Since it was announced in 2018, news about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot has been unusually quiet. Now we may know why, as the series is being put "on pause" according to a new interview with executive producer Gail Berman during The Hollywood Reporter's TV's Top 5 podcast.

The reboot series was to be helmed by The CW vet Monica Owusu-Breen (Midnight, Texas) with the original series creator Joss Whedon attached as an executive producer alongside Berman, fellow original series producers Fran Kazui and Kaz Kazui, and Joe Earley through Berman's Jackal Group. What the series did lack, however, was Sarah Michelle Gellar who was notably not involved with the reboot in any capacity. Instead, the new series would've starred a black female lead and acted as a modern update for the franchise.

Red flags began popping up early with the Buffy reboot though. The series seemed a bit confused about its identity as either a reboot or revival, saying that "The new version... will be contemporary, building on the mythology of the original," bringing in contemporary issues and diversity while operating with a similar approach to the original series. At the same time, Owusu-Breen seemed to want to distance herself from the original and its cast of slayers, noting that she didn't want to try to recreate that magic or do anything to replace the show's stars.

Nicolas Brendon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, and Anthony Head in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Image Via Warner Bros

RELATED: 'Stranger Things' Writers Release the Season 4 Script for the Steddie Woods Scene

The deafening silence from its announcement onward also created questions about what was happening behind the scenes with the production. No casting choices or anything were revealed, and it was unknown if any outlet ever had interest in picking it up even though it was supposed to be shopped in the summer of 2018. It certainly couldn't have helped either that Whedon faced a string of abuse allegations in the time between the announcement and now, turning him into persona non grata in the industry.

It's especially disappointing news to get considering Buffy is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The landmark teen drama ran for five seasons on The WB before making the jump to UPN for another two. Originally setting up to be a flop due to its circumstances, the series was powered by its strong fandom, becoming a pop culture icon. It centered on the titular Buffy Summers (Gellar), a young woman given superpowers and chosen to be a slayer who fights the forces of evil in Sunnydale, from vampires to demons and other creatures that go bump in the night. So beloved was the show that it also earned a spinoff called Angel starring the titular vampire played by David Boreanaz as he roams through Los Angeles saving the souls of others.

The original Buffy is still available to stream on Hulu.