After Hulu officially canceled a proposed Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival last spring, many fans breathed a sigh of relief and moved on. However, two of the original show’s stars recently reunited and took a moment to throw some shade at those responsible for what they saw as a missed opportunity.
Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz, who played Buffy Summers and her vampire love interest Angel, appeared together at the Emmy Awards Monday night. While celebrating the 30th anniversary of the beloved supernatural series, they were also there to present the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the opening credits of the Show – YouTube, MagerMunson
“It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered,” Boreanaz said.
“Yes. For those of you keeping track at home, I had just turned two,” Gellar joked.
The pair then turned their attention to Buffy and Angel’s famously complicated romance before delivering a punchline that clearly referenced Hulu’s decision to pull the plug on Buffy: New Sunnydale.
“You know, Sarah, I always thought that Buffy and Angel would end up together,” Boreanaz said.
“Well, I guess we won’t find out,” Gellar responded as the audience erupted in laughter.
“Thank you,” she added after realizing how many people in the crowd understood the reference.
Hulu Staked the Buffy Revival
As That Park Place previously reported, Hulu canceled Buffy: New Sunnydale in March after the proposed continuation had already filmed a pilot.
The project would have brought Gellar back as Buffy while introducing Ryan Kiera Armstrong as a new Slayer. Gellar was expected to have a recurring role rather than serving as the primary protagonist.
Filmmaker Chloé Zhao, best known in fan circles for directing Marvel’s first-ever box office bomb, Eternals, helmed the pilot, while Nora and Lilla Zuckerman served as writers, showrunners, and executive producers.
(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.
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Gellar personally announced the cancellation on social media.
“I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots,” she said. “And thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to all of you.”
Gellar later revealed that at least one executive working on the project apparently had little affection for the original series.
“We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him,” Gellar told People.
Her Emmys joke suggests the cancellation remains very much on her mind.
Remembering the Buffy Cast
However, the reunion was not entirely lighthearted.
Gellar and Boreanaz also used their appearance to acknowledge several Buffy cast members who have died over the past two years, including Michelle Trachtenberg, Nicholas Brendon, and Anthony Head.
Xander Harris in Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 7 – Disney+
“David and I would like to acknowledge that it’s been a tough two years for our beloved cast and crew,” Gellar said. “And we feel very lucky to have known and worked with such amazing people.”
A Reunion That Never Happened
The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003, while Boreanaz’s Angel spinoff continued for another year before concluding in 2004. Monday also marked the first time Gellar and Boreanaz had appeared together since the Buffy series finale.
Whether Buffy: New Sunnydale would have revealed if Buffy and Angel ultimately ended up together will never be known. However, an allegedly leaked script suggested a creative direction dramatically different from the original series.
Buffy reportedly did not appear until the end of the pilot. When she finally arrived, she was portrayed as disillusioned and working a mundane desk job, a far cry from the Slayer fans had followed for seven seasons.
Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer – YouTube, MissMojo
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Hulu’s cancellation means fans will not get the on-screen Buffy and Angel reunion Boreanaz joked about wanting.
Judging from the reaction inside the Emmys, plenty of people understood exactly what Gellar meant. The bigger question is whether anyone in the crowd understood why the revival was canceled in the first place.
Were you going to watch the Buffy reboot? Sound off and let us know!
