Ryan Kiera Armstrongthe long awaited lead Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, he said after Hulu pulled the plug on the project.
“I’m sure a lot of you have heard the news by now,” Armstrong, 16, began in an Instagram story posted on Saturday, March 14. “I wanted to come here and say thank you for all the support you’ve given me and the game over the past few months. It’s been really special.”
Fighting back tears, Armstrong told his fans he was “really proud” of the proposal Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale the pilot, although he was “sad that [fans] I will not be able to see you.”
“It doesn’t take away from the amazing experience I had,” he commented.
Armstrong appreciated the original Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar and his creative partners – writers Lilla Zuckerman again Nora Zuckerman and the director Chloe Zhao – to improve the now deleted project.
“I would also like to thank all the fans who believed in this new chapter, and who believed in me, so thank you guys,” he said. “Thank you to the characters I worked with. You are amazing.”
The actress went on to say, “I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’ve got this back for you guys Buffy it is a big part of all our lives. It’s not going anywhere! Who knows what the future will be like?”
Earlier in the day, Armstrong shared a Polaroid of himself on set Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale and described himself as “your killer.”
Gellar, 48, broke the news on Saturday that Hulu has moved on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydaleafter ordering a pilot in early 2025.
Sarah Michelle Gellar in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”.
20th Century Fox Film Corp; Courtesy of the Everett Collection“So I’m sad that I have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear from me – unfortunately Hulu has decided not to move forward. Buffy: New Sunnydale,” Gellar announced via Instagram. “I want to say thank you [director] Chloe Zhao because I never thought I would find myself going back to Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots and because of Chloe I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means not only to me but to all of you. And this doesn’t change any of that.”
He then sneered, “I promise if the apocalypse really comes you can still beat me.”
Gellar had long been reluctant to return to the Buffy franchise before finally signing on to star and produce “the next chapter in the Buffyverse” in 2025. The series was to introduce Armstrong as a young slayer mentored by Buffy.
Do you know why no one is talking about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie? It’s because the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show has far surpassed it. Series creator Joss Whedon had more freedom to make the show darker on TV than he did on film. Season 2 as a whole has been a game changer […]
Last August, Gellar was told specifically Us Weekly that it was “very emotionally draining” to work on the new one Buffy project.
“It’s just a place I didn’t know I would find myself,” he admitted Us. “Even though it was new, it was incredibly familiar, and I feel very lucky.”
The classic TV series was based on the 1992 film of the same name, which aired Kristy Swanson as a murderer. I Buffy The TV series aired for five seasons, from 1997 to 2001, on The WB before moving to UPN for its final two seasons. (The WB and UPN later merged into The CW in 2006.)
