Today, that someone was chosen. Ryan Kiera Armstrong will be picking up the stake for a new generation in the pilot of Hulu’s upcoming Buffy reboot. But while Gellar may be ceding some of her power to the Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and Firestarter actor, she still has the power to change her mind. In 2024, she softened her stance from the prior year, saying in an interview that “watching Sex And The City and seeing Dexter, and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.'” A few months later, that “maybe” turned into a definitive “yes.” While Armstrong will lead the upcoming show, Gellar will also return to Sunnydale to reprise her role on a recurring basis.
We still don’t know anything about the reboot’s actual plot, but Hulu is throwing a lot of resources at making this thing worth re-opening the emotionally complicated door on the original. Nomadland director and Oscar winner Chloé Zhao is set to direct from a script written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Fringe, Poker Face). The Zuckermans, Gellar, and Zhao are also on board to produce, along with original Buffy producers Gail Berman, Fran Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui, and Dolly Parton. (Yes, that one!)
Despite her prior hesitation, Gellar is all in on Armstrong. “From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side,” she told Deadline. “To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room.” You can watch a video of Gellar offering Armstrong the part here.
