Certain TV shows end up being cult classics, with a dedicated fanbase that lasts years after it's off the air. Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer is definitely in that category, with generations of fans re-watching Buffy’s seven season run (myself included). Here’s the story behind how Buffy is (sort of) rebooting, and how lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar would feel about returning to her signature role.
There were rumors about a Buffy reboot years ago, but it never really came to fruition. But the franchise has found a surprising way to return, namely an Audible series titled Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, which features OG actors like Emma Caulfield returning to their roles. That multiversal new project is streaming now, featuring characters like Spike, Drusilla, Anya, Tara, Giles, and Clem. And that’s the closest thing to a full on reboot that we’re seemingly going to get for the beloved supernatural dramedy.
Unfortunately, Slayers: A BuffyVerse Story doesn’t include Sarah Michelle Gellar’s title character, who is abroad rather than being located in California. Gellar seems to largely have put slaying behind her, especially given Buffy’s grueling schedule during its seven seasons on the air. Gellar previously spoke to Variety about the idea of bringing the show back, and she reveals how a reboot could happen without her. As she put it,
That’s an interesting question. I think that the way we left the show was set up for that. There was a reason why the idea was that instead of ‘into one generation there is one Slayer’ why not share the power among women. That’s one of the biggest issues with women is, we so often don’t support the other women around us. And so I think it’s a perfect way to tell the story through a modern lens. I just don’t think it should be me because of those inevitable comparisons. But I think that if somebody has a way in through those other Slayers – like, we left that there for a reason. We could have just ended it but we didn’t. So I’m all for it, if someone has that story, I just don’t think I’m the person that’s – no, let me rephrase that. I know I’m not the person to tell that story.
Points were made. The Season 7 finale of Buffy saw Willow changing the world forever when she activated every single potential Slayer. While the title character spent years as the Chosen One (plus Faith and Kendra), now there are countless Slayers out there. And that’s where Sarah Michelle Gellar could see more Buffy stories coming from.
While it's unclear if we’ll ever get more episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, fans of the franchise will no doubt be thrilled that we’re getting a new chapter thanks to Audible’s Slayers: A Buffyverse Story. And going along the lines of Gellar’s comments, the adventure does indeed follow a brand new Slayer named Indira. Plus, snce the multiverse is also at work, we get to meet a version of Charisma Carpenter’s Cordelia Chase who is the Chosen One in another universe.
It remains to be seen if Buffy ever returns to the small screen, but Slayers will no doubt result in calls for more episodes. The show’s legacy is somewhat muddled given the various allegations made against Joss Whedon, including from members of the Buffy cast themselves. But the Audible series is a project that came from that cast, with Tara actress Amber Benson also directing and writing the project.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream with a Hulu subscription, and Slayers: A Buffyverse Story is available now on Audible. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
