Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sequel: Chloé Zhao Confirms OG Characters Are Back
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is sharpening its stakes: director Chloé Zhao teases the sequel series will resurrect fan‑favorite OG characters—with more on the way.
Sharpen your stakes: we are headed back to Sunnydale. Sarah Michelle Gellar is officially slipping back into the leather pants for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer sequel series, not a reboot. The pilot quietly wrapped this summer with Chloe Zhao (Eternals) behind the camera, and she is already teasing familiar faces dropping in.
What this new Buffy actually is
Zhao told Variety that the project is a continuation of the original, not a clean-slate do-over. She is adamant about that point, and yes, she plans to fold in some original characters alongside a new generation of monster-punchers. The vibe she describes is two lanes, side by side: longtimers get nods and connective tissue, newcomers get an on-ramp that does not require homework.
"It is not a reboot. It is a sequel... And we will bring back OG characters for sure."
Worth noting: Zhao is not just parachuting in. She was a hardcore fan in college, the kind who scheduled weekly group watch nights. She still remembers crying through the series finale, whispering 'Good luck to you, Buffy Summers' at the TV, and later being so nervous meeting Sarah in person that it rattled her. That is the kind of slightly unhinged devotion I trust with a franchise like this.
Title, cast, and the new Slayer on deck
The show is called 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale' and it centers on a younger Slayer stepping into the mess.
- Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Firestarter) plays the new Slayer
- Faly Rakotohavana (Unprisoned)
- Ava Jean (Law & Order: SVU)
- Sarah Bock (Severance)
- Daniel Di Tomasso (CSI: Vegas)
- Jack Cutmore-Scott (Frasier)
- Kingston Vernes (The Survivor)
Do you need to rewatch the original?
Gellar says you do not have to cram all seven seasons before pressing play. The team is aiming for that sweet spot: plenty of Easter eggs and continuity for the OG crowd, but the story is built so new viewers can jump in without feeling lost. If you know the mythology, you will catch more; if you do not, you should still be fine.
So who is coming back?
Zhao says some original characters are lined up to appear, but she is not naming names yet. That is either strategic secrecy or pure chaos control, and honestly, fair. Pilot is shot, the baton is passed, and now we wait to see which familiar faces walk out of the shadows.
I am curious: which original Buffy characters do you want to see pop up in New Sunnydale? I have a short list, and it gets longer the more I think about it.