What Really Went Wrong with 'Buffy' Reboot? New Details Emerge
More details have emerged about why Hulu drove a stake through the future of its Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot.
Star Sarah Michelle Gellar shocked fans when, on Saturday, she announced in a video shared to Instagram that Hulu decided against picking up a pilot for the revival, helmed by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao.
She later told PEOPLEof the cancelation that “nobody saw this coming,” saying the decision was made by one male executive who “was not only not a fan of the original, but was proud to constantly remind us that he had never seen the entirety of the series and how it wasn't for him.”
Now, Deadline has some additional information on what allegedly went down behind the scenes, leading up to that decision.
Initial Pilot Didn't Meet Expectations
The outlet reports that an initial pilot filmed for the streamer was “not great” and “not perfect.” Among the apparent issues were a lack of scenes involving Gellar's Buffy, the fact it “played too young” and felt “too small” in scope. Additional feedback for writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman suggested the show also didn't “take enough big swings.”
All that prompted a rewrite of the pilot. That rewrite, reports Deadline, included a lot more Buffy, was more adult and allegedly felt more like a show for streamers than network TV. The new script reportedly clocked in at around 90 minutes, was “well-received,” and led to the expectation that Hulu would greenlight the show to series.
That, however, didn't happen.
Instead Craig Erwich, Disney Television Group President who oversees Hulu Originals, allegedly let everyone know the project was DOA on Friday night. Gellar posted her video announcement the next morning.
Final Decision Came Down to a Few Factors
Per Deadline sources, there are a few possibilities as to why the show wasn't picked up. One suggested it was too expensive, others said it didn't live up to the original series, while another compared it to a house with foundation issues. “Instead of fixing the foundation, you just walk away,” they said.
Gellar, however, pointed back to that one exec—who Deadline sources said is Erwich—adding that his apparent stance on the show “tells you the uphill battle that we had been fighting since day one, when your executive is literally proud to tell you that he didn't watch it.”
On the red carpet at the Oscars, Zhao—who was nominated for directing Best Picture nominee Hamnet—said she was “not surprised” by the cancellation.
“I had an incredible, incredible time with Sarah, with all the cast and crew doing this. And we, first and foremost, see ourselves as the guardians of the original show,” she told Variety. “Our priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans. So, things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open and we welcome the mystery. And what this might lead us to.”
According to reports, Hulu is still interested in the Buffy IP and hopes to take another stab at it in the future.