The Big Picture
- The Immortal Universe, based on Anne Rice's books, is being adapted by AMC, with Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches already renewed for Season 2.
- Some of the wildest stories from Rice's books, including blood-filled killings and supernatural conceptions, will hopefully be included in AMC's TV universe.
- The upcoming adaptations have the potential to breathe new life into storylines from The Queen of the Damned , The Tale of the Body Thief , Memnoch the Devil, and more.
In the wake of both Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches premiering their first seasons on AMC, it's only natural that curiosity will rise surrounding the lore of the so-called "Immortal Universe" that the network has the rights to for adaptation. One series of books penned by the late Anne Rice, The Vampire Chronicles, revolves around Lestat the vampire, whom non-readers were familiar with already thanks to the 1994 Interview with the Vampire movie starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Kirsten Dunst.
AMC's first release from the Immortal Universe was a 2022 series of the same name featuring Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid in the roles of Louis and Lestat, which has already been renewed for a second season set to premiere in May this year. The Vampire Chronicles contains some 13 books, cementing a deep lore that unfolds over decades — and that doesn't even take into account Rice's Lives of Mayfair Witches series, which is currently being adapted for the upcoming second season.
It's not surprising that the fanbase is already trying to anticipate what parts of the novels would be included in the AMC-created shows that are being produced. All in all, the Immortal Universe contains some pretty wild stories, including everything from incestuous encounters to blood-filled killings and supernatural conceptions. Here are some of the absolute wildest stories by Rice that will hopefully be included in AMC's TV universe.
Interview with the Vampire
HorrorFantasyDramaBased on Anne Rice's iconic novel, follow Louis de Pointe's epic story of love, blood and the perils of immortality, as told to the journalist Daniel Molloy.
Release Date 2022-00-00 Creator Rolin Jones Cast Sam Reid , Jacob Anderson , Eric Bogosian , Bailey Bass , Assad ZamanThe Queen of the Damned (1988)
Following the success of the Interview with the Vampire film, a second film was produced that covered the two books immediately after. Starring singer/actress Aaliyah in her final role, the 2002 film Queen of the Damned did not live up to the success and acclaim of the book. AMC has a good chance to breathe new life into the story and, considering their take on the Immortal Universe so far, the odds are looking good that it will be a success. The story is essential in the series as it details some of the ancient origins of the vampires in the Immortal Universe.
The Queen of the Damned traces the origins of the vampire kind back to Ancient Egypt. The first ever vampire, Akosha, is born out of a conflict in her kingdom arising from an evil spirit two witches send to torment her. In 1985, Akosha, newly awakened from rock music played by the vampire Lestat, is killing any vampires that aren't fiercely loyal to her new cause to bring in a New World Order in which vampires reign supreme. The remainder of the book involves Lestat and co., along with the witches that originally cursed Akosha, banding together to stop her before her plan can come to fruition and humanity is devastated. This graphically involves beheading and then consuming the brain and heart of Akosha, as that is the only way to stop her for good.
The Tale of the Body Thief (1992)
The follow-up novel to Queen of the Damned, Tale of the Body Thief describes the struggle Lestat faces in attempting to regain his lost humanity and do away with the Dark Gift of vampirism. It describes Lestat's mental health as deteriorated, bringing on depression over his current life and the death of his daughter Claudia, which he blames himself for. His condition worsens to the point of near suicide, as Lestat attempts to let the sun kill him.
When a mysterious figure known as Raglan James offers to switch bodies with Lestat, he is more than happy to do so, only regretting it after James disappears. Lestat then has to find Raglan and scheme to get his body back with the aid of a man named David Talbot. Eventually, they find Raglan as he has been feasting aboard a cruise ship. After confronting Raglan and regaining his body, Lestat flees as the sun is coming up. When he reunites with David, he discovers that Raglan has switched bodies with him, prompting Lestat to wound Raglan in a way that makes switching bodies with anyone impossible. Further, David Talbot, now with a new body, is given the Dark Gift by Lestat against his earlier wishes, damaging that friendship for some time.
