Buffy the Vampire Slayer Revival’s New Title Explained by Sarah Michelle Gellar (& Why It’s Taking So Long)

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There’s still a lot unknown about the show’s plot, and just how much it will connect to the original series: Buffy is the only returning character confirmed so far, though others are expected to turn up eventually. One thing that is confirmed, though, is the title. The series will be called Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, adding a subtitle that tells audiences this is something different. Speaking on the Shut Up Evan Podcast, Gellar explained the title, and why she doesn’t consider the show to be a reboot:

“It’s not a sequel, it’s not a reboot. It’s a continuation. Because it’s where is she now in this world, and what is this world that Buffy lives in with her and without her. It’s not a reboot, it’s not picking up with all of the same characters right away… That’s why the name was even important to me, in Buffy: New Sunnydale. It’s Buffy, but it’s also something else.”

Buffy The Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale’s Title Was The Right Call

It would’ve been possible for the revival to follow in the footsteps of other horror franchises that’ve returned in the past decade: things like Halloween and Scream returned for reboots by simply repeating the original title, but that might’ve only caused by confusion for fans of the series. Similarly, it could have called itself Nova the Vampire Slayer, but that ignores the importance of Buffy, both to the story and world and, of course, to the branding of the IP. The New Sunnydale title is more a best of both worlds approach, where it has the familiarity and the difference.

It will also, of course, be interesting to see exactly how Sunnydale returns in Buffy, given the destruction of the Hellmouth in Season 7. It’s been rumored that there’ll be a split focus between the rebuilt town and the gritty remains of the old Sunnydale, but the title suggests more of the focus will be on the new, and that’s the right choice so that the series is looking forwards more than it is backwards.

It is worth noting that the Buffy continuation is not yet a guaranteed thing, even though the pilot has been filmed. Hulu has not yet ordered it to series, and Gellar herself says it won’t happen unless it’s absolutely right. She notes that they don’t necessarily want it to be better than the original, but to “hold up” to its legacy. The actress notes that she and Zhao have spent years discussing and developing it, and exploring the what, how, and why of the new series, something that’s still ongoing:

“We’re still working on that why and how. I know we live in a society where there’s bingeing and ‘we want it now,’ and I know this seems like it’s taking a long time. It’s because unless we are sure that it is exactly what we set out to do and that it makes to do it, we don’t want to sully the legacy. when I know it’s perfect, then it will be out there. But I won’t do it unless I know it can be that.”

Although fans may be hopeful for more concrete news, this would seem to be the right approach. In an age of franchise dominance and where reboots can so often be done for the wrong reasons, taking the time to get this right, and having Gellar’s passionate involvement, is the best thing possible for any Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is available to stream on Hulu.

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