robin Williams and the CW’s Ringer. She is repped by CAA, Linden Leisure and Yorn Levine Barnes.
This marks the second high-profile collection revival Berman is government producing for twentieth Tv, together with Malcolm In The Center for Disney+. Each are carved out of her total deal at Sony Photos TV. Moreover, twentieth TV additionally a Scrubs reboot within the works at ABC.
Via The Jackal Group, Berman produces Wednesday, which ranks as Netflix’s hottest English-language collection of all time. The corporate’s collection credit additionally embody Fox’s Jon Hamm-led animated comedy Grimsburg and the Netflix restricted collection The Good Couple. Berman and The Jackal Group is repped by Sam Fischer at Ziffren.
The forged of ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’
On-line USA through Getty
The Zuckerman sisters lately showran the hit Peacock collection Poker Face for creator Rian Johnson. Their Poker Face episode “Escape From Shit Mountain” gained the Edgar Award for Finest Teleplay from the Thriller Writers of America, and the WGA for Finest Comedy Episode. The Zuckermans are repped by UTA and Lichter Grossman.
Zhao’s third function, Nomadland, gained 3 Oscars, together with Finest Image and Finest Director. She co-wrote and directed Marvel Studios’ 2021 film Eternals.?Most lately, she co-wrote and directed the upcoming film Hamnet starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. Zhao is repped by CAA, Lichter Grossman and Ilene Feldman Mgmt.
