Sarah Michelle Gellar has responded to reports about a reboot of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, confirming the hit nineties TV drama is set to return.
The actress, who played Buffy Summers, has shared details about why she decided to return to her days as a slayer, almost 22 years after the show ended.
The series, created by writer and director Joss Whedon, featured Gellar, 47, as one in a long line of young women chosen by fate to battle evil forces in the fictional US town of Sunnydale.
Now the star has posted a message on Instagram confirming her involvement in a revival of the drama, although did not reveal if it will be a reboot or sequel.
Image: Buffy means business. Pic: TM/20th Century Fox Film Corp
She described a conversation three years ago with director Chloe Zhao “to hear her take on a potential ‘Buffy’ revival”.
“Our twenty minute coffee quickly turned into a four hour adventure. We laughed, we cried, but mostly we both talked about how much this show means to us,” she wrote, adding that at the time she didn’t agree to continue Buffy’s story.
She added that she did “shock” herself by agreeing to continue the conversation “until ultimately, one day, we landed on an idea”.
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On Monday, Variety reported that Gellar was in “final talks” to play the iconic character, although she would not lead the new series, which would focus on a new slayer.
The US entertainment news outlet also said it had been told by sources that the sequel “is nearing a pilot order at [US streaming network] Hulu”.
Image: Cast pictured in 1999. From left: Alyson Hannigan, Seth Green (crouching), Anthony Stewart Head, Charisma Carpenter, Nicholas Brendon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, David Boreanaz, James Marsters (crouching), Juliet Landau. Pic: TM/20th Century Fox Film Corp
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for for seven seasons from 1997, its finale episode airing in May 2003.
It also featured British actor Anthony Stewart Head who starred as Giles, Buffy’s Watcher, along with her schoolfriends Willow and Xander from Sunnydale High, played by Alyson Hannigan and Nicholas Brendon respectively.
The show was so successful that the character Angel – a cursed vampire who is Buffy’s love interest – got his own spin-off series. The actor who played him, David Boreanaz, also went on to star in the long-running police series, Bones.
Image: Sarah Michelle Gellar and her on-screen love interest David Boreanaz in 2003. Pic: 20th Century Fox Film Corp
Gellar wrote that she has always listened to the fans and heard their desires to revisit Buffy and her world.
“But it was not something I could do unless I was sure we would get it right. This has been a long process, and it’s not over yet,” she added.
“I promise you, we will only make this show if we know we can do it right. And I will tell you that we are on the path there.”
Nora Zuckerman and her sister Lilla Zuckerman are confirmed as part of the team – reportedly writing the pilot. They have both previously collaborated on shows such as Fringe, Suits and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Chloe Zhao – best known for her Oscar-winning film Nomadland – is attached to direct.
Dolly Parton will be among the executive producers via her production company Sandollar, which was responsible for the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel television series.
Ticketmaster may have misled music fans over Oasis concert ticket prices, a competition watchdog investigation has found.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has urged the online platform to change the way it labels its tickets and provide better pricing information to fans.
The CMA has been investigating the site following widespread complaints about the sale of Oasis gig tickets last year, which saw over 900,000 tickets purchased through the site.
Image: Over 900,000 tickets were purchased through the Ticketmaster site
Liam and Noel Gallagher announced the band would reunite for a tour in 2025, but fans suffered various problems when trying to get tickets, including some ending up paying as much as £355 for tickets originally advertised for £148 on Ticketmaster.
The controversy prompted the CMA to look at how ‘dynamic pricing’ – a form of surge pricing – may have been used, and whether the sale by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.
While the investigation is still ongoing, the CMA said it is “concerned” Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.
It said the company labelled certain seated tickets as “platinum” and sold them for nearly two-and-a-half times the price of equivalent standard tickets, without explaining why they were more expensive.
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“This risked giving consumers the misleading impression that platinum tickets were better,” it said.
Image: Noel and Liam Gallagher pictured at Wembley in 2009 – the year the band broke up. Pic: PA
It also found Ticketmaster did not inform fans that there were two categories of standing tickets at different prices, and there was no evidence that it used dynamic pricing.
“Many fans were under the impression that Ticketmaster used an algorithmic pricing model during the Oasis sale, with ticket prices adjusted in real time according to changing conditions like high demand,” the watchdog said.
