They tend to say that no news is good news, but in Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s case, the radio silence was a sign of something bad.
Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed on Saturday via Instagram that Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, a sequel series that snagged a pilot order a little over a year ago, is dead in the water.
From the beginning, Gellar maintained that she would only make the show if she believed there was a story worth telling.
What’s surprising about her Instagram announcement is that she said that Hulu would not move forward with the project.
It sounds like Gellar and the creatives were very much on board with their vision for the next chapter of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
If Hulu executives made the final call, the only explanation I can think of is that they didn’t believe the pilot was strong enough to become a full-fledged series.
Even worse, there’s always the risk that a revival could tarnish Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s legacy.
The show is still talked about today, despite premiering almost 30 years ago, because it tackled themes that remain relevant.
As a massive fan, the initial announcement of a comeback left me feeling conflicted. It was either going to be great or terrible, and that’s what scared me the most.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale Could Have Been a Mess
What if the show was so bad that it damaged the original series’ legacy? That’s the tricky thing about reviving beloved shows.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sarah Michelle Gellar wouldn’t entertain a comeback if she thought that might happen.
Obviously, there’s so much we don’t know about what happened behind the scenes, but the lack of updates, especially after filming a pilot last year, was concerning.
It also makes me wonder what Disney plans to do with the franchise because there was clearly demand from the fanbase for more.
Honestly, the best way to revisit this world might have been with a big-screen movie that found Buffy forced to return to a life she thought she had left behind.
It would have been an easy way to test the waters and see whether more stories in this universe were worth telling.
Plus, it would have been a less demanding commitment for much of the original cast. If they were going to bring this universe back, it would have made sense to go big.
The TV industry has changed dramatically since Buffy the Vampire Slayer was on the air, and as much as I’d love more shows like it, I firmly believe it would have had to change too much from what it once was.
The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer was lightning in a bottle, and replicating that success isn’t a task for the faint of heart.
I’m curious to see what becomes of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer IP next because I don’t believe this is the end.
Hulu must have had a reason for shelving Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, and I’m sure those reasons will come to light eventually.
What are your thoughts on the decision, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Fanatics? Do you think it’s the best move right now?
What do you think should become of the IP?
Agree? Disagree? Have a theory? Let us know in the comments, or share this article with someone who will want to argue about it with you. That’s what makes it fun.
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