Paramount TV, Anonymous Content nab rights to 'The Vampire Chronicles'

April 28 (UPI) -- Paramount Television and Anonymous Content say they have optioned the rights to 11 books from Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles collection.

Christopher Rice will write the scripts for the supernatural drama and will serve as executive producer alongside his mother, Anne Rice, as well as Anonymous Content's David Kanter and Steve Golin.

"It is undeniable that Anne Rice has created the paradigm against which all vampire stories are measured. The rich and vast world she has created with The Vampire Chronicles is unmatched and sophisticated with '90s gothic undertones that will be perfectly suited to captivate audiences," Amy Powell, president of Paramount TV, said in a statement Friday. "The series is full of compelling characters led by Lestat, arguably one of the greatest original characters, literary or otherwise. We are thrilled to collaborate with Anne, Christopher and the team at Anonymous Content on this epic series."

"Together with our partners at Paramount Television, we are embarking on a fantastic journey with Anne and Christopher Rice to bring Anne's unparalleled imagination to television at the moment when the medium is experiencing a global apex in the demand for the most outstanding, exciting and heightened premium dramatic programming," Anonymous Content's David Kanter added. "The Vampire Chronicles, in its entirety, is not only a phenomenally complex universe of story-telling, it is also a world-wide readership whose connections to the books and their author are deep and abiding. It is a tremendous responsibility to help bring the books to television, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity."

"I'm thrilled beyond words to be working with Paramount TV and Anonymous Content -- known for extraordinary, cutting-edge series such as True Detective, Quarry and The Knick," remarked Anne Rice. "In this unique, golden age of television, I couldn't ask for a finer or more passionate team to help bring my beloved vampire hero, Lestat, alive in a series of the highest quality. This is a dream come true, both for me and for Christopher and for the fans who have been asking to see the Brat Prince in this medium for years."

No casting or premiere date have been announced yet.

Lestat was originally played on the screen by Tom Cruise in 1994's Interview with the Vampire. Stuart Townsend took over the role in 2002's The Queen of the Damned.