Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot adds The Studio star, as a first look at Sarah Michelle Gellar's return leaks

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
(Image credit: Paramount)

The cast of Hulu's upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot keeps growing, as The Studio star Chase Sui Wonders has now joined the production. The actor is reuniting with her I Know What You Did Last Summer co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar, who is returning as Buffy Summers over 20 years after the end of the popular show.

Per Deadline, Wonders is playing a character named Shirley, who is "believed to be a vampire", so we are not sure if she will be a friend or a foe. Her appearance is set to be "one-off guest-starring role" in the pilot episode, which is being directed by Chloé Zhao (Eternals) and will star a new Slayer, Nova, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

While most details are still under wraps, fans got a first look at Gellar's return as Buffy thanks to some leaked photos from set. In the images, which you can see in the tweet below, Buffy is looking very chic with a red dress, golden jewellery, and straight, long blonde hair.

There has been some conversation online about this look, as some fans think it doesn't feel very Buffy-esque, but it's hard to pass judgment when we're lacking the context of the scene and the story. Also, as this X user points out, time has passed, and this Buffy is not the teenage girl we all fell in love with in the late 90s. And that's okay.

Along with Gellar and Armstrong as the Slayers and Wonders as the latest addition, the cast of the show includes Faly Rakotohavana (Unprisoned) as a geek named Hugo, Ava Jean (Law & Order: SVU) as "chronic do-gooder" Larkin, Sarah Bock (Severance) as ultra-religious teen Gracie, Daniel Di Tomasso (CSI: Vegas) as Nova's single father Abe, and Jack Cutmore-Scott (Frasier) as popular teacher Mr. Burke.

When Armstrong's casting was announced earlier this year, Sarah Michelle Gellar showed her support with a statement, saying: "From the moment I saw Ryan's audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. To have that kind of emotional intelligence and talent at such a young age is truly a gift."

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot doesn't have a release date yet. For now, check out our picks of the best shows on Hulu streaming now.

Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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