Buffy Reboot Cancellation Means We'll Never Discover if Buffy and Angel Ultimately Ended Up Together, Sarah Michelle Gellar Jokes

Hulu’s shock cancellation of its Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot means that fans will never discover if Buffy and Angel ultimately ended up together.

That’s according to the Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, who reunited with Angel actor David Boreanaz last night at the Emmy Awards. As the pair took the stage together to present a prize, the duo chatted about their characters and also paid tribute to their trio of co-stars who have passed away over the last couple of years.

“You know Sarah, I always thought Buffy and Angel would end up together,” Boreanaz said at one point.

“Well, I guess we won’t find out,” Gellar responded, in a pointed comment that drew laughs from the room, as the audience realized this was a not-so-veiled reference to Hulu’s series being scrapped.

Gellar was heavily involved in plans for a soft reboot of the cult series, now updated for the modern day in a fresh version of Sunnydale, and with a new young Slayer as its lead. Gellar herself would have appeared as a recurring character, and other Buffy alumni would have made guest appearances (Spike actor James Marsters has said he expected to pop up at some point, though likely not until the show’s second season).

Could Angel have appeared too at some point, in order to wrap up the series’ infamous love triangle? Or would Spike and Buffy fans continue to think their true pairing had a chance? As Gellar says, it seems we won’t find out.

Various reports have suggested that the reboot’s original pilot script — the one that has now partially leaked — featured only a brief appearance by Gellar at the end of the episode. While her character was clearly being set up to appear in an expanded role in later stories (and it perhaps makes sense that the pilot focused on establishing its new cast) Hulu apparently balked at Buffy herself only getting a single line, and asked for a do-over with far more screemtime for Gellar.

Gellar previously pinned the reboot’s cancellation squarely on a single executive who she claimed had boasted about never being a Buffy fan. Reports have suggested Hulu remains keen to try another attempt at a Buffy reboot in a few years, though it currently seems unlikely for Gellar to be convinced again — meaning Angel and Buffy fans will just have to wonder what could have been.

“Before we move on to the award, David and I would like to acknowledge that it has been a tough two years for our beloved cast and crew,” Gellar concluded, in a clear nod to the recent passing of Anthony Stewart Head (Giles), Nicholas Brendon (Xander) and Michelle Trachtenberg (Dawn). “We feel very lucky to have known and worked with such amazing people.”