Sadly, Hollywood and the world at large have lost yet another beloved actor in Anthony Head, who died this week at the age of 72. Head’s death was confirmed by his family, and the beloved performer died due to complications from pneumonia. Known best for his roles on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, Head has been widely mourned by fans thus far. Many of the late actor's co-stars are also now paying tribute to him, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, as she shared an emotionally candid post.

Sarah Michelle Gellar And Other Buffy Stars Honor Anthony Head

Head played the role of Rupert Giles (mostly known as just “Giles”) and was a regular cast member for the show’s first five seasons before recurring throughout the final two. Giles is a “watcher,” who serves as a mentor to Gellar’s young slayer, Buffy, and, in time, the two form a surrogate father-daughter relationship. Evidently, that connection extended beyond the show as well, based on the sweet sentiments Gellar shared about Head on Instagram. The actress shared a series of sweet photos as well as caption about not being “OK”:

Giles is arguably one of the supernatural horror show’s most lovable characters, and he dishes out invaluable wisdom to the characters throughout the course of Buffy’s seven seasons. While the writers deserve plenty of credit, Head’s warm performance really makes the character work, and he also seemed to endear himself to his co-stars while making the series. Emma Caufield, who played Anya Jenkins on the show, also shared some warm words about Head on Instagram:

Also joining the series of tributes to Head was Angel actor David Boreanaz. When taking to Instagram, Boreanaz shared a throwback photo of himself and Head, and he also shared a truly bittersweet message:

Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the show, paid tribute to Anthony Head as well by sharing photos and a lengthy message on Instagram. While Carpenter admitted to not being as close with Head as some of her co-stars, she also got real about feeling the weight of his loss:

Sadly, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer family has lost multiple members in recent years, with Xander Harris portrayer Nicholas Brendon having passed away at 54 due to natural causes just earlier this year. And, in 2025, Michelle Trachtenberg died at 39 due to complications related to diabetes. Trachtenberg was best known for her role as Dawn Summers, a character she played throughout Buffy’s final two seasons.

Ted Lasso Stars Pay Tribute After Anthony Head’s Death

As a member of the Ted Lasso cast, Head played the despicable Rupert Mannion (to perfection). Now, several members of the cast have since spoken out in the aftermath of Head’s passing, including Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein. In a post shared to his Instagram story, Goldstein paid loving tribute to Head:

Keeley Hazell played Bex, Mannion’s girlfriend and eventual third wife on the show, and the actress also posted a tribute to Head on her Instagram story. Hazell’s post contains two photos as well as a lovely message in honor of her on-screen husband:

Sweet sentiments also came from Jeremy Swift (known for playing Leslie Higgins on Lasso) shared a sweet selfie featuring himself and Head on Instagram. See it for yourself below:

The loss of Anthony Head still feels somewhat surreal at this point, though fans should know that it’s perfectly fine not to be OK like Sarah Michelle Gellar. If anything, though, the outpouring of love for Head is beautiful to see, and I feel confident in saying that his body of work – which includes other TV shows like Merlin and Little Britain – won’t be forgotten.

Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best supernatural teen dramas ever, and my favorite show of all time. The beloved series has remained a cult classic, with fans able to re-watch its original seven-season run with a Hulu subscription. Unfortunately Hulu decided to scrap the revival New Sunnydale, after previously announcing a full season order. And it sounds like not even rewrites could have helped bring it to life.

Folks were hyped when Sarah Michelle Gellar revealed she was finally returning as Buffy Summers in a reboot pilot for New Sunnydale. Things got even more real when a full season was ordered, with fans eager to see how the narrative would continue after the Buffy series finale. But it's all been dropped and, per a report by THR, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman rewrote the pilot in order to solve some of its issues. But it just wasn't enough.

According to the outlet, the rewritten first episode was a big improvement from the pilot that was shot, but it was too little too late. Ultimately the studio thought that the new Buffy series "wasn't working" and decided against filming a full season, despite it previously being ordered and announced for the general public.

After New Sunnydale was dropped, Sarah Michelle Gellar said one exec in particular didn't understand Buffy, or how popular it continues to be over two decades after its series finale. This seems to go along with the above report, as the revival show was never given the chance to find it's footing before getting the axe from the studio. Still, there are fans hoping to see it get new life at another streamer. Fingers crossed that happens one day.

Overall, this report is a serious bummer, because Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunndydale wasn't given the chance to find its footing. There are plenty of shows that have needed a full season, let alone just a pilot, before properly establishing itself. Just look at The Office, which struggled in Season 1 before becoming one of the best sitcoms of all time.

There are plenty of pilots that never see the light of day; that's been part of the TV industry for decades. But the fact that Hulu announced New Sunnydale was getting a full season order before dropping the project is a big reason why folks are so upset. One can only imagine how it feels like SMG and company.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streaming in its entirety over on Hulu. Unfortunately New Sunnydale isn't on the 2026 TV schedule, and might never actually be released. Let's just hope that changes one day in the future.

The horror genre's renaissance has been going strong for years now, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies in recent memory include Radio Silence's Ready or Not, which just got its sequel, Here I Come. The sequel used a ton of fake blood and had a killer cast that included none other than Sarah Michelle Gellar. And after seeing her performance as Ursula Danforth, I'm especially bummed about Hulu dropping the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival.

Critical response to Ready or Not 2 has been pretty positive, and SMG has been getting a ton of love for her performance. My favorite TV show of all time is Buffy (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription), and I couldn't help but feel like Gellar channeled her a few times in the horror sequel. And it's just a taste of what she could have brought if New Sunnydale hadn't been dropped.

SMG Channeled Buffy in Ready Or Not 2, And Now My FOMO Is Through The Roof

When Sarah Michelle Gellar revealed that she was returning to the role of Buffy Summers, the generations of fans freaked out. Anticipation got even higher when Hulu announced it had ordered a full season of New Sunnydale. Unfortunately, the streaming service changed its mind, and we're not going to be treated to that revival series after all.

Throughout Ready or Not 2, there were a number of moments where the Cruel Intentions actress felt like she was channeling her signature character via Ursula. To start, SMG's character basically stakes Samara Weaving's Grace. Seeing her take up a pointy weapon and drive into her enemy definitely had me thinking about the countless times Buffy dusted a vamp throughout her seven seasons on the air.

Then there are the various sassy one-liners that Ursula said throughout Ready or Not 2's runtime. Buffy is known for her banter and the quips she'd say to enemies while fighting the forces of evil in Sunnydale. While watching the Radio Silence sequel, I could see how easily Sarah Michelle Gellar would have been able to step back into character as The Chosen One. And now I'm even more mad about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival being dropped.

While Gellar was glad she wasn't in Ready Or Not's final scene, I personally could have used more of Ursula... especially since we're not getting more Buffy. I wish that the execs at Hulu saw just how well he was able to get into the action and quips of the horror sequel; maybe it could have convinced them to give New Sunnydale another chance. But for now, I guess, I'm just going to stay bitter.

Ready or Not 2 is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer can re-watch its seven seasons on Hulu, but we shouldn't expect to get any more episodes.

Since Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood are co-stars in one of the latest 2026 movies, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, they’ve been hanging out together to promote it. During one of their interviews, SMG had the best reaction to Wood’s first role ever in Back To The Future 2.

During a chat with Radio Times, the pair of iconic actors were asked about their first memories being on film sets since both of them got started pretty early in life. The interview takes a fun turn when Gellar learns from Wood he has a cameo in one of the most famous movies. Check out her reaction:

You gotta love this real-time reaction of SMG realizing Wood was one of the kids in Cafe 80s along with already being Frodo in the Lord of the Rings movies. If you’re also having a similar life-shattering moment like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor is, here’s the scene Elijah Wood is talking about:

Elijah Wood’s career went off to an incredible start when he was cast in a small role in the Back To The Future sequel where he literally got to act alongside Michael J. Fox. Somehow his career went uphill from there. 10 years later, he would become Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, but within that decade he shared credits with a ton of famous names like Tom Hanks, Richard Gere, Kevin Costner, Paul Hogan, Macaulay Culkin and Robert Duvall. Gellar’s reaction to him in BTTF 2 is totally valid:

Sarah Michelle Gellar was truly too stunned to speak. It seems like she totally forgot to answer the question after hearing about Wood’s spectacular first time on a film set. Elijah Wood’s Back To The Future story is pretty amazing, anyways. In his words:

SMG also started acting around the same age as Wood did, but it’s pretty much impossible to compete with Back To The Future 2. She played the daughter of Burt Young’s character in the 1984 rom-com Over The Brooklyn Bridge. The actress’ first big movies were in 1997 with I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream 2. That same year, she debuted in the role of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV.

You can see Gellar and Wood in Ready or Not 2 now playing in theaters. Once you see the movie, check out CinemaBlend’s own interviews with the pair, who talked about Gellar’s twist in the movie.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come (which is now playing in theaters everywhere). If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!

There are a number of shocking turns of events in the 108 minute runtime of Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come, but easily ranking toward the top is the death of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ursula Danforth. The actress has a precedent of dying in horror movies (see: Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer), but it's nonetheless a surprise to see her character exit the film prior to the climax. It's a moment in the film that has inspired gasps from audiences… but for Gellar herself, it was met with a reaction of relief.

It's not the response you'd expect from an actor (one imagines the revelation being met with sadness because it brings their time with a production to a premature end), but Gellar was totally honest about it when I asked her about Ursula's death during the Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come Los Angeles press day late last month. Sitting beside co-star Elijah Wood, she expressed some guilt about her feelings, but had a good reason to back them up:

When one looks back on the ending of the new horror movie, one understands what she means. Scaled way up from the grand finale of 2019's Ready Or Not (set in an expansive living room with a dozen or so actors and some blood cannon explosions), the sequel features a cavernous ceremonial set with a giant pit, a crowd of hooded figures, and gallons upon gallons of fake blood.

Elijah Wood, who plays the mysterious figure known only as The Lawyer, confirmed that filming the end of Ready Or Not 2 took a long time, and it led to a fun exchange between the two genre icons:

• Elijah Wood: It was days. It was days. I was there. I remember.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar: I know. I was back in LA.
• Elijah Wood: It was pretty fun though!

Sarah Michelle Gellar is absent from the climax of Ready Or Not 2 because Ursula's neck is snapped by her brother, Shawn Hatosy's Titus Danforth – but does she at least regret not going out in a big explosion of blood? Said Gellar,

Instead, she leaves all of the messiness to all of her co-stars – and for what it's worth, even while they are acting scared and grossed out, you can still get the sense that there was a lot of fun had on set.

There are a lot of sequels coming out in 2026 (as per usual), and one I've had highlighted for viewing has been Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. I found the first Ready or Not to be one of the most refreshing horror comedies I’d seen in some time. It has that rare but beautiful combination of a fun and biting story that I love from the genre, when you can find it, that is. But, I really didn’t expect to walk out of Here I Come and say to myself, “Wow, I might like that better than the first film." Now that I realize that opinion isn’t a popular one, I need to talk it out.

As we’ve come to expect when a followup comes out, critics have been comparing Ready Or Not to the original, saying it feels "familiar" and “rinses and repeats so much” of what happened the first time around. Just to defend myself a bit with some numbers here, it’s not like people are panning Here I Come. It has a “fresh” score of 76 percent from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and at the moment, the cinephiles on Letterboxd have given it a 3.4 out of 5, with the most common being a healthy rating of 4 out of 5 (which is what I’d rate it myself). For context, the first movie holds a rating of 3.5 on the social media site. Anyways, let’s forget them now, and talk about me and my steaming hot take. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Grace Is Both Way More Unhinged And Well-Rounded In The Sequel

When I sat down to watch Here I Come, and I think this is an important note, I hadn’t seen the original since the first time and the only time I saw it back in 2019 when I caught it in theaters. I have since revisited the first movie, which CinemaBlend gave five stars in our Ready or Not review, after the fact and confirmed to myself my thoughts of being Team Sequel.

I think my particular admiration for No. 2 has to do with the development of Samara Weaving’s Grace as a character this time around. Look, she’s an amazing final girl in the original movie, but in the second she becomes a lot more than that. She becomes a hero. And, she does it literally the day after having the worst wedding night of her life. I love the idea of her nightmare continuing after all the craziness of the first movie, because it allows Grace to fully not give an f- anymore, and allow herself to become as feral as what’s happening around her calls for. In my opinion, Grace fully delivers on that front.

As a horror fan who’s seen an unsuspecting woman manage to make it out alive of a traumatizing and wild event time and time again, I found it to be even more satisfying to see her do it this time. That's not typical in other franchises with sequels.

Grace And Faith Are A Blast To Watch Together

I love the Die Hard of it all that is Ready or Not, but I found myself laughing aloud on multiple occasions as Grace's estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), was pulled into the world in Here I Come. It kind of felt like a buddy comedy in many parts of it, which was actually so nice to see in a genre where women dealing with pain alone is kind of the big trope.

Yes, I can see why some people might be disappointed by it being more of an action comedy than a horror movie this time around, but I personally love when a followup can switch up its tone a bit and take audiences into a different direction. Not only did I think Grace and Faith were fun to watch hide and seek together this time around, they really offered me an emotionally grounded story about sisters that made me care so much more about Grace, too.

Learning about their backstory and how they grew up as orphans helped me understand why Grace would be in this situation to begin with, and why the whole situation of your new family hunting you kill-or-be-killed style would hit even harder. Grace just wanted to belong, and then she was thrown back into survival mode. I loved how the circumstances of the game in Here I Come allow Grace and Faith to work through their issues, and become a family again through being there for each other. That depth wasn't as present in the first movie.

The Casting Additions Are Too Good

This third reason is probably more about the fangirl in me, but having Sarah Michelle Gellar back in a movie, and playing a baddie made me so happy after growing up watching her play Buffy. Then you add Elijah Wood, a.k.a. sweet Frodo Baggins, as the guy who’s protecting the sanctity of this ring from all these rich families?? I couldn’t handle how good that was. They knew what they were doing there, and I was eating it up.

And, There's So Many Funny Moments I Already Want To Revisit

Both movies have some really great scenes, but there are too many from the sequel that have been living rent free in my head since I saw it (which was actually close to a month before the premiere because I saw an early press screening). I love the random exploding bit in the Ready or Not movies, and Here I Come had a lot more moments with it that really just got me every time. Or, what about the scene where Grace has a showdown with the other “bride” in a wedding venue? And, the finale where Grace single-handedly outsmarts the whole room of satanists!! The whole time I was having an absolute blast, and living for it all.

I think what I love about it is it keeps the spirit of the original, but it feels like it’s everything amplified times two! I will absolutely be watching them both together back-to-back when I get the itch to rewatch, but I just feel like I’ll be anticipating going back to Here I Come more than the first one.

Now, if we want to be objective, of course the first one is more original, and there's nothing like your first time seeing a concept play out, but I just love when a sequel can up the stakes and make me love characters and a world even more, and Here I Come did just that for me.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer family has sadly lost yet another member, as it was reported this past week that Nicholas Brendon passed away at the age of 54. Brendon famously played the role of fan-favorite character Xander Harris throughout all seven seasons of the supernatural series. Since the news was announced, fans have been sharing tributes to Brendon and, now, many of his former Buffy castmates are doing the same. That includes Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz and others.

Gellar – who played the eponymous Buffy Summers – shared a tribute to her friend and co-star by way of an Instagram post. As part of that, the actress shared a sweet throwback photo of her and Brendon. Additionally, Gellar shared a sweet message within her caption:

Angel actor David Boreanaz shared his tribute to Brendon on Instagram as well this weekend. In addition to sharing a photo, Boreanaz also penned a lovely message that spoke to not only who Brendon was as an actor but who he was as a person:

Nicholas Brendon’s family formally announced his passing on Friday, explaining that he died in his sleep from natural causes. Per the statement, Brendon “found his passion in painting and art” in recent years and “loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans.” Brendon’s loved ones also remembered him as a person who was “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create.” Also, on Friday, Alyson Hannigan – who played Willow Rosenberg on all seven seasons of Buffy – wrote this on Instagram:

Hannigan’s post also included a still from Buffy, which showed her and Brendon’s characters physically embracing each other. As for Anya Jenkins actress Emma Caulfield, she shared an interview clip of Brendon on her Instagram story. She also shared a sentimental caption:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is streamable in its entirety with a Hulu subscription) remains a much loved piece of pop culture, and Brendon’s performance as Xander is a standout part of it. Within a show filled with drama, high stakes and otherworldly entanglements, Brendon helped ground the show through his humorous and relatable portrayal of Harris. All in all, Brendon – along with the writers – made Xander an amiable and invaluable ally for Buffy.

Nicholas Brendon’s passing hits hard, especially considering it’s only been a little over a year since the death of Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Dawn Summers on Buffy. While Brendon’s death may be another development that’s hard to process, I’m hopeful that his legacy will live on through those who love his portrayal of Xander as well as his other work. We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to Brendon’s family and friends during this time.

Over the weekend, Sarah Michelle Gellar left Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans stunned when she broke the bad news that Hulu had cancelled the highly-anticipated reboot from Chloé Zhao, called New Sunnydale. As the original TV show’s loyal fanbase have been mourning all week, the actress/producer shared her own reasons why she hopes the reboot doesn’t stay dead.

Gellar sat down with Andy Cohen’s radio show following Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale’s cancellation. When the host asked if she thinks there are “any other conversations going on” now that the reaction has been “so intense”, here’s how she responded:

It must be heartbreaking to Sarah Michelle Gellar to see fans get so sad about the new Buffy series being cancelled after she spent so much time working on it as a producer and actor. The pilot for New Sunnydale was filmed back in August, but executives allegedly weren't impressed enough once they watched the first episode, calling the show too “small."

Could Hulu retrace their steps after all the outcry from enraged fans? Gellar isn’t sure, but as she brought up, it’s pretty impossible not to notice how many people were looking forward to the new Buffy series. One would hope that somebody would see the huge reaction to the cancellation and reconsider, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Since the cancellation, Gellar said that there was an executive on the Buffy reboot who was “not a fan” of the original and “was proud” to constantly remind others involved that he’d “never seen the entirety of the series”. The actress never named who this executive was, but Deadline claims she was likely referring to Craig Erwich, who is the President of Disney Television Group, and directly oversees all Hulu Originals.

Since the cancellation news broke, new Buffy star Ryan Kiera Armstrong revealed what her character would have looked like, and was overwhelmed with comments from fans saying things like “@hulu count your days” and begging other streaming platforms to pick up the show. Another conversation that’s been happening lately concerns that fans want to see the pilot. But to that, Gellar said that she hopes it doesn’t get leaked because “it wasn’t done.”

New Buffy The Vampire Slayer episodes might not be on the way anytime soon, but you can stream the entire original show right now with a Hulu subscription. Also, you can catch Sarah Michelle Gellar in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, now in theaters.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best supernatural teen dramas of all time, and is a bonafide cult classic at this point. The original series (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) is regularly re-watched by fans, and it's my favorite TV show ever. This is what made the news of the revival New Sunnydale's cancellation so devastating, especially after the streamer had previously announced it was getting a full season. I'm personally dying to see the scrapped pilot, but Sarah Michelle Gellar recently explained why she actually doesn't want people to see it.

SMG has been speaking since Buffy's cancellation, claiming an exec at Hulu wasn't a fan of the original and didn't want the revival to move forward. New information has been trickling out, including what the new Slayer would have looked like. But during a recent conversation with Page Six, the Cruel Intention actress explained why she hopes the pilot doesn't end up being released. In her words:

Touché. While fans like me would love to see how the story continued after Buffy's series finale, the pilot wasn't actually completed as planned. There were reports that coverage was missing, and that the story was reworked before New Sunnydale was eventually scrapped altogether. And Gellar doesn't want to the fans to see an episode that wasn't actually ready for the public's consumption.

SMG's comments show how much Buffy the Vampire Slayer's legacy means to her, even if the revival is no longer happening. In addition to not wanting fans to see the pilot, she's also speaking out against reading any leaked scripts from New Sunnydale. As she put it:

Points were made. Reading a potential script very different than actually seeing what director Chloé Zhao would have actually brought to the table as a filmmaker. And in the end the pilot would have been just step one in a longer narrative for Buffy the Vampier Slayer: New Sunnydale. Alas, it looks like we'll likely never see that revival actually happen.

Buffy's seven-season run is streaming now on Hulu. New information about the scrapped pilot will likely keep trickling out, which shows how much fan investment there still is. Still, it seems unlikely that Hulu will change its mind.

The news that the planned Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot isn't moving forward at Hulu hit fans like a ton of bricks. It was a highly anticipated return for a popular show, one that included the return of star Sarah Michelle Gellar, and with Oscar-winning Chloe Zhao directing the pilot. Whether or not the pilot would get picked up wasn’t thought to be a concern for fans, and yet, here we are without a series order having surfaced.

The only thing more frustrating than Buffy's reboot not moving forward is the list of absolutely insane details that have come out over the last couple of days explaining why the series isn’t moving forward. That includes the fact that the exec who made the decision was apparently a proud anti-fan of the original series.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Calls Out Hulu Exec For Killing The Buffy Reboot

The first piece of perplexing news came yesterday in an interview that Sarah Michelle Gellar gave to People in which she revealed that an executive, whom she did not name, that was involved in the series, apparently wasn’t a fan of the original series. That would be fine on its own, but Gellar indicated the exec seemed to have no love for the reboot from the beginning. Gellar said:

While Sarah Michelle Gellar didn’t name the executive, Deadline believes it was Craig Erwich, the President of Disney Television Group, who directly oversees all Hulu Originals. Erwich was also the person who informed all parties involved that the show was not moving forward with a phone call at 6 p.m. on a Friday evening, just as Sarah Michelle Gellar was appearing at SXSW for the premiere of her new movie Ready or Not 2. Zhao, meanwhile, was involved in Oscar weekend activities promoting her movie Hamnet, which had received multiple nominations including a Best Director nomination for Zhao.

Deadline indicates there was no reason that the decision had to be relayed on a Friday night. This certainly feels like a “We can talk about on Monday,” sort of thing. What’s perhaps more interesting, and more frustrating, however, are the alleged reasons that Hulu passed on the pilot in the first place.

What Was (Reportedly) Wrong With The Buffy Reboot Pilot

While the show being axed was a shock to fans, it seems that it was just as much a shock to many of the executives who were involved, as they believed any issues with the show had been dealt with. According to Deadline, the main note coming out of Hulu after the pilot was completed was that it was too small and appeared to be geared too young.

Ryan Kiera Armstrong, the show’s lead, was 15 at the time the pilot filmed, slightly younger than Gellar had been when Buffy first launched, she was 18, but obviously she had been cast for a reason. As far as the show seeming “small,” it seems the direction the creative team had been given was to keep it on par with the original WB/UPN series, which wasn’t exactly a massive show.

The notes were still taken in, and show writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman engaged in a significant rewrite that increased the size of Gellar’s part, skewed more adult, and was 90 minutes long. The rewrite was well-received, to the point that the series being picked up became much more likely.

It’s still unclear exactly why the new pilot script wasn’t deemed good enough. Some sources tell Deadline the show just wasn’t as good as the original series. It’s also suggested the new pilot may have been too expensive, though if the original pilot was seen as "too small," that’s reason doesn't sound as believable.

Whatever the reasons, barring an 11th-hour stay of execution, it appears that the Buffy reboot is dead. It’s unfortunate fans never even got a chance to judge the show. Maybe somebody can pull a Deadpool and get the pilot online so that the people who are fans of the show can judge its quality.

Talk about a stake through the heart. Buffy fans have been getting hyped over the last year over the return of their favorite vampire slayer by way of a Sarah Michelle Gellar-produced revival involving Hamnet’s Chloé Zhao as well. But all that giddiness has turned sour now that it’s just been confirmed that New Sunnydale has been axed by Hulu before it could even see the light of day.

Sarah Michelle Gellar shared a video to Instagram early Saturday and broke the news that the Buffy the Vampire reboot would not be moving forward. Check out the post below to hear exactly what the fan-favorite actress -- who was set to reprise her role on the show as well -- had to say:

As Gellar shared “Hulu has decided not to move forward” with the revival Buffy series she’d been working on with the Oscar-winning Chloé Zhao across the past year. The actress called the news “really sad” but wanted to make sure the fans heard it from her first. Fans took to the comment section to share their disappointment, and one of them directly responded to Gellar saying fans could "still beep" her if the apocalypse were to happen:

In the message, Sarah Michelle Gellar forwarded a big thanks to Zhao, who pitched the project. The strength of Zhao's pitch was what made Gellar change her mind about joining a revival, which she'd long preferred not to do. Gellar has spoken highly of Zhao, who's she's called a “true fan that is desperate to revisit the world” of Buffy rather than “reinvent it”.

Gellar said working on the project “reminded” her how much she loves the iconic vampire slayer and that the reboot's cancellation “doesn’t change any of that”. Of course, it’s very understandable that fans are bummed over the news after hearing exciting teases about New Sunnydale. Another user said:

Sarah Michelle Gellar didn’t really explain exactly why the Buffy The Vampire Slayer revival, which was teased to include OG characters, was scrapped. Nevertheless, it’s certainly perplexing from the outside looking in as to why the streamer made the decision to pass on such a massive IP. The TV series has a huge following, and many fans seem eager to the world after the Buffy The Vampire Slayer finale aired over twenty years ago. As another fan wrote:

Over the summer, a pilot for the new Buffy series was filmed in Los Angeles with a cast including fresh talent like Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Chase Sui Wonders and Sarah Bock.

It's hard not to wonder if there’s a chance for New Sunnydale could still happen at this point. Could another streaming service or network pick up the show instead, and is the Gellar's reveal perhaps a secret plea for another studio to work with her and Zhao instead? It's known that The Walt Disney Company owns the rights to Buffy, which is why the original series is streamable with a Hulu subscription. Still, it's unclear if it would even be possible for another entity to scoop up the revival. For now, the Buffy fandom is clearly in mourning:

This surely is an unfortunate turn of events, and only time will tell if this reboot materializes in some form at some point. For now, fans can only dwell on their memories of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and rewatch all seven seasons of the show as it stands.

It may be hard to believe, but February 26 marked a year since Michelle Trachtenberg died. She is one of many Hollywood actors who tragically died before turning 40, as she was only 39. Her death sent shockwaves across the world, with celebrities and fans alike paying tribute to her. On the first anniversary, her on-screen Buffy the Vampire Slayer sister, Sarah Michelle Gellar, shared a heart-wrenching post about trying to understand how quickly time had passed.

Many Buffy stars paid tribute to Trachtenberg when she passed, including Gellar. She’s kept her on-screen little sis’ memory alive over the last year, and even wished her a happy birthday in October on what would have been her 40^th. So it’s no surprise that Gellar would share a heartbreaking Instagram post on the first anniversary of her co-star's death. Reflecting on the over 30 years of memories they have together, and how Trachtenberg would even show up to her kids’ birthday parties, the actress posted:

Between the long message and the photos that accompany it, which are not only from their Buffy days but from when Trachtenberg was even younger, and presumably holding one of Gellar’s babies, I am a puddle of tears.

Like Gellar, I don’t understand how it’s been a year since we lost Trachtenberg, and it still feels like it happened just yesterday. Luckily, she has over three decades’ worth of memories that she probably won’t ever forget. While they won’t ever be enough, the I Know What You Did Last Summer star seems to be as grateful as ever regardless.

Trachtenberg joined Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy’s little sister Dawn in the fifth season, starring in the series through the rest of its run. Over time, she ended up becoming a useful member of the Scooby Gang. Her addition may have come as a surprise, but it’s hard to imagine the show without her. She definitely made a big impact not only on the characters but also on the fans and the cast, as evidenced by Gellar’s post.

By the time Buffy came along for Trachtenberg, it was only one of the many roles that she had landed. The former child star was known for The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Harriet the Spy, All My Children, Inspector Gadget, and many more. She also appeared on the Nickelodeon game show Figure It Out on numerous occasions. Not to mention the many projects she did afterwards, notably Ice Princess and Gossip Girl, that are still fan-favorites.

I would assume that as time goes on, Sarah Michelle Gellar will definitely be keeping Michelle Trachtenberg’s memory alive, whether privately or publicly, and it just shows how close they grew over the decades they knew each other. And fans can also keep her memory alive by watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a Hulu subscription.

Sarah Michelle Gellar was and will always be Buffy Summers, and lucky for fans, she’s set to reprise the character soon. Funny enough, the actress just stepped out in some incredible looks that are non-Buffy related, but fans were all over the ways she was giving Vampire Slayer even if she just came to simply slay.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Latest Look Is Getting All The Buffy Love

The Buffy The Vampire Slayer actress just wrapped a five-week run on Netflix’s take on the competition show Star Search. Gellar served as one of three judges alongside Jelly Roll and Chrissy Teigen after she had her own connection to the original Star Search when she auditioned and was rejected from the show. Check out her “wrap” post:

Gellar showed off three stellar looks she glammed up for recently in support of Star Search, as the series recently aired its last episode on Wednesday.

The Buffy fans were all over the comment section talking about how the post reminded them of the beloved supernatural series. Check out some of the Instagram comments:

• “Dress and leather jacket giving Prophecy Girl vibes” - @everything_thelight_touches
• “Ok first picture is giving Buffy wearing Angel’s oversized leather jacket in season 1 ❤️‍🔥” - @leamnasrallah
• “Leather jacket is so Buffy coded” - @timothysryan
• “What I love is how we all saw the leather jacket and instantly thought of season one” - @queensmp_
• “It’s giving [Buffy] Season 3 prom episode and it is PERFECT!” - @jessicakyca

Buffy Summers loves wearing a black leather jacket, so when fans noticed her wearing one on top of a sparkly dress, they had no choice but to point it out. It’s pretty impressive that people are talking about the TV show over 20 years after the finale came out, but it goes to show the fandom is still big, and very much awaiting that upcoming reboot with every one of her social media posts.

What’s Going On With The Buffy Reboot, Anyways?

Last year, it was officially announced that Hulu was moving forward with a new Buffy series with Hamnet and Eternals filmmaker Chloé Zhao behind it. Zhao was apparently the one who convinced Sarah Michelle Gellar to reprise her famous role, thanks to her wishes to “revisit the world, not reinvent” it.

Since, a number of actors have joined the cast, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong expected to be a lead. The Oscar-winning filmmaker has said some other OG characters will return to the show as well, but that remains a secret for now. The pilot for the Buffy series was filmed over the summer, and last we heard, the series should be coming to those with a Hulu subscription sometime this year.

While we wait for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale to (hopefully) find a place on the 2026 TV schedule, you can see Gellar in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come in theaters this March 20.

I didn’t think it was possible for me to be more obsessed with Sarah Michelle Gellar than I already was. I’ve been locked in since Buffy, stayed loyal through slashers, live-action Scooby-Doo flicks, and everything in between. But somehow, she’s found a new way into my pop-culture heart by casually revealing she’s just as deep into Survivor discourse as the rest of us. And also, she's a Parvati fan.

What Sarah Michelle Gellar Said About Survivor

That revelation came courtesy of an Instagram post from the Drop Your Buffs Podcast, where Gellar appeared as a guest and said multiple things that immediately told me she’s not a casual viewer, but “one of us.”

During the conversation, the Emmy winner shut down a popular comparison that’s been floating around recently, and that is that (spoiler alert) season 49 winner and upcoming season 50 castaway Savannah is the “new Parvati.” But the Buffy star was having none of that:

That alone would’ve been enough, but she kept going. When asked who belongs on her Survivor Mount Rushmore of best players, Gellar didn’t hedge or list four names to sound diplomatic. She continued:

Same girl, same. And when the interviewer tossed out the evergreen question of how do you explain loving a show people assume ended years ago? — Her answer was simple, blunt, and perfect: “It’s good TV.” And I couldn't agree more.

Who Parvati Is (And Why This Matters)

For the uninitiated, Parvati Shallow isn’t just a Survivor legend. She’s royalty. A master of social gameplay, charm, and strategic control, she redefined how to dominate a season without relying on brute strength. After debuting on Season 13, winning Season 16, and returning for Seasons 20 and 40, Parvati even took her talents overseas, competing on Australian Survivor in 2025 and winning yet again. Few players in reality TV history have built a résumé as deep or influential as this.

So when Sarah Michelle Gellar says Parvati doesn’t have a true successor, she’s speaking fluent Survivor. I’m not sure any other cast member has had quite the same lasting impact she’s had on how Survivor is played.

Why This Makes Me Love Gellar Even More

Look, I was already fully bought in. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Scream 2, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and yes, even Scooby-Doo, Sarah Michelle Gellar has been a constant in my media diet. But there’s something uniquely delightful about discovering a beloved star shares your exact reality TV brain rot. At this point, the Cruel Intentions star isn’t just an icon of genre TV and movies, but officially a full-blown Survivor Buff.

And the obsession continues. Survivor Season 50 (tragically without Parvati) is set to debut on the 2026 television schedule with a special three-hour premiere on Wednesday, February 25, airing from 8/7c to 11/10c on CBS. And if you’re anything like Sarah Michelle Gellar or me, all you need to tune in is CBS, or a Paramount+ subscription and a healthy appreciation for elite gameplay.

As for Gellar's next project, she continues her horror movie bona fides, set to star in the upcoming Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, hitting theaters on March 27, 2026.

News broke back in early 2025 that Buffy The Vampire Slayer would be coming back thanks to Sarah Michelle Gellar and Hulu. The streaming service greenlit a pilot order for a continuation to the beloved fantasy series with Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao also behind the project. Almost a year later, Gellar has just shared more details about why she’s making the series.

In a new interview with Evan Ross Katz, Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke in depth about her thoughts on the new series set to be called Buffy The Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale. In her words:

Hey, no one can blame Sarah Michelle Gellar for wanting to put the nail in the coffin on Buffy after its successful seven-season run, but she changed her mind about revisiting the series for a very specific reason. As she shared:

From May to August of 2025, a bunch of cast members were added to the New Sunnydale cast, including a round of young stars led by The Skeleton Crew’s Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Jack Cutmore-Scott. Chase Sui Wonders was added after she and Gellar were both in the latest I Know What You Did Last Summer. Zhao has also teased more OG characters joining the cast.

Prior to these comments, Gellar has also called Zhao a “true fan that is desperate to revisit the world, not reinvent it” and has said it would be accessible to new and old fans of Buffy. It’s apparently been a “nerve-wracking” process for Gellar to give fans something that they’ll love, but she seems committed. She continued:

Per these comments, it sounds like Gellar and Zhao are still working out the details of the story of the new Buffy before filming it, but it’s coming along. Gellar also clarified if it’s a reboot by saying this:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer ran on The WB from the summer of 1997 to 2001 before switching to UPN for its final two seasons. The finale aired on September 24, 2002, making the last appearance of Buffy Summers being nearly 25 years old. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about New Sunnydale, but for now we can look forward to Gellar returning to the horror space with Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, coming to theaters on March 27, 2026.

For somebody with as long and varied a career as Sarah Michelle Gellar, the actress has worked surprisingly little with Disney over the years. It’s certainly not because she isn’t a fan, as the actress and her family recently made a stop at the Happiest Place on Earth for a “much needed’ break in the middle of Gellar’s recent run of horror projects, from Dexter to Buffy to big-screen sequels.

It’s difficult to think of a better time to hit Disneyland than right now. It’s the Christmas season, and it’s also Disneyland's 70th anniversary celebration. Those two things combine to make for a pretty amazing trip, and based on the photos posted to Instagram, Sarah Michelle Gellar, husband Freddie Prinze Jr., and their family certainly had a festive experience.

Gellar is absolutely rocking a pair of holiday Minnie Mouse ears and making it look far better than anybody has a right to. Also, as somebody who is obsessed with Disneyland food and drink, I have to give her bonus points for going with the Cold Brew Black Caf at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It’s absolutely one of the best things to drink at Disneyland, and the proper start to any great Disneyland day.

Considering that Freddie Prinze Jr. was the voice of Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars: Rebels, one imagines he particularly enjoyed the visit to the galaxy far, far away.

Gellar also includes a couple of images from Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and she also took rides on Toy Story Midway Mania and checked out Haunted Mansion Holiday. An evening picture in front of It’s a Small World, all done up in Christmas lights, is also a must-do. She really hit some of the best rides at Disneyland and the top rides at Disney California Adventure.

A trip to Disneyland is probably something of a culture shock, considering that most of the actress’ recent and current work is a bit disconnected from traditional Disney fare. She most recently appeared in the I Know What You Did Last Summer legacy sequel, and her upcoming projects include Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, where she plays one of the monsters, and the planned Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot, where she will, one assumes, kill the monsters.

Although, since the upcoming reboot of Buffy is a Hulu project, that does technically make it part of the Disney family. Disney Parks got in on the fun with a comment on Gellar’s Instagram post, saying…

I am a little jealous of Gellar and family, as my own visit to Disneyland during the holiday season got rained out, though even in less than great whether it’s hard to have a bad day at Disneyland. Whatever else may be going wrong, at least you’re at Disneyland.

For all the movies and TV shows adapting branded kids' games like Clue, Trivial Pursuit, Battleship and more, a movie like 2019's Ready or Not really drives home how easily a good game-based movie can be made without any licensing involved. The darkly comedic hide-and-seek horror helped bring directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett into the Scream universe and get their original vamp flick Abigail made, but they returned to the fold for another high-stakes chase. And we now have our first big look at the sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come via the trailer seen above.

Olly olly oxen free! This upcoming horror movie looks like a banger follow-up to the smart and stylish thrills of the first film, and with a cast that's just to DIE for. And each of their characters appears to be the absolute worst, so I'm already looking forward to each and every one meeting a disturbing fate. Yeah, even you, sunglasses-wearing new recruit Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Ready or Not 2 will pick up right where the first movie ended, and apparently won't even give Samara Weaving's newly wed Grace le Domas a grace period to recuperate. Instead, Elijah Wood swoops in to deliver the bad news that she has to essentially go through that whole ordeal again, only instead of her new in-laws, she's taking on four of the families that run the world, in an Illuminati kind of way. It turns out murdering a bunch of important rich people, even in justifiable self-defense, is not a good way to avoid future troubles.

Some of the new characters she'll be dealing with are played by all-stars such as the aforementioned Sarah Michelle Gellar, whose character goes by Ursula Danforth. Even that name is slappable. She's married to The Pitt vet Shawn Hatosy's character Titus Danforth, whose father is portrayed by the great filmmaker David Cronenberg.

Other new recruits include Dark Knight vet Néstor Carbonell, Abigail's Kevin Durand, See's Olivia Cheng, Wynonna Earp's Varun Saranga and more. Although the other most important newbie is Big Little Lies vet Kathryn Newton, who joins the fray as Grace's younger sister Faith. Despite being estranged, the sisters have to work together to keep moving and survive long enough to take over the High Seat of the Council that runs the planet. No big deal.

Check out the new poster below!

Written by Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murray, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come will hit the 2026 movie schedule on April 10, 2026.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best supernatural teen dramas and my favorite show of all time. I was hyped when it was revealed that Sarah Michelle Gellar had joined a revival pilot, and even more thrilled when it was picked up for a full season. The Chosen One is back, and Gellar recently explained how producer and director Chloé Zhao convinced her to return as everyone's favorite Slayer.

Those with a Hulu subscription can currently re-watch the original Buffy, but the streaming service will also be where the forthcoming revival is dropped. For years the iconic scream queen denied interest in playing the role again, but Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao changed her mind. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Gellar tipped her hat to the fresh perspective Zhao is bringing to the franchise, saying:

It's this visionary sense of filmmaking that earned Zhao an Oscar for her work in Nomadland, which had an emotional story and captivating cinematography. It should be fascinating to see what she brings to Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, which will continue the story after the wildly satisfying series finale.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has a cult following, who regularly re-watch its seven-season fun and keep it in the pop culture landscape. So bringing back the series comes with a ton of expectations and strong feelings about its legacy. In the same interview, Sarah Michell Gellar highlighted Zhao's own fandom, offering:

This is definitely going to ease the nerves of some hardcore Buffy fans. The director of Eternals (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) clearly loves the original series, so it sounds like the revival is in good hands. Zhao recently teased more OGs returning to join SMG, and I'm eager to see which/how members of the Buffy cast pop up in New Sunnydale.

Of course, the fact that Gellar is involved and once gain playing Buffy Summers is definitely a boon for the series. We're not getting a reboot, but a continuation of the story fans know and love. Zhao spoke to Vanity Fair about the actress' return to her signature role, saying:

Points were made. Gellar was at the top of the call sheet for a whopping seven seasons on air, and playing Buffy required tons of night shoots, action sequences, and long hours. She understands this show intimately, and will no doubt be a resource when crafting the new series.

It's currently unclear when Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale will arrive on Hulu, but hopefully it'll be part of the 2026 TV schedule. In the meantime I'm going to give the OG show another re-watch and wait for news about which members of the Scooby Gang will appear in the revival.

As fans look forward to the new Scrubs revival on the 2026 TV schedule, they will also be able to get excited about another revival of a beloved show from that era of TV. Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be getting the reboot/revival as well, with Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to welcome a new generation. Now, the show’s director, Chloé Zhao, is hyping up her return as well as some other OG characters.

Buffy is one of the best vampire shows of all time, so it was no surprise when it was announced in February that a new series was officially moving forward at Hulu. Gellar will return as the titular Slayer in a recurring capacity, with Ryan Kiera Armstrong taking up the mantle as a new Slayer. It’s unknown who else will return, but Zhao told Variety that fans should remember that this is not a reboot, but instead a continuation of sorts, and there are certainly plans to bring on other fan-favorites:

A few Buffy stars have expressed interest in returning, and while other original cast members have not been announced, Zhao is making sure to hype up the possibility. It’s only a matter of time before more OGs are announced, but at the very least, Buffy will not be the only one returning to Sunnydale.

Among those who want to return is Charisma Carpenter, who starred in the first three seasons as Cordelia Chase before moving on to the spinoff Angel. Although Cordelia ultimately dies, characters on Buffy have been known to come back from the dead, including Buffy Summers herself. Carpenter explained earlier this year that she hopes to be involved in some fashion, and although fans are still sharing their unpopular Cordy takes, I know I'd love to see her return.

That being said, just because Gellar and other OGs are returning, fans don’t necessarily have to watch the original series in order to watch the new one. Gellar previously shared that the new show will “cater to the people,” but there will also be Easter eggs as the revival ushers in a whole new generation.

Revivals and reboots can either be hits or misses, so it’s hard to tell at this point how the Buffy series will go. It does sound like they’re taking great care in making sure that it caters to a new audience while also keeping original fans interested. As a fan of the original show, I’m intrigued to see what will happen next, and I’m keeping an open mind about it.

All this talk about it is making me want to rewatch the original one, though, which is streaming in full with a Hulu subscription, along with the 1992 film and Angel. More details should be released soon about the new series, but the wait will definitely be worth it.

Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my absolute favorite, and one of the best supernatural treen dramas ever. The cult classic ran for seven seasons, and continues to get new audiences for those with a Hulu subscription. That streamer will also be the home of the possible reboot, if/when a full season is ordered after Chloé Zhao's pilot. And Sarah Michelle Gellar recently gave her take on whether or not you need to have watched its original run to enjoy the new Buffy.

The Cruel Intentions actress led the Buffy cast for all seven seasons, and the fact that Gellar starred in the reboot pilot was a huge step in the possible show's return to TV. I recently rewatched the Buffy the Vampire Slayer finale and while it perfectly sets up the reboot, catching up might be a daunting task to newcomers. SMG was recently interviewed by Variety and asked if it will be necessary for folks to binge watch seven seasons ahead of the reboot. She responded:

Honestly, I'm with her. But for those folks out there who were too young to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer or who think that seven long seasons is too much to catch up on, it looks like the new series will be written so that the story is still able to be enjoyed. That being said, it sounds like the pilot had oodles of Easter Eggs and references to the OG. And I'm dying to see what they are.

At the time of writing this story, a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer show hasn't been given a season order by Hulu. Just a pilot was shot, albeit one with an Oscar-winning director behind the camera. But Sarah Michelle Gellar's BTS photo dump and comments about the possible reboot has helped to buoy fan excitement about what's to come. Hopefully the streamer makes an announcement one way or another soon. The suspense is truly killing me.

Buffy's original run was on network TV most season had a whopping 22 episodes, with the exception being Season 1. So there's a ton of lore and history that audiences saw the Scooby Gang get into during their years in Sunnydale. I'm someone who regularly re-watched my favorite episodes, so I assumeI I'd be able to catch the references that were snuck into the reboot pilot. But I'll never get my chance if the show isn't actually given the full season order at Hulu.

Gellar knows all too well that a pilot is no guarantee for a revival, as she famously worked on a Cruel Intentions TV show that never came to fruition. Hopefully that's not the case with Buffy, especially since she seems to excited about her return as The Chosen One.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streaming in its entirety on Hulu. The timeline on the possible revival show is unclear, but fans are hoping that it moves forward. Fingers crossed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a show with a cult following, and is arguably one of the best teen supernatural dramas ever. The beloved series, which is streaming with a Hulu subscription, has the potential to return to TV thanks to Sarah Michele Gellar's revival pilot for Hulu. And the beloved actress recently clarified some details about the project, as well as why it's so "nerve-wracking."

Gellar led the Buffy cast for seven seasons on the air, and she's so far the only legacy character to be confirmed for the revival pilot. SMG's Buffy photo dump showed a glimpse onto the pilot's set, and in an interview with ET she clarified the type of project it is. In her words:

Points were made. While folks have been throwing the term reboot around, that's technically not what the pilot is. Instead, it's more of a revival continuing the narrative of the universe after Buffy the Vampire Slayer's series finale. Hopefully Hulu actually orders a full series so we can see what Gellar and Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao cooked up.

Sarah Michelle Gellar spoke about how revivals get a bad wrap, so the pressure is on for Buffy if Hulu decides to move forward. Later in her same interview, the iconic scream queen admitted that it's adding to the nerves associated with the possible revival. As she told it:

Honestly, can you blame her? Buffy has remained super popular in the decades since it ended its original run on the air. The series finale was wildly satisfying, so any new installments in the franchise has the potential to spoil the way it stuck the landing. Still, fans like me have been dying for more content for years, and I will totally lose my mind if/when we see SMG in more episodes.

For years it seemed like a Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival was an impossibility. For her part, even Sarah Michelle Gellar seemed like she wasn't sure about playing The Chosen One again. But that's changed, with the Scream 2 star explaining what convinced her: the fans. In her words:

This sounds pretty amazing, and those generations of Buffy fans are going to be devastated if the revival isn't picked up for a full season by Hulu. If that happens, there's a possibility that we may never see what Gellar and Zhao worked on. I'm keeping my fingers (and wooden stakes) crossed for now.

The pilot reportedly featured Buffy training a new teenage Slayer, and after re-watching the Buffy finale it really sets that up well. That's also why SMG is clarifying that the pilot isn't a reboot, but a continuation of the same story.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is currently streaming in its entirety on Hulu, along with all of Angel. Hopefully we hear news about the streaming service's plans for the pilot sooner rather than later.

Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best supernatural teen dramas ever, and has remained a cult classic in the years since it's been off the air. Fans of the original series (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) were hyped to learn that Sarah Michelle Gellar was working on a reboot pilot with Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. I recently rewatched Buffy's series finale, and I've got to say it perfectly sets up what we know about the pilot.

If Hulu orders a full series, the Buffy reboot will introduce a new Slayer named Nova. SMG's title character is reportedly serving as a mentor in the pilot, and that does feel like a natural segue after the events of the Season 7 finale episode, "Chosen." Assemble your Scooby Gang and let's get into it.

Buffy Shared Her Power In "Chosen"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has the honor of being a TV show that actually ended well. Throughout Season 7 our hero and her friends are fighting The First Evil, who is attempting to end the Slayer line. After the good guys assemble an army of young women, Willow uses ancient magic to activate every Potential. Just like that, Buffy and Faith weren't the only "hot chicks with superpowers" in the group.

What followed in "Chosen" was an absolutely epic final battle, where countless Slayers battled The First's army of Ubervamps from within the Hell Mouth. It's awesome seeing the Potentials finally have some power, although we lost a few, like Amanda, as well as saw the death of Emma Caulfied's Anya. Buffy had spent much of the season training the girls, and it sounds like she'll be back in that mentorship role in the reboot pilot... if we ever actually see it.

Nova might be the new Slayer, but the fact that the potential Buffy reboot is keeping the same story and bringing back Sarah Michelle Gellar makes me think that the OG is still going to have a major part to play. It would be fascinating to see how she assembles and trains various Slayers from around the world.

While Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended after seven seasons, Joss Whedon ended up continuing the story through years of comic books. It's unclear if these will still be considered canon in the possible reboot, since they went on some truly wild adventures. Right now, the primary question is whether or not Hulu will actually green light a full season. Either way, we've seen how dynamic Buffy is when training fellow Slayers.

Gellar's photo dump has helped to buoy fan excitement, which I have to assume will help the odds of the pilot becoming a full-fledged series. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, especially if a new season will bring back more legacy characters alongside Little Miss Likes to Fight.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are streaming in their entirety on Hulu. We'll have to wait and see if the the reboot pilot was successful in securing a new season of episodes with the Duchess of Buffonia.

Earlier this year, Hulu announced its plan to produce a Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot. Fans were thrilled to hear that OG slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar had signed onto the project as well. Gellar is definitely best known for her iconic TV role as Buffy Summers, the teenage vampire slayer, despite having starred in numerous TV shows and films since. Some people might question why she’s returning to an old character and risking being pigeonholed, but Gellar is setting the record straight on that

While working on the original Buffy series, Gellar also starred in hits such as Cruel Intentions, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream 2, solidifying herself as one of the ‘90s cult classic queens. She’s continued to reliably work in the supernatural and slasher genres, appearing in Dexter: Original Sin and Wolf Pack. Still with a brief cameo in the 2025 sequel I Know What You Did Last Summer and a return to Buffy, USA Today asked Gellar whether or not she feels pigeonholed in her career, and she gave an answer I love:

The Do Revenge actress is right. You can try and reject it, but the reboot renaissance didn’t just happen out of nowhere. It’s driven by nostalgia and projects that remain timeless, resonating with new generations as well as original audiences. Often reboots are announced after years of loyal fanbases calling for them.

For those fans, Gellar is finally ready to return to Buffy, saying she doesn’t feel the character is forced upon her, but rather it’s a choice to return to her roots. She explained:

I love a grateful celebrity, and I personally agree with Geller that she’s not pigeonholed but rather just well loved for her iconic characters. In her own words, there’s nothing wrong with reviving a beloved project, as long as the reboot has a fresh take, while still "capturing the DNA of the original.”

A perfect example would be the 2025 summer blockbuster I Know What You Did Last Summer, in which ‘90s stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Gellar’s husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., also returned to their OG roles. While the Buffy actress’ top secret cameo was only two minutes long, she certainly didn’t waste her screentime.

Brought back to life in a dream sequence, Helen Shivers (Gellar) confronts her reboot counterpart Madeline Cline, dressed in her croker queen dress and crown while wielding the OG murder hook. She also flawlessly doesn't look a day over 30). It’s a scene that the movie certainly didn’t need, but one I would have been sorry to miss out on, given that Gellar slays it, as per usual.

I can only Gellar she brings the same energy to the Buffy reboot, but there is no doubt she will. While behind-the-scenes photos seem to confirm our OG vampire-killing queen will wield the stake once again, she won’t be alone. In this reboot, it seems Gellar will take on more of a mentor role, as a new Chosen One will take the spotlight. However, that doesn’t mean the ‘90s Buffy cast will be totally forgotten, as the Cruel Intentions actress says she wants to find a balance between bringing back old characters and introducing new ones.

While I’m sad that some beloved characters like Anya and Cordelia probably won’t be in the reboot due to their deaths in the original series, I can still hold out hope for more dream sequences! What I'm thankful for, though, is that Sarah Michelle Gellar is in the mix, and she's incredibly grateful to be playing the character that made her a cultural icon. Be sure to keep an eye out for this return to Sunnydale, or if you need a more immediate Buffy the Vampire fix, the OG series is available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a truly iconic TV show, and in my opinion one of the best teen supernatural dramas. The cult classic (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) still has a dedicated fanbase, which was thrilled when it was revealed that Sarah Michelle Gellar was working on a reboot pilot. The great scream queen recently defended these types of revivals in the midst of some criticism online.

We're in the midst of a Sarah Michelle Gellar renaissance, with the actress returning to famous roles thanks to the Buffy pilot and her cameo in I Know What You Did Last Summer. In a conversation with USA Today, she stood up for these types of reboots and long-awaited sequels. In her words:

This is honestly a great perspective. Good stories are hard to come by, and the greats often get explored and reimagined. SMG named greats like The Bard but you can't deny that Buffy the Vampire Slayer has its place in TV history. The same can also be said for other properties she's worked on such as horror classics like Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and The Grudge.

Gellar's acclaimed role in James Gunn's Scooby-Doo movies was a new version of an established narrative, and Cruel Intentions was a contemporary book to screen adaptation of Les Liaisons dangereuses. She clearly understands the cyclical nature of storytelling.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot pilot will reportedly focus on Gellar's title character serving as a mentor to a young Slayer. While she was a general for the Potentials in Season 7, seeing her focus on the training of one protégée would be a new color on The Chosen One. SMG spoke to the importance of bringing something fresh, saying:

In the same interview about reboots, she name dropped titles like Freakier Friday and Alien: Romulus for having something new to say in an already established IP. She went on to explain what makes a good nostalgic turn, saying:

Obviously Gellar knows the DNA of Buffy the Vampire Slayer better than most, after playing the title role for seven seasons across two networks. She collaborated with Oscar-winning Nomadland director Chloé Zhao for the reboot pilot, who seems to be a big fan of the original series. It sounds like a winning combo to me, so I'm hoping Hulu decides to give the reboot a full season order. For her part, Sarah Michelle Gellar is definitely helping to buoy excitement by sharing glimpses from the set and doing press about her work on the pilot.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are both streaming in their entirety over on Hulu. Hopefully we hear about the reboot's fate one way or another soon. I'm going to keep my fingers (and wooden stakes) crossed.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a truly iconic supernatural teen drama, and my favorite TV show of all time. The cult classic, which is streaming with a Hulu subscription, is in the midst of a renaissance thanks to the Buffy reboot pilot that's being worked on. Sarah Michelle Gellar recently posted a photo dump from the set, and seeing her with a wooden stake in her hand is warming my nerdy heart.

Oscar-winning Nomadland filmmaker Chloé Zhao is directing the Buffy reboot pilot, and the fandom is hoping that Hulu gives it a full season order. That remains to be seen, but SMG is helping to buoy excitement online thanks to an Instagram post from the set. Check it out below:

Little Miss Likes to Fight is back, and she's armed with her signature weapon for dusting vamps. Obviously this shot with Gellar and Zhao is just the start of this photo dump, but it's a thrilling combination, especially given the prop stakes involved. This will likely only be one of many weapons our hero be using if/when fans get to see new episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The comments section is filled with fans excited to see SMG back in her signature role. She's been on a roll with nostalgic roles recently, including her surprise cameo in I Know What You Did Last Summer. Bring on the Sarah Michelle Gellar renaissance!

The first photo is arguably the most exciting, but it's fun to get a peek behind the curtain on what it's been like filming the Buffy reboot pilot. We see her carrying around Buffy action figure molded from her appearance in "End of Days", the penultimate episode of the entire show. To this day I still think Buffy's series finale is one of the best in TV history.

Fans are trying to dissect every frame from this post, in hopes of discerning the story of the pilot. The sixth slide shows what looks like a beach or dessert location, with one fan theorizing:

Honestly, this might be legit. While I'm not saying I recognize the desert, it would make sense if Buffy brought her new protégée to communicate with the First Slayer in the reboot. She did this journey herself back in Season 5, as did the Potentials in Season 7. Hardcore stand will recall the First Slayer first debuted via dreams in the Season 4 finale "Restless".

Of course, this is just one fan theory. But the fact that folks are already trying to figure out what's happening via these cryptic photos shows that there's interest in the pilot presentation. Let's just hope that a season is ordered and we actually get to see what Gellar and Zhao worked on.

The biggest question surrounding the possible Buffy reboot is if/when other legacy characters will join the title character. There are a few popular choices, chief among them being Alyson Hannigan's Willow. And since Giles was always offering wisdom, many fans also want to see Anthony Stewart Heart return to that role. Unfortunately, Michelle Trachtenberg's death means we won't be seeing the Summers sisters together.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streaming now on Hulu, which will be the home of the reboot if its gets ordered. Fingers (and stakes) crossed that the streamer makes that announcement.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for I Know What You Did Last Summer. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s I Know What You Did Last Summer surprised me in many ways when I saw it this summer, and while the biggest shock was just how much I liked the movie after previously not thinking much of the franchise, the runner-up is the cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar. I had wholly believed the actresses’ denials that she was in the film, and the moment she appears on screen, a huge grin stretched across my face. Not only does the legacyquel fit the special appearance into the story well, but the scene itself is an eerie delight.

It’s a treat to see the special resurrection of Helen Shivers, so I naturally had to ask about the moment when I interviewed Madelyn Cline a few weeks ago during the Los Angeles press day for I Know What You Did Last Summer. Because the sequence featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar is a dream experienced by Cline’s character Danica Richards, she was the only member of the 2025 movie’s cast to work with the franchise legend, and her reflection on it makes it sound like a day that she’ll never forget. Said Cline,

Prior to the release of I Know What You Did Last Summer, it was heavily advertised that Jennifer Love Hewitt was coming back as Julie James and that Freddie Prinze Jr. would be reprising his role as Ray Bronson, but the production successfully hid the fact that Sarah Michelle Gellar filmed a scene. To be fair, this wasn’t terribly difficult, as unlike Julie and Ray, Helen Shivers didn’t survive the first I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Sarah Michelle Gellar appears in the new horror movie toward the end of the second act as Danica Richards internally processes all of the terror that comes with the resurrection of The Fisherman in the town of Southport. As noted by Madelyn Cline, Danica has a special connection with Helen Shivers via the Croaker Queen crown of the Southport Beauty Pageant – but the young woman’s vision of the legend isn’t exactly supportive.

Following its theatrical release this summer, I Know What You Did Last Summer is now making its way to the home video market just in time for the start of spooky season. Also starring Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Tyriq Withers, Sarah Pidgeon, and Billy Campbell, the movie is now available for digital purchase and rental via all major online outlets, and physical media collectors can pre-order the film on 4K UHD and Blu-ray now.

Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite TV show ever, and is arguably one of the best teen dramas ever. The original series (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) ran for seven season across two networks, and fans like me were hyped when it was revealed that Sarah Michelle Gellar was returning for a reboot pilot. Unfortunately another OG recently confirmed they weren't getting in on the fun.

The cast of Buffy have been staying busy in the years since the show ended, but remain synonymous their Sunnydale alter egos. That includes Cordelia actress Charisma Carpenter, who expressed interest in returning for the possible reboot. In a recent TikTok she was asked if we should expect her in the pilot that's shooting, and she said:

What a bummer. While Carpenter expressed interest in returning as Cordelia, that seemingly hasn't happened just yet. But who knows? If the Buffy reboot gets a full season order from Hulu maybe we'll get news about more of the OGs returning to join Sarah Michelle Gellar. I'm keeping my fingers (and stakes) crossed.

Cordelia as a main character for the first three season of Buffy, until the Scooby Gang graduated Sunnydale High School. After that Carpenter pivoted over to the spinoff Angel, where she was a series regular for the first four seasons. What's more, Cordelia recently returned to the franchise in Audible's Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, specifically one that's come from an alternate universe and is The Slayer.

Later in her same TikTok, Carpenter shared more information about where she stands with the Buffy reboot pilot that's being filmed. In her words:

Well, that was pretty cut and dry. So far SMG is the only Buffy legacy character confirmed for the reboot pilot, which may or may not end up resulting in a series order. Giles was always dispensing knowledge in the beloved series, so that's another OG that I'm desperately hoping gets to join the fun sometime in the future.

You can watch Charisma Carpenter's TikTok about the situation below:

Indeed, there are a ton of Buffy legacy characters that fans are hoping to catch up with if a new series is ordered by Hulu. In addition to Giles and Cordelia, Alyson Hannigan's Willow seems like an obvious to return at some point. Unfortunately Michelle Trachtenberg's death has put the kibosh on seeing Dawn again.

The original Buffy the Vampire Slayer series is streaming on Hulu. We'll just have to wait and see if the streamer actually moves forward with a reboot, but the fact that it's getting so much press would seemingly be a good sign.

Sarah Michelle Gellar has been a star of TV and film for decades now, and is best known for starring as the title character of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription). That's my favorite show of all time, and I've loved seeing SMG have a renaissance lately with a variety of exciting projects like Dexter: Original Sin and the Buffy reboot pilot. She also surprised people with her cameo in the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, but there's another legacy character I need to see her reprise ASAP: Cici Cooper from Scream 2.

Between returning as Helen Shivers in IKWYDLS (despite her death) and filming new scenes as Buffy Summers, Sarah Michelle Gellar is making a habit out of reprising her most famous horror roles. And since Scream 7 began filming in January, it seems like the perfect time for her to pop back in as Cici.

Scream 7 Is Already Bringing A Ton Of Legacy Characters Back.

Since SMG died in Scream 2 (which is streaming with a Max subscription), one would assume that would be the end of her time as Cici Cooper. But recent installments in the horror franchise have changed the rules, with Skeet Ulrich returning as a ghost version of Billy Loomis. This opened the door for more of these returns, which is exactly what is happening for the upcoming horror movie Scream 7.

What we know about Scream 7 is limited, but director Kevin Williamson is bringing back a ton of legacy characters... somehow. The following have already been confirmed online, to the confusion and delight of fans like myself: Matthew Lillard and Scott Foley, who were Ghostfaces Stu Macher and Roman Bridger. Additionally, David Arquette is set to return, despite Dewey's death in 2022's Scream. The latter is especially thrilling, since Scream VI was the only installment without his character physically present.

With so many dead characters set to appear in the next slasher, it seems logical that Cici could also show up. Unfortunately, Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed she didn't get the call, despite being interested in joining the fun. Although, since we just got through months of her lying about returning in I Know What You Did Last Summer, maybe we should take the 48-year-old icon's comments with a grain of salt.

Sarah Michelle Gellar's chase scene as Cici is arguably one of the best scenes in Scream 2, despite her not being a leading role in the highly anticipated sequel. The same can also be said for Helen's death in I Know What You Did Last Summer, which is why SMG is one of the all-time scream queens ever. As such, bringing her back along with other legacy characters in Scream 7 just feels right. So I'm going to keep crossing my fingers that this actually happens.

Scream 7 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on February 27th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fans will have to wait and see if more surprise cameos are included, as well as if Hulu orders the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot to series.

I can say from experience that, in my opinion, some of the best romantic relationships are shared by two people who love sharing moments of chills and thrills with each other. In that same vein, I have a lot of respect and admiration for couples who have joined forces to create moments of chills and thrills for others, such as the stars and co-producers of Together, Dave Franco and Alison Brie.

The husband and wife duo are far from the first real-life couple to star in a horror movie together, and, because of the genuine onscreen chemistry they bring to the new 2025 movie, I sure hope they are not the last. In fact, let's begin my little breakdown of notable Hollywood power couples who made some great scary date movies over the years with the stars of Together.

Dave Franco And Alison Brie (Together)

Recent releases like the Oscar-winning The Substance and The Ugly Stepsister have paved the way for a golden era of body horror movies that continues with writer and director Michael Shanks' Together. The new horror movie stars the aforementioned Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, who find themselves growing too close for comfort when a mysterious force causes them to be involuntarily bound by flesh.

Echoing Eric Eisenberg's Together review, Franco and Brie portray the troubling circumstances of their characters' relationship, even those existing before the supernatural starts to make things worse, so flawlessly that you can't help but wonder about the state of their actual marriage. Of course, by the end, it becomes clear they possess more than enough chemistry to make this bizarre and unsettling, but also funny and even heartwarming thriller a satisfying and touching experience.

John Krasinski And Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place)

I believe 2018's A Quiet Place boasts one of the most astonishingly unique concepts for an alien invasion movie I have ever seen: a world overrun with malevolent, non-seeing extra-terrestrials, forcing the remains of humanity to live in silence. However, I also believe the key to its unnerving effectiveness lies in the lead performances by John Krasinski (who also co-writes and directs) and Emily Blunt.

As Lee and Evelyn Abbott, the beloved power couple, who wed in 2010 and have since had two children, deliver a compelling and authentic sense of devotion to one another and desperation to protect their family at all costs. Had Krasinski not cast his own wife to play his onscreen partner, the film's man-versus-monster suspense could have easily lacked the breathless urgency that made it an instant sci-fi movie classic.

Jeff Goldblum And Geena Davis (The Fly)

Together is not the first body horror flick to star a real-life couple, but it might be the first to involve both romantic leads experiencing the same grotesque situation first-hand. In David Cronenberg's 1986 version of The Fly, Jeff Goldblum's Dr. Seth Brundle slowly becomes a half-human, half-insect hybrid while the love of his life, Ronnie Quaife (Geena Davis), only witnesses the dehumanizing process in shock and heartbreak.

Goldblum and Davis were engaged at the time they shot the revered horror movie remake, having actually met on the set of a 1985 horror-comedy movie called Transylvania 6-5000, and tied the knot the following year, only to split in 1990, according to People. Their genuine affection for each other, which appears to have survived their divorce, based on their 2024 SAG Awards appearance, explodes on the screen, cementing The Fly as one of horror's most unforgettable romantic tragedies.

David Arquette And Courtney Cox (The Scream Movies)

Watching the Scream movies in order is fascinating in the way the cleverly meta slasher franchise traces two notable timelines in pop culture. The subsequent films not only illustrate the modern evolution of the horror genre, but also that of the relationship between two of its most famous stars, David Arquette and Courteney Cox.

The Friends cast member, playing journalist Gale Weathers, and the Dewey Riley actor met on the set of the 1996 original, were dating while they shot the sequel (after some encouragement from Wes Craven), and were married during the third one, but had split before reprising their characters as husband and wife in 2011's Scream 4. However, Cox has since referred to Arquette as her "best friend "(according to People), and that shows in their willingness to reunite and play their roles as divorcees in 2022's Scream, which saw Dewey succumb to Ghostface's knife. However, Arquette has somehow been cast in Scream 7, so it looks like the reign of Dewey and Gale is, thankfully, not over just yet.

Freddie Prinze Jr. And Sarah Michelle Gellar (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

Scream is not the only '90s slasher movie favorite from which romance bloomed behind the scenes. In I Know What You Did Last Summer, Freddie Prinze Jr.'s Ray Bronson may have been dating Jennifer Love Hewitt's Julie James, but the actor really had his eye on their co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

After falling in love on the set of the 1997 thriller, they would later wed in 2002, which is the same year they shared a kiss as Fred and Daphne in the first live-action Scooby-Doo movie. Since Gellar's Helen did not survive the first Summer, the couple was not able to reunite for the arguably more fun 1998 sequel, but she would make a surprise cameo in the 2025 reboot, achieved through a dream sequence, that also allowed her and Prinze the opportunity to have a fun family trip in Australia, where the legacyquel as filmed, as she shared with the country's iteration of Today.

Eli Roth And Lorenza Izzo (Aftershock)

Until their divorce in 2018 after four years of marriage, horror multi-hyphenate Eli Roth and actor and model Lorenza Izzo were one of the genre's top power couples, collaborating on projects like Netflix's Hemlock Grove, The Green Inferno, Knock Knock, and The House with a Clock in Its Walls. Their personal and professional relationship began with a disaster thriller from 2012 called Aftershock.

In addition to co-writing and producing the thriller from director Nicolás López, Roth stars alongside Izzo as survivors of a deadly earthquake in Chile struggling to make it out of the ruined city safely. The Chilean-born actor shared with WWD that she was cast in a leading role when Roth discovered she could speak English and, after spending the entire shoot together and boasting a chemistry that comes through effectively in the film, they became more than scene partners.

It is celebrity couples like these, in addition to the likes of Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer, who prove to me that sometimes the key to a great horror movie, especially ones in which romance plays a pivotal role, is casting two people whose love offscreen is so strong, it's scary.

Spoilers ahead for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer.

It's a great time to be a horror fan, as the genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down. Its popularity has resulted in some of the best horror movies returning to theaters, including the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. The movie featured a number of surprise cameos, and it turns out that Sarah Michelle Gellar's scene was so top secret that not even her co-star knew it was happening.

SMG lied about I Know What You Did Last Summer for months ahead of its release, where her character Helen appeared in a dream sequence. OG fans were hyped about seeing her back... despite dying back in the first movie. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson spoke to EW about just how tight security was when filming this sequence, offering:

Now that is some top-notch secret keeping. This story also shows what a good sport Orpin was while filming; he showed up on time to work without even knowing what he was expected to shoot. Little did he know he'd get to share a scene with iconic scream queen Sarah Michelle Gellar.

In the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, Helen appears to the new protagonist, Danica Richards (Madelyn Cline), during a dream sequence, where she's haunted and mocked ahead of waking up. This was a clever way to bring Gellar back without having to retcon her death. Clearly, Robinson was keeping this scene under wraps, as she said in the same interview:

In the end, I Know What You Did Last Summer hit theaters without any of its cameos being spoiled. So even though Sarah Michelle Gellar posted from the set, her role in the new sequel still hit. And it was nice to have 3/4 of the original stars back for the latest sequel.

Of course, this wasn't the only major cameo. Brandy also appeared in the mid-credits scene, after her character Karla survived the first sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. While she didn't get into the action, hopefully another slasher is ordered.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list. Sarah Michelle Gellar is currently filming the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot pilot, so there's a lot of nostalgic goodness surrounding the actress.

Massive spoilers ahead for the new I Know What You Did Last Summer movie!

The horror genre's renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, to the delight of fans like me. Some of the best horror movies returned with new sequels, including the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. The sequel was one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies of the season, thanks to the return of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. It turns out that some more legacy characters were included too, and one star defended lying about their role in the slasher.

I Know What You Did Last Summer's ending featured a massive twist, as did the credits scene. But one of the most surprising moments of its 111-minute runtime was when Sarah Michelle Gellar reprised her role as Helen Shivers, appearing in the dream of protagonist Danica (Madelyn Cline). This broke the internet, especially after SMG denied her role since Helen was dead. Gellar posted a photo dump from the set over on Instagram, where she defended her lie. Check it out below:

I mean, she's not wrong. Rather than saying "I am not in this movie", the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star simply kept saying that Helen was dead. Technically, that wasn't a lie, but was an omission of the truth. And as such, moviegoing audiences were able to be surprised when she suddenly appeared thanks to I Know What You Did Last Summer's dream sequence. Pretty sneaky stuff.

This new slasher was built on the previous two I Know What You Did Last Summer flicks, with even the sequel staying canon. Director/ co-writer Jennifer Kaytin Robinson clearly loves the franchise, which is why her movie featured so many connections to the originals.

The OG I Know What You Did Last Summer is just one of many projects that solidified Sarah Michelle Gellar as a Scream Queen. Helen's chase is arguably the most thrilling of that entire first movie, resulting in the beloved character's death. Since she (obviously) didn't return for I Still Know, fans didn't expect Gellar to reprise her role in the 2025 flick. And the cast and crew managed to guard that cameo until the movie hit theaters last weekend.

Knowing that she had a secret role adds new context to Sarah Michelle Gellar's set photo that she posted when the new IKWYDLS was filming. While the public assumed she was just there to support her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., it turns out she had a role of her own. So it makes sense that SMG got into trouble for posting that image back in November.

I Know What You Did Last Summer is in theaters now as part of the 2025 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see if another sequel is ordered, especially thanks to another legacy character popping up in the credits.

Freddie Prinze Jr. made his return to the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise by appearing as his character, Ray, in the reboot on the 2025 movie schedule. That's exciting for quite a few reasons, too. Not only was the 1997 slasher movie important for the actor in establishing his career, but it’s also how he met his wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Now, I’m totally swooning seeing the She's All That star reflect on how he and his wife were “dumb kids who fell in love.”

The I Know What You Did Last Summer couple may have met on set, but Freddie Prinze Jr. said he and Sarah Michelle Gellar didn’t start dating until years later. Then, on GMA, he got real about meeting his future wife and eventually falling in love, take a look:

What’s incredibly cute about Freddie Prinze Jr.’s interview is that he still sounds like a kid in love when reflecting on how he met his wife. It’s the cutest thing! Even though it’s been over 21 years since the pair got married, the Down To You actor talking about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer star still gives him the same boyish grin that’s making me swoon.

On Good Morning America, Freddie Prinze Jr. spoke about meeting on their 1997 slasher movie and driving her to the gym since the New York native didn’t have her license. Then two years later, their friendship blossomed into something more, and they eventually got married in 2002. Here’s how the Summer Catch actor described who the two were when they first met:

That’s the best kind of love when it starts as a friendship only to grow into something completely unexpected. It’s no wonder the two are still going strong.

How Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar fell in love is a storybook romance that many would love to have. When the Boston Legal actor was being a good friend in driving Sarah Michelle Gellar around, their long car rides together were the perfect opportunity to get to know each other.

Their first date in 2000 was supposed to be a friend hangout between the two and another pal at a sushi restaurant. What was originally supposed to be a table for three turned into two when the mutual friend couldn’t make it. Instead of letting the night go to waste, the two actors discovered their undeniable chemistry, and it turned into a date night.

Not only did Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar become a married couple and parents, but they also co-starred in each other’s projects. The Wolf Pack actress had a small non-speaking part in her husband’s rom-com, She’s All That. And you can’t forget the two were the live-action Scooby Doo cast members who played Fred and Daphne. Their real-life chemistry made the Mystery Inc. characters’ pairing all the more memorable.

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. may have been “dumb kids” when they first fell in love, but their longstanding marriage has surpassed a lot of Hollywood couples. So, their lasting romance is a reminder that young love really can grow beautifully.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best teen dramas ever IMO, and had a full-blown cinematic universe when it was airing alongside the spinoff Angel. The latter series (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) started with a small regular cast, including Charisma Carpenter as scene-stealer Cordelia Chase. Ahead of the upcoming Buffy reboot, the actress reflected on her character's "unjust" death, and the idea of returning to that role.

Fans were thrilled when it as confirmed that a pilot for a Buffy reboot starring Sarah Michelle Gellar was in the works. Fans are wondering what other Buffy actors might pop up, especially after SMG expressed interest in bringing back dead characters. When speaking with IGN, Carpenter addressed this possibility, offering:

As a superfan I can say she wasn't wrong. Cordelia was possessed throughout much of Season 4, which is the final entry where Carpenter was a series regular. She eventually returned for one episode in the fifth and final season, where it was revealed that she'd finally died after being in a coma. While audiences were excited to get one more episode with the beloved character, it was a rather unceremonious way for her to go.

Fans have hypothesized that Cordelia's ending might have been due to interpersonal issues. Carpenter came out against creator/showrunner Joss Whedon, accusing him of abusing his power and verbally harassing her. So the idea of getting more of the beloved Sunnydale High alum is definitely an exciting one.

Later in that same interview, Charisma Carpenter spoke more about the idea of coming back for the possible Buffy reboot, her character's death on the spinoff. In her words:

Let's keep our fingers crossed, fans! If we're bringing back beloved Buffy legacy figures, you know that Cordelia would give us all the sass that we need. And dead characters have come back various times throughout both the flagship series and Angel.

While not in live-action, Charisma Carpenter recently got to play Cordelia Chase thanks to the Audible series Slayers: A Buffyverse Story. This story used the concept of the multiverse to bring back dead characters, including a variant of Cordelia that became the Slayer instead of Buffy.

Of course, Hulu is going to have to actually green lit a full Buffy reboot if we're ever expected to see what happened in the pilot and beyond. Only time will tell if this happens, but there's certainly fan interest thanks to the return of Sarah Michelle Gellar as the title role.

Both Angel and Buffy are streaming in their entirety on Hulu. While the reboot isn't expected as part of the 2025 TV schedule, I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that we'll get a new season of episodes.

Some actors, no matter how long their career or how great their talent, will forever be first known for one iconic TV role. This isn't an indictment of their careers at all. In fact, in many ways, it tells the whole story. They were so good at one particular role that no matter what, that's what people will think of first. To be sure, these are some of the best actors of their generations ,and they deserve praise for all their roles, but especially these.

Kelsey Grammer - Frasier Crane

For a total of an amazing 20 years, Kelsey Grammer has played Frasier Crane. First on Cheers, then on its spinoff Frasier, and again in the reboot of Frasier in the 2020s. There may be no more obvious actor to include on this list.

Mariska Hargitay - Olivia Benson

Mariska Hargitay is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, and she's carved out on heck out her own career playing Olivia Benson on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has played since the end of the 20th Century, more than 25 seasons in total. There is no other character in prime time history with a longer run than Hargitay's Benson. It's remarkable.

Jessica Walter - Lucille Bluth

The late Jessica Walter had an incredible career, but for many, she'll always be known for one of her final roles, Lucille Bluth on the cult classic Arrested Development. She was so hilarious and quotable that it's easy to see why this is the case.

Peter Falk - Columbo

Peter Falk completely embodied Detective Columbo on the show that carried that character's name. He defined a new kind of TV detective, a style that has been often imitated but never duplicated over the years since Columbo debuted. He was funny and wicked smart. A Holmesian-style detective who never found a dry cleaner.

Tom Selleck - Thomas Magnum

Tom Selleck was a hard one to include here. Thomas Magnum was one of two iconic roles, along with Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods, that Selleck has played in his career. That's not to mention Jesse Stone, another fan-favorite. But in the end, it's all about Magnum P.I., one of the best shows ever.

Lauren Graham - Lorelai Gilmore

Lauren Graham is another tough one here, because Lorelai Gilmore is hardly her only big role on TV, but none of her other shows have been nearly as enduring as Gilmore Girls and that isn't likely to change in the future. It'll always be what her fans think of first.

Lucille Ball - Lucy Ricardo

Lucille Ball was a groundbreaking legend, and that is entirely due to her iconic character Lucy Ricardo on I Love Lucy. The list of what made the show, and the comedic actor, is so long, we could never fill it out here, but she also doesn't really need any explanation. She's the queen of early TV for very good reason, and that can never be taken away.

Peter Dinklage - Tyrion Lannister

Peter Dinklage might not like to hear this... or maybe he would... but Tyrion Lannister is such an amazing role, and Dinklage's performance is completely worthy of such an iconic literary and TV character. Game of Thrones took over the television watching audience completely, and Dinklage's Lannister was almost everyone's favorite. He's done great work all through his long career, but it will be impossible to top Tyrion.

Sean Hayes - Jack McFarland

Jack McFarland from Will & Grace is one of the most underappreciated characters in any sitcom in Hollywood history. Sean Hayes is fantastic in the role, and he'll have people saying "Just Jack!" forever.

Angela Lansbury - Jessica Fletcher

Angela Lansbury had a storied career that lasted decades, and every time she appeared on screen, she lit it up. Jessica Fletcher on Murder She Wrote was her crowning achievement. She's one of the best TV detectives of all time, even if there were way too many murders in Cabot Cove than there should have been.

Henry Winkler - The Fonz

Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli. Fonzie. The Fonz. A character of many names, and one iconic look. Henry Winkler has had a career that most actors can only dream of, but his role on Happy Days will always be what he is first known for. We should all be so cool.

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy Summers

Sarah Michelle Gellar's role in the movie Cruel Intentions may be her most iconic movie role, but it doesn't eclipse her role as Buffy Summers on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Not even close. It'll always be her most beloved role.

James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano

On one hand, it's a shame that James Gandolfini is on this list. His premature death will always have us asking "what if?" On the other hand, he is so freaking GREAT as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, that its impossible not to include him here. Just watching him in anything else, or old interviews, you quickly realize that he completely disappeared into the gangster. It's remarkable.

Gillian Anderson - Dana Scully

Speaking from experience, I can say that many teenagers in the 1990s have a huge crush on Dana Scully on The X-Files. She was smart and capable, but with an air of mystery that really kept viewers guessing, in the best way.

William Shatner - Captain Kirk

Personally, I think William Shatner's best role was on Boston Legal. He was also amaing in TJ Hooker. However, even if he had 1000 legendary roles over his career, he would still be most remember for James T. Kirk in Str Trek. That's how iconic the role, and the show are.

Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing

It was a real tragedy when the world lost Matthew Perry in late 2023. He was a once-in-a-generation talent and, in many ways, was first among equals on Friends. He was in some other great projects, like The Whole Nine Yards and Fools Rush In, but let's be honest, he'll always be Chandler in our hearts.

Amy Poehler - Leslie Knope

Amy Poehler was a star on SNL and in a ton of great movies. However, she was absolutely born to play Leslie Knope on Parks & Rec. It's almost hard to believe she isn't actually Leslie in real life, and that's meant to be the most sincere of compliments.

Michael K. Williams - Omar Little

Of all the amazing characters and actors on The Wire, Omar and Michael K. Williams stand out above them all. He was one of the most honest and complex characters in TV history, and the late Williams, another actor we lost way too soon, will be forever remembered for his portrayal of the Baltimore stick-up man.

George Wendt - Norm Peterson

Cheers had an amazing ensemble of comedic actors, and as a kid, my favorite was always George Wendt and his character Norm. He was the most popular guy in the bar and the most popular with viewers. When Wendt died in 2025, everyone started sharing their favorite moments of his from the show, despite the show ending decades ago.

Mary Tyler Moore - Mary Richards

Mary Tyler Moore made it after all, and all on her own. Her titular show was the highlight of her long, incredible career, and it's a good thing the show was named after her, because she deserves to be remembered forever for it.

Caroll O'Connor - Archie Bunker

Caroll O'Connor's role as Archie Bunker became one of the most iconic and most important in television history. The groundbreaking sitcom, All In The Family, changed TV forever, and Bunker, with his bigotry and chauvinism, reinvented just how much a simple sitcom could say about society.

Rainn Wilson - Dwight Schrute

Of all the characters on The Office, Dwight, played by Rainn Wilson, was the one we all loved to hate the most. It must have been such a fun role for Wilson, because he never phoned it in, and he never let us down; we could count on him driving us nuts every week. I mean that in the very best way.

Wayne Knight - Newman

Wayne Knight has popped up in all kinds of roles in his career. We'll never forget him for his performance in the original Jurassic Park, for example, but it's Newman on Seinfeld that we'll always love him most for. He might not have been a main character, but that is testimony to just how good he was. He's as remembered as the "big four" despite playing a much more limited role. That takes a great actor and an even better performance, and he did over the entire run of the show.

Ian McShane - Al Swearengen

Al Swearengen from Deadwood is one of the best characters of the prestige era of TV. Ian McShane has had a long, distinguished career, and at the top of the list of his great performances is as the foul-mouthed, tavern-owning gangster in the HBO Western.

Danica McKellar - Winnie Cooper

Ask anyone in Gen X about Danica McKellar, and they might mention her Hallmark movies. They might also mention her wonderful guest turn on The West Wing. In the case of both of those, though, they will come after they fondly reminisce about watching her as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years. They grew up with Winnie and Kevin (Fred Savage). It was her earliest role, but it remains her most iconic.

A return to Sunnydale is imminent thanks to the much-anticipated Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot. After the February confirmation that a new Buffy series with Sarah Michelle Gellar is moving forward, the excitement and amount of speculation have only grown. After Gellar herself revealed the new Slayer to be Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she’s revealing one dream she has for the reboot, and I have mixed feelings about it.

There still isn’t too much known about the new Buffy reboot, but there have been a lot of theories and lists of dos and don’ts, including some aspects from the OG that need to be included. However, Gellar did talk at the Filming Italy Sardegna Festival (via Vanity Fair) about how the reboot will be different from the original series, and honestly, I both love and hate the idea she's really hoping to see.As she put it:

Due to its supernatural nature, Buffy the Vampire Slayer could get pretty dark and deadly with its storyline, making it currently one of the best horror shows streaming on Hulu. It certainly kept viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering who was living, dying and returning. Since Gellar is hoping the creative team can find ways to bring back characters who died, fans can likely look forward to seeing at least SOME favorites when the story kicks off anew.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a pretty big deal when it aired in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, and society was a whole lot different then. Gellar is hoping the reboot will bring the Scooby Gang into the modern era, and adapts its story to be as contemporary to today's viewers as the original was to O.G. audiences. Although the way she words it could mean anything:

Regardless of whether other original stars are possibly joining Gellar in the new show, it can be expected that there will be some differences between the original and the reboot, along with some similarities. The pilot will be directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao and written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, so if anyone sees them suddenly following former Buffy stars on social media, break out the theory hats!

More information about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot should be coming out over the next several months, but fans should expect some major differences when Ryan Kiera Armstrong makes her debut as the newest slayer. In the meantime, all seven seasons of Buffy are streaming with a Hulu subscription.

It’s a great time to be a fan of horror, with a slew of upcoming scary movies, including some major ‘90s franchises, returning to the big screen soon. Two of those big hitters are I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream. And both properties shared one of the biggest It Girls of the time, Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, she was killed off in both series. Now, after it was confirmed she won't be in IKWYDLS after a failed pitch to return, she’s humorously holding out hope of joining ranks with other deceased Scream alums.

As the world continues to ponder what Scream 7 will be about after the years of turbulence surrounding the coming installment, Gellar is waiting for her call to head back into Ghostface's world. While at the premiere of the 2025 movie schedule's Pretty Hurts, the 48-year-old revealed her wish after mishearing a question about another stellar ‘90s show that's getting a revival, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She shared with ET that she tried to revive her college-aged sorority girl from the Scream sequel, but to no avail:

While I know the Cruel Intentions actress had a relatively minor role in 1997's Scream 2, it would’ve been real fun to see SMG reprise her character in at least one of the franchise's following blockbusters. However, when it comes to Scream 7, as far as she knows, Cici will not be back.

Over the last few years, we've seen one of the best horror franchises pivot into new territory after dropping Melissa Barrera and the exits of Jenna Ortega and the now former director Christopher Landon. With the new ground, it brought back legacy stars like Neve Campbell and many more, which signaled to the Scooby-Doo actress to shoot her shot. She shared that she kept waiting on the phone to ring, but it never came:

Again, it’s been a whirlwind to hear about production and what will be waiting for the fans as they make their way to the theaters for this upcoming Scream flick. The familiar faces paired with bold claims about 7's Ghostface make it seem like the 2026 film will be a major chapter of the franchise.

Yet, as the seventh title continued to mysteriously move ahead, it left many of us confused, including the Ready or Not 2 actress. She wryly marveled that some of the top-tier killed-off characters were picked up to fill out the cast, while she wasn't. Gellar finished her comment by publicly stating she’s still open to jumping back into the Woodsboro world:

It’s true, many past stars have been tapped to rejoin Sydney Prescott’s world, including Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Scott Foley, Courteney Cox and David Arquette. With Scream challenging all the norms of the genre, wouldn’t there be a small space to add the passed Cici Cooper? This is just one small pitch from an SMG and Wes Craven fan; there’s still time after all.

Regardless, the question remains: how exactly will the fallen be included in Scream 7 since they all seemingly died? Who knows, but we know Gellar isn’t on that call sheet (though at least a few of us are holding on hope after her announcement). Until someone on production picks up the phone and calls her, we can relieve her small arc by watching the Scream movies again.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a cult classic TV show, and (by my estimation) one of the best teen dramas ever. The series (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) is a truly iconic part of '90s culture, and remains to be actress Sarah Michelle Gellar's most ionic role. And the Cruel Intentions star recently explained the moment she realized Buffy was a hit.

Gellar led the cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a whopping seven seasons on the air, balancing the show's heart and action to perfection. SMG is working on a Buffy reboot for Hulu, and spoke to People about the show's early days. She revealed how the show's notoriety was a slow burn at first, sharing:

Funny enough, that slasher flick is also getting new life. The trailer for I Know What You Did Last Summer featured a reference to Sarah Michelle Gellar's Helen who is still very much dead in the franchise. And while filming one of the best horror movies of the '90s, she had yet to see the staying power of her work on Buffy.

So what changed? Funny enough, she saw how the public embraced Buffy the Vampire Slayer while filming another beloved horror movie. Namely Wes Craven's Scream 2, which she signed onto without even seeing a script. In the same interview, SMG went on to share:

Little did she know that she's be recognized for playing Buffy Summers for the rest of her career. The series was a bit of a dark horse, thanks to its ambitious story, emphasis on action and visual effects, and placement in a still-unknown network. But in the end it would have a long run on TV, and Sarah Michelle Gellar earned a Golden Globe nomination for her work on the heartbreaking Season 5 episode "The Body."

Of course, all Buffy fans like myself are really thinking is about what's going on with the developing reboot pilot, and whether or not Hulu will actually give it a full season order. News about that project is slowly trickling out, and SMG recently told the pilot's new Slayer that she got the job. We've seen her mentor other Slayers in Season 7, so I'm eager to see this relationship play out on the screen.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streaming in its entirety over on Hulu. While the reboot isn't part of the 2025 TV premiere list, hopefully it continues moving forward and a full season is orders. Fingers (and stakes) crossed.

Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) is a cult classic and arguably one of the best teen dramas of all time. The generations of fans were thrilled when it was reveled that Sarah Michelle Gellar was returning for a reboot pilot, but they're also curious about what newcomers will be joining her. And SMG just posted a sweet video telling the new Slayer that she's The Chosen One.

There were reports about the new Buffy characters coming to the pilot, including a teenage Slayer who will seemingly get tutelage from The Duchess Buffonia herself. Sarah Michelle Gellar posted on Instagram, revealing the moment she told actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong she got the gig, chock full of easter eggs and references to the original series. Check it out below:

How sweet is that? While the Buffy reboot has some work ahead of it before getting a full series order, even getting the chance to work with Gellar in the pilot must be exciting for Armstrong. And you can see how excited the pair of actors are to collaborate with each other.

While not necessarily a household name just yet, Ryan Kiera Armstrong may be a familiar face to a number of high profile gigs. She was in the starring cast of Star Wars: The Skelton Crew and was the title character of the Firestarter reboot. She was also the victim of Pennywise's most gruesome kill in It: Chapter Two.

It should be interesting to see what story is being cooked up for the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But with Sarah Michelle Gellar so passionate about it and Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao t the helm, there's a ton of building excitement about the pilot. Hopefully it's successful enough to convince Hulu to go ahead and order a full season of episodes.

Narratively, fans are eager to see how the pilot picks up after Buffy's series finale. That finale episode saw Willow tapping into ancient power and activating every single Potential Slayer in the world. No longer were Buffy and Faith the only ones with power, resulting in an epic final battle against The First Evil. That episode aired back in 2003, so longtime fans of the series are eager to see how the world changed now that there are so many Slayers running around.

The story continued with Joss Whedon's Buffy comics, but it seems unlikely that the Hulu reboot pilot would consider those canon. Things got pretty narratively wild, including strange romantic pairings and there briefly being no more Slayers or magic.

While we wait for more news about the pilot, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's original seven season are streaming on Hulu. The cast is clearly coming together, and fans are curious about what legacy characters will be included.

Ever since it was announced that a Buffy The Vampire Slayer reboot is happening, we’ve been excited about seeing the iconic series return, especially because Sarah Michelle Gellar is set to be involved. But after hearing what Disney TV executive Eric Schrier had to say about bringing it together, I have to say, I’m more interested in it coming together.

Eric Schrier, who is the president of Disney Television Studios and Global Original Television Strategy, recently gave a sprawling interview with Deadline about the future of the studio’s television content. And, let’s be honest, there are a lot of reboots in the works, including new shows based on Prison Break, Holes, the Malcolm in the Middle revival with Frankie Muniz and Bryan Cranston, a Scrubs reboot with Zach Braff and Donald Faison, and a Desperate Housewives reimagining. Here’s what he had to say about Buffy:

When I watch reboots based on projects that I already love, the last thing I want is to feel like a studio is making something simply because they thought it would be popular. It suddenly gets me really stressed out about the new version doing justice to what I loved, or simply exploiting it.

However, Schrier said that all the reboots at Disney are more “coincidential” than anything, and the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer show came out of a real passion from a group of key creators. As he continued:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer was of course created by Joss Whedon, but he’s been under fire for numerous abuse and misconduct allegations in the last few years that even date back to his days on Buffy. However, it’s great to hear some true fans have been hard at work on how to bring the series back to life, and it all came together when they were connected with Oscar winner Chloé Zhao and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The exec also said this:

Well, that’s good to hear. Of course, I won’t be entirely convinced this is all real until I learn it’s fully in production, but we have heard a few details about the show already. For example, there will be a new teen vampire slayer named Nova, who will also come from a single parent home.

She will have a group of friends that seem to somewhat mirror the Scooby Gang from the original series. Of course, we also are hoping the new series will bring the same signature dialogue and include more original Buffy actors. I love this update, and I can’t wait to hear more.

It's a good time to be a horror fan, as the genre has been thriving for years. Some of the best horror movies have returned with new sequels, and one of the most highly anticipated upcoming horror movies is the new I Know What You Did Last Summer. And director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson revealed a funny conversation she had with OG star Sarah Michelle Gellar about returning as Helen Shivers.

The first trailer for I Know What You Did Last Summer was just released, showing the return of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Julie and Ray respectively. It turns out that the director also wanted to bring back SMG, despite Helen dying in the first movie. While speaking with EW about the forthcoming sequel, she revealed how hard she tried to convince the Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor. In her words:

How funny is that? While Sarah Michelle Gellar shared an early set photo from the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, she couldn't be convinced to return as Helen. The Dexter: Original Sin actress simply couldn't defend it considering how long the character has been dead and gone. Instead, she was happy to reunite with her former co-stars and support husband Freddie Prinze Jr. as he mad his third appearance as Ray Bronson.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is a legendary scream queen, thanks to her tenure as Buffy and roles in IKWYDLS, Scream 2, and The Grudge. While Robinson couldn't convince her return as Helen, that character's grave was shown in the new sequel's trailer. As a reminder, you can check it out below:

Of course, this conversation about Sarah Michelle Gellar has me thinking about another I Know What You Did Last Summer legacy charter that I've been wanting to see return: Brandy Norwood's Karla. Unlike Helen, she actually survived I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, so she'd make much more sense to bring back. The singer/actress expressed interest in reprising that role, with Brandy even confirming she was in talks. But since she's ben missing from the cast list and the trailer, I assume this isn't happening.

I Know What You Did Last Summer will hit theaters on July 18th as part of the 2025 movie release list. Just don't expect to see a cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar.

No, horror fans, we don’t know if we’ll see the next round of fun and games in the Ready or Not universe on the 2025 movie schedule. However, what we do know about Ready or Not 2 has just changed pretty drastically. While horror icon Sarah Michelle Gellar isn’t appearing in this year's legacy-quel I Know What You Did Last Summer, she now has a role in this Radio Silence sequel's deck of winners! And if you thought that was impressive, wait until you see the rest of this hand of winners stacked in the deck.

The good folks at Searchlight Pictures made this exciting news known through a short, but sweet video. While it’s nowhere near as lengthy as the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement, there are enough names here to boost the anticipation level for this upcoming horror movie:

While Sarah Michelle Gellar was featured on Showtimes’ Dexter: Original Sin, her character, Miami Metro forensics chief Tanya Martin, wasn’t really involved in any sort of horror activity. Also keeping in mind her role on the defunct Paramount+ original Wolf Pack, this is Ms. Gellar’s return to film-based horror.

It’s a feat absolutely worth celebrating, especially since the Buffy the Vampire Slayer icon is going to be mixing it up with this cast! Which leads to another interesting note, which came from Deadline’s reporting.

That outlet’s story not only confirmed this casting, as well as today’s production start on Ready or Not’s next chapter, they also had another name to share that’s not on this list: fellow retired vampire slayer/Abigail vet Kevin Durand.

But of course, if we’re talking about the words “horror” and “legend” in the same sentence, we need to discuss two very distinguished names you probably noticed on this roster.

Elijah Wood And David Cronenberg’s Additions Have Me Even More Hyped For Ready Or Not’s Sequel

I loved the work that writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy had accomplished with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on the first Ready or Not, so a strong roster for part two always seemed to be in the cards. Keeping that in mind, seeing Sarah Michelle Gellar in the same list as genre mastermind David Cronenberg and acting/producing powerhouse Elijah Wood brought an even wider smile to my face.

Mr. Cronenberg's resume on both sides of the screen makes the Videodrome helmer an inspired addition, especially with dry acting appearances as a guest star on shows such as Star Trek: Discovery. And turning to the Lord of the Rings star in the room, Wood’s creep-tastic roles in ensemble casts like that of Sin City, The Monkey, and the upcoming Toxic Avenger reboot put him on deck to potentially let loose once again.

It’s hard to tell how this all-star cast is going to interact, as Ready or Not 2’s story is under lock and key. That kind of doesn’t matter though, as the same madcap spirit looks like it’s very much infused in this hotly-anticipated sequel. Since Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood and David Cronenberg are all usually game for anything in their acting lives, having them play this unique game promises to be a rewarding roll of the dice.

No matter how much time has passed, Friends remains an iconic series and one of the best shows streaming on Max. Even to this day, the show will come back around every once in a while as fans debate over dress colors, reminisce on their favorite moments, or even take a page out of one of the characters’ books. Sarah Michelle Gellar has done the latter, and it’s all thanks to Monica.

Courteney Cox’s beloved character has been known to be a very organized person and always doing things down to the letter. While some may think that she overexaggerated quite a bit, Gellar actually takes after her while on vacation. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum told People that she lives by Monica’s “Rules are good. Rules help control the fun” quote, and it’s not just because of their similar last names. But I think Monica would be proud:

To be fair, having to plan a vacation and making sure that everything goes smoothly is not always fun and games, and you certainly need some rules and control. I can’t blame Gellar for wanting to make sure that everything is perfect, but at least she has someone to look up to when it comes to planning and proof that rules and control are always worth it. Plus, having some options and backups isn’t such a bad idea, especially on vacation, and it’s what Gellar loves:

Of course, we could all use a little control in our lives. And rules are helpful, so maybe Monica wasn’t totally out of it whenever she got a little crazy about it. It seems to be working just fine for Gellar, even if she didn’t realize that she was basically like Monica. This just proves that Friends certainly still resonates with fans after all these years.

Meanwhile, Sarah Michelle Gellar is not the only celebrity Friends fan. Christina Ricci previously opened up about trying to tell Lisa Kudrow how big of a fan she is, while Reese Witherspoon recalled sitting on the iconic Central Perk couch when filming her guest appearance on Friends. And there are definitely a lot of other famous Friends fans, and I just love knowing how the show has impacted them.

With over 10 seasons of Friends, the series is perfect for the next long binge and it’s very likely its impact will continue for years to come. It is still hard to believe just how long it’s been since the show premiered, even the Friends cast can’t believe it. Luckily, the show is streaming in full with a Max subscription, so people can watch it time and time again. It’s one of those shows that will never get old, and I can’t wait to hear about how it’s impacting someone else.

There are more than enough reboots and revivals airing on the 2025 TV schedule alone, and plenty remain in the works. At present, one of the best vampire shows of all time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is being rebooted, with Sarah Michelle Gellar reprise her role as the titular slayer in a recurring capacity. While it’s unknown for sure which other Buffy cast members might return, Charisma Carpenter is now throwing her hat in the ring.

Charisma Carpenter starred as Cordelia Chase during the first three seasons of Buffy before moving on to the spinoff series, Angel, for all five of its seasons. Although she was something of an antagonist to Buffy Summers at first, Cordelia proved throughout her time on both shows that she was more than just shallow and self-centered young woman. Despite her character's death, Carpenter shared her hope that Cordelia will make a comeback, as she spoke fans during a panel at Indiana Comic Con (via Collider):

Considering characters were known to return from the dead in whatever fashion on Buffy, it’s certainly possible for Cordelia to make an appearance on the new show. Ultimately, though, it sounds like Charisma Carpenter wouldn’t want to come back for just a brief appearance, which is understandable. I agree with the notion that Cordelia definitely deserved better, as fans continue sharing their unpopular Cordy takes. It would be fun to see the character again, and I'm hopeful that Carpenter will receive a call.

I personally would love nothing more than to see Cordy back, as well as other members of the "Scooby Gang." Sarah Michelle Gellar may have played the central role, but the supporting cast -- including Alyson Hannigan, Nicholas Brendon and James Marsters -- were also vital to the show's success. It's still a little too early to tell who else will be returning for the reboot but, since the Buffy cast is still close, I'd hope that Gellar -- who's also serving as a producer on this new show -- would reach out to her old colleagues.

Plot details on the new show, which is said to revolve around a new slayer, are scant at this point. So it's hard to say just how Cordelia could be brought back and for what purpose. Whatever the case, I would hope that the producers wouldn't undercut the character's redemption arc if she were to be brought back.

Hopefully, Charisma Carpenter and other Buffy alumni join Sarah Michelle Gellar for the revival. Regardless of who shows up, though, it'll just be fun to return to this fictional universe.. It’s hard to predict what will happen but, with Oscar winner Chloé Zhao on board to direct the pilot, which will written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, this project seems to be in good hands. For now, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is streamable with a Hulu subscription.

In the decades since its time on TV, Buffy the Vampire Slayer has continued to have a cult following. There have been hopes and dreams of more episodes one day during that time, but Sarah Michelle Gellar has mostly seemed against it. But it looks like that's about to change as a pilot for a Buffy reboot is coming together, with SMG back in the titular role.

For a while now, Buffy has been available to stream with a Hulu subscription. But now it seems like the streamer is ready to make a bigger connection to the '90s teen show. It was revealed by Deadline that a sequel series is close to getting a pilot order from Hulu, with Sarah Michelle Gellar once again playing Sunnydale's protector. What's more, it is "considered likely" that more of the original cast will be back.

The good news doesn't stop there, either. Because the possible Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot pilot would be directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. What's more, it'll be written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, who worked on Poker Face (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription).

Only time will tell if/when this pilot order actually goes through, but it certainly seems likely that new Buffy content is going to be filmed soon. Obviously the next step would be seeing if it gets a series order, but what fans really want to know is what other Buffy cast members might be joining Gellar as members of the Scooby Gang.

The best Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes usually utilize its ensemble cast, so there are a number of beloved actors that fans like myself would like to see return. Chief among them is Alyson Hannigan's Willow, along with Buffy's sister Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg). Xander is also high on this list, but only time will tell if actor Nicholas Brendon's arrests will factor into a casting decision.

Sarah Michelle Gellar's return as Buffy is a dream come true for many fans out there, and seemed unlikely for years. It would be impossible to imagine any reboot without her, as so much of the show's success can be attributed to her complicated and moving performance as the titular Vampire Slayer.

Gellar has been keeping busy with a number of projects that tie into Buffy's supernatural world. After starring inWolf Pack she's been appearing in Dexter: Original Sin. But the news about her once again staking vampires and saving the world (a lot) is going to ellicit another level of fan excitement entirely. Hopefully we get more information soon, even if the developing reboot doesn't make it into the 2025 TV premiere list. Until then, I'm going to stream the soundtrack of "Once More with Feeling" until we hear an update.

As original and new fans flock to the I Know What You Did Last Summer press and gear up for the release on our 2025 movie schedule. One of the summer slasher flick’s OG cast members, Sarah Michelle Gellar, has already made waves about the return. Beyond her confirmation that filming began before it was officially public, she also went viral when asked about her former cast mate Jennifer Love Hewitt’s involvement. The notable moment made fans think that the two were beefing but Gellar explained what was behind the reaction.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer star cleared the air with on her Instagram story. She posted a set photo from the horror movie with a caption that reads:

The somewhat "appearance of shadiness" of her reaction came from her processing in real time if it was okay to disclose that information. This moment does follow the 47-year-old leaking the closed IKWYDLS set photo on Thanksgiving.

Gellar used her social media to directly address the viral moment of hers. She posted after the viral clip gained enough attention, explaining that there’s nothing between the two besides excitement to see one another and joking about trying not to break her NDA again. Although the Scooby-Doo alum’s character, Helen, was killed in the original movie, she has an unofficial title on set that I love for her.

Soon after this New England slasher movie buzz started taking off, Jennifer Love Hewitt confirmed her return to the reboot with that iconic Instagram. I’m thrilled about her announcement and the spirit she put into it and it makes me all the more excited for the return. Now, I’m hoping for Brandy’s return more than anything else with Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. confirmed. All three had a film on our 2024 movie schedule, so I’m hoping the same will be true for next year with the scary movie, set to have a July release.

As another iconic '90s teen horror franchise Scream illustrates, you need legacy characters to continue. Unfortunately, Gellar and Ryan Phillippe, won’t have the privilege, and it’s all the more reason to bring Brandy back. We know not to count on the Cruel Intentions alum to spill any more beans about the continuing franchise, so hopefully, there are a few surprise cameos ahead.

Now that Gellar has cleaned up, dealt with, and knocked down the feuding theories of her viral moment, all we can do is wait. That, and catch some upcoming horror films in theaters to prepare for the return of the hooked-wielding stalker.

While the previous flicks are only available on demand, Prime Original has a series of the same name, available with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Think of your favorite movie character of all time. There is a good chance that the actor who ended up playing that part is not the first actor the studio approached. See for yourself by taking a look at this list of celebrities who decided to pass on a movie role that would turn out to make cinematic history.

Will Smith (Neo In The Matrix)

It is actually pretty easy for us to picture what the Matrix movies might have been like with Will Smith as Neo. However, the Academy Award winner seems to believe that Keanu Reeves was the better choice to play the chosen one in the mind-bending, dystopian sci-fi movie classic, claiming in a video on his YouTube channel that he would have "ruined it."

Jodie Foster (Princess Leia in Star Wars)

Fresh off her Academy Award-nominated breakthrough role in 1976's Taxi Driver, a teenage Jodie Foster was offered the chance to be a part of the Star Wars movies as Princess Leia Organa. As she revealed to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, the two-time Oscar winner had a contractual obligation to an unnamed Disney movie, allowing Carrie Fisher to win the role.

