Sarah Michelle Gellar shared insight into why the highly anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot was canceled, after the star announced the news to the world over the weekend.
The reboot had been in the works for over a year, and had Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao attached to the project, yet was ultimately axed by Hulu after the pilot was filmed.
Sarah revealed that she got the call about the cancelation just moments before stepping out at the premiere for her latest film, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, at SXSW on March 11.
“I was just about to take the stage in front of all the fans,” she told People. “Hulu had decided not to move forward with the Buffy revival. Let me tell you, nobody saw this coming.”
“I’ve been asked since the day I left to return to Sunnydale,” she continued. “And it never occurred to me that it was something I was going to do. Then four years ago, Chloé…comes into my life. In one meeting, she makes me say ‘Yes’ to something I never saw on my radar. That was because of the deep love, commitment and passion she had for this character. It was like I was stepping back in time.”
She added that the timing of the phone call was unfortunate, as Chloé was getting ready to head to the Oscars, where she was nominated for Best Director for her work on Hamnet. The 48-year-old also shared her disappointment at the show’s newest star, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, missing a major onscreen opportunity.
© Getty Images for TIME“We had an executive on our show who was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn’t for him,” Sarah said when asked why the Buffy reboot was axed.
“That’s very hard when you’re taking a property that is as beloved as Buffy, not just to the world, but to me and Chloé. So that tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn’t watch it.”
Chloé also lamented the cancelation news on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday night, sharing: “I had an incredible, incredible time with Sarah, with all the cast and crew doing this. And we, first and foremost, see ourselves as the guardians of the original show.”
© Getty Images“Our priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans. So, things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open, and we welcome the mystery. And what this might lead us to,” she concluded.
© Getty ImagesBuffy the Vampire Slayer ran for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003, and followed Sarah as Buffy Summers, a high schooler who was born to fight demons, vampires, and supernatural forces, all while dealing with typical teenage issues.
The cast included stars like Alyson Hannigan, David Boreanaz, James Marsters, Anthony Head, Michelle Trachtenberg and Eliza Dushku.
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