If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Sarah Michelle Gellar says she's not "not trying to be better" than the original series in Hulu's new continuation

Gellar was initially skeptical of returning to Sunnydale as Buffy Summers, and even though she did find reason to pick up the stakes again, she's still not trying to outdo what's come before

You can't put a good vampire hunter down, but that doesn't mean they need to be constantly trying to outdo themselves. I mean, where does Van Helsing even go after helping to slay Dracula?

That's one of the mottos behind Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to the evilly-beleaguered town of Sunnydale, in Hulu's upcoming continuation of the original Buffy series - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale. In a recent interview, Gellar said that while she found good reason to embody Buffy Summers again, her purpose for returning was not to outshine her own past.

The interview in question was one with the folks at Deadline, to whom Gellar shared she had "learned a hard lesson in life" regarding her return to the character. You'll remember Popverse reporting that she was initially hesitant to come back for a series continuation as recently as December of 2024. 

"I will eat my words," said the I Know What You Did Last Summer star, "And I’m OK with that — I learned my lesson."

To be fair to Sarah, though, it could be hard to find a reason to add more onto what so many supernatural TV fans still consider the standard in teen terror.

"I never saw how and why it [a new show] could be as good [as the original series]," said Gellar, while also clarifying - "I’m not trying to be better. I just want to hold and honor the memory and what we created. I know sometimes that memory is conflicted for people about how they’re supposed to feel about it, but a lot of people put their blood, sweat, and tears into making what I think is an incredibly great show, and I’m incredibly proud of it."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale is expected to appear on Hulu sometime in 2026.


Sink your teeth into the Buffyverse with Popverse's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel watch order. Then, become a Watcher in your own right by learning the history of the Buffy franchise and pondering its future with Disney. It's enough to keep you up all night... provided you don't have slaying of your own to do.

Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

Comments

Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.

View Comments (0)

Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy