Sarah Michelle Gellar Photos: Buffy Returns in Red on Hulu Reboot Set
Kai Montgomery here, grumpy and reluctantly thrilled to tell you that Sarah Michelle Gellar has been spotted back on set as Buffy Summers for Hulu’s reboot, and yes, she’s wearing red.
Look, I don’t want to care about revivals, but apparently nostalgia pays the bills. New on-set photos from Los Angeles show Gellar, 48, slipping into a surprisingly modern Buffy wardrobe: a red long-sleeve mini dress, pink stilettos and a Yves Saint Laurent Sac de Jour handbag while walking through Sunnydale as if she never got a proper retirement party. The images—captured by set photographers and circulated via entertainment outlets—also show Gellar smiling, sipping coffee, and chatting with crew members between takes, which suggests the vibe on set is amiable rather than apocalypse-level chaotic.
For those who slept through a decade of vampire metaphors, Gellar first brought Buffy to life in the original television series that ran from 1997 to 2003. That show, created by Joss Whedon, built a cult of devotees across seven seasons and launched careers. Hulu officially ordered a pilot earlier this year, confirming rumors and sending fans into both elation and panic. Gellar herself confirmed her involvement with an Instagram post on February 6, explaining how a casual coffee with director and executive producer Chloé Zhao—set up by Gail Berman—turned into a lengthy conversation about what a revival should mean.
Gellar was careful in that Instagram announcement, saying she wouldn’t do the show unless it could be done “right.” She emphasized the long development process and vowed the team was “on the path” to something worthwhile. Fast forward to May and Gellar introduced us to the new Buffy-in-training, 15-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong, in a short Instagram clip that felt equal parts tender and theatrically staged. In that clip Armstrong tearfully agreed to “help save the world” alongside Gellar’s Buffy, establishing a mentor-protégé dynamic that will likely drive much of the reboot’s emotional core.
Want the reunion talk? Gellar teased a broad cast comeback in a Vanity Fair interview, indicating the new show will aim for a tonal balance—lighter than the bleak last seasons of the original while still honoring legacy characters. She even admitted a dream to bring back departed characters, but sensible production realities mean space must be found for new stories and fresh faces. That includes balancing veterans like Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon, Anthony Head, James Marsters and David Boreanaz with newcomers like Armstrong.
There’s also a painful footnote: Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy’s sister Dawn, passed away on February 26 from complications related to diabetes at 39. Gellar publicly mourned Trachtenberg on Instagram with an emotional message that quoted Buffy’s lines and pledged to “be brave” and live in her honor—proof that even glossy reboots carry real human stakes.
So what do the set photos actually mean? They confirm this is more than talk: principal players are present, the aesthetic is being reimagined, and the project is moving forward. Whether Hulu’s reboot becomes a respectful continuation or a cash-grab cloaked in lace and nostalgia will depend on writing, casting choices, and how daring they get with the mythos. If Gellar’s serious about doing it “right,” expect careful casting, deliberate callbacks, and perhaps a Buffy who’s earned the scars she carries.
Final grumpy thought: if you’re going to drag a beloved show back to life, at least give it new teeth. We’ll see if this Buffy bites.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Vanity Fair, Sarah Michelle Gellar Instagram
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
