New ‘Buffy’ TV Series Will Feature a Mix of Characters Old and New, Star Says

The Buffy revival on Hulu is underway, with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning as Buffy Summers. But don’t expect a straightforward continuation with the entire original “Scooby Gang”. The new series is expected to act more like a soft reboot, introducing a new group of characters with some connections to the past for longtime fans.

Gellar, who’s also executive producing, told Vanity Fair Italia that while she dreams of bringing back the original cast—including characters who died—there will be a need to carve out space for new stories and new characters.

“It will be lighter than the last few seasons of the original,” she she. “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.”

Buffy Revival Cast and Crew

So far, in addition to Gellar, only one other star has been confirmed: Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s 15-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who’s stepping into a role that carries the weight of the Buffy mantle. This signals a passing of the torch rather than a repeat of past dynamics.

While Gellar has confirmed she’ll appear in a recurring role, the rest of the original cast has not been confirmed, and the showrunners appear focused on building a contemporary Scooby Gang for a new generation.

Buffy fans cherish the original cast, but a reboot with new characters would give the show room to explore new ideas and stories in a modern setting. Original characters returning in guest or supporting roles could provide connective tissue without overshadowing the new leads, but it remains to be seen whether Gellar can get any of them onboard.

Related: ‘Buffy’ Revival: Sarah Michelle Gellar Slams Fake Leaks, but Could More Cast Members Return?

With Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) directing the pilot and sisters Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face) writing, the creative team is shaping a Buffyverse that honors the spirit of the 1997 series while adapting it for today’s audience.

Previously, Gellar also said that, like the original series, there will be a continued focus on LGBTQ+ characters. “The whole point of an antihero is to be a hero for the people who don’t fit in the box,” Gellar told Elite Daily earlier this year. “That’s who I want to tell stories for: the person that really looks to these stories to feel a connection.”

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