Rockstar Lestat (Sam Reid) could be looking at a “double album’s” worth of success in Season 3 of Interview with the Vampire. As devoted fans of the late Anne Rice’s literary Vampire Chronicles already know, the tone and, yes, the point of view drastically changes in the 1985 follow-up novel to Interview with the Vampire (1976), which is titled The Vampire Lestat.
Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt will take center stage — quite literally — away from Jacob Anderson’s Louis de Pointe du Lac, and showrunner Rolin Jones is teasing even more music in what could be a VL double album. Rolins said during an interview session held at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (per The Wrap):
I think there’s probably, secretly, in our hearts, the attempt to make an absolutely incredible double album that stands with everybody.
For those who may have missed it, AMC released a teaser announcing the vampire Lestat’s rockstar transformation in Season 3. Plus, a single titled “Long Face” from what will be Lestat and his band’s — formerly Satan’s Night Out — hit album also dropped, which can be seen below. For those who might not have read the books, and are taken aback by Lestat’s rock ‘n’ roll dreams, Jones reminds viewers of the series that de Lioncourt is a musician to the core. The showrunner continued by saying in the same sit-down:
“We’re going to be very, very coy here.
I would say imagine Lestat with an iPad or whatever, going through the last 80 years of music.
And [saying as he swipes] ‘Yes, yes, yes.
No, no, yes, yes, this this this.’
He doesn’t have to be a man of 2026.
He’s a man of the last 300 years, he has exquisite taste.
And I think he knows how to deliver it.”
Delainey Hayles’ Surprising Appearance at Comic-Con
Fans are excited about the Interview with the Vampire Season 3 teaser, which promises to be faithful to the source material in that Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) will have a much more meaningful presence in the AMC series moving forward. Indeed, author Anne Rice said in many discussions prior to her death that after writing the original story it was the voice of Lestat who began to speak to her. And as such, the Brat Prince became the focal point of the intriguing tales moving forward, rather than Louis. And during the same Comic-Con sit-down, Reid teased a bit more about Season 3’s de Lioncourt by saying:
“Look, he’s the vampire Lestat.
So, he’s the thing to be revered, he’s the thing to be feared.
He’s the thing to be loved, he’s the thing to be hated. And, you know, in a time of extreme discourse, how do you stand out?
I think, Lestat is one of those figures who is quite capable of making an impact without trying very hard.”
However, one of the most intriguing parts of this year’s Comic-Con, which did include an Interview with the Vampire panel, was the presence of Delainey Hayles in San Diego. As followers of the series know, Hayles’ character Claudia was executed by the Théâtre des Vampires company in Paris. Nevertheless, Hayles still showed up for the annual convention and reflected on playing her fan-favorite character. The actress said in the same discussion:
I just felt a lot of empathy for her because she doesn’t entirely know who she is. She doesn’t know this world that she’s… all she knows. She likes it, but it’s been forced upon her.
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Interview with the Vampire Star & Showrunner Dish About Finale’s Emotional Reunion, Tease Season 3
Sam Reid and showrunner Rolin Jones reflect on Season 2’s emotional finale and what fans can expect from Louis & Lestat’s relationship in Season 3.
Hayles came in and replaced Interview with the Vampire Season 1’s Claudia, who was portrayed by Bailey Bass, but did not return for Season 2. And seeing as how this year’s Comic-Con panel was arguably more of a tease for Season 3, could Hayles presence mean Claudia is coming back through flashbacks to haunt her parents, Lestat and Louis? Or could Anne Rice’s TV Immortal Universe be getting ready to pull an American Horror Story? AHS is famous for using the same cast members from one season to another, but as completely different characters. Could this be how Hayles returns?
Hayles’ incredible and mesmerizing performance certainly warrants recasting her in Season 3 of Interview with the Vampire. Plus, as most die-hard enthusiasts already know, a certain Queen of the Damned will soon be revealing herself to the Immortal Universe.And since Akasha hasn’t been cast yet, Hayles could certainly sink her fangs into that juicy role.
Interview with the Vampire
Season 3’s release is TBD.