Its been done. And done well. AMC’s Interview With The Vampire 2022 has a steep hill to climb. What are the reasons behind the possible shadow of adaption.
-Build out the Immortal Universe for AMC
-Tell and exciting and enthralling story that will keep viewers spending there money on the relatively new AMC +
-Adapt a story that is entrenched in the lore of Vampire and that has sold over 80 million copies worldwide
-Adapt a story, a tv show behind the shadow of the 1994 Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
The climb to success for Interview With the Vampire 2022 is steep. How will the show runners and AMC adapt the story? What will they give us the viewers that will feel new and fresh, but also stay true to the characters and themes from Anne Rice’s works? How will the TV show break away from the inevitable comparisons from the 1994 movie?
As of writing this, three episodes have been released via AMC +
Louis and Lestat
Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid might have the toughest role to play in the success of Interview With The Vampire 2022. Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. When thinking of a list of the all time biggest male actors. Pitt and Cruise may be on some peoples lists. On name alone Anderson and Reid must escape the coffin of comparison. The relationship between the two- and to a lesser extent Louis and Claudia- is the crux of Interview With the Vampire. For the 2022 version it is no different. The initial and obvious change is of the character Louis. His profession, his race and his setting in life has all changed from the the books and movie. All of the changes help with completing an adaptation that isn’t a retelling.
When it comes to Sam Reid’s Lestat. More or less he is THE Lestat of the source material. He is flamboyant, emotional and viscous. Making the change of the characters is like two sides to the same coin. One is different and one feels familiar. What you get on the adaptation front is balance.
Dark Alleys
The show does not shy away from the mature nature of the material. Sex, violence, abusive relationships and racism are front and center in each episode. The relationship of Louis and Lestat is one of multiple layers. In the end for the show to be successful and truthful to the source material, it will have to be stay within the darkness of lost souls.
Vampire content is not in short supply. Some of it is praised highly and some not. When during a certain pocket of time Vampires were known to shimmer and glow in the sunlight, Interview With The Vampire 2022 staying to true to Vampire lore is important. The sexy Vampire is back. The violent Vampire is ever prominent.
Interview With the Vampire 2022 does not shy away from the source material of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. What it does do though with this adaptation is, tell a new story in a new time. The early 1900’s in New Orleans replace the late 1700’s-mid 1800’s of the books and the movie. With the time change the feeling of “new” is easy to locate. Comparisons are still there but with the time change a new and different story can be told. One with different dimensions when it comes to homosexuality and race relations.
Never Die
Stay true to the themes and characters of the story. It may seem simple but often times adaptations are used as a way to tell a version of the story. A version that is full of meaningless differences. Almost like “hey look at us we’re different”. What Interview With the Vampire 2022 has been doing and should continue to do is keep the characters true to themselves, keep the story tight to the source, but expand on the finer details. But more importantly tell a good story, tell a meaningful one. Give us the viewer a reason to accept and enjoy the show.
Evil is point of a view and we are immortal. And what we have before us are the rich feasts that conscience cannot appreciate and mortal men cannot know without regret.