Guess who’s dusting off the leather jacket and sharpening the stakes? Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to Buffy the Vampire Slayer—but not as the star. Hulu has officially greenlit a sequel series, with Gellar set to appear in a recurring role as Buffy Summers. The new series will focus on a fresh Slayer, because let’s face it, Buffy’s earned a break from nightly apocalypses. Meanwhile, original creator Joss Whedon is… not invited to the party.

From Deadline:

Described as the next chapter in the Buffyverse, the new incarnation is executive produced by Gellar, Zhao, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman as well as the original series’ executive producers Gail Berman of the Jackal Group and Fran Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui via Suite B. Also executive producing the pilot is Dolly Parton whose company Sandollar was producer on the original.

If the Hulu pilot goes to series, it would be the third in the franchise, following mothership Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which aired on the WB for five seasons from 1997-2001 before dramatically moving to UPN for two more, and spinoff Angel, which ran on the WB for five seasons (1999-2004).

From cult classic film to legendary TV series, Buffy has left an unkillable mark on pop culture. Now, after years of Gellar denying a return, the success of legacy sequels like Dexter: Original Sin has sparked a change of heart. While details are still emerging, one thing’s for sure—Buffy is back, and the undead won’t know what hit them.

Are you ready for a new era of the Slayer?

Image: Twentieth Century Television