If a remake of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ends up happening, a 2024 horror movie just proved which actress would be a perfect fit for the role of Buffy Summers. It’s now been 21 years since the TV series came to an end after airing 144 episodes. Despite how much time has passed, Buffy and other notable Sunnydale characters remain relevant within the world of pop culture. It’s no secret that Sarah Michelle Gellar’s portrayal as the titular “Slayer” helped carve Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s lasting legacy. Still, it’s equally surprising that no attempts at a remake or reboot ever came to fruition.
Aside from Angel, which ended in 2004, no other Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff happened despite numerous attempts and ideas. Continuations of Joss Whedon’s series came in the form of other media like books, games, and comics. Since several decades have passed, rebooting the “Buffyverse” has become more complicated, especially regarding the direction of the cast. While many would want to see Gellar reprise her role, it would be more likely for another actor to take over, and a recent vampire movie propelled a name to the top of the candidate list.
After their success in the Scream franchise, Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett jumped into the vampire subgenre of horror with 2024’s Abigail. Among the stars was Kathryn Newton, who played Sammy, the skilled hacker within Abigail‘s “Rat Pack.” Interestingly, Newton’s performance in Abigail showed why she should be highly considered for the role of Buffy Summers if a Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival happens. Naturally, the most convincing aspect was Abigail’s plot, which featured Sammy and the others facing off against a blood-thirsty vampire.
The battle resulted in some fun fight sequences against the young vampire ballerina, including Newton’s Sammy finding herself in a few precarious situations. Despite her eccentric style, Sammy was relatively upbeat like Buffy, but she was also the comic relief throughout Abigail. Having a version of Buffy lean more into the comedic side would be a refreshing change for a remake. Newton had a convincing “Buffy Summers” look in the movie, but it would be fun to see a new version of the character use comedy and humor to make up for her initial lack of skills required to be a “Slayer.”
Of course, fancasting Buffy Summers won’t matter if Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s franchise never returns as a TV show or live-action project. Sarah Michelle Gellar has never publicly ruled out returning to her Buffy role in a revival project. However, updates surrounding a Buffy the Vampire Slayer revival point toward another cast being the vocal point. In 2018, reports surfaced that implied an official Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot was in the works.
There’s been confusion since 2018 about whether or not the project would be a remake, reboot, or something else entirely. There have been rumors of Buffy recasting, focus on a completely different Slayer, and more. Though the project was shelved in 2022, Dolly Parton shared a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot update, stating it was still in the works as of 2024. It’s undoubtedly frustrating without any concrete updates, but there’s still hope something can come in the near future.
Even before Abigail, Kathryn Newton has undoubtedly proved to be a rising star within the horror genre in recent years. She may have been a highlight in the 2024 vampire movie, but the same can be said for her past horror roles. After making her acting debut in 2002, the actress steadily acquired movie and TV show roles before making her jump into horror in 2012’s Paranormal Activity 4.
Two years later, she joined Supernatural as Claire Novak, a character who ended up becoming a hunter, another role that proves why Newton would be capable of portraying a vampire slayer. Since then, Newton appeared in notable horror movies like Freaky and Lisa Frankenstein. Newton emerging as a modern-day “Final Girl” icon would be thrilling, but the actress has shown quite a range within the horror projects she has appeared in.
Whereas Freaky featured her embodying a serial killer, Lisa Frankenstein gave her a more campy narrative to dive into. Even Abigail gave Sammy a fun twist involving a vampire-induced dance sequence, making for one of the movie’s best sequences. Newton’s fate ahead of Abigail‘s ending wasn’t ideal, but it certainly didn’t take away from her notable presence in the movie. If anything, it reiterated exactly why the horror genre needs more of the actress. Hopefully, anyone involved in Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s future took notice, too.