Buffy reboot casts 15-year-old Netflix star as new slayer

Sarah Michelle Gellar has a new co-star – and Sunnydale has a new slayer (Picture: 20thCentFox/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

Sarah Michelle Gellar is passing on the slayer baton to a rising Netflix star, 15, in a major Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot update.

The long-awaited revival – as yet untitled – stars Gellar in her iconic role as Buffy Summers and she will also be executive producing the project.

The Scooby-Doo actor has now announced that Ryan Kiera Armstrong will play ‘this generation’s slayer’ aka ‘introverted high school student by day and monster hunter by night.

Some may know Armstrong for her role as Minnie May in popular Netflix series Anne with an E. Since then she has featured in plenty more TV shows including as Alma Gardner in American Horror Story and Fern in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

In an Instagram post celebrating her casting, Gellar wrote: ‘I want to introduce you to [Armstrong]. 

‘From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. To have that kind of emotional intelligence , and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room. Welcome to #NewSunnydale #btvs.’

Ryan Kiera Armstrong will be known by some as Minnie May Barry in Anne with an E (Picture: Netflix) In recent years, she has appeared in Firestarter, American Horror Story and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (Picture: Ken Woroner/Universal)

This was accompanied with a video of Gellar telling Armstrong the happy news, in which the young actor said: ‘I’m so honored, thank you for trusting me,’ with tears in her eyes.’

And in her own Instagram caption added: ‘I am so excited for this journey with you [Sarah] I am in awe of you.

‘Thank you Chloe Zhao for trusting me, I’m such a fan. I’m still in so much shock and disbelief. [Nora and Lilla] I’m so SO excited to work with you both. Finally, thank you to my amazing parents that have allowed me to do my dream, love uuuu. I WONT LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!’

The 15-year-old star has expressed her immense gratitude (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

The pilot, arriving on Hulu, is director by Oscar winner Chloe Zhao of Nomadland fame and co-written by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman (behind Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face).

In a statement, the Zuckerman’s wrote: ‘We are so overjoyed to have found this generation’s slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she absolutely blew us away — there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one.’

Buffy star Emma Caulfield celebrated in the comments, writing: ‘Tears’. And plenty of fans celebrated the exciting news.

‘The new chosen one. All the 80s/90s and early 00 babies are SCREAMING right now,’ ryanfent0n shared.

Metro's Senior Entertainment Reporter Laura Harman shares her take on the Buffy reboot

Had this reboot been announced a decade ago, I may have been naive enough to be excited – but the news has only made me concerned, with good reason.

The series was pioneering at the time, stamping on stereotypes and progressively exploring LGBTQ+ narratives and characters. The series had complex heroes and villains and subverted all the typical horror and teen-drama tropes in the best possible way.

The legacy it has left is huge, which means that any reboot has the potential to tarnish the reputation.

Particularly when the original series managed to strike such a unique chord with the audience of the time and become a cultural phenomenon – how can that success be replicated in a way that feels organic and not a cringe-inducing stretch for the series to be as ‘woke’ as it once was?

Another key problem is that some of the most beloved characters – the vampires – can’t return to the series.

Gellar will play Buffy Summers but the rest of the cast is up in the air (Picture: Getty) Many celebrated Armstrong’s casting as the new slayer (Picture: 20thC.Fox/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)

‘Congratulations!!!! Sunnydale is in safe hands! I can’t wait to see you save the world,’ mrbrianlloyd added.

‘Congratssss! This is going to be epic! So excited to see you and SMG dust some vamps together,’ nadsreviews praised.

As for who else will be joining (or returning) to the cast, it remains to be seen.

Earlier this year, there were reports that Gellar had been in talks with the late Michelle Trachtenberg to reprise her role as sister Dawn before her death.

Her recent reunion with co-star Alyson has spaked hopes of Willow appearing in the reboot (Picture: Instagram/sarahmgellar

And she was recently seen reuniting with former co-star Alyson Hannigan who played best friend Willow.

In a statement addressing the reboot rumours in February, Gellar explained it had been a many-year long process to finally ‘land on an idea’ for a possible reboot.

‘This has been a long process, and it’s not over yet. I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there.

‘I feel so lucky to be on this journey with these four unbelievably talented women, all of whom love “Buffy” as much as I do. And as much as you do. Thank you to all the fans who never stopped asking for this. This will be for you,’ she stated.

There is currently no release date for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot.

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