Except for Bram Stoker, few writers are associated more with literary vampires than the late Anne Rice. And yet, she was reportedly hesitant about Hollywood adapting her most famous work, Interview With a Vampire, believing that much of the nuance would be lost in a movie. She still wrote the screenplay for what would eventually become Neil Jordan's Interview With a Vampire (1994) but she was famously and openly disappointed by the casting of Tom Cruise as Lestat and Brad Pitt as Louis. Rice later changed her mind and said that she was won over by the film, particularly impressed with Cruise's Lestat and the way the movie didn't shy away from the homoerotic undertone of the relationship between the two male vampires. Now we're getting a new AMC series adaptation titled Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire.
Part sequel, part reinterpretation of Interview With a Vampire (and the rest of Rice's Vampire Chronicles series), the show makes many changes to the original story, diving directly into the queer heart of the novel. Fidelity to the original novel, combined with imaginative updates, make the series a must-watch for Anne Rice fans specifically and vampire movie enthusiasts in general. Here's all you need to know about when and where to watch or stream AMC's new series Interview With a Vampire.
What Is Interview With a Vampire About?
In the novel, Louis relates his undead life story to an eager young journalist, Daniel Molloy. The series takes place over 40 years later. After his initial success, Molloy (Eric Bogosian) has bottomed out, so when Louis (Jacob Anderson) once again summons him, this time to Dubai, he eagerly accepts. The 21st century has allowed Louis to be more open with Molloy about certain details he left out in their original conversation—namely, his love affair with his frenemy and maker Lestat (Sam Reid). The series depicts Louis as a prosperous, mixed-race brothel owner in 1910 New Orleans who is both drawn to and threatened by the mysterious Lestat's (Sam Reid) mercurial personality and eccentric disregard for morality. The first season depicts Louis's transformation, transition, and adaptation to vampire life as well as his fatal attraction and love-hate friendship/romance with Lestat.
When Will Interview With the Vampire Premiere on AMC?
The first episode of the series, clocking in at 99 minutes, premieres on AMC at 10:00 PM ET/9:00 PM CT on Sunday, October 2, 2022—right after the return of The Walking Dead Season 11. New episodes of the series will continue to air weekly at the same time slot until the season finale on November 13.
Is Interview With the Vampire Streaming Online?
Subscribers to AMC's sister streaming service AMC+ will be able to view the first two episodes after the first episode's broadcast on October 2 and each subsequent episode on demand after its TV premiere. In effect, subscribing to AMC+ will allow you to watch new episodes a week before they air on TV. You can subscribe to AMC+ through their website, or by downloading the AMC+ app through Google Play or your cable provider. The service has subscription plans starting at $8.99 per month.
Watch the Interview With the Vampire Trailer
Interview With the Vampire has had a number of trailers and teasers released over the last year or so. You can check out the latest one in the player above. The roughly two-minute trailer takes a close (and rather sensuous) look at Louis and his life, both before and after receiving the "dark gift".
How Many Episodes Is Interview With the Vampire Going to Be (And Is There a Season 2)?
Interview With the Vampire is set to have seven episodes in its first season. As mentioned above, the series will be running weekly from October 2 to November 13. Here's the list of episodes with their titles and release dates. And remember, AMC+ subscribers get to watch the episodes a week before the TV premiere.
Episode 1: "In Increasing Tones of Wonder" - October 2, 2022
Episode 2: ".After the Phantoms of Your Former Self" - October 9, 2022
Episode 3: "Is My Very Nature That of the Devil" - October 16, 2022
Episode 4: "...The Ruthless Pursuit of Blood with All a Child's Demanding" - October 23, 2022
Episode 5: "A Vile Hunger for Your Hammering Heart" - October 30, 2022
Episode 6: "TBA" - November 6, 2022
Episode 7: "TBA" - November 13, 2022
And that's not all. The series has already been renewed for a Season 2, so fans have that to look forward to once the first season ends.
Read an Excerpt From Collider's Review
Interview With the Vampire has received generally positive reviews ahead of its premiere, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96%. Collider's own Carly Lane has given the movie an A, calling it a "sexy, layered adaptation tailor-made for TV". Check out this excerpt from the review or read the full article here:
From the moment that their characters collide on-screen, Anderson and Reid's chemistry is electric in every exchange; Lestat senses exactly what Louis is inwardly longing for, while Louis initially fights to resist the other man's magnetic pull at every turn. Their connection sparks a cat-and-mouse game with a discernible inevitability, and while it's evident where this will end up — and what Louis will ultimately consent to in terms of Lestat's "dark gift" — there's no ambiguity when it comes to the depiction of their relationship as an erotic and romantic one, albeit filled with its own complexities and complications.