It’s been several days since the news broke that something new was potentially cooking in the Buffyverse. But now the original series lead, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has broken her silence and confirmed that she is indeed engineering a potential return for the pop culture icon.
On Monday we reported that Gellar was working alongside Academy Award-winning direct Chloé Zhao (The Eternals) and writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face) to mastermind some kind of sequel to the original series. In the hours and days that followed all eyes have been on Gellar’s social media awaiting an official statement. We even suggested that Gellar had been teasing the news before it’s announcement with a deep-cut reference to the character.
READ MORE: Is The World Ready for More Buffy? I know I am…
In a lengthy social post Gellar has confirmed that conversations began three years ago and were orchestrated by original Buffy the Vampire Slayer champion and producer Gail Berman. You can read Gellar’s full statement below:
So….. you might have heard some news this week, but I realize you haven’t heard from me.
Three years ago, I got a call from my dear friend and mentor, Gail Berman. She told me that she wanted me to sit down with Chloé Zhao to hear her take on a potential “Buffy” revival. I was blown away that Chloé even knew who I was, but, as I’ve always done, I told Gail that I just didn’t see a way for the show to exist again. We’d always been aligned on that, but this time I heard something different in her voice. I eventually agreed to go (mainly just to meet Chloé) and our twenty minute coffee quickly turned into a four hour adventure. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we both talked about how much this show means to us.
While I didn’t agree to anything at that meeting, I did shock myself by agreeing to continue the conversation. These conversations did, in fact, continue over the next few years and eventually we added the incredible Nora and Lilla Zuckerman to our little tribe until ultimately, one day, we landed on an idea.
I have always listened to the fans and heard your desire to revisit “Buffy” and her world, but it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right. This has been a long process, and it’s not over yet. I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there.
I feel so lucky to be on this journey with these four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love “Buffy” as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you.
Initially beginning in 1997 as a mid-season replacement, Buffy ran for five seasons on The WB before jumping ship for its final two-seasons to air on UPN. The series also spawned the hugely successful spin-off series Angel making its star David Boreanaz a household name in the process. The original series also starred Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, James Marsters, Anthony Stewart Head and Nicholas Brendan.
