BUFFY fans are rejoicing that a reboot of the series by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao is imminent, with Sarah Michelle Gellar set to reprise the title role.
For millennials like myself who grew up devouring the show (to the point of creating a new academic field, Buffy studies), this news is extremely exciting. However, some critical details remain unclear.
When Ms. Gellar addressed the rumor of a reboot in an Instagram post on Feb. 6, her co-star David Boreanaz, who played Buffy’s first love interest, Angel, commented: “Excited for you and your journey. Enjoy the moments and continue to give back to fans.”
His words, which seem to suggest he won’t be returning as Angel, allude to a significant challenge facing the reboot. What to do about now-visibly older cast members such as Mr. Boreanaz (now 55) who play ageless vampires? James Marsters, who played Buffy’s punk-rebel lover, Spike, faces a similar problem: he is now 62.
However, in the two decades since the final episode aired, there have been significant advancements in technology that may offer a way around having to sideline or recast fan favorites. The solution could involve the use of artificial intelligence (AI) de-aging technology.
AI VAMPIRESDe-aging technology isn’t new to Hollywood. AI rejuvenation has been used in a number of blockbusters over the last few years — take Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in The Irishman (2019), for example. More recently, Tom Hanks was de-aged using AI for the graphic novel adaptation Here.
AI has also been used to restore actors’ voices. This effect was used for the voice of Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick (2022). Kilmer had lost his voice as a result of his battle with throat cancer.
A mixed voice-and-vision technique has also allowed The Mandalorian (2020) and The Book of Boba Fett (2021) to bring back a young Luke Skywalker. And Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021) controversially used AI to recreate the late chef’s timber for the voiceover.
However, AI has yet to be explored in the unique context of the timeless vampire character — an archetype where immortality and daring beauty are defining traits, at least on TV.
If done right, AI could de-age Mr. Boreanaz and Mr. Marsters, allowing the actors to return as Angel and Spike without breaking continuity or forcing abrupt casting changes.
In return, this move could influence the vampire genre as a whole — not only bringing TV actors back to beloved roles but, more importantly, allowing them to carry their fan base with them into a new era.
AI AND GENDER IN HOLLYWOODWomen have been disproportionately affected by AI’s impact on job security, as a 2024 Mercer study highlighted.
Hollywood still has a gender disparity problem. In 2024, 70% of the top-grossing films had 10 or more men in key positions behind the screen, compared with just 8% for women. AI is enhancing this gap, automating roles where women have greater representation (such as background acting and voice work), as well as excluding them from AI development and decision-making.
Male actors, meanwhile, have seen their job security increased by the technology, as they’re able to retain leading roles in film sequels such as Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).
In the Buffy reboot, led by a now 47-year-old Ms. Gellar, we could witness an intriguing power reversal in both cases. If AI is not used, removing Mr. Boreanaz and Mr. Marsters from their roles, the show could still stand without them. Unlike her male co-stars, Buffy is human, so aging isn’t a major issue for Ms. Gellar and her character. Twenty years later, fans would naturally expect to see her looking visibly older and facing new adventures.
However, if AI de-aging is used to preserve Angel and Spike as we remember them in their often-sexualized signature look, then Buffy’s vampire lovers would look noticeably younger than her for the first time. This would provide an interesting twist to what film historian Steve Neale has defined as “masculinity as spectacle,” reversing traditional gendered cinematic power dynamics.
By allowing AI to preserve Angel and Spike as immortal, the reboot could bridge generational and new fans while exploring the latest use of a controversial technology.
Regardless of the outcome, we know Buffy doesn’t “have time for vendettas. The mission is what matters.” Let’s hope this new show can rise to the challenge and still slay in the 21st century.
Valentina Signorelli is an Associate Professor in Film and TV at the University of Greenwich. She is co-founder of the Italian production company Daitona.
