Buffy the Vampire Slayer is getting a "contemporary" reboot…. yay?

An image from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Oh look, another beloved TV series is getting the reboot treatment! Whether the thought excites or destroys you, the fact is: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is set to return to our screens. That’s right, the girl who died approximately 17 times will be revived once more, albeit with a bit of a shake-up behind the scenes.

Buffy is being recast with a black actress in the main role once played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. No word yet on who else might be tackling the parts of the other Scoobies, but THR’s report says the show “will be richly diverse, with some aspects of the series, like the flagship, seen as metaphors for issues facing society today.” 

Midnight, Texas showrunner and creator Monica Breen will be writing the show, and Buffy creator Joss Whedon is poised to take on an executive producer credit. He’s also working on the as-yet unfinalised pilot script with Breen. 

The show is being dubbed a “contemporary” take that will “build on the mythology of the original.” Seeing as the last ever Buffy episode aired 15 years ago this past May, the idea of a reboot feels... a smidgen premature. Look, I love Buffy, and the idea of experiencing more adventures in that world is an exciting prospect. But, this all reeks of wasted opportunity.

The premise of the series, repeated during every episode’s intro, kinda lays that out: “In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the slayer.” 

So, instead of recasting Buffy, why not follow a NEW slayer? Across the original seven seasons we met several other slayers, who could *easily* lead their own show. Heck, there was talk way back in the day of a Faith spin-off, which I personally was very excited for. Who knows, maybe that’s what they mean by building on the mythology of the original? 

At the moment, there’s no script finalised, no lead actress cast, or a director in place to shoot the first episode, but we’ll keep you posted with any new details. What do you think of the Buffy reboot? Let us know in the comments below. 

Wondering what all the fuss is about? Here's how Buffy the Vampire Slayer defined a generation of TV and movies.

Gem Seddon

Gem Seddon is GamesRadar+'s west coast Entertainment News Reporter, working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.