Latest news with #VampireChronicles
Forbes
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AMC's The Vampire Lestat Proves Prestige Can Be Niche And Loyal
With the recent announcement that the third season of Interview with the Vampire will be retitled The Vampire Lestat, taking its name from Anne Rice's second book in the Vampire Chronicles series, AMC has demonstrated that this change is both strategic and narrative. In the current era of streaming, AMC chooses to fully commit to its niche by focusing on its compelling and gothic-infused storytelling rather than on awards and an overwhelming volume of content. The latest installment in the series will focus on Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), who now takes over the narrative from his former lover Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), the main character and, occasionally, unreliable narrator of the first two seasons. This shift, which fans have been speculating about since the end of season 2, fits seamlessly into the already established canon, with character-driven stories that may not appeal to everyone, but are essential for the viewers who resonate with them. AMC, which is no stranger to turning books into shows and harnessing passionate fanbases like in The Walking Dead, continues this tradition with The Immortal Universe. This includes Interview with the Vampire, Mayfair Witches, and the upcoming Talamasca: The Secret Order, all based on late Anne Rice's books. This strategy responds to Netflix's market saturation and HBO's critically acclaimed blockbuster-style programming. Instead of targeting just a wider audience, AMC recognizes how much fans have craved the stories they have planned; they understand that fans want specificity. For example, when the first season of Interview With the Vampire aired, it received decent linear ratings. However, it still managed to break records on AMC+, with nearly 75% of streamers for the first episode being new subscribers to the platform. Then, in 2024, when the first season was added to Netflix, sign-ups for AMC+'s app nearly quadrupled as new fans of the show discovered that Netflix only had the first season, not the second, which was exclusively streaming on AMC+. This demonstrated that, while there are benefits to creating content that appeals to a broad audience, there is real staying power in developing stories that can only be told through a specific niche and perspective—namely, through co-dependent, emotionally immature vampires with undeniable physical appeal. Following the Netflix streams and the additional AMC+ sign-ups, the show now attracts 17.8 times the audience demand of an average series in the United States, ranking among the top 2.7% of shows at its peak. The series has received praise from fans and critics alike for its story, writing, and heartbreaking performances by Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, and, recently, Delainey Hayles for her portrayal of Claudia in the second season. Despite this, the show has yet to win an Emmy despite its nominations, unlike its competitors, such as Netflix, which has canceled many of its award-winning and fan-favorite shows, including The OA, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and Julie and The Phantoms. Too often, fans invest in a show with the lingering fear that it will be canceled after its first season, accompanied by the thought: 'If only more people had found it.' AMC counters this by emphasizing its strong writing, production, and actors. Recognizing that its story's niche might not lead to immediate success, the network commits to slow-burn growth, trusting that the audience will come if the story speaks for itself and stands on its own. Like the first two seasons of the show, The Vampire Lestat continues to follow the example set by prioritizing brand consistency. Lestat, a flamboyant, morally grey vampire rockstar, embodies everything that AMC knows its audience loves. They don't need to tone him or their other stories down to appeal to the masses; the numbers already prove their worth. And while prestige doesn't need to appeal to everyone, shows can succeed if they find a way to connect deeply with someone, and if the recent trailer of The Vampire Lestat is any indication, AMC is going all out to reinforce that commitment.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
AMC's ‘Interview With The Vampire' Adds To Cast As It Turns Into ‘The Vampire Lestat' For Season 3
Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire is getting a new name and some new cast members as it enters its third season. The AMC drama series will be known as The Vampire Lestat for season three as it focuses on the second book in her Vampire Chronicles series. More from Deadline 'Interview With The Vampire's Eric Bogosian To Crossover In 'Talamasca' As AMC Unveils Trailer & Premiere Date Sterling K. Brown Teases "Wildly Entertaining" 'Voltron' Movie From Amazon MGM Studios At Comic-Con, Says He Would Jump On A Sequel 'Peacemaker' Season 2 Trailer Shows John Cena's Hero In A Parallel Universe - Comic-Con The announcement was made at San Diego's Comic-Con where cast and crew were on a panel. The contemporary adaptation of Rice's gothic novel follows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) and Claudia's (Delainey Hayles) story of love and immortality, as told to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). In season three, the Vampire Lestat sets his story straight in a way only he can — by starting a band and going on tour. Gabrielle. Nicholas. Magnus. Marius. Those Who Must Be Kept. They join Louis, Armand, Molloy, Sam, Raglan, Fareed on a sexy pilgrimage across space, time and trauma. Jennifer Ehle (Lioness) joins as Gabriella, Christopher Heyerdahl (Under the Banner of Heaven) is Marius, Damien Atkins (Slings & Arrows) plays Magnus, Ella Ballentine (Black Conflux) is Baby Jenks and Jeanine Serralles (Apples Never Fall) joins as Christine Claire. Assad Zaman returns as Armand. 'I think we're going to call it The Vampire Lestat, aren't we?,' Reid said in a teaser for the new season (watch below). The series is executive produced by Mark Johnson — who oversees AMC's Anne Rice Immortal Universe —alongside Rolin Jones, who is showrunner, Mark Taylor, Hannah Moscovitch, Christopher Rice and the late Anne Rice. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Everything We Know About Season 3 Of 'Euphoria' So Far
