We know why the new Buffy series was canceled

Sarah Michelle Gellar rocks! Deemed “too young” and “too small”, New Sunnydale was rejected by Disney.

Buffy’s return will ultimately not take place. And we now know whose fault it is!

The American press shares the reasons behind the burial of Buffy: New Sunnydale, canceled to everyone’s surprise.

According to Deadline, Hulu decided not to pursue the project after viewing the pilot, although it was completed and long considered to be in line for a series order.

This sequel starred Sarah Michelle Gellar, with Chloé Zhao directing. A new version of the script, reworked to be more adult and centered on Buffy, even received a very positive internal reception. But it was Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, who made the decision by informing the producers on a Friday evening that the series would not see the light of day.

Ordered a year earlier, the pilot introduced Ryan Kiera Armstrong as a new Slayer alongside Buffy Summers. Filming was completed in July 2025, but after viewing, Hulu and Craig Erwich deemed the series “too young” and “too small”.

Screenwriters Nora and Lilla Zuckerman then proposed an ambitious 90-minute rewrite, focusing more on Buffy. According to several sources, 20th Television and Searchlight Television were in favor of this new version, suggesting that validation was imminent. But the final decision was to stop everything. Some sources mention a budget that was too high, others believe that the project simply did not reach the level of the original series.

For her part, Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke to People Magazine, expressing her disbelief at this decision:

“No one expected it, including the boss of Searchlight,” explaining that he learned of the cancellation just before going on stage at the SXSW festival. She also mentioned the presence of a manager within the production, who was not a fan of the original series, specifying: “He regularly boasted of never having seen the entire series and to affirm that it was not for him.” She explains that “the fans were the only reason we did this show in the first place. We did it because everyone loves it. So how do you produce a beloved show with someone who doesn’t love it?”

And the actress goes further to emphasize her disappointment, explaining that she worked a lot with Chloé Zhao, seduced by the direction of the project: “The dialogues flowed naturally. On the set, it was madness. We said to ourselves: ‘That’s it, we’re there. We’re doing it.’ I loved this duality: we had a new Slayer, younger, at the point where Buffy was at the start of the series, and at the same time, we found Buffy where she is today.”

Finally, Sarah Michelle Gellar confides that she spoke with Chloé Zhao just before the Oscars (where the director was nominated this Sunday): “Chloé and I feel the same thing. Disappointment. We don’t want to disappoint the fans. It hurts. Sad about the way it was handled and the timing…”

Asked about the future of the project, if there is still a chance of saving it, the Buffy star believes that it is too early to say. A source close to the matter tells PEOPLE: “Disney owns the intellectual property. As it stands, this new series can’t go anywhere else. But that doesn’t mean the team behind the reboot, including Sarah and Chloe, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (writers and executive producers), can’t take their talent and ideas elsewhere.”