The Vampire Diaries, the CW’s answer to HBO’s vampires and more show, begins its fourth season this October.  While nowhere near as graphic as True Blood, the show does feature plenty of fun for fans of the genre.   In three seasons so far, fans have witnessed some supernatural shenanigans, multiple make out sessions, and lots of brooding.  At this year’s Comic-Con, fans and press got a chance to ask the cast questions during a panel in Ballroom 20 and via one on one and roundtable interviews.

Collider got to speak one on one with cast members Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Michael Trevino, and Zach Roerig.  While all remained tight lipped about potential spoilers for the season, they did speak freely about where their characters were headed, what else they were working on, and what would happen if they met up with the cast of True Blood in an alley.  Check out all five video interviews after the jump.

The Vampire Diaries panel appeared at Comic-Con today to talk about the upcoming fourth season of the CW series.  Joining the stage were stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Steven R. McQueen, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig and executive producers Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson. Cast members fielded questions from the moderator and their enthusiastic fan base.  The third season of The Vampire Diaries will also appear on DVD/Blu-ray on September 11th.  Hit the jump to check out my panel recap and click here for all of our ongoing Comic-Con coverage.

We previously brought you some first images, posters and this kick-ass trailer for Barry Battles’ The Baytown Disco, but now you can forget about them.  In a new distribution deal, the film is now titled The Baytown Outlaws and will, as such, presumably feature a new marketing campaign in the coming months.  The Southern-fried comedy stars Billy Bob Thornton, Eva Longoria and Andre Braugher. The Baytown Outlaws aims to debut early in 2013.  Hit the jump to read the press release.

The CW Network has renewed station standout The Vampire Diaries, along with fan-favorites Supernatural and 90210; all three series will return for the 2012-2013 season.  The Vampire Diaries, starring Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, returns for its fourth season.  The long-running Supernatural, starring Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Jim Beaver will kick-off its eighth season, while Beverly Hills socialites Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds and AnnaLynne McCord return for the fifth season of 90210. Hit the jump to read the press release.

The first trailer has jumped online for Billy Bob Thornton-starrer, The Baytown Disco.  A self-professed “Southern-fried whip-ass extravaganza,” The Baytown Disco features a trio of ruthless outlaw brothers who fall into helping a damsel in distress (Eva Longoria).  She hires them to help return her godson (Thomas Brodie Sangster), who has been kidnapped by her nefarious ex-husband, Rob (Thornton).  While I wasn’t exactly sold on the synopsis and images alone, the new trailer hits all the right banjo strings (and the femme fatales certainly do not hurt).  Directed by Barry Battles, The Baytown Disco also stars Clayne Crawford, Michael Rapaport, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Andre Braugher and Paul Wesley. Hit the jump for the trailer and official synopsis, and to watch the original short that inspired the feature-length film.

On the last episode of The CW drama series The Vampire Diaries, called “Dangerous Liaisons,” viewers learned that the mother of the Original vampires is not quite as loving of her children as she appears. With her nefarious plan set in motion, thanks in part to Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and the blood of the doppleganger, things are sure to get more intense, leading up to the Season 3 finale.

During a recent interview to hint at what’s to come, executive producer/writer Julie Plec talked about the Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) love triangle that Elena is stuck in, exploring Klaus’ (Joseph Morgan) humanity, whether or not any of the Originals will survive what’s been set in motion, where the Klaus and Caroline (Candice Accola) relationship could be headed and where that leaves Tyler (Michael Trevino), the unique position that Matt (Zach Roerig) is in as one of the only humans left in Mystic Falls,  what’s in store for Bonnie (Kat Graham) and her mother, how Alaric’s (Matthew Davis) ring failing is going to be causing some problems, that Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) will return before the end of the season, and that viewers cannot be certain about the fate of anyone. Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Consider this post to be our first “whip-ass” article of 2012. We’ve just received some new official images of Billy Bob Thornton from his Southern-fried action-comedy project, The Baytown Disco. The Barry Battles-directed movie follows three redneck brothers attempting to help a woman in a bad spot, only to wind up on the wrong end of the situation. The rest of the cast includes Eva Longoria, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Clayne Crawford, Michael Rapaport, Daniel Cudmore, Travis Fimmel, Andre Braugher and Paul Wesley, the latter of which we have a hi-res shot of in character. Hit the jump to check them out along with a hi-res poster for The Baytown Disco.

A show like The Vampire Diaries is easily dismissed; there seems to be no reason at all to tune in unless you’re a fifteen-year-old girl who really loves Edward Cullen, or a cable-less vampire lover. The latter might even be a bit of a stretch. What you’d be missing while under that assumption, however, is one of the most consistently good shows on network TV. Though the premise might be a little hard to swallow at first – especially if you’re not the target demographic of anything else the CW puts out – the show is worth the effort. Hidden behind a trite storyline is solid writing, intriguing storytelling, and one of the most frivolously addictive shows on air right now. Hit the jump for our review of The Vampire Diaries season two Blu-ray.

In this week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries, entitled “The End of the Affair,” family ties will be revealed, relationships will be explained and familiar faces will return, and it’s only the third episode into Season 3. Collider was one of a handful of outlets invited over to The CW offices to view the episode and all of its edge-of-your-seat moments a day early, and see what hints we could get executive producer/writer Julie Plec to tease, in regard to the upcoming season.

While she didn’t give any specifics or major reveals, Julie Plec did talk about how this episode is just the beginning of what viewers will see of the Originals’ history and origin, what these revelations will do to the relationship between Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Elena (Nina Dobrev), that the chemistry between Elena and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) will be illuminated more as a result, what the true agenda of the ghosts visiting Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) is, when Bonnie (Katerina Graham) will return, how things will develop between Caroline (Candice Accola) and Tyler (Michael Trevino), and that viewers should always dread character deaths. Check out what she had to say after the jump.

Returning for its highly anticipated second season, The Vampire Diaries is the story of two vampire brothers obsessed with the same beautiful girl, and battling to control the fate of an entire town.

During Season 1, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) returned to their hometown of Mystic Falls, where they both became enamored with high school student Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). Season 2 will see the appearance of the villainous Katherine (also played by Nina Dobrev) throwing a wrench into the love triangle between Stefan, Elena and Damon. This time around, the stakes are raised even higher as new and unexpected friendships are forged, allies become enemies and hearts are broken, and Stefan and Damon are forced to face a villain more evil and diabolical than they ever believed possible.

In a recent interview to promote the Season 2 premiere, executive producer Kevin Williamson talked about what fan can expect, why Katherine has returned and that the werewolves will play a bigger role in the story. Check out what he had to say after the jump: