Sarah Michelle Gellar on Why a ‘Buffy’ Revival Probably Wouldn’t Work Today
Every movie and TV fan has their pick of sacred properties Hollywood dare not reboot (or revive), and a great many would likely point to Buffy the Vampire Slayer as a Whedon property best-left alone. Sarah Michelle Gellar has her own idea of whether revisiting Buffy might be worthwhile today, and where she hopes the character ended up.
The Hollywood Reporter had a chance to talk Buffy with Gellar, whose recent participation in the now-abandoned Cruel Intentions pilot proves at least some willingness to revisit past roles. Gellar pointed toward Buffy’s formative years largely coinciding with her own, though the show’s use of horror as metaphor worked best from a youthful perspective, and might not translate as well now:
I have always believed that what was so unique about the show was the use of horrors of those formative years. With high school and college as a backdrop, we were able to address racism, identity, bullying, guilt, death, first love and heartbreak using the demons as metaphors for the demons we all experience. I am not sure how that translates into adulthood, although I am sure it could. The burden of saving the world a lot always weighed heavily on her, so for her sake, I hope she is somewhere on a beautiful beach located far away from any Hellmouth.
It’s worth mentioning that a Buffy revival shouldn’t necessarily be thought of in the same space as a Firefly continuation, given the latter never quite got its due in serialization. Still, Gellar isn’t necessarily discounting the reboot (or Legacyquel) option, which could again take place during a young slayer’s formative years.
The great debate rages on, but does Gellar have a point about Buffy’s own story resting in peace?
Check Out 100 TV Facts You May Not Know!