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Anne Rice's Immortal Universe is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on the 2020s AMC television series adaptations of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches supernatural horror novel series. The books, which originated with the 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire, follow vampires and witches in the ancient and modern world. The franchise includes two television series, Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches. A third is in development, focused on the Talamasca, a secret society in Rice's novels who investigate the paranormal.

AMC coined the term "Immortal Universe" with the October 2022 release of its Interview with the Vampire series. Notable characters include the vampires Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac, the witch Rowan Mayfair and paranormal investigator and empath Ciprien Grieve.

History

Novels from Rice's The Vampire Chronicles were previously adapted in the films Interview with the Vampire (1994) and Queen of the Damned (2002). In August 2014, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment acquired the motion picture rights to the entire Vampire Chronicles series, with producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci signed to helm the potential film franchise. In May 2016, it was reported that writer–director Josh Boone and Jill Killington had completed a script adapting Rice's Interview with the Vampire (1976) and its sequel, The Vampire Lestat (1985).

In November 2016, Rice announced that the theatrical rights to her novels had reverted back to her, and that she and her son, writer Christopher Rice, would be developing and executive producing a potential television series based on her works. In April 2017, they teamed up with Paramount Television and Anonymous Content to develop a series, and in early 2018, Bryan Fuller joined the project. On July 17, 2018, it was announced that the series was in development at streaming service Hulu, and that Fuller had departed the production. By December 2019, Hulu's rights had expired, and Rice was shopping a package combining film and TV rights to both The Vampire Chronicles and her related Lives of the Mayfair Witches series. Rice was reportedly asking around $30 to $40 million, plus a $2.5 million buyout of Warner Bros.' rights, and the new owner would hold the rights in perpetuity, not just as an option.

In May 2020, it was announced that AMC Studios had acquired the rights to The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches for developing film and television projects. Rice and her son would serve as executive producers on any projects developed. Rice said, "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. That dream is now a reality, and the result is one of the most significant and thrilling deals of my long career." Rice died in December 2021.

AMC coined the term "Immortal Universe" with the October 2022 release of its Interview with the Vampire series. A second series, Mayfair Witches, debuted in January 2023.

The studio created a custom font called Immortal Gothic for the franchise.

Television series

Interview with the Vampire (2022)

In June 2021, it was announced that AMC had given a series order for Interview with the Vampire, a television adaptation of the first half of Rice's 1976 novel, executive produced by Rolin Jones and Mark Johnson. On September 28, 2022, ahead of the series premiere, AMC renewed Interview with the Vampire for a second season which will cover the second half of the novel. Season one premiered on AMC on October 2, 2022, with an advance release three days earlier on the network's streaming service, AMC+.

The series stars Sam Reid as 18th century French vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, Jacob Anderson as his lover, Louis de Pointe du Lac, Eric Bogosian as modern-day journalist Daniel Molloy, and Assad Zaman as ancient vampire Armand. Teenage vampire Claudia is portrayed by Bailey Bass in season one, and by Delainey Hayles in season two. New characters introduced in season two include Ben Daniels as the vampire Santiago, and Roxane Duran as Madeleine.

In the story, rakish vampire Lestat comes to 1910 New Orleans and seduces brothel owner Louis, who consents to being made a vampire himself. But Louis struggles with the killing and isolation from humans that his survival now requires, and he grows apart from Lestat. Louis forms a bond with young vampire Claudia, but she proves to be impulsive and reckless, endangering their already fragile family unit.

Mayfair Witches (2023)

In December 2021, it was reported that AMC had given a series order for Mayfair Witches, a television adaptation of Rice's 1990 novel The Witching Hour, written and executive produced by Esta Spalding and Michelle Ashford, and executive produced by Mark Johnson. The Interview with the Vampire series was already in production, but had not yet aired. Mayfair Witches premiered on AMC and AMC+ on January 8, 2023. On February 3, 2023, AMC renewed the series for a second season.

The series stars Alexandra Daddario as neurosurgeon Rowan Mayfair, Harry Hamlin as wealthy patriarch Cortland Mayfair, Tongayi Chirisa as Talamasca agent and empath Ciprien Grieve, and Jack Huston as the malevolent spirit Lasher. Recurring roles include Annabeth Gish as Deirdre Mayfair, Beth Grant as Carlotta Mayfair, Erica Gimpel as Ellie Mayfair and Jen Richards as Jojo Mayfair.

