SO!!! There was a VCTV livestream today with Anne AND Chris. This is for anyone who wants to watch, study, yell at, whatever! I’M barely 2 minutes in right now. Apparently Chris loves Riverdale sooooooooooo…take that as you will!
Thanks @miralain for dL’ing this! Here’s thelink to their FB posting of the vid,How much is Coke paying them for product placement? Hmmmm. How much does Brooks Bros. pay AR for product placement??? Hmmmmm???
As many know now, they will be working with Paramount Television and Anonymous Content
They want to stay fully engaged with fans in the production process
No set broadcaster, all options open (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) (Chris joked about it being on Facebook)
Next announcement will be when that network is decided
No timeline for production. They have no idea how long it will take. Script-writing is next. Chris is the one who will be script-writing, Anne will review
Chris: “She finished writing season 1 when she wrote the books!”
Pilot is done. Next are more episodes. They are starting the process and having several meetings with Paramount and Anonymous Content
Anne SWEARS the series will be 100% loyal to the books. (They named GoT as an example of doing this though soooooo)
Anne said compromises are inevitable but artistic control comes from good will
and respect; you make it work by picking people you admire and trust. They worked with Paramount and Anonymous Content since they all agreed on a common vision and the end result of the series
No idea about locations of sets and whatnot
Don’t know if they will keep with the 80’s period of the books, however Anne wants to do Lestat’s pre-vampire period period-accurate
Neil Jordan may end up helping out on the project
Casting
Still taking suggestions from fans and looking fancasts up on imdb
Anne: “Lestat is always shaking his fists to those who would break him down…Scrappish impish…lovable hero”
Chris: “–and he’s hot!! 😀 He’s gonna be hot. #LestatIsHot”
Chris and Anne might want to cameo in the series (joked about making a game out of it)
Some characters may change where “ethnicity is flexible”
Anne and Chris agree that POC being casted are important and will be
considered in casting. The Millennial vamps (older gang) will most likely
be largely POC.
Anne says she has taken notice of black fans showing
their admiration of Aaliyah playing Akasha.
Anne gave a story about
meeting an Akasha cosplayer who mentioned that she and her friends feel
left out of high fantasy for being black and how Anne was moved by this.
Anne: “Akasha isn’t written as black or a person of color…she’s middle eastern” Me: ??? (Those aren’t…mutually exclusive???) Anne: “–but she could be a person of color.”
Marius was played by a black man in the musical and Anne thought he
did a great job. Marius can be any ethnicity so long as he’s half Roman. She’d prefer to have Marius as blue eyes and blonde haired like Lestat but it’s “not imperative for him”.
Anne: “Louis at least has to be beautiful”
Armand has to look as described as well.
Anne wanted Cher to play Gabrielle.
Anne and Chris to be inclusive, but will always focus more on how fine the actor is. Talent is needed to get the role, not just looks.
Armand will be casted as someone who looks 17, but will be technically older. Not sure about age for
Lestat and Louis (Anne is thinking early 30s)
Physical and emotional aging will
be put into consideration (she gave Marius as an example as him looking like he’s in his 40s but being mentally older)
Plot and Episodes
They will tell the story chronologically in Lestat’s eyes so wolves-paris-so on. Basically, how knowledge unfolds for Lestat is how it will unfold for audience
THIS MAY CHANGE depending on when they talk to producers, however this is not
what they want in terms of how the events should happen.
Don’t want to cheat on Lestat’s life and skip out any details of it (go figure)
Stay faithful to the books and to Lestat’s story
Chris warns for us to be mindful of news that doesn’t come from official page
Lestat and Gabbi’s journey to be expanded
Origin stories of Marius and other older vampires will be shown and expanded on (done through the flashback stories Marius gives)
Blood and Gold will be involved but they won’t DO the story (so using that material for possible spin offs)
A lot about the Talamasca and especially David. Jesse too, but mostly David
(Anne: He’s close friends with Lestat in TOTBT Me: Is that what you call it? lmao)
TVL could be 2-3 seasons. IWTV may be one. Depends
Anne and Chris want to know what goes wrong in the translation from book to media in other series so they can avoid it
They’re keeping eroticism the same as in the books.
Lestat turning Gabrielle will be a big scene, as they feel this is when the series starts to truly bring the
vampire world into view and Lestat really starts becoming a vampire. This scene is significant in
asking the audience what they would do in that instance. Lestat turning will also be significant.
Characters and Character Relations
SOMEONE FUCKING MENTIONED LOUSTAT AS THE LOUIS / LESTAT SHIP NAME AND THEY BOTH LOST IT (which one of you was it? Hm?)
There will be a lot about Louis and Lestat’s relationship in the series (and Lestat and Nicki)
Anne says she understands how important queer relationships are and how they have driven the series
*On expanding on other characters* Chris: …human characters like Jesse or Daniel Mollo-
Anne: OR LESTAT WHEN HE’S HUMAN Me:
Anne doesn’t feel a need to make new characters.
More info on
Théâtre des Vampires
and the characters in that part will expanded as well
Chris and Anne openly acknowledge Lestat as bisexual and this will be depicted clearly within the show
On the topic of Armand, what that character means to Anne will shine, so he will gain a more
sympathetic role outside of just the IWTV perspective. Both his dark side and his more childish, light-side will be shown
Jim Morrison of The Doors was Anne’s inspiration for Lestat’s singing voice and for the band (I forget but I think this was the song Anne named as being a good example. Though, I’m partial to their sexy song “5 to 1″). She describes Lestat’s voice as somewhere between a “barratone and tenor…Melodic”. (Something about Jon Bon Jovi also a little bit)
Mayfair Witches
Rights of Mayfair Witches not available to them (?) and thus, the crossover books are not a part of the VC TV series and, thus no show for them right now
Maybe Mayfair TV series in future. Anne doesn’t want them to play second fiddle to the vampires
Anne and Chris
They talked about the recent April Fool’s Joke. Anne apologized to Justin Beiber?? Why?? I don’t know (they weren’t behind the joke article)
Chris likes Riverdale (ew)
Chris worked with Anne on Ramses the Damned.
Someone in the VC Discord Server brought up the question of if Chris could/would carry out the VC books after Anne. Based off this interview, I think it’s very likely depending on how well the VC TV series goes. He seemed a little apprehensive about it, but he’s worked with his mother on writing and is familiar enough with her characters to care about them. I think it’s possible
Chris went to the VC balls in New Orleans as a kid
Chris’ A Density of Souls may get a chance to be a film. Chris is in discussion with someone about it (?? that’s what I got from the interview anyways)
*After Anne leaves to get Chris a Coke* Chris *to the camera*: She won’t let me out of the house. She won’t let me leave!! Me: Same
The Facebook Page and Other Information
Anne, yet again, made a little speech about how nerds mean a lot to Hollywood nowadays
“Readers know things about the novels that are valuable”
They have a record of fan comments that Anne reads every so often
They mentioned some of the fights going on in the FB thread
(Chris: There are some people with…strong casting choices. Anne: I got into fights with people lmao)
Anne prefers if you message her over the page rather than through emails
They cannot do much about given resumes and asking about jobs related to production. There will be a time for that later
Anne is in contract for two more VC novels. It sounded like her next novel is also included in the TV series’ contract, but I could have misinterpreted.
Anne asks about any regrets or things she would change from the books as she goes into the series. More fleshing out but that’s about it
Disappointing the fans is their biggest concern and worry
“the older gang will most likely be largely poc” that would be awesome tho. like i’m super hesitant to get excited about this thing but this sounds cool
More Vampires of Color yessss! *Grabby hands* if they want to change anything, that’s a good change that I, for one, can get behind.
It says they’ve optioned the rights to 11 of them, but, including Pandora, there’s 13 books. So which books are not included?
I think it’s IWTV*, Blackwood Farm, and Blood Canticle, maybe Merrick, bc AR has said her Mayfair/VC hybrid novels “haven’t worn well over time.” She’s even told ppl to ignore them when reading PL and PLROA. I bet she’ll at least touch on IWTV in flashbacks, but we know she loved movie!IWTV, and probably doesn’t want to try to reinvent the wheel on that one.
It could be that she’s not including PL and PLROA for now.
Does anyone have a statement from her re: which books aren’t included?