“The CMA has not found evidence that this was the case. Instead, Ticketmaster released a number of standing tickets at a lower price and, once they had sold out, then released the remaining standing tickets at a much higher price.”
Downing Street has said “everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets” for music and sport events.
Asked what message the prime minister had for fans affected by the Oasis sale, a Number 10 spokesman said: “In general terms, the chance to see your favourite musicians or sports teams live is something that all of us enjoy, and everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets.
“But for too long, fans have had to endure the misery of touts hoovering up tickets for resale at vastly inflated prices. We’ve also seen cases where a lack of transparency has meant customers have been caught unawares by last minute price rises for high demand events.”
The spokesman said there would be a full response to a consultation issued in due course.
At the time of the backlash, a spokesperson for Ticketmaster said: “Fans can resell their Oasis tickets at the full price they paid through Ticketmaster or Twickets.”
Laurence Fox has been charged with a sexual offence, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed.
The charge, which has been brought under section 66A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, relates to an image that was posted on social media in April last year.
The act makes it illegal to intentionally share sexual images of someone without their consent, with the aim of causing alarm, distress, or humiliation, or for sexual gratification.
Image: Narinder Kaur reported the image to police last year. Pic: PA
Presenter Narinder Kaur – who has waived her right to anonymity – alleges the image shows her as she got out of a taxi in 1996, and was taken without her knowledge and consent.
Kaur, 52, reported the image when it was shared online, triggering an 11-month investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
She has previously said she felt “violated, humiliated and degraded” by the incident.
Fox, 46, who has recently attempted to enter the world of politics, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 24 April, where he is expected to enter a plea.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison and could be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
The Metropolitan Police told Sky News in a statement: “A man has been charged with a sexual offence following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
“Laurence Fox, 46,will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 24 April charged with an offence contrary to section 66A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
“The charge relates to an image that was posted on social media platform in April 2024.”
An Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker has been held by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank, according to activists.
Hamdan Ballal had earlier been beaten up by Israeli settlers who were among dozens who attacked the Palestinian village of Susya in the Masafer Yatta area and destroyed property, said the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence.
The activist group said Mr Ballal suffered a bleeding head in the assault, and as he was being treated in an ambulance, he and another Palestinian man were detained.
“We don’t know where Hamdan is because he was taken away in a blindfold,” said 28-year-old Josh Kimelman, who was at the scene.
Image: Hamdan Ballal is detained in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Pic: Raviv Rose via AP
During the incident, around 10-20 masked settlers reportedly attacked Jewish activists with stones and sticks, smashing car windows and slashing tyres. One settler swung his fists at two activists before the pair rushed back to their vehicle, video provided by the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence showed.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement to Sky News that on Monday night “several terrorists hurled rocks at Israeli citizens, damaging their vehicles near Susya”.
The IDF also said a violent confrontation then broke out involving “mutual rock-hurling between Palestinians and Israelis at the scene”.
“IDF and Israeli Police forces arrived to disperse the confrontation, at this point, several terrorists began hurling rocks at the security forces,” according to the statement.
“In response, the forces apprehended three Palestinians suspected of hurling rocks at them, as well as an Israeli civilian involved in the violent confrontation. The detainees were taken for further questioning by the Israel police. An Israeli citizen was injured in the incident and was evacuated to receive medical treatment.
“Contrary to claims, no Palestinian was apprehended from inside an ambulance.”
Image: (L-R) Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham with their Oscars. Pic: AP
Best documentary
Mr Ballal is one of the co-directors of No Other Land which won the best documentary Oscar this year.
The film follows Masafer Yatta residents as they struggle to stop Israel’s army from demolishing their villages.
No Other Land has two Palestinian co-directors, Ballal and Basel Adra, both Masafar Yatta residents, and two Israeli directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in Israeli military operations during the Gaza war, and there has also been a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians.
There has also been a surge in Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
Red Cross office damaged
Meanwhile, in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, a Red Cross office was damaged by an explosive projectile.
The Israeli military said its forces fired at a building belonging to the charity after identifying suspects and sensing a threat.
But it admitted it had opened fire due to an incorrect identification.
“The structure’s ownership was unknown to the force at the time of the shooting,” the military added.
No one was injured, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which said the attack had a direct impact on its ability to operate.