As fans look forward to the new Scrubs revival on the 2026 TV schedule, they will also be able to get excited about another revival of a beloved show from that era of TV. Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be getting the reboot/revival as well, with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to welcome a new generation. Now, the show’s director, Chloé Zhao, is hyping up her return as well as some other OG characters.
Buffy is one of the best vampire shows of all time, so it was no surprise when it was announced in February that a new series was officially moving forward at Hulu. Gellar will return as the titular Slayer in a recurring capacity, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong taking up the mantle as a new Slayer. It’s unknown who else will return, but Zhao told Variety that fans should remember that this is not a reboot, but instead a continuation of sorts, and there are certainly plans to bring on other fan-favorites:
It is not a reboot. It’s a sequel. You can never replace these characters. I would never allow that. And Sarah’s back. I love my cast, the new cast. We will bring back OG characters for sure. And it is a show that bridges two generations — it’s not just about the kids. I think the fandom is so important to us. We want the fandom to see themselves mirrored in the original fandom. And of course, we want new fans to join, and it’s very much about both generations.
A few Buffy stars have expressed interest in returning, and while other original cast members have not been announced, Zhao is making sure to hype up the possibility. It’s only a matter of time before more OGs are announced, but at the very least, Buffy will not be the only one returning to Sunnydale.
Among those who want to return is Charisma Carpenter, who starred in the first three seasons as Cordelia Chase before moving on to the spinoff Angel. Although Cordelia ultimately dies, characters on Buffy have been known to come back from the dead, including Buffy Summers herself. Carpenter explained earlier this year that she hopes to be involved in some fashion, and although fans are still sharing their unpopular Cordy takes, I know I’d love to see her return.
That being said, just because Gellar and other OGs are returning, fans don’t necessarily have to watch the original series in order to watch the new one. Gellar previously shared that the new show will “cater to the people,” but there will also be Easter eggs as the revival ushers in a whole new generation.
Revivals and reboots can either be hits or misses, so it’s hard to tell at this point how the Buffy series will go. It does sound like they’re taking great care in making sure that it caters to a new audience while also keeping original fans interested. As a fan of the original show, I’m intrigued to see what will happen next, and I’m keeping an open mind about it.
All this talk about it is making me want to rewatch the original one, though, which is streaming in full with a Hulu subscription, along with the 1992 film and Angel. More details should be released soon about the new series, but the wait will definitely be worth it.