Sarah Michelle Gellar wrapped filming on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer pilot with a heartfelt gift from director Chloé Zhao. The replica award nods to a memorable moment from the original series. Production has concluded, but the series awaits a formal order from Hulu.
The pilot for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, a direct sequel set 25 years after the original series' Season 7 finale, finished production this summer. Although no series order has been announced, the project has generated excitement among fans, with Hulu positioned as the potential distributor.
Director Chloé Zhao, an avid fan of the original show, led the pilot's production. During filming, Zhao discovered that Gellar no longer had the "Class Protector Award" from Buffy's Season 3 graduation episode—a golden umbrella symbolizing her heroic deeds. To honor this, the team recreated the award and presented it to Gellar upon wrapping.
Zhao personally recited the full speech originally delivered by Jonathan Levinson, played by Danny Strong. "I did the whole thing," Zhao shared. "It was amazing. Some of the crew members were like, 'What's happening?' But the ones that know the speech ... I had such a good time doing that."
Gellar is the sole confirmed returning cast member from the original series. She will mentor Nova, a new slayer portrayed by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, described as more reserved and introverted than Buffy. Additional newcomers include Kingston Vernes, Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Sarah Bock from Severance Season 2.
A potential release has shifted to 2027 if greenlit, with a writers room possibly starting in March. Gellar noted the series includes nods for longtime viewers but remains accessible to newcomers without prior knowledge.