More than two decades after Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended its seven-season run, Disney is moving forward with a new chapter in the franchise. Hulu is nearing a pilot order for the reboot, with Sarah Michelle Gellar expected to reprise her role as Buffy Summers. The Eternals director Chloé Zhao will direct the pilot, written by sisters Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (Poker Face).
The new series is being developed by 20th Television, now under the Disney umbrella, along with Searchlight TV. Notably absent from the project is Buffy’s original creator, Joss Whedon, who was once considered integral to the franchise’s identity. His absence raises serious questions about whether this reboot can capture the magic of the original or if it will fall into the same trap as Disney’s recent misfires—where female-led stories are reduced to one-dimensional “girlboss” caricatures rather than compelling, layered narratives.
Joss Whedon’s influence on Buffy the Vampire Slayer cannot be overstated. He created the character, wrote and directed many of the show’s best episodes, and even continued the story in comic book form after the series ended. However, in recent years, Whedon’s name has been overshadowed by numerous allegations of misconduct.
In 2020, Justice League actor Ray Fisher accused Whedon of abusive and unprofessional behavior on set, sparking further scrutiny.
In 2021, Buffy actress Charisma Carpenter detailed how Whedon allegedly bullied and mistreated her, calling her “fat” while she was pregnant and eventually writing her off the show after she had given birth. Other cast members, including Michelle Trachtenberg and Amber Benson, supported Carpenter’s claims, with Trachtenberg revealing there was even a rule on set to keep Whedon from being alone with her as a teenager.
Gal Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway Doyle in 20th Century Studios’ DEATH ON THE NILE. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Gal Gadot later came forward, alleging Whedon had threatened her career while directing Justice League reshoots.
Whedon’s ex-wife also once described him as a “hypocrite preaching feminist ideals” when detailing his numerous reported affairs.
Following these revelations, Whedon effectively disappeared from Hollywood. Now, Disney’s Buffy reboot is proceeding without him, but whether that will be a creative loss or a blessing remains to be seen.
Despite Gellar’s involvement, there’s legitimate concern over whether Disney’s Buffy reboot will retain what made the original special. Recent Disney-produced projects such as The Acolyte, The Marvels, and Echo have been criticized for prioritizing ideological messaging over strong character development and compelling storytelling. Instead of crafting nuanced female protagonists, many of these shows have leaned into bland, unrelatable “strong female character” tropes that lack depth, struggle, or growth.
Joss Whedon at Comic Con – Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The original Buffy was a standout because it balanced action, horror, humor, and character-driven drama. Buffy Summers was a powerful protagonist, but she was also deeply flawed—facing real challenges, making mistakes, and growing as a character. Without Whedon’s knack for snappy dialogue, layered storytelling, and well-crafted character arcs, there’s a risk that this reboot could fall into the same uninspired territory that has plagued many recent female-led Disney properties.
That’s not to say that Whedon should be involved. Rather, it poses the question, should this Buffy reboot even happen?
Adding to the concern is the choice of director, Chloé Zhao. While she won an Oscar for Nomadland, her biggest foray into franchise filmmaking was Eternals, one of Marvel’s first major bombs.
The film was widely panned for its uninspired storytelling, sluggish pacing, and a cast of one-dimensional characters, many of whom fit Disney’s predictable girlboss archetype—effortlessly powerful, emotionally hollow, and completely unrelatable. Given that Buffy was originally defined by its sharp writing, character-driven conflicts, and an engaging balance of humor and darkness, Zhao’s involvement raises red flags about whether this reboot will end up as another lifeless Disney product with little respect for what made the series special in the first place.
(L-R): Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), Gilgamesh (Don Lee), Thena (Angelina Jolie), Ikaris (Richard Madden), Ajak (Salma Hayek), Sersi (Gemma Chan), Sprite (Lia McHugh), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and Druig (Barry Keoghan) in Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
What We Know About the New Buffy:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Return: Gellar, who previously dismissed the idea of revisiting Buffy, recently changed her stance. Negotiations for her involvement are in the final stages, and she will also serve as an executive producer.
- Chloé Zhao Directing: The Oscar-winning director’s involvement adds prestige to the project, but her track record in genre storytelling is mixed
- A Writers’ Room is Already Forming: With the Zuckerman sisters writing the pilot, Hulu seems confident the show will move to series. Whether other original cast members will return remains unclear, but it is considered likely.
- Dolly Parton Producing: The legendary singer’s company, Sandollar, was a producer on the original Buffy and is involved in the reboot.
The biggest hurdle for this reboot is convincing longtime fans that it can capture the essence of Buffy without the person who made it what it was. Whedon’s personal controversies aside, his influence on the show’s success is just as significant. That’s caused many to say that given his pariah status on Hollywood, perhaps it would be better to simply not play with this IP at all.
Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer – YouTube, MsMojo
If Disney approaches this project with respect for the source material—prioritizing strong character development and compelling stories over shallow messaging—there’s potential for a successful continuation. But if it follows the pattern of Disney’s recent failures, this Buffy could be another soulless corporate product, trading nostalgia for another empty “empowered” protagonist.
Will Disney get this one right, or is Buffy about to get staked before it even begins? Sound off in the comment section and let us know.
