Lestat is coming to television. Paramount TV and Anonymous Content have optioned the rights to 11 of Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles” books for adaptation, the companies announced Friday.
“It is undeniable that Anne Rice has created the paradigm against which all vampire stories are measured. The rich and vast world she has created with ‘The Vampire Chronicles’ is unmatched and sophisticated with 90’s gothic undertones that will be perfectly suited to captivate audiences,” said Amy Powell, President, Paramount TV, in a statement. “The series is full of compelling characters led by Lestat, arguably one of the greatest original characters, literary or otherwise. We are thrilled to collaborate with Anne, Christopher and the team at Anonymous Content on this epic series.”
Anne’s son Christopher Rice will write the series and serve as executive producer alongside his mother, and Anonymous Content’s David Kanter and Steve Golin.
Rice’s first novel “Interview with the Vampire” was published in 1979 and was turned into the most famous “Vampire Chronicles” film, starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, with Cruise playing the vampire Lestat.
The film rights to Rice’s novels were previously set up at Universal and Imagine Entertainment, but the rights lapsed and Rice decided to develop them for TV last year.
“I’m thrilled beyond words to be working with Paramount TV and Anonymous Content –known for extraordinary cutting edge series such as ‘True Detective,’ ‘Quarry,’ and ‘The Knick,’” said Rice. “In this unique golden age of television, I couldn’t ask for a finer or more passionate team to help bring my beloved vampire hero, Lestat, alive in a series of the highest quality. This is a dream come true, both for me and for Christopher and for the fans who have been asking to see the Brat Prince in this medium for years.”
The author previously revealed the series will begin with the story told in “The Vampire Lestat” and be an entirely open-ended story that could span multiple seasons.