Why The Buffy Reboot Made The Show's Creator More Nervous Than Working With Steven Spielberg
A "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" sequel is in the works at Hulu with Sarah Michelle Gellar set to reprise her iconic character. Director and co-executive producer Chloe Zhao has opened up about the experience, revealing that taking on the beloved series was more intimidating than helming her Steven Spielberg-produced Shakespearean drama "Hamnet."
"I am always nervous when the fandom is massive, and very loyal, and passionate. And I am also a part of it. It's so much scarier than 'Hamnet,' Zhao told Deadline. Having had her time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe directing 2021's "Eternals," Zhao understands the need to appease diehard fans. She cited her passion for Japanese manga as an example of how attached people can become to their favorite properties.
In spite of her personal concerns, it's safe to say that Zhao is more than suited for the task. In fact, the Oscar-winning "Nomadland" director is the reason why Gellar agreed to resurrect "Buffy" in the first place.
Chloe Zhao sold Sarah Michelle Gellar on a Buffy reboot
Sarah Michelle Gellar resisted the urge to return to Sunnydale for years. The actor received plenty of offers to dust off her stakes, but it wasn't until Gellar heard Chloe Zhao's pitch that she realized that the world needs the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" reboot more than ever.
"Chloe had this idea in a world and the passion with which she spoke both about her idea and the show made me realize that now more than ever we need those heroes to believe in," Gellar told Variety. "It's tough times for everybody right now, and I think people feel more isolated and more alone and we live in an incredibly digital society."
In a separate interview with Vanity Fair, Gellar expressed being impressed by Zhao's unique perspective, saying, "[She has] an international eye which broadens the scope of what we can achieve." While the "Buffy" revival will focus on a new Slayer, Gellar assured fans that the new sequel is about returning to a world everyone already knows, as opposed to trying to reimagine it.