This article appears in the new issue of DEN OF GEEK magazine. You can read all of our magazine stories here.Though the time between most television seasons can feel like an eternity for fans, a few years is just a drop in the ocean to the immortals of AMC’s hit drama Interview with the Vampire. But for the former camp, showrunner Rolin Jones is determined to make the show’s third season worth the wait. Last year’s SDCC panel revealed the next chapter of Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe adaptation with a brilliant trailer teasing Lestat’s rockstar era. Now the vampire Lestat himself, actor Sam Reid, is ready to offer an exclusive first look at what’s ahead for the fang gang as they prepare to start filming.“The big deal here is that Lestat is taking over the show,” Jones promises. “If you imagine that Louis’ portrait of Lestat was about 70-80 percent right, just imagine that guy suddenly at the wheel, and that’s what I want season three to feel like.”cnx.cmd.push(function() {cnx({playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530",}).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796");});As a self-absorbed force of chaos and seductive cunning, is it any wonder Lestat makes the ultimate rockstar?“I think it’s an analogy of this performative, otherworldly kind of god. It’s a really great way to process your otherness.” Reid says. “Rock stars are inherently vampiric.” While inspiration was found in performers like Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, and dozens more, Reid finds mimicking specific musicians less interesting than examining an artist’s journey of self-discovery. “Rock stars at their best are about extremities and pushing that envelope,” Jones says. “And I think Lestat is curious: if you push far enough out there, is there peace on the other side?”Series composer Daniel Hart is more important than ever this season. Lestat’s setlist reveals his most vulnerable memories, where he can divulge his feelings on vampires he’s known and loved, many of whom could still be alive in 2025. The songs also provide a narrative frame and build towards a bigger picture, too, which means series composer Daniel Hart is more important than ever this season. “I got a composer at the height of his powers and absolutely unleashed,” Jones grins. “As songs came in, we started writing around them because they were fucking beautiful. They inspired where we were going, which is what music does, right?Lestat may be center stage, but there’s still drama ahead for Louis, Armand, and Daniel. Viewers invested in the vampire Louis’ story (played with heartbreaking humanity by Jacob Anderson) are in for some developments that will surely see him reunited with his ex, but rekindling romance may not be in the cards. “There’s so much left to unpack,” Reid explains. “Louis, specifically, wants to have his ‘companion enough for himself’ era. And I think Lestat has learned to have to be a companion for himself, probably not by choice.”At the time of our chat, there were no casting announcements for new characters, including Lestat’s maker, Magnus, and his mentor, Marius, who is also the maker of the dangerous, manipulative vampire Armand (Assad Zaman). Reid is especially excited about Gabrielle, Lestat’s human mother. “She’s a fantastic character. She’s never been seen before in any adaptation,” Reid says.Beyond his computer screen, hidden from nosy journalists, Jones keeps a whiteboard of production notes and actor photos. And while he can’t tease any new cast, he did provide an exclusive reveal of a book character whose unexpected appearance will surely get readers intrigued. “I’m looking at, oh, there’s Lestat, you know? There are some familiar faces up there. And then there is a character named Baby Jenks. What’s Baby Jenks doing in The Vampire Lestat? That’s weird…” That’s also all he’s willing to elaborate on. This newbie, motorcycle-loving vamp has an interesting role to play in The Queen of the Damned, the third book in the Vampire Chronicles, but she’s being introduced earlier than she was in the books. Audiences and critics (which included Anne Rice) largely forgot 2002’s flop Queen of the Damned, except for one element: Aaliyah’s incendiary vampire royal, Akasha, newly awakened from her centuries of slumber by Lestat’s music. Jones has been teasing Akasha since the first episode of the first season, and now those seeds are going to bloom. Without providing spoilers, Reid hints at something “ingenious” at season’s end that he cannot wait for viewers to see.According to Jones, even AMC doesn’t know the whole scope of the story yet. It’s a big risk, yet he’s thrilled that this season gives Reid, who has been such a strong performer for others to play against, his time in the spotlight, literally and figuratively.“When you see Sam in costume, under the lights, singing these songs in the context of Lestat’s story, you’re gonna be absolutely knocked out. We’re going for it.”Interview with the Vampire is scheduled to return to AMC in 2026.The post Interview with the Vampire Season 3: Sam Reid Teases Lestat’s Rock Star Journey appeared first on Den of Geek.