Attention Scoobies! There’s a new Slayer in town who will have you shaking in your stylish yet affordable boots. After over 20 years of living in a world without a chosen Slayer, Hulu had decided to right that wrong by bringing back Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the genre-bending, brilliant series with an empowered female hero who understood why it was stupid to go to battle in a skirt.

Originally airing from 1997 to 2003, Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for 144 episodes across seven seasons and two networks. More than just a cult favorite, the series helped shape modern genre television, paving the way for shows like Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, and Stranger Things. It redefined small-screen horror, pushed boundaries for LGBTQ+ representation, and showcased deceptively clever writing by using supernatural elements as metaphors for real-life struggles. It even made musical episodes a viable (and celebrated) storytelling format.

Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming Buffy revival, including casting details, potential plot points, and when you can expect to sink your teeth into the first episode.

Who is starring in the Buffy revival?

Sarah Michelle Gellar will return as Buffy Summers and serve as an executive producer on the revival. While her slaying days appear to be over, she is stepping into a new role similar to Rupert Giles, originally played by Anthony Head, serving as a Watcher and mentor to the next generation. Although specific details about her involvement are limited, reports suggest her role will be more of a supporting one.

Ryan Kiera Armstrong has been cast as the new Slayer. Unlike Buffy, this Chosen One is described as shy, bookish, and more reserved, offering a different kind of hero for a new era.

Original cast members including James Marsters (Spike), Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Seth Green (Daniel “Oz” Osbourne), and Head (Rupert Giles) have expressed interest in returning, but nothing has been officially confirmed.

“I love that character, and if there was more story to tell, I’d be there to tell it,” said Green of his possible return to ComicBook.com. “The upside of having Sarah [Michelle Gellar] involved so intimately with that revival is that she’s incredibly protective, not just with the quality of the work but the way people feel about it.”

What will the new Buffy series be about?

The original series followed teenage Buffy in Sunnydale, California—aka the Hellmouth—where she fought monsters with her loyal Scooby Gang. Together, they battled evil, saved the world more than once, and proved that heroism could come with heartbreak, friendship, and a killer sense of style and sarcasm.

Though details about the new series are still limited, it’s been noted that the tone will be more lighthearted, echoing the early seasons before it took a darker turn. The revival will also explore more modern issues relevant to today’s audience.

“It will be lighter than the last few seasons of the original,” Gellar said to Vanity Fair. “We will try to find a balance between new and old characters. My dream is to bring back everyone who has died, but space will have to be made for new stories as well.”

“One of the surprising aspects of Buffy is that it’s always been a crossover series,” continued Geller. “We’re trying to figure out how to modernize the themes of the series, especially what it means to feel like an outsider in a world dominated by social media. What we want to explore are the space-time boundaries that affect society today.”

The WB

How did Buffy end over 20 years ago?

When we last left Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy had activated the Slayer potential in every eligible girl around the world, creating an army of super-powered teens in need of leadership. Meanwhile, Sunnydale was swallowed by the Hellmouth.

Among the Scooby Gang, Anya (Emma Caulfield) died an undeserved, brutal death, and Spike sacrificed himself, only to return on the spin-off Angel shortly after.

What happened AFTER Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended?

Just because Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended does not mean the story did. The adventures continued in Season 8, the official comic book continuation overseen by Joss Whedon and published by Dark Horse Comics, with crossover elements from Angel.

In the comics, Buffy leads an army of activated Slayers from Scotland, working with Giles, Xander, Willow, Dawn, Faith, and Andrew. As their influence grows, the U.S. government labels them a threat and recruits familiar enemies, including Amy, a resurrected but skinless Warren, and a masked figure named Twilight, who is eventually revealed to be Angel. The gang returns to Sunnydale for a final battle, Giles is killed by a possessed Angel, and Buffy destroys magic on Earth to prevent further catastrophe.

The comic series continues for several more “seasons,” and a lot unfolds. Here are a few key takeaways:

• With magic gone, witches and magical beings lose their powers, leading to a dramatically altered world.
• Buffy and Faith resurrect Giles, but he returns as a pre-teen boy with all his memories intact.
• When magic is eventually restored, Buffy and her friends are tasked with helping to write its new rules.
• Xander and Dawn briefly date, which many fans found icky.
• Harmony outs vampires to the world, becoming a celebrity and landing her own reality show.

It’s unclear whether any of these events are considered canon to the televised series despite being label the “official continuation,” but they’re interesting to know all the same.

There are also video games, an audio series titled Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, dozens of tie-in novels, and additional comics, including Angel: After the Fall and a reboot comic from Boom! Studios which features the cast back in high school.

Who is behind the camera of Buffy revival?

Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are set to serve as showrunners and writers for the upcoming Buffy revival. Their previous work includes Poker Face and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., giving them solid experience in both female-led storytelling and action-driven television.

Chloé Zhao, the Oscar-winning director of Nomadland, will direct the pilot and also join the project as an executive producer.

Executive producers also include Gail Berman, Fran and Kaz Kuzui, and Dolly Parton.

Yes, you read that right. Original Buffy producer Dolly Parton — known for “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and generally making the world a better place — is once again bringing her down-home magic to the Buffyverse. As if we needed another reason to adore her.

Joss Whedon is not involved.

When will the Buffy revival premiere?

There is no official premiere date yet for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival, but Hulu ordered a pilot and the project is advancing quickly. Filming is expected to begin later in 2025, with the possibility of a finished pilot in late 2026.

Untitled Buffy the Vampire Slayer Revival Project, TBA, Hulu