Culture

I Saw the TV Glow director clarifies tweet regarding the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot

By Jordan Robledo

20th December 2024

I Saw the TV Glow director Jane Schoenbrun has set the record straight.

Over the last few years, there have been rumours that the hit TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be rebooted.

In 2018, it was reported that Fringe writer Monica Owusu-Breen was tapped to lead the project, with original series creator Joss Whedon signing on as producer.

While the news received mixed responses from fans, Breen released a statement, teasing that the show could follow a “new slayer.”

However, four years after the reboot/revival was announced, producer Gail Berman revealed it was “on pause” during a 2022 interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s TV Top 5 podcast.

She then clarified her comment by stating that “on pause” was “industry speak for purgatory, make of that what you will.”

While the new Buffy project hit a wall in 2022, rumours have continued to swirl about a potential return to the Hellmouth – with industry insider Daniel Ritchman recently claiming that a revival was “being discussed.”

Of course, fans enthusiastically reacted to the news, including Schoenbrun, who has previously credited the series with inspiring their acclaimed film I Saw The TV Glow.

“Someone should call me. I will make u 22 episodes a season,” they tweeted on 15 December.

A few days later, SFX Magazine shared an article from Games Radar stating that the critically acclaimed director “staked their claim” in the unconfirmed series.

Even though the writer behind the article said Schoenbrun was “clearly teasing” with their tweet, the talented creative reshared SFX Magazine’s post to ensure the headline didn’t send any mixed signals.

“I have staked no claim and been approached by no one, just wrote a lot of fan fiction in my head,” they wrote.

However, Schoenbrun’s statement didn’t stop their followers from supporting the idea, with one person writing: “I know you could get Eliza Dushku out of retirement for a guest appearance or more if it happened tho…”

Another fan tweeted: “They really should give it to you tho, I’m not sure anyone else could balance the expectations appropriately, this needs someone who can tap into the nostalgia people crave in a responsible and productive fashion.”

While we’ll have to wait a bit longer for more information regarding the potential Buffy reboot/revival, OG star Sarah Michelle Gellar recently revealed that she was open to reprising her iconic character.

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, the Wolf Pack star said: “It’s funny. I always used to say no because it’s in its bubble, and it’s so perfect.”

Gellar went on to say that watching other reboots – like And Just Like That – and starring in the Dexter prequel series helped her realize that there “are ways to do it.”

“Definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe,” she added. “It could be anything. It’s a universe. And it makes you realize that in this world, we need those heroes, I think, more so than ever.”

Here’s to hoping that Buffy and the Scooby Gang will return to our screens soon.