Sarah Michelle Gellar may have put a stake into the heart of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot before it's even begun. Gellar stated she was done playing the Slayer and believes the show ended perfectly.
Gellar played Buffy Summers for 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series is a time capsule of the late '90s and early 2000s. It's very much a product of its time, but it was groundbreaking for the era. Buffy was the Slayer, the one girl in all the world chosen by the forces of good to combat demons, vampires, and other things that go bump in the night. Unfortunately, it isn't without its behind-the-scenes issues. Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Charisma Carpenter detailed on-set abuse from Joss Whedon, and many other actors from the show, including Gellar herself, have stood behind her.
Speaking to SFX Magazine, Gellar placed the role firmly behind her. She stated that the story, which is centered on female empowerment, deserves to continue to be told. However, she said her involvement with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise is over. "I am very proud of the show that we created and it doesn’t need to be done. We wrapped that up. I am all for them continuing the story, because there’s the story of female empowerment," Gellar said. "I love the way the show was left: 'Every girl who has the power can have the power.' It’s set up perfectly for someone else to have the power. But like I said, the metaphors of Buffy were the horrors of adolescence. I think I look young, but I am not an adolescent."
Gellar's statement that "the metaphors of Buffy were the horrors of adolescence" is something she has highlighted before. Previously, Gellar has been in favor of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot starring Zendaya. Though Zendaya is in her mid-20s, she plays plenty of adolescent characters and is no stranger to taking roles that delve into the struggles of teenagers.
Gellar's reference to "Every girl who has the power can have the power" is a direct line from the show. The series ended with any girl who could potentially become a Slayer automatically gaining the power. In the series, usually, only one girl could be called, but this changed when Buffy decided this didn't have to be the case. She decided to empower other girls, and it was the perfect ending for the show. Buffy was created to be the ultimate subversion of the final girl trope, and now she had extended her power to untold girls around the planet.
Ironically, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was revived once before. The series was intended to end with the season 5 finale, in which Buffy sacrifices herself to save the world. However, it was renewed by a new network and Buffy was subsequently brought back to life. The show continues to endure as an icon, and Mortal Kombat recently considered adding Buffy the Vampire Slayer to its roster. Gellar may not be up for a comeback, but her contribution to the franchise is lasting.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available on Hulu.
Source: SFX Magazine (via MovieWeb)