‘Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire’: EPs & Cast Tease AMC Drama With New Trailer – Comic-Con

Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, who? The new cast of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire took over Ballroom 20 at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday to share the first official teaser for the AMC series set for Oct. 20.

Based on Anne Rice’s revolutionary gothic novel, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire follows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Game of Thrones‘ Jacob Anderson), Lestat de Lioncourt (Belle‘s Sam Reid) and Claudia’s (newcomer Bailey Bass) epic story of love, blood, and the perils of immortality, as told to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Chafing at the limitations of life as a black man in 1900s New Orleans, Louis finds it impossible to resist the rakish Lestat’s offer of the ultimate escape: joining him as his vampire companion. But Louis’s intoxicating new powers come with a violent price, and the introduction of Lestat’s newest fledgling, the child vampire Claudia, soon sets them on a decades-long path of revenge and atonement.

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The first seven episodes of the series will premiere later this year on AMC and AMC+. Alan Taylor will direct the first two episodes and executive produce the series.

Rice’s novel was first made into a movie in 1994 that starred Cruise as Lestat and Pitt as Louis.

Damian Holbrook moderates the Interview with a Vampire panel with the cast and crew working on the show. He announced the show is scheduled to premiere on AMC Sunday October 2nd.

Holbrook introduces the panelists who include executive producer Matt Johnson, writer and showrunner Rolin Jones, actors Sam Reid, Bailey Bass, Jacob Anderson, Eric Bogosian, and production designer Mara LePere Schloop.

An exclusive trailer of the show opened the panel. It takes place in 1910 New Orleans, and Louis and Lestat meet for the first time. We also see Claudia and how she comes to be a part of this massive story. There is tons of blood and guts with a seductive allure that Anne Rice tends to capture in her books. The show will play up those queer elements particularly between Louis and Lestat.

After the trailer, Johnson discusses why he got involved with the show. “The books are so fun, and so different, it’s hard to believe they are connected in that way. She is a stylistic, and thematic writer and it’s a privilege to be involved. The Anne Rice world is going to go on for sometime in AMC.”

When asked about the vision of the show, Jones reiterates he wanted to stay as true to the material as possible. “Our vision had a lot of things to consider. The advantage is that we are on television, whereas the movie had to sprint because it only had two hours. We’ve taken so much of Anne’s writing and used it for the show.”

Holbrook didn’t hold back when asking about the queer context of the story and Jones answer was short and sweet . “It’s an aggressive, beautiful love story between two people. That is all.”

Actors Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid chat about how they feel being a part of Anne Rice’s legacy.

“I watched the movie when I was a teen. As soon as I got the email about it audition, and I got this weird feeling in my stomach,” said Anderson. “I reread the first two books and I think I would have felt more understood if I understood more when I was younger. I am excited to be a part of this world as I deeply connected with Louis.”

Reid chimes in, “I am a huge fan of the books, so when I heard this show was being made, I prayed for an audition. Then I got the part, and I felt the pressure that comes with the opportunity to portray a character I have a deep love for. It’s the greatest gift.”

Bailey Bass, who is Claudia in the show, discusses the experience of playing the character at different phases of her life. “This is a dream role,” she said. “As an actor being able to do these incredible action sequences in the script had my eyes glued to the page. Claudia is a big character who feels so much by being trapped in that body and we get the chance to see who Claudia is at various ages.”

Bogosian, who plays an older version of Daniel Malloy says his character is looking for a chance to revive his career. “In the movie, he’s a young novice journalist. Now he’s older, wiser and taking a crack at Louis once more to get the truth.”

Mara LePere Schloop is production designer and harped on being able to capture New Orleans in all its glory. “When I first heard about this show, there was so much pressure. The books are rich with detail and an essence that exists only in New Orleans. I was overwhelmed and excited to figure out how we would shape this. It’s rare we get a show that celebrates the city we live in. And thank them all for letting me be a part of that.”