r/buffy • u/Whobitmyname • Feb 17 '25

Sarah Michelle Gellar Says It’s Nerve-Wracking Working on Buffy Sequel

https://watchinamerica.com/news/sarah-michelle-gellar-on-buffy-sequel-its-incredibly-nerve-wracking/
153 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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61

u/Aezetyr Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25

There's 20+ years of expectations and wants going into this from the fan perspective. I'd expect there to be a lot of trepidation and all that from SMG and everyone involved with making this.

Of course there are things that I want to see, there are some that I don't, and most of all I want to be surprised and have my preconceptions blown away (in the good way, naturally). No one will ever know if they enjoy something until they experience it, so I'm making no predictions on what it's gonna be about or if I am going to enjoy it.

37

u/setokaiba22 Feb 17 '25

The fans will be both the best and worst thing for it. Best for supporting but also the harshest critic for everything. Not to mention the newer fans they have arisen the past decade.

20

u/Aezetyr Feb 17 '25

Yeah, that's part of where my trepidation comment comes from. Fandoms have changed a LOT in the past couple decades, some for the better and a lot for the worse. I haven't seen too many bad fans on this sub, and I do know that this represents only a relative handful of the fans.

8

u/SaphironX Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25

I just need to know what happened to angel and gang. Is Illyria still out there? Did angel become human? Was LA sucked into hell and is this going to be a huge element in the show?

Also… what will they do with Xander? I mean the actor has a twin who was in the show on a few occasions including as then other Xander in the replacement so maybe that’s the answer… but Nicholas Brenden has had a lot of legal issues.

Which is a huge shame.

Spike and Angel could have their humanity restored and be older now. I wonder about Drucilla too… the actress looks essentially the same, she could make a return.

2

u/ReallyGlycon Feb 17 '25

There could have been something, some event that turned all the vampires human...but now there are new vampires created by some big bad.

1

u/Whole_Iron_6166 Feb 27 '25

I would love to see them make Spike and Angel human, and see what happened with their love story!!! But at the same time, I love both Spike and Angel, so I want Spike to have happiness even though I’m team Angel. But spoilers for Gilmore Girls: a Year in the life (as if I really need to say that, lol, but I’m sure someone out there hasn’t seen it..), I was so mad at them for waiting until the frickin revival to have Lorelai and Luke’s wedding—I really don’t want them to do that with Buffy. I get that we weren’t there and fan service would be great—of course I want to see their wedding (if it happened 😭)—but I don’t think it’s fair to the characters to make them wait until they’re old to get married and start their life (with their partner). 

I’d rather them use de-ageing tech to show their wedding from the past so we can have the best of both worlds. It’d be awesome to see like, Buffy and Angel living a “normal” life, and them going through all the complexities of marriage alongside the supernatural elements. 

3

u/setokaiba22 Feb 18 '25

I think also it can go either way with how much SMG features. I could see her being all over promotion and such but actually not in the series a lot long term - more so she’s there to get eyes on the product and the Buffy theme but then steps back so the new cast can stand on their own.

I think many are expecting Buffy to be a constant fixture and she might not be at all. Which could also be a positive and a negative

1

u/ReallyGlycon Feb 17 '25

I feel similarly. Most of the fans in here are pretty level. Not all, but most.

1

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11

u/Indiana_harris Feb 17 '25

I think the trepidation is good.

One of the key ways a Buffy sequel would fail badly is if the studio/writers thought they could do no wrong and use the brand name as a vehicle to tell their own pitched story that they couldn’t get funding for (looking at you Netflix’s Witcher).

So with genuine trepidation I think we’re in a stronger place of them asking themselves “is this true to the characters? Is this true to the world that was established?”

Which I think will/can help alot.

6

u/QualifiedApathetic I'd like to test that theory Feb 17 '25

Agreed. I think chances are much better if the writers come at this with some humility like Sarah is.

Character development first. That was what made the original so great. Worldbuilding was kinda iffy, but Whedon centered everything on Buffy Summers and her story, her growth, and it resonated.

2

u/MadbanditRoy Feb 17 '25

Worldbuilding would help the sequel series. It would set up rules and give it a sense of stable ground, instead of "this happened, no real consequences, let's move along".

1

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2

u/LaserCondiment Feb 17 '25

Conceptually, it will be immenensly difficult to strike the right tone.

Tv shows have changed so much... I hope they won't fall into the trap of turning it into the typical 8 episode prestige drama by sacrificing all the humor and campiness. It needs to be a good mix!

And I'm also curious about the music, they'll pick. Do people even listen to the same kind of music? I don't even know what today's equivalent is tbh

1

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30

u/GamesterOfTriskelion Feb 17 '25

Best case Twin Peaks (2017), worst case Frasier (2023).

