Sarah Michelle Gellar Shades Hulu At The Emmys

Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz reunited at the Emmys, giving “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fans a nostalgic moment. The reunion came after Hulu scrapped plans for a “Buffy” reboot that had been in development, with the actress set to appear. While the former co-stars looked back on their characters in the hit series, Gellar made a subtle remark that appeared to shade the streaming platform.

It has been more than two decades since Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz shared the screen together as Buffy and Angel in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and fans were delighted to see the two stars reunite at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Before they presented the award for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, they looked back at their hit show and acknowledged its upcoming 30th anniversary. “When you think about it, it’s kind of crazy, right? A teenage girl chosen by fate to fight vampires and demons, the forces of darkness, and then she falls in love with a vampire with a soul, carrying around a couple 100 years of regret,” Boreanaz said, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Buffy and Angel were tragic love interests in the first few seasons of the series due to a supernatural curse, and the former was forced to let go of the vampire slayer.

Boreanaz’s character left the series after Season 3, only returning for a few appearances in later seasons. The actor then starred in the spin-off series, “Angel.”

The Actress Subtly References The Canceled Reboot

Boreanaz went on to tell Gellar what he thought about the fate of their characters. “You know, Sarah, I always thought that Buffy and Angel would end up together,” he said. With a small shrug, Gellar replied, “Well, I guess we won’t find out,” which got a laugh from the audience.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” aired for seven seasons from 1997 to 2003. In early 2025, a report confirmed that Hulu ordered a pilot for the reboot, titled “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale.” “Hamnet” director Chloé Zhao was tapped to helm the series, and Gellar would reprise her role in a recurring capacity. Ryan Kiera Armstrong was announced as the series’ lead.

In March 2026, however, Gellar revealed that Hulu ultimately decided to axe the project, much to the detriment of fans who were looking forward to the series.

The ‘Buffy’ Stars And Crew Experienced A Few Losses

While on stage, Gellar also addressed the deaths of some “Buffy” stars. “David and I would like to acknowledge that it has been a tough to years for our beloved cast and crew, and we feel very lucky to have worked with such amazing people,” she said.

Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy’s sister Dawn, passed away in February 2025 due to diabetes complications. In March, Nicholas Brendon, who portrayed Xander Harris in the series, died in his sleep due to a heart disease. In June, Anthony Head, who played Buffy’s mentor Giles, passed away following complications from pneumonia.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Revealed A Hulu Executive Canceled The Reboot

Gellar took to Instagram in March to share the unfortunate news that the “Buffy” reboot was not moving forward. At that time, the actress revealed that they had already shot a pilot episode, and the news was unexpected.

Gellar shed more light on the situation and said it was one Hulu executive who ultimately decided to axe the reboot. “We had an executive on our show 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 it wasn’t for him,” the actress said, per The Blast.

Later comments from Gellar and Zhao suggest that Hulu executives felt the show was intended for the wrong demographic.

Could The ‘Buffy’ Reboot Still Happen?

Following Hulu’s cancellation, Gellar said the “chapter is closed,” referring to the possibility of a reboot. The series could not simply be picked up by another streaming service because of complexities surrounding its intellectual property rights and ownership.

With the project no lonnger moving foward, fans are left wondering whether the franchise could eventually find another path back to the screen. For now, however, there are no plans to revive the project.

Meanwhile, Gellar will be back in the supernatural realm in the romance movie “Thud,” where she will take on the role of the Grim Reaper.