Cast This: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered just over twenty years ago if you can believe it, and as with most things in this day and age, it's set to make a return. Last week, 20th Century Fox Television announced that they were developing a new take on the iconic Joss Whedon TV series, and unlike the last time there was talk of a Buffy reboot, Whedon is actually involved. Monica Owusu-Breen (Midnight, Texas) has been tasked with writing the series as well as serving as show-runner, with Joss Whedon onboard as an executive-producer as well as lending a hand with the script.

During the twentieth anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer last year, Joss Whedon spoke about the possibilities of a reboot of the series, and although he wasn't about to dismiss it, he did voice some apprehension on returning to past glories. "I see a little bit of what I call monkey's paw in these reboots. You bring something back, and even if it's exactly as good as it was, the experience can't be," Whedon said. "You've already experienced it, and part of what was great was going through it for the first time. You have to meet expectations and adjust it for the climate, which is not easily. Luckily most of my actors still look wonderful, but I'm not worried about them being creaky. I'm more worried about me being creaky as a storyteller. You don't want that feeling that you should have left before the encore."

20th Century Fox Television CEO Gary Newman hinted at the reboot earlier this year but added that the choice on whether to move forward was ultimately up to Joss Whedon. Although Whedon has given his support to the reboot, it's not clear exactly what his involvement will be when the show moves forward, especially as he's currently hard at work on his upcoming HBO series, The Nevers.  According to sources, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot will be "contemporary and build on the mythology of the original. Like today's world, the new Buffy will be richly diverse, with some aspects of the series, like the flagship, seen as metaphors for issues facing society today." The character of Buffy Summers is the latest in a long line of young women known as Slayers, a chosen one who has been gifted with the strength and skills to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. Despite the great power and responsibility, Buffy still desires to live a normal life, and the TV series found Buffy joining forces with her friends, known as the Scooby Gang, as well as her Watcher, Giles, in facing off against all manner of creepy crawlies.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot is still in the early stages, but at the moment the plan is for an African American actress to step into the role of Buffy, so, just who could fill Sarah Michelle Gellar's shoes when it comes to dusting vamps and teen angst? I'll throw out a few suggestions to get your started. Assuming the reboot goes the route of original series, Buffy would begin the reboot at around sixteen-years-old, but when has Hollywood ever worried about staying true to ages? At twenty-nine-years-old, my first choice wouldn't exactly fit the mold of high-school Buffy, but to hell with it, I'm suggesting Logan Browning (Dear White People) anyway. Just try and stop me. Turning to more age-appropriate actresses, Alisha Boe is best known for playing Jessica Dravis on Netflix's controversial series 13 Reasons Why and would be another interesting choice for the role, as would Yara Shahidi, who has won praise for her role of Zoey Johnson on Black-ish as well as taking on a leading role in the spin-off, Grown-ish.

Remember, you're free to suggest anyone in the comments, so let your inner casting director run wild!

Previously on Cast This, you were asked to fill the role of Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman, a sick young woman who gained her abilities after being given an untested serum made from the blood of several uncommon species of spiders by her father. Alexandra Daddario (BAYWATCH) was clearly the most popular choice for the role, but there were some other great suggestions for the character as well, including Yvonne Strahovski (A Handmaid's Tale) and Emily Blunt (A QUIET PLACE).