The next chapter of the Buffyverse is officially taking shape at Hulu, with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to executive produce and reprise her iconic role as Buffy Summers. While Gellar won’t be the central focus this time, she’s set to appear in a recurring capacity—likely serving as a mentor figure to the new Chosen One, Nova, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Black Bird, American Horror Story).
This rebooted series centers on Nova, an introverted, bookish high schooler from a single-parent home who finds herself stepping into her destiny as the Slayer. The new installment promises a slightly lighter tone than the latter seasons of the original, blending the show’s trademark wit and supernatural stakes with a fresh perspective for a new generation.
Joining Armstrong and Gellar are series regulars Faly Rakotohavana (Unprisoned, Secret Society of Second Born Royals), Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Jack Cutmore-Scott, alongside guest star/recurring Kingston Vernes. Rakotohavana will play Hugo, a privileged yet likable high school geek.
Merrin Dungey (The Lincoln Lawyer, S.W.A.T.) will appear in the pilot as Ms. LaDuca, the college counselor at New Sunnydale Academy. Her role is conceived as recurring should the project move forward to series.
The cast also includes Audrey Hsieh (Found), Audrey Grace Marshall (The Flight Attendant), and Chase Sui Wonders in guest roles for the pilot, directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Eternals). Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Fringe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) penned the script, with 20th Television and Searchlight TV producing.
This new Buffy aims to honor the legacy of the original while ushering in a new era of supernatural storytelling—one that blends nostalgia for longtime viewers with a bold, contemporary take for first-time fans.