*Anne Rice previously noted that the series likely will not touch on the events of “Interview with a Vampire,” but will instead pick up with its sequel “The Vampire Lestat.” [X]
Full list:
The Vampire Chronicles Interview with the Vampire (1976) The Vampire Lestat (1985) The Queen of the Damned (1988) The Tale of the Body Thief (1992) Memnoch the Devil (1995) The Vampire Armand (1998) Merrick (2000) – arguably a Hybrid Mayfair/VC since one of the main characters is a Mayfair. Blood and Gold (2001) Blackwood Farm (2002) – Hybrid Mayfair/VC Blood Canticle (2003) – Hybrid Mayfair/VC
Prince Lestat (2014) Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)
New Tales of the Vampires Pandora (1998) Vittorio the Vampire (1999) – he’s never been included as a VC vampire.
no she said that its going to start with the vampire lestat then move chronologically also that the vampire lestat will most likely be 2 seasons (she said possibly 3) and interview only being one season
(I didn’t watch the stream yet, I gotta do that)
@roselioncourt informed me that someone else owns the rights the the Mayfair books, which probably includes the hybrids.
Oh good, I really would love to see them address IWTV, we need a new Claudia!
… AND the 11 VC are all in the banner on their Official VC FB (OVCFB):
Interview with the Vampire (1976) The Vampire Lestat (1985) The Queen of the Damned (1988) The Tale of the Body Thief (1992) Memnoch the Devil (1995) The Vampire Armand (1998) Merrick (2000) – arguably a Hybrid Mayfair/VC since one of the main characters is a Mayfair. Blood and Gold (2001) Blackwood Farm (2002) – Hybrid Mayfair/VC Blood Canticle (2003) – Hybrid Mayfair/VC Prince Lestat (2014) Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)
New Tales of the Vampires Pandora (1998) Vittorio the Vampire (1999) – he’s never been included as a VC vampire.
we’ve been in development hell before… and squeed before… and were left disappointed before… CRY, RINSE, REPEAT, MANY MANY TIMES but for some reason (?) I get the feeling that things really are happening and they’re in the hands of capable ppl so WE’LL SEE.
Mostly the same information as the Looper article with a few added tidbits.
“It is undeniable that Anne Rice has created the paradigm in which all vampire stories are measured against. The rich and vast world she has created with The Vampire Chronicles is unmatched and sophisticated with 90’s Gothic undertones that will be perfectly suited to captivate audiences, … We are thrilled to collaborate with Anne, Christopher, and the team at Anonymous Content on this epic series.” – Amy Powell, President, Paramount TV.
IT’S maybepossiblylike 2 molecules closer to HAPPENING!
“Together with our partners at Paramount Television, we are embarking on a fantastic journey with Anne and Christopher Rice to bring Anne’s unparalleled imagination to television at the moment when the medium is experiencing a global apex in the demand for the most outstanding, exciting, and heightened premium dramatic programming”, says Anonymous Content’s David Kanter. “The Vampire Chronicles, in its entirety, is not only a phenomenally complex universe of storytelling, it is also a world-wide readership whose connections to the books and their author are deep and abiding. It is a tremendous responsibility to help bring the books to television, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity.”
^OK IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS PEOPLE ARE LEGIT VC FANS. That’s a requirement, in my mind. Are they fan enough to help pull off a mostly faithful-to-canon adaptation? As my Dad says, ‘the proof is in the pudding.’
I checked out the Anonymous Content website, and they seem to be able to pull off a wide range of projects. From commercials to music vids to movies like the Revenant, which I still haven’t seen but I’ve heard great things about, I think they have a generally solid mix of glitz & glamour and dirt and grunge and intellectual stimulation and yes, even some comic relief, all things I think we need in VC. Amy Powell is right, VC is “sophisticated with 90’s Gothic undertones”, so where movie!QOTD certainly USED 90′s Gothic aesthetics, I would recommend that Paramount and Anonymous Content should watch that movie and see what parts worked, and what parts didn’t. Along with movie!IWTV and Lestat the Musical.
BTW Anonymous Content did the following which I really enjoy…
Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt video – of the MANY reasons I love this song and video is that it has that beauty and strength in decay/decline… idk it’s gorgeous.
