The announcement of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot in 2018 was followed by an unusually long period of silence. The show’s executive producer, Gail Berman, recently explained why in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s TV’s Top 5 podcast, and now we know. Monica Owusu-Breen (Midnight, Texas), a CW veteran, was set to serve as showrunner, while Joss Whedon, the original show’s creator, was set to serve as an executive producer through Berman’s Jackal Group with Berman, Fran Kazui, Kaz Kazui, and Joe Earley. Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was not involved in the relaunch in any way, was conspicuously absent from the series.
Instead, the new series would have updated the franchise with a black female protagonist. However, early warning signs about the Buffy relaunch were present. The series looked unsure of whether it was a reboot or revival, declaring, “The new version… will be contemporary, building on the mythology of the original,” which suggests that it would incorporate modern elements like diversity and concerns while maintaining the show’s classic format.
Owusu-Breen seemed to wish to set herself apart from the original and its cast of slayers, saying that she had no intention of trying to replicate the show’s success or attempting to replace the show’s original actors. This production’s utter quiet after its announcement just added fuel to the fire of speculation about what was going on behind the scenes. Even though it was intended to be shopped in the summer of 2018, nothing about the project, including casting decisions, was ever made public.
The fact that Whedon has been the target of many abuse claims in the interim since the announcement has likely not helped matters. The timing couldn’t be worse, since this year marks the 25th anniversary of Buffy. The first run of this groundbreaking adolescent drama lasted five seasons on The WB and then continued for another two on UPN. Even though the show had all the makings of a failure, thanks to the support of its dedicated fan base, it eventually became a cultural touchstone.
The protagonist, Buffy Summers (Gellar), is a young lady who is given supernatural abilities and is destined to be a slayer who battles the forces of evil in Sunnydale, including vampires, demons, and other things that go bump in the night. The show’s popularity warranted a spin-off centred on David Boreanaz’s Angel, a vampire who wanders Los Angeles rescuing the lives of those in need.
The first season of Buffy can be viewed in its entirety on Hulu.