Sarah Michelle Gellar Returns as Buffy: First On-Set Photos and What to Expect From the Hulu Reboot

Quinn Parker reporting — okay, buckle up because I am jittery with excitement and also caffeinated, and yes, Sarah Michelle Gellar is back as Buffy Summers on set in Los Angeles, photographed on August 7 wearing a red mini dress and red stilettos while clutching coffee like the slayer she is.

I have THOUGHTS and FEELINGS and we need to talk about this. The first on-set images of Gellar in full Buffy mode are out, and they mark the first time fans have seen her in character since the original show wrapped in 2003. In the photos, the 48-year-old actress — hair blonde and coiffed, outfit sharp and retro-glam — looks like someone who could still take on a nest of vampires before her morning meeting. That sultry red look and the coffee prop are delightfully on-brand: Buffy with grown-up glamour, but still caffeinated and ready to fight.

Let’s be crystal clear: Gellar had repeatedly said no to reviving Buffy for years, and she only relented when Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao signed on to spearhead the reboot. Gellar told Vanity Fair in June that she and Zhao spent three years shaping the project, and that was what convinced her to return. She explained she wanted to avoid rehashing something fans had already seen and needed the right creative steward to modernize the story. Zhao, a self-described Buffy fan, apparently sold it.

So what’s different this time? Gellar says the reboot will be lighter than the later seasons of the original, aiming to balance returning faces with new characters and modern themes. Expect a sharper focus on what it means to be an outsider in an age dominated by social media and digital exposure. Gellar admitted her “dream” would be to bring back everyone who died in the original series, but practicality means making room for fresh narratives and new blood.

Speaking of new blood: 15-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong has been cast in the reboot, and Gellar publicly courted her via Instagram, asking the young actress to be “my chosen one.” Armstrong’s emotional on-camera response — tears and gratitude — was practically a viral moment and signals the production’s desire to tie legacy and new talent together. Gellar’s kids, Charlotte (15) and Rocky (12), who she shares with husband Freddie Prinze Jr., are part of her life outside the slaying world, but the reboot is very much a professional return crafted with care.

Fans hungry for callbacks will appreciate Gellar’s comments about honoring the original while updating it: we’re getting a tonal shift, new thematic focus, and possibly cameos or returns from original cast members, though Gellar has not confirmed specifics. Production photos confirm Gellar’s presence and the reboot’s active filming in Los Angeles, signaling the project is no longer just development chatter but full steam ahead.

For context, the original Buffy had a long, quirky legacy: Joss Whedon fought to keep the title Buffy the Vampire Slayer rather than Warner Bros.’ preferred Slayer; stars like Katie Holmes, Selma Blair, and Charisma Carpenter were once vying for roles that ended up differently cast; and actors like Nathan Fillion and Ryan Reynolds were once in the audition room for parts that didn’t go to them. The show’s behind-the-scenes lore is rich and will likely influence fan expectations for cameos or surprises in the reboot.

Bottom line: the photos are a delicious tease, Zhao’s creative leadership persuaded Gellar to return, and casting choices so far promise a bridge between the original mythos and a modern, social-media-savvy narrative. Keep your Buffy collectible crosses polished and your espresso at the ready — slaying is scheduled to resume, and I am absolutely here for it.

Okay, I need to calm down after that! But also, do not walk away from this — stay tuned for casting updates, premiere dates, and whether other original cast members will pop up to assist Buffy in saving the world once more.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and Vanity Fair, E! Online
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed