Following the announcement that a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer show is in the works, many immediately thought the new version (executive produced by Joss Whedon) would be a direct reboot of the supernatural drama. Well, as it turns out, that may not be the case. With more than a few days having passed since the news of the proposed series, the writer behind the project has clarified the series' angle in a new statement on her Twitter page. Monica Owusu-Breen shared the note with fans. You can read it for yourself below:
Based on this, Monica Owusu-Breen, who will be the showrunner of the new series if it gets picked up, seems to be hinting the show will not be a reboot. While reboot and revival are sometimes used interchangeably, there is actually a pretty significant difference between the two. A reboot usually involves a new cast playing previously established characters.
It can also involve a similar set-up to the original series with a fresh set of characters and a new cast to play them, as is the case of The CW's Charmed reboot. A revival, on the other hand, involves the original cast returning with a new storyline.
Monica Owusu-Breen indicates that there will be a new Slayer, which may or may not mean a new Buffy. With that in mind, the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer could theoretically be a sequel series, which would put the new Slayer that Owusu-Breen mentions living in the same universe as the original, just set years in the future.
In her statement, Monica Owusu-Breen references Star Wars, which currently involves new episodes set in the same universe as Luke, Leia, and Han Solo, etc. The characters in the new sequel trilogy exist in the same world, set years after the original 1970-1980's films concluded. It is possible that the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer series could do the same. As work on the show gets further along, fans will undoubtedly gain more insight into it.
Monica Owusu-Breen is writing the script for the potential series, which currently does not have a network or streaming platform attached. Given the popularity of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise, it should not have any trouble finding one. The original series aired from 1996 to 2003, over the course of seven seasons.
No premiere date has been set for the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With the studio planning to pitch the potential series this summer, a release date is currently hard to figure out. You can count on CinemaBlend to keep you apprised on the series' progress though. For new television shows set to arrive soon, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's summer premieres.
