Fans of the horror and fantasy genres were greeted by unexpected news last week at San Diego Comic Con: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one of the most beloved and iconic television series of modern times, was getting a reboot. It was reported that the new show would be produced by original series creator Joss Whedon, with Monica Owusu-Breen serving as showrunner. Fans were less enthused to hear that the series would ignore the continuity of the original show and Buffy and her allies would be played by a racially diverse cast. Die-hard Buffy fans felt that changing the character’s race was unnecessary as the original series was already ahead of its time in terms of diversity. Fans were still more vocal in their disapproval by how the series would ignore the character’s storied history and past triumphs and tragedies.
In a statement on Instagram earlier this week, Owusu-Breen put fan doubts to rest. Assuring the public that she was a long-time fan of the series, Owusu-Breen indicated that the new series would not be a reboot of the character, but a new story set in the Buffy universe. Owusu-Breen explained that there would only ever be one Buffy, but that the world has changed a great deal since the series went off the air in 2003. To address new issues in the world, Owusu-Breen’s series would feature a new Slayer ready to face the demons of the modern world.
News that the series will not be a reboot of the original has been greeted with happiness from fans of the show, as it means the possibility of characters from the original Buffy making an appearance. Speaking to fans, Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played Buffy for the entire series’ run, indicated that she would be happy to reprise the character so long as Whedon was involved in whatever new incarnation of the story. Gellar even joked that she hoped that future entries in the series would address which love interest Buffy ended up with, Angel or Spike. Other actors involved in the original series have said that they have no interest in reprising their characters. James Marsters, who played the vampire Spike, has indicated that he feels he’s too old to portray a character that is supposed to be immortal and doesn’t age. The new show is not currently attached to any television network, although the original series premiered on The WB, which is now known as The CW.