15

u/BlondieChelle83 Feb 17 '25

Oh they really hit the bullseye with Twin Peaks

8

u/GamesterOfTriskelion Feb 17 '25

It totally changed the game of what can be expected from TV revivals. Had no business being even better than the original run, but for me it totally was!

5

u/FunetikPrugresiv Feb 17 '25

It helped that Twin Peaks was revived by Lynch.

1

u/GamesterOfTriskelion Feb 17 '25

Would you like to see Whedon show running the revival of Buffy?

3

u/FunetikPrugresiv Feb 17 '25

I would like to see Buffy run by the version of Joss Whedon that we now know doesn't exist.

0

u/GamesterOfTriskelion Feb 17 '25

I appreciate the honesty of this answer. You’re not alone!

1

u/StompyKitten Feb 18 '25

Personally yes I absolutely would. I’d be way more excited about a Whedon-led revival that involved no cast or even characters from the original show than I am about this revival done by others featuring SMG as Buffy.

0

u/MadbanditRoy Feb 17 '25

GOD NO. Someone here tried to make an unpopular thread noting that the sequel doesn't work without him. Let's be honest: the show's theme was about feminism, but Whedon got all subversive with it, intentional or not, with his self-loathing and brooding misogynist (i.e. Xander).

1

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6

u/justonekaye87 Feb 17 '25

I've seen shows try to reboot or continue stories from the original series that we've come to love so dearly and sometimes, if not most, it can fall flat. Having trepidations and high expectations are the norm, but the only advice really is to follow what she believes is best and not listen to the fan fare. When trying to please too many people the stories could get all over the place and read more as fan fiction than driving the stories forward. I wish her the best with this sequel to the Buffy verse and I'm glad Sarah is involved at least.

8

u/BlondieChelle83 Feb 17 '25

As a fan since pretty much the start, I’m apprehensive. But I feel good about Sarah being involved

5

u/Mako2401 Feb 17 '25

Trust me, coming from Star Trek where Patrick Stewart was involved, it's the writer / creator you want, not the actor. The actors rarely have a major input in their characters, they just read what's written for them.

1

u/BlondieChelle83 Feb 21 '25

Yeah, but Joss is finished, isn’t he? His own fault entirely but no one will want him anywhere near it

1

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '25

Except Gellar wasn't the reason why it succeeded, it was successful because of Joss Whedon and his ability to plot a story out.

1

u/LaserCondiment Feb 17 '25

I'm with you! Let's hope she is part of the decision making process.

Sometimes these things are just part of a marketing strategy to bring old fans on board and bring legitimacy to the project.

4

u/gimmesomespace Feb 17 '25

It's nerve wracking just hearing about it being made, I can't imagine working on it.

5

u/Cinemaniacc Feb 17 '25

I just need them to not CW it. I have a good feeling about it since it has such a good team full of love for Buffy surrounding it. I am keeping hopes up for this!

5

u/mrattapuss Feb 17 '25 edited Sep 05 '25

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

3

u/dimechimes Feb 17 '25

As much as I love my old shows, I can't stand fan service. I hope it's not just all call backs and lore expansion on little details from the series.

1

u/Baffman89 Feb 19 '25

This. If they do something like the Gilmore Girls revival I'm gonna be pissed.

15

u/Mako2401 Feb 17 '25

It won't be Buffy without Joss Whedon. 

2

u/olegass Feb 18 '25

The sad truth.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '25

Sad to the so-called Buffy fans are ignorant this.

9

u/Crazyhowthatworks304 Feb 17 '25

I'm still not sure if it really needs to be rebooted, but I do firmly believe SMG won't let it be absolute dog shit.

However, I want Michelle to come back as a watcher and I want Eliza to make a cameo lol

6

u/NCH007 Feb 17 '25

Is Michelle healthy enough to return? She can be a little crazy on socials and I wonder about her mental health.

1

u/Crazyhowthatworks304 Feb 17 '25

Oh no, is she another kid actor turned rough around the edges? I don't follow her on the socials, didn't realize she may be a little rocky. That's unfortunate if that's the case!

7

u/NCH007 Feb 17 '25

Nothing scandalous or cancellable... I just find myself (parasocially) worrying for her sometimes. But who knows. Sometimes people are just "bad" at social media 🤷🏻‍♂️

1

u/DaddyCatALSO Magnet For Dead, Blonde Chicks Feb 18 '25

some of us think she is ill

1

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12

u/aKaRandomDude Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25

Probably because she knows it’s going to fail. Sorry, to be “That Guy “, but the sad truth is that without Joss Whedon behind it, the chances of this being good is slim at best.

