Hulu slays 'Buffy' sequel series, leaving fans disappointed yet hopeful for a revival

Hulu the “Buffy” reboot slayer?

The Disney-owned streaming level has pulled the plug connected its much-anticipated “Buffy the Vampire” revival, a twelvemonth aft prima Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed the bid was officially successful the works. A “really sad” Gellar delivered quality of the pre-debut cancellation to fans successful a little Instagram video shared Saturday. She was acceptable to enforcement nutrient the series, tentatively titled “Buffy: New Sunnydale,” with Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao acceptable to direct.

“I ne'er thought I would find myself backmost successful Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots and acknowledgment to Chloé I was reminded [of] however overmuch I emotion her and however overmuch she means not lone to maine but to each of you,” Gellar said. “This doesn’t alteration immoderate of that.”

She added: “I committedness if the apocalypse really comes you tin inactive beep me.”

Gellar’s bittersweet announcement prompted Los Angeles nonmigratory Bren O’Brien to signifier a rally connected Monday extracurricular Hulu’s office successful Santa Monica. O’Brien, a lifelong “Buffy” fan, displayed respective posters urging the streamer to reconsider its determination on the sidewalk. One agleam reddish poster work “Bring Buffy Back!!” scrawled successful achromatic ink. Another, bearing Gellar’s likeness, asserted, “Canceling Buffy Isn’t smart, the satellite needs a hero!”

“I’m truly sad. This was a infinitesimal that I’ve been waiting decades for,” O’Brien said.

Hulu officially began accumulation connected the “Buffy” sequel bid aft years of cautious information by Gellar. Last year, the formed for the aviator was assembled portion Gellar vowed , “We volition lone marque this amusement if we tin bash it right.”

The “Buffy” prima did not stock further details astir the cancellation successful her play post, but Zhao said astatine the 2026 Academy Awards reddish carpet that she was “not surprised” by Hulu’s decision.

“I had an incredible, unthinkable clip with Sarah, with each the formed and unit doing this. We, archetypal and foremost, spot ourselves arsenic the guardians of the archetypal show,” the “Hamnet” filmmaker told Variety connected Sunday. “Our precedence for Sarah and for america has ever been to beryllium truthful to the show, to beryllium truthful to our fans. So, things hap for a reason, and we support our hearts unfastened and we invited the mystery.”

Actor Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who was acceptable to pb the amusement arsenic a supernatural slayer other Gellar, lamented the cancellation connected Instagram. “Your slayer,” she captioned a photograph of herself successful costume.

“Buffy” premiered successful 1997 and aired connected the WB until 2001 erstwhile it moved to UPN. Though the bid ended successful 2003 , it spawned the spinoff bid “Angel” which aired from 1999 to 2004 connected the WB. Other prospective “Buffy” revivals, however, reportedly struggled to marque it past development. Additionally, respective actors successful caller years person accused “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon of misconduct.

After Gellar broke the cancellation news, “Buffy” fans reacted online, with galore of them slamming Hulu for its “terrible decision.” A typical for Hulu did not instantly respond to a petition for remark connected Monday.

O’Brien, among the disappointed fans, said helium began posting astir the cancellation online, creating posters and promoting his rally. He said helium was amazed by Hulu’s determination due to the fact that “Buffy” is “such a invaluable IP to have,” considering its generations of fans.

“It’s conscionable a no-brainer,” helium added.

Erin McClory, a chap “Buffy” fan, joined O’Brien extracurricular of Hulu’s office and held a poster depicting a woody involvement done a breached heart. She said she hopes rallying astir the slain “Buffy” bid tin assistance transportation Hulu to reconsider its determination oregon punctual different web to prime up the show.

“It seems brainsick for them to not adjacent springiness it a chance,” she said.

Though some O’Brien and McClory accidental they’re anxious for caller “Buffy” worldly down the line, their enactment for the amusement remains steadfast.

“We’ll conscionable support doing what we’ve been doing and support sharing Buffy edits [on societal media],” O’Brien said, past sighed. “I privation caller content.”