• A Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot was announced on 3 February
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar is said to reprise her role as Buffy Summers
  • The show’s original creator Joss Whedon is not involved
Sarah Michelle Gellar may return as Buffy, without Whedon.
Sarah Michelle Gellar Credit: Imago

Low and behold, the yummy sushi pyjamas pic on Instagram meant something. Yes, Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning as the iconic Buffy Summers for a Buffy reboot on Hulu.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer was a nineties cult classic that followed the story of the latest vampire slayer, teenager Buffy Summers (SMG) in her fight against vampires and demons.

The Buffy TV show came from the 1992 movie of the same name which didn’t do well at the box office. The screenwriter for the movie Joss Whedon reworked the screenplay into a TV show. Buffy aired on The WB network from 1997 until 2003 and became a phenomenon.

Now, with a reboot announced, some fans aren’t happy that Whedon isn’t returning.

Whedon won’t return

Whedon was a big part of the Buffyverse. He wrote the 1992 screenplay, ran the TV show and contributed to the comics after Buffy’s conclusion. Additionally, he created Angel, a spin-off to the show about Buffy’s love interest, the vampire Angel (David Boreanaz).

Announced to direct the Buffy reboot is Chloé Zhao and writing and running the show are Nora and Lila Zuckerman. Zhao and the Zuckermans were not involved in the original show.

Sarah Michelle Gellar joining the Buffy reboot, no Whedon.
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy and David Boreanaz as Angel. Credit: IMAGO/ Capital Pictures

Many fans had adverse reactions to the Buffy reboot news generally. We can’t blame them because the show is a classic. Some said that Gellar, was “too old” to reprise her role. The same was said for Boreanaz and James Marsters, who played Buffy’s other major love interest, Spike. Many of the cast are now into their late forties and fifties, so how the reboot would work is still a mystery.

However, nothing has been confirmed by Hulu yet, and details about the reboot are sparse. But with the news out, how did fans react to the show’s creator not returning, and why is he not coming back? Read on to find out.

Why isn’t Joss Whedon returning?

Joss Whedon won't return for the Buffy reboot
Joss Whedon, the showrunner of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Credit: IMAGO/ Depostiphotos

It isn’t because of creative differences if that’s what you’re thinking. Whedon had many successful projects outside of Buffy, Cabin in The Woods, The Avengers and Justice League. However, due to accusations of workplace harassment and mistreatment that arose in 2020, he has been dropped from projects.

The allegations first arose in July 2020 when Justice League star Ray Fisher accused Whedon of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behaviour towards the cast and crew. The allegations were damning because other actors including Jason Momoa supported Fisher’s claims. WarnerMedia investigated Whedon, and he exited his HBO TV show The Nevers as a result.

In regards to Buffy The Vampire Slayer stars, the outlook also wasn’t good. Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on Buffy and Angel spoke out against Whedon in February 2021. Carpenter alleged that Whedon had “abused his power on numerous occasions”. She claimed he threatened to fire her and called her “fat” when she was pregnant with her first child on Angel.

Charisma Carpenter will not return in the Buffy reboot because of Whedon.
Charisma Carpenter in 2023. Credit: IMAGO/ Future Image

She posted a statement on X expressing her support for Fisher and detailing her allegations.

The biggest nail in the coffin is that Carpenter’s co-stars corroborated her allegations against Whedon.

How did the other Buffy cast members respond?

Amber Benson, who played Tara Maclay on Buffy supported Carpenter on X, she wrote: “Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top. [Carpenter] is speaking truth”. Continuing the support, Michelle Trachtenberg who played Buffy’s younger sister Dawn also spoke out.

Trachtenberg said that Whedon was not allowed to be alone with her in a room. She also alleged his behavior was “Very. Not. Appropriate” on social media.

The most damning by far though, was the fact that Gellar herself stood by her Buffy co-stars. Gellar released a statement on Instagram.

She didn’t say much but that she “[stands] with all survivors of abuse”. The actress also said she didn’t want to be “forever associated with the name Joss Whedon”. Yikes.

Many other Buffy and Angel actors came out to support Carpenter although not all confirmed the allegations. Boreanaz, Marsters, Anthony Stewart Head, Eliza Dushku, J. August Richards, Amy Acker, Nicholas Brendon and Emma Caufield and more supported Carpenter. Many more also spoke in support of the ladies.

So it’s safe to say he won’t be returning to the Buffy reboot, or any other projects anytime soon.

How did fans react to Whedon’s absence from the Buffy reboot?

Surprisingly despite all the allegations, some people want Whedon back for the Buffy reboot. Many people said on X that although he’s seen as a controversial person, his creative direction was what made Buffy into the show that it was.

One user on X wrote: “This will just expose that the show is nothing without Whedon, good luck.” What about the wonderful cast?

Another jokingly asked: “Where’s Joss Whedon?”

Meanwhile, another asked the same question in a more serious tone, asking if he is “allowed” to rejoin the Buffyverse.

Others were also curious if Whedon would come back. One user on X wrote: “I have 2 very important questions: Will Joss Whedon have any involvement? Is Dolly Parton returning as a producer?” No, and yes.

Another user expressed their dislike of Whedon as well as his importance to Buffy. “Woke train wreck incoming. I’m not a Whedon fan and I think his dialogue which did worked for this series has made its way into everything ruining the industry. But without him this doesn’t work,” they wrote.

Another user echoed the same sentiment about Whedon: “The problem is that Joss Whedon is the genius behind Buffy and without him (now that it’s cancelled) this could go wrong. He was a rubbish person but he understood the show.”

Happy over no Whedon

On the other hand, other users rejoiced at Whedon’s lack of involvement with the Buffy reboot.

One user celebrated Whedon’s absence. They said: “JOSS WHEDON HAS NO INVOLVEMENT THANK GOD.”

Some fans celebrated the change in direction to new showrunners and a female director. One user wrote: “A buffy revival WITHOUT Joss Whedon AND a female director, is this what dreams are made of?”

Depending on who you ask…

Another fan laughed in reaction to the news and added “And no Joss Whedon”.

Well, if that’s what you want. The Buffy reboot news certainly seems to be promising for many fans, especially with Gellar supposedly attached. However, no details have been released yet about the plot, nor if the reboot is confirmed, but stay tuned for updates.

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Sophie Humphrey
Sophie Humphrey is a freelance writer and journalist. Sophie has seven years experience in journalism and has a keen interest in pop culture and entertainment. Sophie has worked for the likes of Time Out London, The Upcoming and Screen rant.
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