<\/p>\n
Hulu the \u201cBuffy\u201d reboot slayer?<\/p>\n
The Disney-owned streaming platform has pulled the plug on its much-anticipated \u201cBuffy the Vampire\u201d revival, a year after star Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed the series was officially in the works<\/a>. A \u201creally sad\u201d Gellar delivered news of the pre-debut cancellation to fans in a brief Instagram video<\/a> shared Saturday. She was set to executive produce the series, tentatively titled \u201cBuffy: New Sunnydale,\u201d with Oscar-winning filmmaker Chlo\u00e9 Zhao set to direct. <\/p>\n \u201cI never thought I would find myself back in Buffy\u2019s stylish yet affordable boots and thanks to Chlo\u00e9 I was reminded [of] how much I love her and how much she means not only to me but to all of you,\u201d Gellar said. \u201cThis doesn\u2019t change any of that.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cI promise if the apocalypse actually comes you can still beep me.\u201d<\/p>\n Gellar\u2019s bittersweet announcement prompted Los Angeles resident Bren O\u2019Brien to organize a rally on Monday outside Hulu\u2019s headquarters in Santa Monica. O\u2019Brien, a lifelong \u201cBuffy\u201d fan, displayed several posters urging the streamer to reconsider its decision along the sidewalk. One bright red poster read \u201cBring Buffy Back!!\u201d scrawled in black ink. Another, bearing Gellar\u2019s likeness, asserted, \u201cCanceling Buffy Isn\u2019t smart, the world needs a hero!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really sad. This was a moment that I\u2019ve been waiting decades for,\u201d O\u2019Brien said. <\/p>\n Hulu officially began production on the \u201cBuffy\u201d sequel series after years of careful consideration by Gellar. Last year, the cast for the pilot was assembled while Gellar vowed , \u201cWe will only make this show if we can do it right.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cBuffy\u201d star did not share additional details about the cancellation in her weekend post, but Zhao said at the 2026 Academy Awards red carpet that she was \u201cnot surprised\u201d by Hulu\u2019s decision. <\/p>\n \u201cI had an incredible, incredible time with Sarah, with all the cast and crew doing this. We, first and foremost, see ourselves as the guardians of the original show,\u201d the \u201cHamnet\u201d filmmaker told Variety<\/a> on Sunday. \u201cOur priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans. So, things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open and we welcome the mystery.\u201d<\/p>\n Actor Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who was set to lead the show as a supernatural slayer opposite Gellar, lamented the cancellation on Instagram. \u201cYour slayer,\u201d she captioned a photo of herself in costume.<\/p>\n \u201cBuffy\u201d premiered in 1997 and aired on the WB until 2001 when it moved to UPN. Though the series ended in 2003 , it spawned the spinoff series \u201cAngel<\/a>\u201d which aired from 1999 to 2004 on the WB. Other prospective \u201cBuffy\u201d revivals, however, reportedly struggled to make it past development. Additionally, several actors in recent years have accused \u201cBuffy\u201d creator Joss Whedon of misconduct.<\/p>\n After Gellar broke the cancellation news, \u201cBuffy\u201d fans reacted online, with many of them slamming<\/a> Hulu for its \u201cterrible decision.\u201d A representative for Hulu did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. <\/p>\n O\u2019Brien, among the disappointed fans, said he began posting<\/a> about the cancellation online, creating posters and promoting<\/a> his rally. He said he was surprised by Hulu\u2019s decision because \u201cBuffy\u201d is \u201csuch a valuable IP to have,\u201d considering its generations of fans. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a no-brainer,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n Erin McClory, a fellow \u201cBuffy\u201d fan, joined O\u2019Brien outside of Hulu\u2019s headquarters and held a poster depicting a wooden stake through a broken heart. She said she hopes rallying around the slain \u201cBuffy\u201d series can help persuade Hulu to reconsider its decision or prompt another network to pick up the show. <\/p>\n \u201cIt seems crazy for them to not even give it a chance,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Though both O\u2019Brien and McClory say they\u2019re eager for new \u201cBuffy\u201d material down the line, their support for the show remains steadfast. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll just keep doing what we\u2019ve been doing and keep sharing Buffy edits [on social media],\u201d O\u2019Brien said, then sighed. \u201cI want new content.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n