Buffy the Vampire Slayer gets a YA sequel trilogy from Disney Books

A Fox property is getting the YA treatment from Disney, in a first since the company acquired the legacy studio in 2019. Next year, Buffy the Vampire Slayer series will spin off with a new YA novel from Disney Hyperion.

Titled In Every Generation, the book is the first of a trilogy and written by Kendare Blake of the Three Dark Crowns series. This time, the Slayer isn’t just a Slayer — but also a witch (and Willow Rosenberg’s daughter).

“The team at Disney Hyperion is excited to explore the 20th Century catalog and look for new ways to reimagine this incredible wealth of content that now falls under the Disney umbrella,” says Kieran Viola, editorial director at Disney Hyperion. “There are so many fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on our team, this seemed like the perfect property to launch with, and an incredible way to help the company celebrate the show’s 25th anniversary in 2022.”

“I have been a Buffy fan since the womb, or at least that’s what it feels like,” says Blake. “Being a fan of Buffy was the whole reason for taking on In Every Generation. I had no choice. You don’t say no to Buffy.”

As a longtime fan, Blake was both terrified and thrilled to dive into the Buffyverse — on one hand, she calls the Buffyverse “sacred,” but on the other, getting to write about her favorite characters was pretty mind-blowing. She promises classic Buffy energy — and a lot of references and Easter Eggs, of course.

“If you want to visualize the writing of this book, just imagine the iconic scene from Singin’ in the Rain,” she says. “Except instead of Gene Kelly, it’s me, and instead of that wet street with the lamp post, it’s Sunnydale Cemetery full of vampires.”

The official synopsis is as follows:

Frankie Rosenberg is passionate about the environment, a sophomore at New Sunnydale High School, and the daughter of the most powerful witch in Sunnydale history. Her mom, Willow, is slowly teaching her magic on the condition that she use it to better the world. But Frankie’s happily quiet life is upended when new girl Hailey shows up with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack, and all the Slayers—including Buffy, Faith, and Hailey’s older sister Vi—might be dead. That means it’s time for this generation’s Slayer to be born. But being the first ever Slayer-Witch means learning how to wield a stake while trying to control her budding powers. With the help of Hailey, a werewolf named Jake, and a hot but nerdy sage demon, Frankie must become the Slayer, prevent the Hellmouth from opening again, and find out what happened to her Aunt Buffy, before she’s next. Get ready for a whole new story within the world of Buffy!

In Every Generation goes on sale Jan. 4, 2022. Check out the exclusive cover reveal below:

Image: Disney Hyperion Publishing