In the story, Rowan is shocked to learn she is the heiress to a dynasty of powerful witches haunted by a sinister entity called Lasher. As she uncovers the secrets of her new family and learns her true nature, she is surveilled, and soon assisted, by an agent of a mysterious organization called the Talamasca.

Potential series

In April 2023, it was reported that AMC was developing a third Immortal Universe series focused on the Talamasca, a secret society featured in Rice's Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches series. John Lee Hancock is attached to the project as showrunner and writer.

References

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6. Slead, Evan (November 26, 2016). "Anne Rice Plotting The Vampire Chronicles TV Series Adaptation". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
7. Otterson, Joe (April 28, 2017). "Vampire Chronicles Series in Development at Paramount TV, Anonymous Content". Variety. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
8. Brockington, Ariana (January 12, 2018). "Bryan Fuller Joins The Vampire Chronicles TV Series". Variety. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
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11. ^ Otterson, Joe (May 13, 2020). "Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, Lives of the Mayfair Witches Rights Land at AMC". Variety. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
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14. Oddo, Marco Vito (July 23, 2022). "AMC's Interview with the Vampire Series to Premiere Just in Time for Halloween". Collider. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
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21. Rice, Lynette (September 28, 2022). "Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire Renewed for Season 2 by AMC Ahead of Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
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23. Andreeva, Nellie (August 13, 2021). "Interview With The Vampire: Sam Reid to Play Lestat in AMC Series Based on Anne Rice's Book". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
24. Petski, Denise (August 25, 2021). "Interview With The Vampire: Jacob Anderson to Play Louis in AMC Series Based on Anne Rice's Book". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 2, 2023.
25. Rice, Lynette (March 17, 2022). "Eric Bogosian joins Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire for AMC". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
26. Petski, Denise (March 4, 2022). "Interview with the Vampire: Assad Zaman to Play Rashid in AMC Series Based on Anne Rice's Book". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
27. Petski, Denise (August 25, 2021). "Interview with the Vampire: Bailey Bass to Play Claudia in AMC Series Based on Anne Rice's Book". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
28. Mitovich, Matt Webb (March 31, 2023). "AMC's Interview With the Vampire Announces a Season 2 Recast". TVLine. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
29. Petski, Denise (March 14, 2023). "Ben Daniels Joins Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
30. Dela Paz, Maggie (July 28, 2023). "Interview with the Vampire Star Teases a 'New Partner' for Louis in Season 2". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
31. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (December 1, 2021). "Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches Series Ordered at AMC, to Follow Launch of Interview With the Vampire in 2022". TVLine. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
32. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 1, 2021). "Anne Rice's Lives of the Mayfair Witches Gets Series Order, Joins Interview with the Vampire on AMC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
33. Bell, BreAnna (February 3, 2023). "Mayfair Witches Renewed for Season 2 at AMC". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
34. Otterson, Joe (March 16, 2022). "Alexandra Daddario to Star in Mayfair Witches Series at AMC (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
35. Grobar, Matt (March 23, 2022). "Harry Hamlin Joins AMC's Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches as Series Regular, Boards Paramount & Endeavor Content's Tom Brady Pic 80 For Brady". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
36. ^ Rice, Lynette (April 28, 2022). "Anne Rice Projects at AMC Cast Annabeth Gish, Erica Gimpel, Jen Richards, Tongayi Chirisa & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
37. Maas, Jennifer (May 6, 2022). "Jack Huston Joins AMC's Mayfair Witches as Lasher". Variety. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
38. Petski, Denise (May 6, 2022). "Jack Huston to Play Lasher in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches for AMC". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
39. ^ White, Peter (April 19, 2023). "Anne Rice Spinoff Series about the Talamasca in the Works at AMC from John Lee Hancock". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
40. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 19, 2023). "AMC to Develop Talamasca Series Set in Anne Rice Universe". Variety. Retrieved October 19, 2023.

External links

• Codega, Linda (March 15, 2023). "Everything We Know About Anne Rice's Immortal Universe". Gizmodo. Retrieved October 19, 2023.

• Continuity (fiction)
• Fictional universes
• Mass media franchises introduced in 2022
• Shared universes
• The Vampire Chronicles