Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot With Black Lead Actress Is Now 'On Pause'

The undead population of Sunnydale can breathe a collective sigh of relief as a new slayer won’t be rising anytime soon.

A reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this time featuring a Black actress as its titular heroine, has been in development since 2018 — but executive producer Gail Berman says the project is now “on pause,” as revealed in Friday’s episode of The Hollywood Reporter‘s TV’s Top 5 podcast.

Original series creator Joss Whedon was also aboard this reboot as an executive producer, with Monica Owusu-Breen (Midnight, Texas) serving as writer and showrunner. Owusu-Breen previously wrote for ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where Whedon was an EP as well. The reboot, which was referred to as “contemporary, building on the mythology of the original,” never had an official network home.

There was some confusion, however, about whether the show would be a straight reboot or some sort of revival. Shortly after news of the reboot broke in 2018, Owusu-Breen stated that the original show’s beloved characters “can’t be replaced,” adding that she “wouldn’t try to” replicate the “brilliant and beautiful series.” Instead, she suggested: “The world seems a lot scarier [today]. So maybe it could be time to meet a new Slayer.

The original Buffy, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, debuted in 1997 on The WB and ran for seven seasons, jumping to UPN for its final two. It has since become a cultural touchstone and cult favorite among TV fans.

Are you disappointed that this Buffy reboot is basically DOA? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.

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