Sarah Michelle Gellar will not be participating in the upcoming reboot of Joss Whedon's beloved Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Gellar starred as the titular character in the original series, which ran for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003, and even spawned a spin-off series, Angel. A reboot of the series was announced last summer, instantly dividing fans who felt that the show's legacy should remain untouched.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows a teenage girl named Buffy (Gellar) who discovers that she is the Chosen One in a long line of female warriors whose purpose is to battle supernatural beings. Over the course of the series, Buffy struggles to balance her life-or-death Slayer duties with normal, everyday life. Now, nearly 16 years since the series finale aired, Fox is looking to bring the Slayer back to the small screen. Whedon will return to executive produce the reboot with Monica Owusu-Breen serving as the showrunner; and though no plot details have been revealed yet, the current plan is to introduce an African-American Slayer. Unfortunately, though no official casting has begun, fans shouldn't hold out hope for Gellar returning to dust more vampires.
Related: James Marsters Open to Reprising Spike Role in Buffy Reboot
During a recent interview with The Wrap, Gellar stated that she would not be in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. Believing she has already told enough of Buffy's story, she explained that she would rather step back and let the series develop without her. Gellar also added that she knows nothing about the upcoming project, but gave it her blessing. She said:
“I don’t know anything about it, honestly. I think that it’s a great story and I’m glad that it will get retold and hope that people will watch it. But, you know, I’ve told my story with it.”
Though official details have yet to be revealed, Owusu-Breen explicitly stated that her take on the series won't be retelling Whedon's story, but adding to the Slayer mythology. It will take place roughly 20 years since the original series and will focus on a completely brand new Slayer. Owusu-Breen assured fans that Whedon's series will not be tampered with. Several other actors from the original series, like Alyson Hannigan, expressed confidence in the new series, while David Boreanaz, who starred as one of Buffy's many love interests, has given the show his stamp of approval.
While devoted fans of Gellar might have hoped she'd have some part to play in the new show, the series has the opportunity to move forward and develop its own identity without using its source material as a crutch. However, an appearance from Buffy would still be welcomed if Gellar were to become involved, even in a small capacity. With no real concrete direction on the series, fans should expect more news regarding the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot soon rather than later.
More: 15 Crazy Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fan Theories (That Were Actually Confirmed)
Source: The Wrap