Charisma Carpenter Hopes Cordelia Chase Returns in Buffy Reboot After Unjust Exit

Charisma Carpenter, beloved for playing Cordelia Chase in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, is ready for a comeback. In a recent interview, Carpenter shared that she’s “hopeful” Cordelia could return in Hulu’s upcoming Buffy reboot. The actress praised the new creative team, led by Chloé Zhao and showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, and called their vision “wildly creative.” She expressed excitement about the tone and direction of the revival, adding that bringing Cordelia back would be “poetic” after what she calls the character’s “unjust” end in the original timeline.

Cordelia Chase was more than comic relief. She grew into one of the most compelling figures in the Buffyverse, a hero in her own right. Carpenter’s attachment to the character’s legacy shows this reboot is being handled with care. Her eagerness to return isn’t mere nostalgia. It is about giving her character the proper send off she never received after the controversial send up in Angel season four when Cordelia descended into coma and an off screen death.

There is real opportunity in Cordelia’s return. The Buffy reboot is set to balance old beloved faces like Buffy herself and completely new characters including a young lead as a slayer. Reviving a character who died in a spin off is bold but not impossible for a franchise where death rarely means finality. Carpenter herself reminded interviewers that Buffy herself died twice and came back. If the reboot wants emotional depth and legacy threads, Cordelia is the perfect candidate to weave them together.

Imagine Cordelia Chase returning as a mysterious guide or spirit influence, or even as a mentor to the new slayer. Her psychic powers could have grown into celestial level insight. Perhaps she returns to Sunnydale to warn of a rising evil. Or maybe she confronts her own unfinished business in a world that ended and was revived in darker times. There is so much ground left untrodden.

Geek communities are buzzing. Buffy forums are alive with “poetic revival” theories. One top comment joked that seeing Cordelia in amber light prophesying a new threat would melt their hearts. Another fan suggested she could host a slayer academy. It is clear that Carpenter’s optimism resonates because fans always believed Cordelia deserved redemption and recognition.

On a serious note Carpenter has made her peace with the original creators. Her return to voice an alternate Cordelia in Audible’s Slayers showed she is open to new versions of her character. With Joss Whedon not involved in the reboot, the atmosphere feels fresh and creative. Carpenter showed support for the team and spoke about the power of this legacy.

With production expected to start soon and a cast that might include Sarah Michelle Gellar, Carpenter, Alyson Hannigan and more, the Buffy reboot feels like a true celebration of the past while forging a bold future. Carpenter is right to hope Cordelia returns. It would be poetic, powerful and exactly what longtime fans have been craving.