A rebranded vampire drama is pulling strong numbers on streaming. Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat, a continuation and overhaul of the hit series Interview with the Vampire, has climbed to the number one spot on AMC+, its primary streaming platform, according to Collider.
Critics have given the series a perfect 100% score. Viewers have backed that up with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. For those not watching on AMC+, the show is also performing well on PVOD, ranking among the top shows on iTunes.
The series marks a significant shift from its predecessor. Interview with the Vampire followed Louis and his volatile relationship with Lestat, told through a series of interviews with a journalist. The new chapter moves Lestat to the center of the story. In this version, the centuries-old vampire forms a band and goes on tour, positioning himself as the king of rock as he attempts to reclaim his life.
The supernatural drama genre has contracted considerably since its peak in the 2000s and 2010s, when shows like The Vampire Diaries and HBO's True Blood dominated television. The CW, which had been a home for vampire stories since The Vampire Diaries premiered in 2009, is no longer a factor in that space. The Vampire Lestat is one of only a handful of supernatural series currently on the air.
The decision to overhaul the show was a risk. Rebranding a series that already had an established audience could have pushed viewers away. The critical and audience reception suggests it did not.
