Such an unusual bit of news.
A “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot is close to having a pilot greenlit over at Hulu, with Sarah Michelle Gellar set to reprise the iconic titular role.
Not just that, none other than Chloe Zhao is set to direct the pilot, and who knows, maybe the entire series. Zhao, a self-professed lifelong ‘Buffy’ fan, will be directing a script written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (“Poker Face”).
Beyond the pilot, a writers room has been ordered, a sign that Hulu very much wants this to happen. No word yet on whether other original Buffy cast members will return, but obviously, why wouldn’t they?
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was a supernatural drama that originally aired in the late ‘90s. It followed Gellar’s titular heroine, a high school student who discovers she is the latest in a long line of "Slayers"—a chosen individual with the mission of battling vampires, and other evil forces.
‘Buffy’ creator Joss Whedon is said to have zero involvement in the reboot. He hasn’t worked in Hollywood since 2021 — that’s when a slew of misconduct allegations hit his way, subsequently derailing his career. Rather, the reboot seems to have female creatives at its forefront.
As for Zhao, she’s coming off the failure of Marvel’s “Eternals,” this came right after she had won 3 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, for “Nomadland.” Most recently, she co-wrote and directed the upcoming “Hamnet” starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.