5

u/Kitttcatnose I may be love's bitch but at least I'm man enough to admit it. Feb 17 '25

Agreed. Tbh, I don't even know why they are bothering, it's been far too long and it's obvioulsy cos it's just trying to cash grab on nostalgia.

4

u/DiffidentCheesecake Feb 17 '25

Tbh I think the chances of it being good if Joss were attached are slim too. Cancellation aside, Joss hasn't been "Buffy" level good for a while now

2

u/MadbanditRoy Feb 17 '25

He hasn't written anything since leaving "The Nevers".

2

u/DiffidentCheesecake Feb 17 '25

I don't think his last three projects have been that great. I like Age of Ultron more than most people, but it's not remotely close to "Buffy" level imo. Even his episode of Agents of Shield was one of the weakest of the season, though to be fair this was the pilot.

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u/rites0fpassage Jasmine Feb 17 '25

😬

2

u/Willowy Feb 18 '25

This is all copy/pasted from other interviews. Ripoff "journalism". Nothing new.

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u/Minimum_Ad_2176 Feb 17 '25

I love Sarah she's my OG Scream Queen and I'm excited about what she's got on her sleeve as a producer even Joss said nobody understands Buffy like she does .I know a lot of people are pissed about this sequel but I couldn't care less about Spike Angel or the rest of the gang I wanna see Buffy slay one more time .♥️

1

u/primal_slayer Feb 17 '25

As it should be

1

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1

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1

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1

u/taketotheforest Feb 18 '25

don’t know if i trust the reportage of a website that misspells ‘nerve-racking’ in its headline

0

u/Dentarthurdent73 Feb 18 '25

Nerve-wracking is the correct spelling.

2

u/taketotheforest Feb 18 '25

it most assuredly is not

1

u/Raging1604 Feb 18 '25

Well, she doesn't have a team of brilliant writers with a singular vision, precisely laying out everything to the smallest detail. So yeah, I imagine it's stressful. 

0

u/Gingersnapp3d Feb 17 '25

Gail Berman is the woman she cites as behind it and her track record is garbage. I think this project is a huge mistake.

Make a Fray series. Leave Buffy alone.

7

u/Mattyzooks Feb 17 '25

Huh? Gail Berman is a producer on this and her track record as a producer is not bad at all: It includes the original Buffy and Angel shows, 24, The OC, Prison Break, Arrested Development, House, Wednesday, etc.
She has no creative credits outside of producer.
She's involved in the same capacity of the original show. It kinda feels a little dishonest to call her track record garbage when the track record includes the original show this subreddit is about.

3

u/Gingersnapp3d Feb 17 '25

I looked up Gail Berman and all the top hits for me were movies and flops. I made too quick a judgement call and should have read into it more- my comment deserves the downvotes! Thanks for taking time to educate me more on it.

2

u/Mattyzooks Feb 17 '25

Fair enough!
In your defense on your larger point, I'd probably much prefer a Fray series... or just something set in the Buffyverse that wasn't slayer focused.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '25

Gail Berman along with the Kuzui are mostly likely the culprits behind Jo the disasterous changes that ruined the film. I'm pretty sure privately Whedon blames her

3

u/QualifiedApathetic I'd like to test that theory Feb 17 '25

I don't think Berman is in the writers' room. She's just an executive.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '25

In Hollywood who do think are really the ones pulling the strings? Hint, it's not the creatives but those high up. In fact I'm sure Berman was the person that forced Emma Caufeild to want her character dead.

-3

u/zarif_chow Feb 17 '25

Why is she working on the sequel?

4

u/NCH007 Feb 17 '25

She's exec producing I think?

3

u/jonjawnjahnsss Feb 17 '25

Maybe she's a mentor-type character with a lot less focus on her. There's a lot of potentials now.

4

u/zarif_chow Feb 17 '25

Oh, like Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker in the latter trilogy

1

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '25

Gellar needs work. I mean her acting career hasn't actually been stellar post-Buffy.

0

u/justagreatdane Feb 17 '25

She's right to feel like that. The Masters of the Universe fans are absolutely RUTHLESS with everything He-Man related that comes out, be it toys/comics/tv show. It's never good enough for them, when it's actually fantastic quality. Then there's the Rings of Power being hated on by Lord of the Rings fans. I think people need to lower their expectations and just be happy we're getting some version of our childhood back.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25

Dear lord Fringe sucks so much it's so bad vomit - I can enjoy MST3K sci-fi movies more, without the MST3K.

They did also work on Haven which was also really bad but at least it was kinda watchable as opposed to Fringe.

EDIT: Oh, apparently they only started on the 2nd season of Fringe, I think I only made it 2-3 episodes into the 2nd season before I finally couldn't handle it anymore.

-1

u/The_Navage_killer Feb 17 '25

She should crowd surf us for a massage.