DEADLINE

‘Interview With The Vampire’ Series Greenlighted At AMC; Rolin Jones Set As Showrunner, Mark Johnson To Oversee

Franchise By Peter White June 24, 2021

Lestat and Louis are headed for the small screen after AMC greenlit a series adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire.

The cable network has ordered an eight-part series based on the book, which was famously turned into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

This comes after AMC Networks acquired the rights to 18 of Rice’s books last year.

The company is looking to turn Rice’s collection of novels, which include the Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair

Witches series, into a franchise with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul producer Mark Johnson overseeing the rollout. Johnson, who has an overall agreement with AMC Studios, will take the lead on the universe.

Rolin Jones, who co-created and served as showrunner for the first season of HBO’s Perry Mason, will serve as creator, showrunner and writer of the Interview with the Vampire series. Jones, who also has an overall deal with AMC Studios, will EP alongside Johnson with Anne and Christopher Rice set as non-writing executive producers.

The series will launch on AMC and its sister streamer AMC+ in 2022.

“The challenge of adapting for television the groundbreaking and immensely compelling work of Anne Rice is both intimidating and exhilarating,” Johnson said. “Having previously produced films from such singular works, I recognize both the responsibility and the obligation we owe the material. I strongly believe that with AMC and Rolin Jones we are equipped to meet this challenge and to thrill and entertain both the loyal Anne Rice fan and the viewer who is just now discovering her work.”

“In 1973, a grieving mother and extraordinary writer began what would become the finest Vampire novel ever written, all respects to Mr. Stoker,” Jones said. “Nearly fifty years later we know what’s expected of us. We know how much this book and the ones that follow mean to their massive fan base. We feel you over our shoulders as we tend the Savage Garden. Louis and Lestat are coming out of hiding and we can’t wait to re-unite them with you.”

“This is a day we have been looking forward to since we acquired this legendary Anne Rice collection a little more than a year ago,” said Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios.

He added, “This story already has millions of fans in the U.S. and around the world, we can’t wait to share this new interpretation of the classic brought to life by Rolin and Mark, as we continue to work on developing the entire collection. With The Walking Dead, this Anne Rice collection and our majority stake in Agatha Christie Limited through our own Acorn TV, we are proud to have the stewardship of three unique, fan-forward and beloved franchises and universes, which we are only just beginning to explore. We are also thrilled to have Mark, a world class producer we have previously worked with on iconic series like Breaking Bad, Rectify, Halt and Catch Fire and Better Call Saul on board at the helm of our efforts to develop an entire Anne Rice universe, with significant aspirations for these beloved stories and characters.”