Did James Marsters Just Admit That Spike is Back in the ‘Buffy’ Reboot?

William the Bloody, a.k.a. Spike, might be joining the new Scoobies in the upcoming revival of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The pilot for Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, directed and executive produced by Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao, stars Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new Chosen One and O.G. Slayer Sarah Michelle Gellar stepping into the Watcher role. With a new Scooby Gang already set to help the Slayer in her duties, original cast members Alyson Hannigan (Willow Rosenberg), Seth Green (Daniel “Oz” Osbourne), and Anthony Head (Rupert Giles) have expressed interest in returning, though nothing has been officially confirmed.

But it looks like James Marsters, who played the British vamp Spike for five seasons, might have just confirmed his involvement.

20th Century Fox Film Corp.

On The B*tch Is Back podcast hosted by Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on both Buffy and its spinoff Angel, Marsters might have accidentally hinted at his participation in the reboot.

During a discussion of rewatching the original series, Marsters said, “It’s so funny. I watched initially, like we all did, to see how we looked in the episodes. And then I didn’t rewatch for a long time,” said the actor. “I recently did, just because of this whole reboot issue. I had to go back and watch it, just to ask myself, ‘Can you play that character again? Never mind the externals. Can you internally get back to that psychology.'”

“Again”?

“Um, James,” interrupted a shocked Carpenter. “Are you exclusively admitting that you’re part of the reboot?”

“I am not. No,” denied Marsters. “I have no idea. What can I say, there is interest in having me back…”

Charisma: um, James? are you exclusively admitting that you’re a part of the reboot?

James: I am not, no, I have no idea, um, I, what can I say? let’s see… there is interest in having me back…

-oh, I think he’s coming back. pic.twitter.com/llENlszyul

— slayer dreams ☽ .⋆ ˖ (@slayerxvampire) January 14, 2026

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Marsters’ Spike became a fan favorite after he was introduced as a villain in Season 2. During his time on the show, his character morphed into an anti-hero and eventually became a romantic interest for Buffy Summers.

In the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spike sacrificed himself in the series finale by using the Amulet of Antikus to channel sunlight, which obliterated the Turok-Han vampire army and collapsed the Sunnydale Hellmouth. However, Spike returned in Angel Season 5 when the amulet was sent to Angel. In the finale of that series, Spike was last seen on a suicide mission against an army of demons, facing certain death.

Related

‘Buffy’ Revival: Director Chloé Zhao Confirms 25-Year Time Jump

But nothing is certain in the Buffyverse.

Marsters continued: “I’ve been saying when asked that if I was producing the reboot, I wouldn’t call me in yet,” he explained. “I would have to do the origin story of the new Slayer, I would have to introduce all of her friends, I would have to set up the new world, and I would have to get them in at least one adventure together before I dropped in any other characters, whether it’s other new characters that I imagine, or its characters from the original show.”

Zhao confirmed that the Buffy story will pick up after a 25-year time jump, so it’s unclear how an immortal vampire (albeit one with a soul) will be incorporated into the new series, if he were to join.

No word yet if Cordelia will find a way back into Sunnydale as well.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, TBA 2026, Hulu

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