Anne Rice previously noted that the series likely will not touch on the events of “Interview with a Vampire,” but will instead pick up with its sequel “The Vampire Lestat.”
Yeah, I almost fell for that article at first. @sanguinivora made a post about it. I would reblog it, but I don’t 100% agree with it, still, it has some very good points. Definitely worth reading and considering.
(Ageism… I don’t know about AR’s age being a factor in any of this, we can only speculate. I’m not commenting on that.)
I’m with you re: I hope the VC TV series is as true to canon as possible, that it gives us some positive representation of LGBTQIA+ relationships/characters or encourages critical thinking and discussion of the (for lack of a better word) problematic aspects.
…I don’t know about your grandma, maybe she would be an awesome scriptwriter! One of my grandmas was very open minded and she might have done well at this.
Like, I’m not even making a joke here, this lady here in the stock image is so thrilled, sittin’ there at her laptop, and it warms my heart a little! What is she gonna write?
So I got these messages in my inbox and cropped out the person’s name to protect the innocent.
Let’s hope this is an April Fool’s day joke, bc if so, wow, everyone involved got us. But…
^Bieberstat. Nightmare material :[
I feel like as an April Fool’s joke this goes kinda too far for the reasons the first message points out. It’s really bad taste (especially the queer erasure) too put it very gently, IMO 😦
Anon’s right, Nicolas casting topic went out yesterday:
I had answered a Nicolas casting question a year ago and now I felt like doing it fresh, see if my answers change… I looked through some of the suggestions on the OVCFB page but I couldn’t make it through ALL of the comments and I really liked this comment, let’s choose an unknown actor!:
Anyway. Keep in mind beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so I saw quite a wide variety on the OVCFB page due to that. My own opinions reflect my own idea of beauty so yours may vary.
BUT FIRST, a brand-new misspelling of his name by a POTP bc reasons:
Nocholos…… Buenos Nocholos….. *eyeroll*
So in no special order (except I think Ezra Miller is my fave rn)
^Ezra Miller: Looks great in period costume, has perfect hair, has so much sass. I saw him in We Need to Talk About Kevin, I just think he is captivating, and cruel, and humorous, all the ingredients for a Nicolas de Lenfent ❤
^Ben Barnes is not currently my FAVE appearance-wise, I feel like he’s too… soft?…. but his acting boosts him up. He seems to be the front running POTP fave so I am betting AR will follow up with him.
^Benedict Samuel: I’ve only seen him recently in The Walking Dead, and you have to see him in that, bc he’s as sweet and tender and intense and depressive as Nicolas needs to be. Physically, these full lips and dark brooding eyes, the wide smile that’s almost manic and the frown that speaks to a deeper well of misery that no one can hope to touch. Am I praising him too much? PROBABLY BUT I DO WHAT I WANT. [I wax on poetic about him a little more here]
^Reeve Carney seems to be a HUGE POTP favorite. I hate his hair. HATE. THE MIDDLE. PART. AND. SO. FLAT. If they can give him a wig, then we might be in business.
^Alexander Vlahos well bc Versailles. He was mentioned a few times on the OVCFB so we may see some followup with him.
^Louis Garrel has been a Louis RPer’s face claim and he’s a Nicolas face claim currently for @bloodstrung. I see Garrel as more of a Louis, but I’d screentest him as Nicolas.
Hit the jump for more, cut for length.
^Jonas Kesseler is a model so idk if he’s too old now or if he can act, but visually, he is pretty close to my headcanon.
^I used to really love Gaspard Ulliel as Lestat but not so much anymore… also, the POTP have made me consider him for Nicolas and I think it could work! I like that he has the scar, too, and that could be explained in the show in some fun way like it was in Hannibal Rising.
^David Garrett, I feel like he’s too masculine, too mature of feature, but he is amazing on the violin so that could outweigh his physical appearance for me. @darknessmolten used him as a face claim.
^Landon Liboiron was a POTP suggestion, I am kinda digging him for reasons I can’t explain.
^Nicolas RPer @a-misunderstanding-my-love used model Michael Gandolfi, and idk if he still looks like this or if he can act, but I think he has some of the cruelty that you need for a good Nicolas.
I-want-my-IWTV 