Tom Hanks (Jerry Maguire In Jerry Maguire)

Tom Hanks was on top of the world with two Oscar wins (for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump) when he was offered to play a sports agent down on his luck in Jerry Maguire. He ended up passing on the eponymous role from Cameron Crowe's 1996 dramedy and later told Access Hollywood (via FandomWire), "I think you look at it now and it couldn’t have been anybody other than Tom Cruise," who would receive a nod from the Academy for his performance.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Patrick Bateman In American Psycho)

Christian Bale once told GQ that every one of his roles was first offered to Leonardo DiCaprio and one confirmed example is Patrick Bateman in 2000's American Psycho. The future Oscar winner told The Morning Call that he passed on playing the sadistic yuppie because he felt the script “didn’t mean anything in the end," but rumor has it Bale's stepmom, Gloria Steinem, convinced DiCaprio that it would be bad for his post-Titanic, romantic heartthrob reputation at the time.

Jean-Claude Van Damme (The Predator In Predator)

The titular terrifying alien enemy from 1987's Predator looked a lot different when Jean-Claude Van Damme was still in the role, according to THR's oral history. The Belgian actor star actually shot some footage in the original insect-like suit before deciding he would rather not be hidden in his own movie, leading to a redesign of the costume and the casting of 7'2" Kevin Peter Hall.

Jack Nicholson (Michael Corleone In The Godfather)

While we cannot imagine anyone other than Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, Jack Nicholson probably would have been great in the Godfather movies. However, the three-time Oscar winner refused the offer, explaining to Movieline in 2004 (via ScreenRant) that he believed "Italians should play Italians."

John Travolta (Forrest Gump In Forrest Gump)

When speaking with MTV News (via Collider), John Travolta revealed that he had no regrets about turning down the title role of the Best Picture Oscar winner Forrest Gump and it is no wonder why. Not only did Tom Hanks embody the role to Oscar-winning acclaim but Travolta found career-rejuvenating success with Pulp Fiction in 1994 instead.

Burt Reynolds (James Bond In Live And Let Die)

In 2015, Burt Reynolds told USA Today that, when approached to be Sean Connery's replacement in the James Bond films, he believed the public would not accept a 007 with an American accent. However, he would later come to believe that, "It was a stupid thing to say. I could've done it and I could've done it well."

Eddie Murphy (Winston Zeddemore In Ghostbusters)

While appearing on The Tonight Show in 2019, Eddie Murphy was asked by Jimmy Fallon if it is true that he passed on playing Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters. The comedian confirmed that it was true but added that it allowed him the opportunity to lead an even bigger hit from 1984: Beverly Hills Cop.

John Lithgow (Seth Brundle In The Fly)

Jeff Goldblum's iconic role from David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly was previously offered to John Lithgow, who told IndieWire that he said no, not wanting to play "something so grotesque.” Having witnessed Seth Brundle's transformation into a half-human, half-insect in the intense body horror movie, we cannot say we blame him.

Tom Selleck (Indiana Jones In Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

Having already worked with Harrison Ford three times before, George Lucas was reluctant to cast the Han Solo actor as Indiana Jones, opening up the opportunity for a rotation of actors, including Tom Selleck. As he recalled on Today, the actor was forced to pass on 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, due to his commitment to the CBS crime drama, Magnum P.I.

Christopher Lee (Dr. Loomis In Halloween)

While already a horror movie icon at the time for his acclaimed portrayal of Dracula and role in 1973's The Wicker Man, Christopher Lee could have added one of the all-time best horror movies, 1978's Halloween, to his resume. According to The Digital Fix, he would come to regret the decision to pass on the role of Michael Myers' psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, who was immortalized by Donald Pleasance instead.

Christina Applegate (Elle Woods In Legally Blonde)

Before Reese Witherspoon made Elle Woods an icon among fictional lawyers in Legally Blonde and among fictional politicians in the sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, the role was offered to Christina Applegate. The former Married... with Children star later explained to Entertainment Tonight that she was afraid of repeating the ditzy blonde but jokes it was a "stupid move."

Emily Blunt (Black Widow In Iron Man 2)

Scarlett Johansson was perfect as Natasha Romanoff but Emily Blunt would have made a killing as the Avenger also called Black Widow. The English actor explained to Howard Stern that she could not originate the role for the MCU in 2010's Iron Man 2 because she was contractually obligated to appear in that year's adaptation of Gulliver's Travels.

Emma Watson (Mia In La La Land)

Playing Mia in 2016's La La Land earned Emma Stone her first Oscar win but the role of the aspiring actor had originally gone to another Emma: Emma Watson. The Harry Potter movies star said in a SiriusXM Town Hall interview (via Us Weekly) that her commitment to Beauty and the Beast and the hard work required to star in the musical led her to pull out.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Rollergirl In Boogie Nights)

Heather Graham made her mainstream breakthrough in 1998's Boogie Nights as "Rollergirl" – a role that was previously offered to Gwyneth Paltrow. The future Oscar winner told Howard Stern (via Us Weekly) that she passed because she feared the role, which required her to completely disrobe and simulate lewd acts on camera, would "kill" her conservative grandfather.

Jennifer Hudson (Precious In Precious)

Jennifer Hudson had previously said in her memoir, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways And Lost What Weighed Me Down, that she turned down the title role of Precious because she did not want to take a role that involved her weight. The Oscar winner later retracted that statement when speaking to The Huffington Post, explaining that Was not interested in what the role, which ultimately went to Gabourey Sibide, would have required her to do at that point in her career.

Matt Damon (Jake Sully In Avatar)

Sam Worthington became a household name when he led James Cameron's astonishingly successful sci-fi epic, Avatar, as Jake Sully – a role previously offered to Matt Damon. The Oscar winner once joked to Access Hollywood that not participating in the 2009 film cost the movie "a lot."

Ian McKellan (Albus Dumbledore In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban)

The Lord of the Rings movies' Gandalf actor, Sir Ian McKellan, could have added another famous wizard to his resume and become the Harry Potter franchise's new Albus Dumbledore. Instead, the part went to Michael Gambon after, as he told BBC News, McKellan turned it down because he couldn’t “take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me,” referring to the late Richard Harris who was a vocal critic of the actor.

Drew Barrymore (Sidney Prescott In Scream)

Given Drew Barrymore's A-list status in 1996, audiences assumed that she was the lead of Wes Craven's Scream, which could have been the case, as she confirmed on Hot Ones. However, she requested to be killed off in the beginning as Casey Becker, knowing it would shock the audience, paving the way for Neve Campbell to become a Scream Queen in the role of Sidney Prescott.

Angela Bassett (Leticia Musgrove In Monster’s Ball)

Halle Berry became the first Black Best Actress Oscar winner for her performance in Monster's Ball as Leticia Musgrove – a role that was offered to Angela Bassett. According to EW, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star felt the part of a Black call girl was too stereotypical.

Sean Connery (Gandalf In The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring)

Sir Ian McKellan mentions in an oral history about the Lord of the Rings series for The Independent that an earlier choice to play Gandalf the Grey was Sir Sean Connery. New Line Cinema executive Mark Ordesky notes that the former James Bond actor passed on the role of the wizard simply because he "did not get it."

Bette Midler (Annie Wilkes In Misery)

Despite having no qualms about playing an actual evil witch in 1993's Hocus Pocus, Bette Midler did have some reservations about playing Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's Misery from 1990. The actor and singer told Variety that was interested in playing the sadistic nurse because of her violent, unfunny, and irredeemable qualities.

Warren Beatty (Bill In Kill Bill)

In 2003, Quentin Tarantino told BBC that he originally started writing the title role of Kill Bill with Warren Beatty in mind because he wanted to work with him and the Oscar winner was set to play the target of Uma Thurman's vengeful Bride for a bit. However, after realizing that David Carradine was a better fit, followed by consideration of the time commitment and martial arts training involved, the actor and filmmaker amicably agreed to part ways.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Clarice Starling In The Silence Of The Lambs)

Michelle Pfeiffer once told Today's Hoda Kotb (via People) that her reasons for passing on roles in the likes of Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct typically had to do with scheduling conflicts. However, she told The New Yorker she passed on playing Clarice Starling (which ultimately went to Jodie Foster) in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs because the “evil” in the film made her nervous.

Al Pacino (Han Solo In Star Wars)

In his memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino reveals that, before Harrison Ford was cast in Star Wars, he was offered the role of Han Solo. The Oscar winner explains that he could not "make anything out of" George Lucas' script and chose not to play the pilot of the Millennium Falcon.

Bela Lugosi (The Creature In Frankenstein)

According to the book, The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi by Arthur Lennig (via SlashFilm), the star of 1931's Dracula had the opportunity to play two Universal Monsters in the same year, having also been offered to play The Creature in Frankenstein. However, the actor believed such a role was "beneath him," paving the way for Boris Karloff to rise up in the ranks of horror royalty as Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creation.

Haley Lu Richardson (Dani Ardor In Midsommar)

Haley Lu Richardson, known for one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies, Split, passed on the role of Dani Ardor in Ari Aster's 2019 sophomore effort, Midsommar. The A24 horror masterpiece was ultimately led by Florence Pugh, whom Richardson told Backstage she has nothing but praise for, despite not yet having the courage to watch the movie.

Julia Roberts (Annie Reed In Sleepless In Seattle)

The two most prestigious queens of the rom-com genre would have to be Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan but only one could play Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle. Roberts told InStyle (via ABC News) that she was offered the part but could not do it, adding that Ryan and Tom Hanks "are just such a jewel of a fit in that."

Jamie Lee Curtis (Regan MacNeil In The Exorcist)

Jamie Lee Curtis became horror royalty with her feature film debut in 1978's Halloween but her reign could have begun earlier if not for one thing: her mother, Janet Leigh. Curtis told EW that, when she was asked to audition for Regan MacNeil in 1973's The Exorcist (which would go to Linda Blair), the Psycho star spoke on the then-13-year-old's behalf and refused the offer.

Lee Marvin (Quint In Jaws)

Robert Shaw's performance as Quint in Jaws is nearly as famous as the man-eating shark itself but the English actor was actually not Steven Spielberg's first choice. The filmmaker told Vanity Fair that he previously approached Lee Marvin but the Dirty Dozen star was not interested.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Amber In Clueless)

Elisa Donovan's character in Clueless, Amber, very nearly went to the future star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Adam Schroeder, the co-producer of the 1995 high school movie classic, told Vanity Fair that the actor's commitment to the soap opera All My Children at the time forced her to recede from consideration.

Do you remember what you did last summer? Even if you don’t, you may still be anticipating the fact that among the upcoming 2025 movies is another sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer. It looks like filming is indeed underway, as Sarah Michelle Gellar shared a photo from the set. And fans are being as calm and collected as you’d expect.

Sharing a photo of a director’s chair on set to social media, Gellar took the opportunity to sneak a bit of a joke into this pressing news. As you’ll see in the caption for that very photo, another very different sequel’s name was invoked when teasing what to expect:

I guess Sarah Michelle Gellar’s unofficial I Know What You Did Last Summer role as the movie’s continuity expert must have paid off. Either that, or she’s visiting the set to support friend/director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson as the picture gets underway. Though this could also be a sign of Ms. Gellar popping up to boost Freddie Prinze Jr.’s confirmed return to the eagerly awaited legacy-quel.

Whatever the truth may be, the fans have certainly taken notice of the fact that the Buffy the Vampire Slayer icon did indeed die in that 1997 horror classic. And with that came some snarky theories as to how Sarah Michelle Gellar’s character could have survived, as well as one very serious note:

• “WE NEED HELEN'S GHOST HAHA” - @cazorla_actor
• “did helen thaw out girl?! “ - @cthomaslo
• “THE RESURRECTION OF HELEN SHIVERS!” - @ryinskott
• “Plot twist, Helen actually survived. She was just in a very long Coma from massive loss of blood 😂- @amjovimar
• “Team Helen (even if she’s dead)” - @seanpaulcurran
• “We don’t joke about SD3” - @ryan.jay.moore

While that mention of Scooby Doo 3 was just a fun bit of humor on the part of Sarah Michelle Gellar, I kind of have to agree with that last commenter. Joking that we could have a third round of the lighthearted James Gunn-written take on Mystery Inc. is no laughing matter.

Let's face it: a third Scooby Doo movie is about as likely as Ms. Gellar’s teenage beauty queen being defrosted and becoming the next killer in the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. Although wouldn't that be a hell of a twist for the next generation to encounter in their travels? And let's face it, with Freddie Prinze Jr.'s previous October start date tease seemingly debunked, anything could have happened with some clever re-writes.

Of course, hardcore fans should really be wondering if we’ll be receiving confirmation of Brandy’s potential franchise return in the near future. Perhaps that's another part of Sarah Michelle Gellar's "job" on this production, as her dropping a social media photo is just the sort of cover one could use to film another actor in secret.

It may be getting close to the holidays, but if you’re anxious to relive those I Know What You Did Last Summer memories, a Peacock subscription can fix that. Just don’t forget that the next sequel will arrive July 28th, 2025, which leaves plenty of time for you all to write further fan fiction about the resurrection of Helen Shivers.

Your favorite movie and TV star had to start somewhere and, sometimes, that somewhere is appearing in commercials. There have also been some cases in which an actor has already made it to the top but decided to lend their star power to a TV ad. You can find both kinds in the following collection of TV commercials featuring some huge celebrities.

Ben Affleck (Burger King)

An early blip in Ben Affleck's acting career was a commercial for the popular fast food chain, Burger King. The future live-action Batman actor and Academy Award-winning filmmaker plays a teen who accidentally invents Door Dash when his car phone intercepts a car from a girl who wants to order a whopper.

Cameron Diaz (Coca-Cola)

When Cameron Diaz was still a model primarily, one of her first experiences with acting – before making her feature debut in The Mask – was in a TV ad. The future Shrek movie star shines in an early '90s Coca-Cola commercial that feels a lot more like a perfume ad from the era in its alluring direction.

Paul Rudd (Super Nintendo)

All of Paul Rudd's versatile talents – from making us laugh in movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin to thrilling us as Ant-Man in the Marvel movies – can be traced back to a Super Nintendo commercial he did in the early '90s. He plays a very enthusiastic video gamer who attracts a crowd when he, somehow, hooks up his console to a drive-in theater projector for the ultimate experience of playing The Legend of Zelda and other favorites.

Jennifer Lawrence (My Super Sweet 16)

Jennifer Lawrence got to be the original My Super Sweet 16 girl without appearing on the actual reality TV series that documented wealthy young women's extravagant birthday celebrations. MTV ran dramatized promos for the then-new show starring the future Academy Award winner and Hunger Games movie star as the birthday girl who encounters a few mishaps during her festivities.

Brad Pitt (Pringles)

Years before he starred in Super Bowl Heineken ad helmed by his Fight Club director, David Fincher, the then-up-and-coming Brad Pitt got a taste of commercial acting by starring in a 1988 Pringles spot. He plays one of three surfer dudes who become stranded on the side of a California road when a trio of lovely women approach them for an impromptu Pringles party.

Amy Adams (Commercial Federal Bank)

Mainstream audiences first became aware of Amy Adams' impeccable singing talent in 2007's Enchanted but customers at Commercial Federal Bank were really the first to discover her. In 1997, the multi-Oscar nominee starred as an Olvia Newton-John lookalike in a parody of 1978's Grease for the bank.

Steve Carell (Brown's Chicken)

Steve Carell's channeled his inner Michael Scott long before leading NBC's The Office cast when he was just starting out acting in commercials. In the early 1990s, he played a Brown's Chicken employee whose clumsy mistake while setting up a marquee advertising "cholesterol-free cooking" accidentally convinces customers the food will cost them nothing.

Drew Barrymore (Pillsbury)

It must have been clear to anyone who spotted Drew Barrymore in her early Pillsbury commercial that she was destined to capture our hearts in E.T. the Extra-terrestrial just a few years later. The 1979 ad stars the then-four-year-old as a little girl whose mother cheers her up on a rainy day by making chocolate chip cookies.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Bubble Yum)

Before breaking out with his supporting role in Growing Pains and really hitting big leading the Titanic cast, the up-and-coming Leonardo DiCaprio did a few commercials. One sees the future Oscar winner demonstrate his natural charisma while demonstrating the powerful flavor of Bubble Yum bubble gum.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Alinamin V)

You may never be able to look at Arnold Schwarzenegger the same way again after witnessing the series of gobsmackingly bizarre ads the Terminator star filmed in Japan long after his big break. As the spokesperson for an energy drink called Alinamin V, the future California governor puts on a maniacally large smile and is sometimes seen riding the beverage's bottle into space or popping out of it like a genie.

Mila Kunis (Telephone Tammy)

Had Mila Kunis' Jackie Burkhart been a child of the '90s, Telephone Tammy – a doll who responds to your call with an included play phone – sounds like the kind of toy she would have grown up with. Not to mention the fact that the future That '70s Show cast member appeared in a commercial for Mattel when she was just starting out.

Morgan Freeman (Polaroid)

Future Academy Award winner and voice-over extraordinaire Morgan Freeman starred in a number of TV commercials early on in his career. One such ad was a 1970s spot for Polaroid, not as the man holding the camera that instantly prints out photos but the man telling the amateur photographer to cool it with the reshoots.

Britney Spears (Maull's)

Die-hard fans of pop superstar Britney Spears know that she started out as a child actor who worked with Ryan Gosling on The Mickey Mouse Club, among other rising stars. One of her earlier roles was a young girl who was apparently very excited to eat a home-cooked hamburger in a commercial for Maull's Barbecue Sauce, a local St. Louis brand.

Mark Hamill (Kodak)

Before playing Luke in the Star Wars movies made him familiar with technology from a galaxy far, far away, Mark Hamill represented what must have felt like a futuristic innovation at the time. He starred in a 1975 commercial for a Kodak camera that takes high-resolution photos from far away, allowing him to snap a shot of his girlfriend (and her mother) on a balcony while he stays on the ground.

Anne Hathaway (Better Homes And Gardens Real Estate)

Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway first showed her talent for performing in romantic dramas like One Day and The Idea of You in a 1996 commercial for Better Homes and Gardens. She plays a young woman who believes she and her boyfriend will still have time to spend before his family moves away until they learn the real estate agency has already sold the house.

