7 Reasons the ‘Buffy’ Reboot Was Staked by Hulu

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot was dusted before it even had a chance to shine, leaving the cast, crew, and fans devastated by the news.

Sarah Michelle Gellar was set to reprise her iconic role as Buffy Summers in a new version of the show for Hulu and Searchlight Television with Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao at the helm. Titled Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, the series was to star Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Nova, the new Slayer in training, as Gellar took on the role of her Watcher.

Gellar shared the news that the project was not moving forward, placing the blame on Hulu for the decision. “Unfortunately, Hulu had decided not to move forward with Buffy: New Sunnydale,” she told fans in an Instagram video.

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Since the decision, several facts have surfaced that might explain why Buffy’s resurrection could have been cursed. Here is a look at what was revealed.

1. An exec of the show seemed to dislike the show

In an interview with People, Gellar claimed that one Hulu exec disliked the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer. “We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him,” she said. “That’s very hard when you’re taking a property that is as beloved as Buffy, not just to the world, but to me and Chloé. So that tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn’t watch it.”

Variety confirmed that the executive Gellar ripped into was Craig Erwich, the head of Hulu Originals.

2. Buffy might not have been “mainstream enough”

According to Variety, some sources thought the script was not “mainstream enough” for modern audiences, raising concerns about the tone and creative approach of the new reboot. According to the article, sources thought Zhao’s take on the reboot leaned more niche, which raised concerns for a broad streaming audience.

The creative direction was seen as more artistic and unconventional rather than a wide-appeal franchise show, and executives were worried it wouldn’t attract a large enough audience for a big streaming series.

3. The Buffy brand was a bit of a gamble

While the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer was hugely influential, it was also a cult hit rather than a mass blockbuster. It aired first on the WB and then UPN, both niche networks at the time, and its reputation grew through devoted fandom, critics, and eventually, academia, but it never had massive ratings.

According to The Atlantic, much of its storytelling relied on dense mythology and serialized arcs, which execs sometimes view as harder for casual audiences, despite it being transformative and influential on television as a whole.

4. The new Slayer seemed “too young”

Slayer Nova is played by Armstrong, who, at the time of filming, was only 15 (she turned 16 on March 10) and, according to the article, appeared very young on camera. This is compared to Gellar, who was 19 at the time she wore Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots. This contributed to the idea that the entire endeavor might play too young and possibly to the wrong demographic.

5. Issues with the directing of the pilot

In the Variety article, it was implied that Zhao’s skills as a director might not have translated well to television, as the pilot appeared to require a great deal of exposition. The publication reported that sources felt the Buffy pilot had lacked sufficient coverage and needed reshoots.

6. Gellar had very little screen time in the pilot

The Variety article also dissects the script, explaining how Nova comes into her powers at a Renaissance Faire-esque celebration of vampires, a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Sunnydale’s strange history. At the end, the script introduces Buffy, revealing what she is doing today: working at a desk for an insurance company under the name “Anne Summers.” The scene featuring Buffy lasts only a few moments and likely was not what fans expected.

7. Hulu had no idea what they wanted

A Variety source close to the show said the pilot process wasn’t any different than any other relaunch, but was made “all the more difficult” by Hulu, which ultimately had “no idea what they really wanted.”

So, is Buffy dusted? There is some hope that a new creative team can revive the revival sometime in the future. However, as the article points out, even if other distributors are interested, the IP is owned by 20th, and as of right now, Hulu isn’t releasing its grip.

Until we hear more…”Buffy Summers RIP – Beloved Sister, Devoted Friend, She Saved the World…A Lot.”