‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Revival Casts New Star

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer has its new slayer.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, another shining light in the revival, announced the news personally on her Instagram, posting a video showing the moment she informed her fellow actor, Ryan Kiera Armstrong (who plays the role of a new co-star), that she had been chosen to embody the “Chosen One” in the fresh version of Buffy.

As soon as everyone laid their eyes on your video,” Gellar said to Armstrong, “it was clear to us that no other contender seemed capable of doing it.

You can watch Gellar give Armstrong the news that she got the part below.

Fans of “Star Wars” will likely recognize Armstrong; she recently portrayed one of the key young characters on the Disney+ series “Skeleton Crew,” though it’s yet to be confirmed if a second season will be produced (as of now, the show debuted in December 2024).

In addition to her role, Zoe Armstrong was featured as the lead character in the latest 2022 adaptation of “Firestarter” that aired on Peacock. She has also made appearances in “It Chapter Two”, “Black Widow”, “The Tomorrow War”, and will soon be seen on TV shows titled “Stick” and “The Lowdown”.

Back in February, there were announcements about a revival of the beloved series “Buffy”. Hulu has commissioned a pilot for this show, which is actually a legacyquel, meaning it continues the storyline from the original “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” TV series that aired on the WB and UPN from 1997 to 2003. The pilot will be helmed by Chloe Zhao, who also directed “Eternals”. From the video Sarah Michelle Gellar shared, it seems like her Buffy character is partnering with a new slayer to tackle some fresh supernatural danger.

It’s clear that Sarah Michelle Gellar will be part of the revival, however, it remains unknown which other former Buffy cast members might join her. Notably, Joss Whedon, the original creator, is not involved in this new project. The Zuckerman sisters, Nora and Lila, are in charge as showrunners, but a specific release date and confirmation of a full season have yet to be announced.

Obscure Streaming TV Shows You Might Not Have Heard Of

A.P. Bio

As a devoted fan of movies, I can’t help but express my regret over the underrated gem “A.P. Bio” from NBC and Peacock. This classroom comedy, brimming with comedic talent like Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt, was unfortunately overlooked during its run. The series was produced by heavyweights such as Lorne Michaels and Seth Meyers, yet it failed to garner the recognition it deserved.

In this show, Glenn Howerton plays Jack Griffin, a Harvard philosophy professor who finds himself back in his hometown after losing a prestigious position. Desperate for revenge against those who wronged him, he takes on teaching the local high school’s Advanced Placement biology class. Using the intelligence of his students, who are honor roll material, as weapons in his schemes to settle old scores, Jack constantly devises cunning plans to get back at his enemies.

Calls

Fede Álvarez, known for his work in horror films, serves as the creator of the American adaptation of “Calls”, a unique show primarily based on audio. The audience is drawn into phone conversations between characters whose personal disputes are amplified by an impending catastrophic event. This Apple TV+ production, which adapts a French series with a similar format, features the voices of stars like Lily Collins, Danny Pudi, Clancy Brown, and Pedro Pascal. Each episode presents a standalone storyline, though it also contributes to a larger, seemingly supernatural narrative.

Mosaic

Occasionally, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh ventures into television production, and even the attempts that don’t quite hit the mark are still captivating. One such experiment was “Mosaic,” which emerged during a period when tech firms and streaming services were eagerly seeking the next major breakthrough in entertainment (remember Quibi?). “Mosaic” was one of these innovative projects. This murder mystery series primarily unfolded through an app, allowing viewers to choose their perspective for each event and move freely along the intricate plotline to uncover exactly what each character is doing and when. However, since most people prefer not to invest too much time into watching TV shows, it was eventually released on HBO in a more conventional episodic format.

Mrs. Davis

Perhaps the extravagance of it all prevented Mrs. Davis from attracting a substantial audience, yet it embodies the same level of wild creativity one would anticipate from co-creator Damon Lindelof. This limited series introduces Betty Gilpin as Sister Simone, a nun who finds herself at odds with an artificially intelligent program named Mrs. Davis that has amicably taken control of the world. Convinced that the app is responsible for her father’s demise, Sister Simone insists on its deletion. However, Mrs. Davis agrees to do so only under one condition: Sister Simone must locate the Holy Grail. Cowboys, charlatan magicians, sinister Germans, enormous whales, and Arthurian legends merge to create such a clever narrative that it seems almost unbelievable that it unfolds within merely 8 episodes.

Red Oaks

In the mid-1980s, the story unfolds in New York and New Jersey, with the television series “Red Oaks” focusing on the experiences of David Myers, portrayed by Craig Roberts, who secures a job as a tennis coach at a Jewish country club during his college summer break. The narrative primarily takes place at the Red Oaks club, capturing the phase of life where youth gives way to adulthood. The show delves into the evolving relationships and changes that affect David, his family, friends, and colleagues during a tumultuous historical era. Notably, Steven Soderbergh serves as an executive producer for this series, alongside David Gordon Green, known for “Eastbound and Down” and “Vice Principals”.

Scavengers Reign

Though it’s often the case that exceptional works are overlooked during their initial release, unfortunately, the animated sci-fi series “Scavengers Reign” remains relatively unknown. Despite being accessible on both Max and Netflix, its unique blend of adventure, survival, and alien ecology hasn’t gained widespread attention. The story unfolds as a group of castaways from a damaged spaceship explore an alien planet teeming with potentially fungal-based lifeforms, each posing threats to the delicate balance they encounter. As the human refugees struggle against the hostile environment, they inadvertently provoke the planet’s lifeforms by introducing their own fear, violence, and greed.

Sugar

In “Sugar,” we can’t give away its special charm, but trust us when we say you won’t predict it. Starring Colin Farrell, this neo-noir series follows private detective John Sugar, a lover of classic films and vintage cars, who finds himself in deep water while investigating the disappearance of a renowned film producer’s granddaughter. The show initially feels like an old-style detective story, but as you get further into it, around three-quarters of the way through, it transforms into something completely unexpected.

Sunny

In the 2018 novel “The Dark Manual” by Colin O’Sullivan, the film “Sunny” features Rashida Jones as Suzie Sakamoto. After losing her husband and son in a plane crash, she receives a domestic robot named Sunny from her husband’s robotics company. However, Suzie was unaware that her husband even worked with robots, and as she delves into his enigmatic past, with occasional assistance from Sunny, she unearths a perilous conspiracy involving robots.

Tales From the Loop

Residents of Tumblr might remember the captivating, evocative images by Simon Stålenhag, known for his retro-futuristic digital paintings that depicted colossal, rusted robots from past periods of war or technological prosperity amidst expansive natural environments. The art book “Tales From the Loop” compiling these pictures was picked up for a streaming series by Amazon Prime, which spun a story around a small town housing an experimental research facility. Although the episodes are loosely linked and it ran just one season, its haunting ambiance makes it a worthwhile watch.

Too Old to Die Young

In a shift from his cinematic work, director Nicolas Winding Refn ventured into television with the series “Too Old to Die Young“. This neon-bathed, modern noir production features Miles Teller as a cop compelled to team up with the individual who killed his partner to expose a complex and violent conspiracy linking Mexican cartels, yakuza gangs, and the Russian mafia. Refn’s distinctive directing style helps offset the show’s masculine narrative tendencies, although some viewers might find its intricate and peculiar plot challenging to follow. Unfortunately, it was only able to run for one season. Fans of Refn’s work will recognize what they’re getting into, while others may be drawn in by the lengthy, episode-long car chase sequence where Teller is pursued by a pair of unsavory pornographers.

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2025-05-15 22:25