Memnoch the Devil (1995)
The fifth novel in the Vampire Chronicles series, Memnoch the Devil tells the story of Lestat being stalked and approached by the Devil himself. When first approached, the Devil takes Lestat on a tour of Heaven and Hell, claiming that he helps God bring the lost souls into Heaven. Memnoch then offers Lestat a seat at his side, saying they could make headway in the adversarial conflict between God and the Devil. Lestat eventually declines this offer, citing both the figures as being mad.
Additionally, Lestat realizes that he has seen the crucifixion of Christ and was given the veil he used to wipe his face for safekeeping. This artifact is the true object of Memnoch's desire, prompting him to try and take it from Lestat. Lestat escapes but loses an eye in the process. When Lestat shows the veil to his friends, they reveal it to the world, triggering a religious movement to form. After Lestat's eye is returned to him with a note from Memnoch, it causes him to go into a rage, ending the story with Lestat chained in a basement in order to contain him.
Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis (2016)
The twelfth Vampire Chronicles novel published by Rice in 2016, this story feels more like a science fiction tale than a gothic horror. The story is six novels removed from Memnoch the Devil, and in it, we find a present-day Lestat attempting to bring order and unification to a splintered vampire world. Meanwhile, the spirit that resides inside Lestat, Amel, which the ruler of vampirekind always contains from Akosha onward, brings visions to Lestat and other vampires of a lost civilization inhabited by sub-human creatures.
The story continues to follow the subsequent investigations into a lost civilization and the spirit that birthed the Vampire kind, Amel. In truth, these investigations are one and the same, as the origin of Amel is revealed to be otherworldly in nature. Amel is written to have founded the ancient city of Atlantis thousands of years ago. It was his rebellion against an alien kind that caused the city to have its downfall, and for Amel to take his spiritual form.
The Witching Hour (1990)
This story marks the first entry into Rice's Mayfair Witches trilogy, which came out starting in 1990 with The Witching Hour. The story introduces Rowan Mayfair, a neurosurgeon, and unbeknownst to her, a member of the Mayfair family bloodline. When Rowan saves a man, Michael Curry, from drowning, she falls in love with him, and soon they marry and conceive a child. They eventually head to New Orleans to start their life together, as well as discover more of Rowan's family history. Meanwhile, a dark spirit, Lasher, is seen in visions by Michael and Rowan, his motives unclear.
Much of the Mayfair family history is recounted in the story, which includes a murderous, incestuous, and dramatic series of events surrounding the witches as well as the evil spirit Lasher. Finally, this spirit reveals his motives to Rowan, to be born in flesh and be alive once again. To achieve this, Lasher begins seducing Rowan in several encounters. Thinking she can trick Lasher, Rowan plans on Michael being gone on Christmas Day so she can bind Lasher to something other than her unborn child and destroy him. This plan goes awry and Lasher binds to the fetus inside Rowan, causing her to go into labor immediately. Lasher is born through Rowan and Michael attempts to kill him, but is unable to overcome Lasher and is almost killed himself.
Lasher (1993)
The second installment in the Mayfair Witches Trilogy, Lasher picks up where The Witching Hour left off, with Michael Curry in dire mental straights after the birth of Lasher from Rowan and her subsequent disappearance. Michael gains motivation to find Rowan after an encounter with Rowan's cousin Mona Mayfair. He decides he needs to find Rowan and free her from Lasher's control. Meanwhile, Lasher has successfully impregnated Rowan, meaning she will eventually give birth to a female Taltos, Emeleth, similar to Lasher. After Rowan becomes pregnant, Lasher sets out to impregnate other Mayfairs, but they all die.
Eventually, Rowan gives birth and nearly dies, reuniting with Michael at home for her recovery. Lasher finds them and goes a little into his history before dying at the hands of Michael. Rowan, after being healed from Emeleth's special breastmilk, then panics and shoots her recently born Taltos daughter. Lasher also contains much of the titular character's backstory, which is filled with more murder and betrayal as can be expected from an Anne Rice story.
As AMC has launched two series in the Immortal Universe already, it will be interesting to see how they make some of the plot points fit into their show. Considering they have been known to push the boundaries on television, the hope is some of that carries over in order to let the Immortal universe be what it is, a Gothic horror complete with everything Rice has imbued into her stories to create her themes.
Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches are available to stream on AMC+.
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