J.K. Simmons (Farmers Insurance)

From his memorable roles in HBO's Oz and Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies, J.K. Simmons was pretty well known by the time he was cast as Professor Nathaniel Burke of the University of Farmers for a long-running Farmers Insurance ad campaign. When he won his Oscar for Whiplash, host Neil Patrick Harris sang an impromptu parody of the company's commercial jingle.

Harrison Ford (Kirin)

Playing Han Solo in Star Wars and the title hero of the Indiana Jones movies made Harrison Ford an international star and one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He would also increase his notoriety in Japan by starring in a series of commercials for a regional brand of lager called Kirin.

Keanu Reeves (Corn Flakes)

Before playing a master of kung fu in The Matrix, a master of gun-fu in the John Wick movies, and a master of excellency in the Bill & Ted movies, Keanu Reeves played a master of sneaking a bowl of cereal for himself. The role of a waiter who enjoys some of the breakfast food he has been hired to serve comes from an '80s-era ad for Kellogg's Corn Flakes.

Betty White (Snickers)

Snickers had a funny ad campaign starring well-known actors as metaphorical representations of the out-of-character behavior of hungry people. One of the earliest, and funniest, stars the legendary Betty White as a dude who needs a bite of the protein-loaded candy bar when his performance in a casual football game is off.

Bruce Willis (Seagram's Coolers)

When he was best known for Moonlighting and before starring in one of the all-time greatest action movies, Die Hard, Bruce Willis had another claim to fame: Seagram's Golden. He served as the adult beverage's spokesperson in a series of ads, some of which utilized his musical talents.

Jeff Goldblum (Apartments.com)

It's a little strange how a performer as widely recognized and beloved as Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum would be hired to star in an ongoing ad campaign as an original character and not just as himself. Nevertheless, the star of Jurassic Park and The Fly is dazzling and dazzling in the Apartments.com commercials as Brad Bellflower.

Sharon Stone (Finesse)

In the 1990s, films like Basic Instinct and her Academy Award-nominated role in director Martin Scorsese's Casino made Sharon Stone one of the most esteemed, and desirable, actors of her time. In the 1980s, her looks helped sell Finesse shampoo as one of the most desirable brands in the hair care market.

Jack Black (Pitfall)

It appears that Jack Black's charismatic, high-energy sense of humor was something he possessed from a young age. Exhibit A: his appearance in a 1982 commercial for Atari's Pitfall, as a wide-eyed child in a safari hat enthusiastically recalling his experience in the jungle-set video game, years before he played a jungle-set video game character in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Burger King)

No one would have believed, in 1983, that an adorable six-year-old girl who became a recurring spokesperson for Burger King would grow up to become one of the fiercest horror Scream Queens in the genre's history. Yet, that would become Sarah Michelle Gellar's destiny after leading the Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast as the titular defender against evil.

Tobey Maguire (Tropicana Twister)

In 1991, when he was still a teen, Tobey Maguire did an ad for a blended juice drink from Tropicana called Tropicana Twister. The future Spider-Man actor only briefly appears as a kid who breaks the fourth wall, suggesting that broccoli be added to the next unique flavor combination.

Courteney Cox (Tampax)

Before starring in the Friends cast as Monica Gellar, Courteney Cox was best known in the 1980s for dancing with Bruce Springsteen in the "Dancing in the Dark" video. However, did you catch the future Scream movies star's appearance in a Tampax ad as a gym patron?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Pop-Tarts)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most acclaimed former child stars who still act, with film and TV credits that back to the late '80s and early '90s like Angels in the Outfield and, of course, 3rd Rock from the Sun. If you go back even earlier than those classics, you can see the future Looper and Inception star in a 1991 ad for Kellogg's Pop-Tarts as a child who child urging his father to have breakfast before he leaves for work and offers him the toaster pastry.

Bryan Cranston (Preparation H)

Four-time Emmy winner and one-time Academy Award nominee Bryan Cranston has worn many faces throughout his career, from a hapless suburban dad in the Malcolm in the Middle cast to a ruthless drug lord as the lead of the Breaking Bad cast. Years before then, he wore the face of a spokesperson for Preparation H in a commercial from the early 1980s.

Willem Dafoe (Mercedes Benz)

With roles like one of the best Spider-Man movie villains, Green Goblin, and others, Willem Dafoe has proven time and time again that he plays an exceptional bad guy. Thus, he was the perfect choice to star in a Super Bowl ad for Mercedes Benz as the Devil, who almost convinces a young man to trade his soul for the car until he learns how affordable it is.

Geena Davis (WMET)

With an eclectic career that includes her Academy Award-winning role in The Accidental Tourist, the horror-comedy movie favorite Beetlejuice, and plenty more, it is clear Geena Davis can be anything. So, we imagine early '80s TV viewers who lived in the region where WMET broadcasted had no trouble accepting her as the voice of the local rock radio station when she starred in its enchanting commercial.

Jeremy Renner (Duracell)

Before he was defending the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the Avengers, Jeremy Renner made a living as a commercial actor. One of his greatest hits was a 90s-era Duracell ad in which he plays a tourist in Mexico whose stereo battery harnesses the power of a herd bulls.

John Travolta (U.S. Army)

Years before he played Santa in a Capital One ad and sent up his role in Grease for T-Mobile, John Travolta starred in an Army recruitment promo in 1973. Just four years later, his Academy Award-nominated lead role in Saturday Night Fever made him one of the biggest stars on the planet.

Fans of horror movies have been buzzing ever since rumors started circulating about a reboot of the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise. Now, Sarah Michelle Gellar has officially weighed in on her involvement—or lack thereof. The actress, who played Helen Shivers in one of the most iconic ’90s horror flicks, confirmed that while she won't return in the flesh, she still holds a critical behind-the-scenes role in the legacy sequel. And, as a fan of the original film and the veteran Scooby-Doo actress, I absolutely love how she's still connected to it.

The Cruel Intentions star recently sat down with People and dropped some tantalizing details about her "unofficial job" on the slasher sequel, which is being directed by her close friend Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge). As far as the fate of her character -- Helen Shivers -- goes, the Buffy veteran actress shared with the publication:

Despite Helen's tragic demise at the hook of The Fisherman in the first movie, Gellar remains deeply tied to the reboot, ensuring the new film stays true to its roots. She continued:

I Know What You Did Last Summer might not have the same prestige as Scream or other horror movies of the era, but it’s still no secret that series fans hold a special place for Sarah Michelle Gellar’s performance as the beauty queen. Her character’s chase scene is considered one of the most memorable moments in '90s horror cinema. While we won’t be seeing her reprise her role in the upcoming horror movie, her involvement as a "continuity consultant" of sorts is a welcome connection. Gellar's hands-on influence with Robinson solidifies that the reboot will respect the legacy of the original movie, particularly in how it treats the characters and storyline.

It seems fans have plenty to be excited about with the long-awaited legacy sequel. One highlight is that a legacy actor has already been cast: Freddie Prinze Jr., who played Ray Bronson in the original film. As a fun fact, Prinze is also the Crazy Ones alum's real-life husband. Nearly three decades after the original movie's release, the Hollywood A-list pair are both attached to the follow-up, albeit in different capacities: Prinze in an official and Gellar in an "unofficial" role.

I Know What You Did Last Summer centers on four friends who become the target of a relentless, hook-wielding killer after they cover up a fatal accident. The original IKWYDLS cast included some of the hottest stars of the late '90s, with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in the lead roles.

The film, adapted from the 1973 novel of the same name, was a box office hit and quickly spawned a sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, in 1998. Over the years, the franchise has continued to evolve, with a 2006 straight-to-video reboot and a 2021 TV series, which you can watch with a Prime Video subscription. However, the spinoffs and reboots have all, in some way, failed to recapture the magic of the original film.

The new cast includes Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jonah Hauer-King, Sarah Pidgeon, and Tyriq Withers. Initially, Camila Mendes was set to star, but scheduling conflicts forced her to step away. With Sarah Michelle Gellar’s strong connection to the project, I’m hopeful the sequel will skillfully blend nostalgic elements from the original with fresh, innovative twists.

As of this writing, an official release date has not been announced for the I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel. Despite that, keep your eyes peeled on on the 2025 movie schedule or beyond for updates on that front.

Sometimes, a character and a project come around that impacts the zeitgeist deeply, and when that happens, the role becomes permanently attached to an actor’s legacy. This list includes over 30 actors from some of the greatest movies and TV shows who will forever be remembered for one role. 

Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter, Harry Potter 

While Daniel Radcliffe’s list of best movies is long and notable – with entries like Swiss Army Man and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – he will always be known first and foremost as The Boy Who Lived. The actor took on the titular role of Harry Potter when he was 12 years old, and he’s the face of a franchise of movies that have raised countless people. So, while he is beloved for lots of things, nothing will ever be as big and prominent as his role in the Wizarding World.  

Aaron Paul – Jesse Pinkman, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad and its cast truly took the world by storm, and the guys leading the charge, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, became certified legends because of it. It’s hard to separate Paul from Jesse Pinkman, and the impact he made with his fellow ensemble members in this incredible show.  

Sarah Michelle Gellar – Buffy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

When you play one of the greatest TV characters of all time, obviously, it’ll be the thing you’re most remembered for. For Sarah Michelle Gellar, she’ll always be known as the legendary Buffy the Vampire Slayer after playing the empowering and strong titular character for seven seasons in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. 

Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man/Tony Stark, Iron Man

Yes, Robert Downey Jr. won an Oscar for Oppenheimer, and yes, he’s well known for roles in other films, like Sherlock Holmes. However, when you single-handedly help successfully start a cinematic universe like the one Marvel has and star in nine of those projects, yes, you are going to be known for playing that character forever.

So, when it comes to RDJ’s legacy, his role as Iron Man/Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be the thing he’s remembered forever for.  

Elijah Wood – Frodo, Lord of the Rings

Like Daniel Radcliffe and Harry Potter, so many grew up with Elijah Wood and Lord of the Rings. His portrayal of the hobbit Frodo Baggins was incredibly impactful, and while he has gone on to play a variety of memorable roles, there’s no denying the power of the Rings. 

Carrie Fisher – Princess Leia, Star Wars

You can’t talk about the late great Carrie Fisher and her career without mentioning Princess Leia and the Star Wars movies. She inspired a whole generation as her intelligent, stubborn and empowering princess, and the five films she was a part of helped define sci-fi in film. 

Leonard Nimoy – Spock, Star Trek

Live long and prosper, my friend. Forever and always the legendary Leonard Nimoy will be known for originating the role of the half-Vulcan, half-human Spock in Star Trek. 

Christopher Reeve – Superman, Superman

Christopher Reeve’s legacy is rooted in him playing Superman in four films. Even the documentary that came out about his life in 2024 leans into his time playing Clark Kent, as it’s called Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. 

James Gandolfini – Tony Soprano, The Sopranos

The Sopranos is considered one of the greatest shows on television, and James Gandolfini’s performance as Tony Soprano is a major reason why. The actor won three Emmys for his performance in the series, and his name, face and voice are synonymous with the beloved HBO drama. 

Alicia Silverstone – Cher Horowitz, Clueless

When I think of Alicia Silverstone, I immediately think of Cher, because she is and always will be best known for her iconic performance in one of the best movies of the ‘90s, Clueless. 

Sigourney Weaver – Ellen Ripley, Alien

Sigourney Weaver changed the sci-fi game when she starred in Alien. Ellen Ripley is a magnificent and strong leading woman in this sci-fi horror flick, which in 1979, was not something we saw very often. 

Jim Parsons – Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory

“Bazinga!” Will always follow Jim Parsons, and that’s because of his tenure playing Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The actor has four Emmys for playing the role, he starred in all 280 episodes of the comedy, and his character even inspired a spinoff, Young Sheldon, which came to an end in 2024 after its own seven-season run. 

Kit Harington – Jon Snow, Game of Thrones

The world was introduced to Kit Harington because of Game of Thrones, and he will always be remembered as the heroic Jon Snow. His role in the GOT cast was vital, and over the years, as we watched him battle it out at The Wall and work toward saving Westeros from winter, it was impossible not to fall for him. Now, while Harington has been in numerous other projects since then, it’s impossible not to think of him as this epic fantasy hero first. 

Emma Watson – Hermione Granger, Harry Potter

These days, Emma Watson doesn’t act anymore, and she’s killing with her gin company Renais. However, she’ll also always be remembered as a wonderful actress who brought life to the beloved witch Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. 

The Entire Cast of Friends

Yes, the cast of Friends all went on to have successful careers after the NBC sitcom. However, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox are best known as Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monica, and they always will be, because they’re the ones with a hit TV show. 

Ralph Macchio – Daniel LaRusso, The Karate Kid

After three Karate Kid movies, and six seasons of its highly successful spinoff Cobra Kai, you’d be silly not to think that Ralph Macchio will always be remembered for playing Daniel LaRusso. 

Linda Hamilton – Sarah Connor, The Terminator

Linda Hamilton played Sarah Connor in The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator: Dark Fate. She’s beloved for portraying the protagonist in this sci-fi franchise, and she’s synonymous with this series that she starred in alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, Thor

While many Marvel actors have become synonymous with their characters, one who really stands out is Chris Hemsworth and Thor. Physically, the Australian actor perfectly embodies the God of Thunder, and throughout his time playing the character he added an unexpected sense of humor to the role – especially post-Thor: Ragnarok – that he’ll be remembered forever for. 

Kristen Stewart – Bella Swan, Twilight

Twilight, the debate about Team Edward vs. Team Jacob and Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan took over the zeitgeist between 2008-2012. To this day, while she’s gone on to star in incredible films like Spencer and Love Lies Bleeding, the role that made her a household name is one of the parts she’ll always be remembered for. 

Heath Ledger – The Joker, The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger is widely regarded as the best Joker, because of his commanding performance as the legendary Batman villain in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. This movie was also one of his last before his untimely death, and he won a posthumous Oscar for his incredible take on the infamous big bad. 

Millie Bobby Brown – Eleven, Stranger Things

Millie Bobby Brown has made quite a few successful films, like the Enola Holmes movies. However, it’s undeniable that the role that will define her career is Eleven in Stranger Things. She was only 12 when she started playing the mysterious super-powered human, and over the course of the show’s five-season run, both she and the ensemble of the Netflix series, have become pop culture icons because of the show. 

William Shatner – Captain Kirk, Star Trek

If you take a look at the four projects listed at the top of William Shatner’s IMDb page, all of them are Star Trek movies where he played Captain Kirk. The man starred in seven films and a long-running TV show as the beloved captain, so of course it’s what he’s best known for. 

Michael J. Fox – Marty McFly, Back to the Future

From Family Ties to Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox and his shows and movies were ‘80s staples. However, there’s no denying that the project he’ll always be remembered for is Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future. To this day, the project is considered one of the best ‘80s movies, and Fox is still beloved for playing the charismatic, funny and heroic Marty McFly. 

Reese Witherspoon – Elle Woods, Legally Blonde 

In the over two decades since Legally Blonde’s release, so many have been inspired to pursue their dreams and wear lots and lots of pink. That’s because Elle Woods truly left an amazing mark on the zeitgeist, and it’s because of Reese Witherspoon’s heartfelt, funny and preppy performance as the incredible lawyer-in-training. 

As Elle Woods would say, “What like it’s hard” to create one of the best characters and movies of the 2000s? 

Jon Hamm – Don Draper, Mad Men

While Jon Hamm is a wicked comedic actor, and he’s starred in a myriad of fun movies, nothing will ever come close to Mad Men. For 92 episodes, Hamm led the Mad Men cast as Don Draper – which he took an Emmy home for in 2015 – and he’ll always be recognized for playing the charismatic creative director of Sterling Cooper.

Judy Garland – Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a film that has raised generations of kids since 1939, and it’s still a family classic. So, when you lead a beloved musical like that, as Judy Garland did, and it remains relevant and loved for over eight decades, obviously, the role you’ll always be known for is that one. 

David Tennant – The Doctor, Doctor Who

While everyone who has played the titular timelord on Doctor Who is known for that role specifically, David Tennant is a fan-favorite Doctor, and it’s single-handedly the project he’s best known for. While he’s dabbled in many other critically acclaimed projects, like Good Omens and Broadchurch, he is and always will be the beloved actor who graced our screens as the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors first and foremost. 

Anthony Hopkins – Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and it’s in part thanks to Anthony Hopkins' truly terrifying cannibal Hannibal Lecter. In fact, his character became so popular that it inspired three more movies and a TV show. 

Sarah Jessica Parker – Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

I’m sure Carrie Bradshaw inspired many women to become writers, and I know she left many of us fantasizing about living out our lives in New York City. Sarah Jessica Parker truly slayed the role, and her own sense of style and charismatic personality meshed perfectly with Carrie. Along with playing the writer in the OG series Sex and the City, SJP has also portrayed her in two movies and the series And Just Like That. 

Emilia Clarke – Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones 

Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, those are all the names Emilia Clarke’s dragon rider went by in Game of Thrones, and she gave an absolutely commanding performance as her. While her ending wasn’t what most wanted, there’s no denying how amazing it was to see Daenerys rise from a woman trying to survive to a powerful leader, and that’s because of how brilliant Clarke was in the role. 

Mark Hamill – Luke Skywalker, Star Wars

He was the face of the original trilogy, and you can’t think about Star Wars without thinking about Mark Hamill and Luke Skywalker. While the actor is well-known for other roles, especially in the world of voice acting, his most prominent part has to be this. 

Gal Gadot – Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman

Sadly, there aren’t many superhero movies led by women. However, luckily, we do have a few wonderful ones, and that includes Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. She played the beloved hero with so much grace, poise and strength, and she’ll 100% always be remembered for it. 

Obviously, while all these actors have played other prominent roles in well-known movies and shows, there’s no question that when we consider their legacies, these parts will be the first ones we think about. They’re that iconic, and we have these performers to thank for them.