Interview with the Vampire may have finished its second season, but the show has laid the groundwork for season 3 to follow the template set by a classic Ewan McGregor movie. After finishing Louis' story (and concluding the eponymous interview), showrunner Rolin Jones promised that season 3 would focus on the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid). Lestat and Louis may be eternal soulmates, but they are vastly different characters. It stands to reason that the visuals that accompany their stories would also be different – with a 1998 movie providing the perfect framework for Lestat to shine.

The series has a 98% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, with horror master Mike Flanagan commending Interview with the Vampire season 2. However, it is essential to note that, for all its success, audiences were only witnessing limited perspectives on the stories of the past. Inevitably, how the show presents the cast of Interview with the Vampire characters will look different according to who is telling the story. It also follows that Louis and Lestat's stories need to be different visually to reflect their personalities. Fortunately, one 26-year-old Ewan McGregor project could hold the key to bringing Lestat's version of events to life.

Why Interview With The Vampire Season 3 Should Be Influenced By Velvet Goldmine

Lestat's Story Is Also About A Flashy Counter-Culture

Todd Haynes' 1998 film Velvet Goldmine chronicles the rise and fall of Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a fictional 70s glam-rock icon influenced by David Bowie. Like every Todd Haynes movie, Velvet Goldmine offers a unique view of a familiar story. The film stars Christian Bale as Arthur Stuart, the reporter and former fan covering the story, and Ewan McGregor as Curt Wild, Slade's musical contemporary.

Velvet Goldmine utilizes musical sequences and interviews to piece together Slade's complicated history. Rolin Jones has cited Bowie and Rocky Horror as influences on the visual storytelling of previous seasons. Haynes' classic drew inspiration from both and blended them into a rock opera. Lestat's favorite art form is opera. As a result, he would likely want his version of the story to be a contemporary version of an opera. Velvet Goldmine's style is a perfect example of this kind of storytelling.

Anne Rice's vampires exist on the fringes of the mortal world. Louis blended into the mortal culture by establishing himself as a wealthy art broker and real estate magnate. His story represents his sensibility. He was always the vampire most attached to the human world. Lestat embraces the extraordinary elements of being a vampire. Lestat started an undead theater company because he loves the limelight. He relishes being part of a misunderstood counter-culture. Seventies glam rock embodies this outlook and is therefore the perfect inspiration for Interview with the Vampire season 3.

Framing The Story As A Music Documentary Still Allows For An Interview With The Vampire

The Series Can Still Include Interviews As The Framing Device

At the end of season 2, Daniel Malloy (Eric Bogosian) establishes that he wants a sequel to his wildly popular book. Louis has already signaled that he is unwilling to tell more of this story, so Daniel, a newly turned vampire, might seek out Lestat to get a new angle on his story. Velvet Goldmine tells Slade's story through interviews with those closest to him. Interview with the Vampire could use some of that style while incorporating an interview with Lestat himself.

Lestat would want as broad an audience as possible to have access to his rebuttal of Louis's somber recollection of their shared history. Rock star Lestat wants to control the narrative through his music and the promo for it. Like Velvet Goldmine's Arthur, Daniel has a personal connection to Lestat's story and would make sure he tells the story meaningfully. Daniel lends credibility to Lestat's story that independently produced social media promos would not.

Lestat's Melodrama Background Lends Itself To The Music Documentary Format

Lestat de Lioncourt Is The Perfect Subject For The Form

Lestat's story reads like a rock opera with dramatic highs and lows. While the season will take place in the present day, it is easy to see how his story could mirror a glam rock icon. Just as Velvet Goldmine used an interview format to delve into Brian Slade's background, Interview With the Vampire could use the format to unravel Lestat de Lioncourt's three-centuries-long journey. Lestat's love of the theatrical, dramatic personality, and love of fame would make an exciting fit for this storytelling style.

A streaming music documentary special that delves into Lestat's early days as a mortal and his transformation into a vampire while chronicling his tour could be a thrilling spin on the source material. It would be an interesting tie-in for the legion of fans of the in-universe Interview with the Vampire. The documentary could delve into Lestat's love for Nicky, his complex relationship with his mother, and his bond with Louis. AMC has hinted that we would see all these things in season 3 of Interview with the Vampire. Interviews and musical sequences could capture the intensity of Lestat's feelings about his past.

Seasons 1 and 2 of Interview with the Vampire were critically acclaimed for their gothic horror atmosphere, and Louis' emotional turmoil, but a shift in style is warranted since Lestat will become the central focus for season 3. Seasons 1 and 2 laid the groundwork for explaining how vampirism looks in this universe, but Lestat's season could focus on Lestat's view of his immortal life. The series could capture Lestat's flamboyant personality by embracing a glam rock aesthetic and innovative rock documentary storytelling.