Oscar-nominated John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and Mark Lafferty (The Right Stuff, Halt and Catch Fire) on as Writers, Co-Showrunners and Executive Producers, Hancock will also Direct
NEW YORK, NY – June 11, 2024 – AMC Networks today announced it has greenlit the third series in its expanding Anne Rice Immortal Universe, a drama slated for AMC and AMC+ focused on a secretive society called The Talamasca. With a working title of Anne Rice’s The Talamasca and slated for a 2025 premiere, the series will feature the men and women responsible for tracking and containing the witches, vampires, werewolves and other creatures scattered around the globe.
Members of The Talamasca are introduced in Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, the two current series in AMC’s Immortal Universe franchise. Oscar-nominated John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side) and Mark Lafferty (The Right Stuff, Halt and Catch Fire) are serving as witers, co-showrunners and executive producers of the new series. Hancock will also direct.
Interview with the Vampire is currently in the midst of its critically acclaimed second season, which – like season one – is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 98. Journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) is aided in his interview of the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac by a member of The Talamasca. Mayfair Witches season two is currently in production in Dublin.
“This is a story we’ve been developing and wanting to tell from the earliest moments of this franchise, focused on a fascinating and compelling secret society that has already appeared in both of our existing Anne Rice series, The Talamasca,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “As with all of these shows, we are thrilled to have such a high level of talent involved, represented here by John Lee Hancock and Mark Lafferty, and of course working closely with producer Mark Johnson as the creative head of our Anne Rice Immortal Universe.”
John Lee Hancock said: “This all started for me with a call from Mark Johnson, who asked if I’d ever heard of The Talamasca. I was intrigued by the idea of an organization that, to me, had more than a passing resemblance to the CIA or MI6, which are necessary but not always necessarily transparent. An organization with its own secrets. Thankfully, Dan McDermott liked the take and so did Mark Lafferty, who is so talented and accomplished in the world of television. Many thanks to everyone from Gran Via to Mark Lafferty, to our talented writers and everyone at AMC, who have been supporters, advocates and cheerleaders from day one. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be involved and look forward to presenting a third series in the Anne Rice Immortal Universe.”
Mark Lafferty said: “When John told me about a clandestine organization in the Immortal Universe with its own hidden agendas, I was immediately hooked. I’ve admired his writing and directing for so long, and to be working with him is a true honor and thrill. Many thanks to Dan McDermott and all the incredibly talented people at AMC for their tireless support and talent, and to Mark Johnson — there is no better producer to learn from and work beside than him.”
Mark Johnson said: “With the second season of Interview with the Vampire currently receiving the best reviews of any show on television and with the production of Mayfair Witches about to wrap in Ireland, promising an even more compelling and unnerving second season, the question is what do we now add to the Immortal Universe of Anne Rice? The answer is a completely different show from the first two, but a show that nevertheless belongs under the Anne Rice umbrella. The Talamasca marries the procedural spy thriller with the supernatural and expands the thrills and the pleasures of our franchise’s ambitions.”
Season one will be comprised of six episodes, premiering on AMC and AMC+ in late 2025. The series is scheduled to go into production this fall and shoot in Manchester, England.
About AMC Networks
AMC Networks (Nasdaq: AMCX) is home to many of the greatest stories and characters in TV and film and the premier destination for passionate and engaged fan communities around the world. The company creates and curates celebrated series and films across distinct brands and makes them available to audiences everywhere. Its portfolio includes targeted streaming services AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK and HIDIVE; cable networks AMC, BBC AMERICA (operated through a joint venture with BBC Studios, which includes U.S. distribution and sales responsibilities for BBC News), IFC, SundanceTV and WE tv; and film distribution labels IFC Films and RLJE Films. The company also operates AMC Studios, its in-house studio, production and distribution operation behind acclaimed and fan-favorite originals including The Walking Dead Universe and the Anne Rice Immortal Universe; and AMC Networks International, its international programming business.