Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar has shared an encouraging update on the series’ upcoming reboot, which recently completed its first table read.

Gellar, who is serving as an executive producer and will also star in the new pilot episode, joined fellow cast and crew on Monday, July 21, for a script read-through, as shown in several behind-the-scenes photos posted on Instagram.

Dedicated fans are now scrutinizing the script for hints, using image enhancement techniques — and believe they’ve identified the names of several key characters.

The behind-the-scenes images reveal Gellar’s copy of the episode, labeled simply as Episode 101 “Pilot.” Interestingly, the title of the reboot series has been redacted by Gellar — could it no longer be called Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

But fans are more captivated by the reverse side of the script, which appears to list characters appearing in the episode. Buffy herself is listed at the top as Buffy “Anne” Summers, with other names visible below — including Poppy, Hugo, Gracie, and Mr. Burke.

These names closely match those mentioned in a casting breakdown leaked in March by entertainment insider Daniel Richtman.

Gracie was described as the best friend of the show’s new lead, portrayed by young actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong. Gracie is also portrayed as a devoted fan of Buffy — a legendary figure now celebrated for repeatedly saving the world.

Hugo was noted as a “nerd from a wealthy family” with a crush on Armstrong’s character. Mr. Burke, meanwhile, was listed as the new school librarian — filling the role once held by Giles.

The leak originally referred to Armstrong’s character as “Nova,” but the pilot script appears to name her “Poppy,” with top billing directly after Sarah Michelle Gellar. So what’s the real name — Nova, Poppy, or something else? For now, it’s unclear — though character names often shift during pre-production or are temporarily replaced with codenames to prevent leaks.

Poppy The Vampire Slayer?
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.reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; }"I love the name Poppy," wrote one fan. "Honestly, Poppy as a Slayer would be hilarious," wrote another in response.

As for why Buffy is credited as Buffy “Anne” Summers, fans speculate the Slayer is once again hiding in plain sight, using her middle name as an alias.

Gellar previously stated her goal was to revive the original series’ core cast — including characters who have died. Speaking to IGN, Charisma Carpenter, known for her role as Cordelia on Buffy and its spin-off Angel, expressed hope for a part in the reboot, despite her character’s “unjust” death.