BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Reboot Reveals The New Slayer's Name... Nova

Hulu’s upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayerreboot just dropped a key piece of information that’s sure to get longtime fans of the franchise curious… the name of the new Slayer. According to Deadline, Ryan Kiera Armstrongwill play Nova, a quiet high school student with a world-changing destiny.

This reveal came alongside the announcement that Kingston Vernes has joined the cast. Vernes will portray Carson, a Junior Olympian and popular student at New Sunnydale Academy. He catches Nova’s eye early on, and following a pivotal moment, he starts noticing her too. Sounds like a classic Slayer-meets-boy situation, but with a fresh twist.

While the show is still untitled, photos from the table read shared by Sarah Michelle Gellar had the title cleverly hidden, and fans are now speculating that it might go with Nova the Vampire Slayer. For now, Hulu has only ordered a pilot, so the full series isn’t officially greenlit yet.

The Nova itself is Latin for “new.” Given that Buffy activated every potential Slayer at the end of the original series, this reboot appears to pass the torch to a next-generation Slayer, one who may carry the weight of this new world.

That doesn’t mean Nova will be the only Slayer around. The pilot recently added five more cast members including Faly Rakotohavana, Ava Jean, Sarah Bock, Daniel Di Tomasso, and Jack Cutmore-Scott. It wouldn’t be surprising to see at least one more Slayer among them, echoing dynamics from the original series with characters like Kendra and Faith.

Although this isn’t Buffy Summers’ show, Sarah Michelle Gellar is back as Buffy in a mentor role. Nova will be front and center, but Buffy’s legacy will still play a part. Gellar is also deeply involved behind the scenes, working alongside Eternals director Chloé Zhao, writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, and executive producer Gail Berman, who was part of the original series. Joss Whedon, the creator of the original show, is not involved with the reboot.

For now, all eyes are on Nova. If Hulu moves forward with the series, this new chapter could take us somewhere completely different while honoring the past.