Ryan Kiera Armstrong stars in ‘ Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’.
Preview:
- ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Ryan Kiera Armstrong is aboard the brand new ‘Buffy’ sequence.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar is again because the vampire slayer.
- Chloé Zhao will direct the pilot and produce.
It may not characteristic white smoke popping out of a chimney as with the current Pope’s election, however now we have a selected one inside the increasing world of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’
“Get residence earlier than darkish.”
81
7 SeasonsMarch tenth, 1997
Deadline reports that Ryan Kiera Armstrong, most just lately seen as one of many younger leads in ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ is about so as to add one other pop cultural behemoth to her credit, as she’s scored a lead function alongside returning star Sarah Michelle Gellar within the but to be titled reboot of ‘Buffy.’
To be clear, this will likely be extra a subsequent step than a complete reinvention of the vampire slayer idea, which has to date proved dependable on screens massive and small and in comedian guide type.
The brand new sequence comes by way of Hulu, which has a pilot order in place with Gellar as co-star and government producer.
‘Poker Face’ showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are growing what’s being described as “the subsequent chapter within the Buffyverse.” Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, whose motion pictures embrace ‘Nomadland’ and Marvel’s‘Eternals’ is about to direct the pilot and function a producer.
Gellar’s Buffy Summers will likely be a mentor to the brand new Chosen One performed by Armstrong, who like her predecessor will likely be charged with battling all method of vampires and different demonic creatures (and endowed with energy and resilience to take action) whereas additionally navigating extra mundane teenage life points.
In line with the present development for asserting casting selections, Gellar took to Instagram to doc her telling Armstrong the information that she’s gotten the function:
Gellar had this to say in regards to the selection:
“From the second I noticed Ryan’s audition, I knew there was just one lady that I needed by my aspect. To have that form of emotional intelligence, and expertise, at such a younger age is really a present. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room.”
Lilla and Nora Zuckerman used some Buffy terminology to reward their new lead:
“We’re so overjoyed to have discovered this technology’s slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she completely blew us away –– there isn’t any query in our thoughts that she is the chosen one.”
Related Article: Sarah Michelle Gellar Aboard ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Sequel Pilot
What was the story of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’?
(L to R) David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photograph: twentieth Century Fox Tv.
‘Buffy’ is an idea that has already proven a capability to evolve.
It originated as a film starring Kristy Swanson within the title function. Joss Whedon wrote the movie with Fran Kuzui directing and was launched in 1992.
5 years later, the sequence model, created by Whedon and now starring Gellar, debuted on The WB.
It aired on The WB for its first 5 seasons earlier than airing its closing two seasons on UPN.
The forged additionally included Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Seth Green, and James Marsters amongst others. Boreanaz would then head up the spinoff sequence ‘Angel’ at The WB for 5 seasons.
The unique sequence’ government producers included Gail Berman of the Jackal Group and Fran Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui by way of Suite B, who will all get a credit score on the brand new pilot.
The forged of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photograph: twentieth Century Fox Tv.
And enjoyable reality: additionally government producing the pilot is Dolly Parton, whose firm Sandollar was producer on the unique.
Whedon, who oversaw the present’s seven-season run, is not going to return to work on any new model. In 2021, the author/producer, who additionally crafted the primary two ‘Avengers’ motion pictures and TV sequence ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ for Marvel, was accused of making a poisonous work surroundings on each ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’ by almost a dozen individuals related to the present, notably Carpenter.
Fellow forged members akin to Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg backed up her allegations.
Berman, and the Kuzuis beforehand teamed up with twentieth TV in 2018 for a possible ‘Buffy’ reboot written by ‘Midnight, Texas’ creator Monica Owusu-Breen, on which Whedon was an government producer. That undertaking, whose lead was envisioned as a Black girl, didn’t transfer ahead.
The most important dangling query any sequel sequence would wish to reply is the intelligent notion launched by the sequence’ closing season, in that Buffy’s loss of life (she obtained higher) in a earlier season triggered a raft of recent potential Slayers.
And now now we have a solution as to if we’ll see one within the new present: an enormous sure, since Armstrong will tackle that function.
What has Sarah Michelle Gellar beforehand mentioned about returning for a brand new ‘Buffy’ sequence?
Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photograph: twentieth Century Fox Tv.
Gellar has been in two minds in regards to the thought of reprising Buffy Summers.
In 2023, she poured chilly water on taking over a brand new ‘Buffy’ sequence, telling UK journal SFX:
“I’m very happy with the present that we created and it doesn’t have to be achieved. We wrapped that up. I’m all for them persevering with the story as a result of there’s the story of feminine empowerment. I really like the best way the present was left: ‘Each lady who has the facility can have the facility.’ It’s arrange completely for another person to have the facility. However like I mentioned, the metaphors of ‘Buffy’ have been the horrors of adolescence. I feel I look younger, however I’m not an adolescent.”
But final 12 months, she appeared on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ the place she was open to it:
“I all the time used to say no as a result of it’s in its bubble and it’s so excellent. However watching ‘And Just Like That…’ (the ‘Sex and the City’ sequel sequence) and seeing ‘Dexter: Original Sin,’ and realizing there are methods to do it, positively does get your thoughts considering, ‘Nicely, perhaps.’”
Much less perhaps, lately, extra absolutely aboard.
When will the brand new ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ sequence hit screens?
Hulu has but to say when this would possibly premiere and, certainly, with that pilot order, it’s nonetheless extra of a case of if the present passes muster.
Nonetheless, on condition that engaging, grabby recognizable title and the unique star connected, we’d guess this one has a very good likelihood.
The forged of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photograph: twentieth Century Fox Tv.