In 1976, Anne Rice published Entretien avec un vampire, which was discovered in France two years later by Jean-Claude Lattès. This novel is the first of a long series of twelve volumes, the last of which should be published this year: The Vampire Chronicles.
Deeply human vampires
The Vampire Chronicles have as its central character Lestat de Lioncourt, some volumes nevertheless linger on the story of other vampires who crossed his path. These are not classic vampires that Anne Rice invites us to rub shoulders with. Far from garlic cloves, bats and wooden stakes, the author completely revisits the myth of the vampire in order to invite the reader to reflect on humanity. Each character is torn by demons known to Men and it is these feelings that the volumes exploit. Endearing by their imperfection, their cracks, the characters tear each other apart as much as they need the other to exist.
Several film adaptations
The mystery and charisma of New Orleans vampires led to the film adaptation of the first volume Interview with a Vampire in 1994, directed by Neil Jordan. The success of this adaptation allowed a greater popularity of Anne Rice's work and a sequel was born in 2002, with the adaptation by Michael Rymer of the third volume The Queen of the Damned. Just like the vampires whose sometimes chaotic journey they follow, the books of the Vampire Chronicles have not aged in forty years and continue to seduce many readers. That's why in 2014 Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainments hoped to create new adaptations, to no avail. This was without counting the author's passion for television series.
A serial adaptation
Extremely close to her readers and a generosity that has little equal, Anne Rice announced last November the purchase of the rights to adapt The Vampire Chronicles, with her desire to create a television series for which she and her son Christopher Rice would write the script.
"A TV series of the best possible quality is now my dream for Lestat, Louis, Armand, Marius and the entire tribe"
It is therefore a series particularly faithful to the original novels that should see the light of day. It would begin by recounting Lestat de Lioncourt's transformation into a vampire in a first season, which would be followed by an entire season devoted to the first volume Interview with a Vampire. Anne Rice has indicated her desire to work with Amazon, HBO, Starz, Showtime or Netflix. The writing of the script should be completed in 2018, but the author and his son hope to see production start this year!
