Between Twilight and True Blood, there are a number of familiar vampire franchises that have become huge successes over the past decade, with seminal genre author Anne Rice moving forward with adaptations of her The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches book series at AMC. Variety confirms that, not only will this allow the network to develop TV projects based on the lore, but also film projects, if they so desire. Anne Rice and son Christopher Rice will both serve as executive producers on any projects, which encompass a total of 18 books between the two series.
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Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned have both previously been adapted into films, while other popular titles in the deal include The Vampire Lestat and The Witching Hour.
The author regained the rights to her properties back in 2016, with Rice actively detailing her intentions of developing live-action adaptations of the stories in the years since. The project had most recently been gestating over at Hulu, with the streaming service ultimately parting ways from the project this past December. Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller was even signed on as showrunner back in 2018, only for him to part ways with the production.
“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof so that filmmakers could explore the expansive and interconnected universe of my vampires and witches,” Rice shared in a statement. “That dream is now a reality, and the result is one of the most significant and thrilling deals of my long career.”
As proven with The Walking Dead franchise, AMC has found a niche for tackling beloved material and adapting, expanding, and merging it together in a number of ways to create a sprawling tapestry of storytelling.
“There is no shortage of content in today’s competitive environment, but proven IP that has captivated millions of fans around the world is something very special and rare, and that is what Anne Rice has created,” Sarah Barnett, president of AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios, shared. “These remarkable stories and characters are massive in their appeal and we are privileged to take over stewardship of these legendary works and collaborate with a talent like Rolin Jones to find ways for new generations of fans to experience these worlds.”
Stay tuned for details on The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches.
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