The Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival suffered a stake through the heart this weekend, with the news that Hulu was not moving forward with the show. Sarah Michelle Gellar revealed on Instagram that Buffy: New Sunnydale had been scrapped, which came as a shock to fans who had been eagerly anticipating the series. Now, the director of the continuation’s pilot, Chloé Zhao, has spoken about that decision.
While the news was unexpected, given how popular reboots and revivals have proved to be, Zhao herself wasn’t shocked. On the Oscars 2026 red carpet [via Variety], where she was attending for her movie, Hamnet (with Jessie Buckley going on to win Best Actress later in the night), the director revealed that she was “not surprised” by the Buffy revival’s cancellation, adding:
“I had an incredible, incredible time with Sarah [Michelle Gellar], with all the cast and crew doing this. And we, first and foremost, see ourselves as the guardians of the original show. Our 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. And what this might lead us to.”
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