AMC Crowns Its Queen of the Damned: Sheila Atim Joins The Vampire Lestat

AMC finally dropped some actual news about its Rice-verse after a long stretch of silence: season 3 of Interview with the Vampire is happening, it is officially leaning into the second book, and it is now titled The Vampire Lestat. Still no exact date, but the network says 2026. In the meantime, they did put out an extended look on AMC+ and quietly loaded up the cast with some intriguing additions.

So what is season 3 exactly?

This chapter jumps from Louis telling his version of events to Lestat grabbing the mic (literally) to tell his. If you know the books, this is where Lestat becomes the frontman of a rock band, which ripples right into the third novel, The Queen of the Damned. That overlap is why the 2002 movie mashed those books together, with Jonathan Davis from Korn providing Lestat’s singing voice back then. Point is: yes, the guitars are plugged in, and yes, the mythology is getting bigger.

New faces, returning vampires

According to Deadline, AMC has added a handful of players, including a major power move for the mythology. Here is who is who:

• Sheila Atim (The Woman King) as Akasha, Queen of the Damned
• Noah Reid (Schitt's Creek) as Larry
• Ryan Kattner (Destroy All Neighbors) as Salamander
• Seamus Patterson (Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities) as Alex
• Sarah Swire (The Boys) as TC
• Sam Reid returns as Lestat de Lioncourt
• Jacob Anderson returns as Louis de Pointe du Lac
• Assad Zaman returns as Armand
• Jennifer Ehle (Lioness) as Gabriella
• Christopher Heyerdahl (Under the Banner of Heaven) as Marius
• Damien Atkins (Slings & Arrows) as Magnus
• Ella Ballentine (Black Conflux) as Baby Jenks
• Jeanine Serralles (Apples Never Fall) as Christine Claire

Quick note for lore hounds: the books call Lestat’s mother Gabrielle; the show has Ehle listed as Gabriella. Same character, a vowel off. Also on deck (via the season’s tease): Nicholas, Those Who Must Be Kept, and more familiar faces like Molloy, Sam, Raglan, and Fareed.

The official tease, translated

AMC’s pitch is basically: Lestat hates how that 'trash bestseller' made him look, so he’s taking control of the narrative the only way he knows how — by starting a band, going on tour, and dragging his past and everyone in it into the spotlight. Expect a globe-trotting, time-hopping emotional detangling with Gabrielle, Nicholas, Magnus, Marius, Those Who Must Be Kept, and the current players (Louis, Armand, Molloy, Sam, Raglan, Fareed) colliding in messy, sexy fashion while the amps hum. Their words, not mine:

'No Auto-Tuning. No Trigger Warnings. All Feels Amplified.'

Who is steering the coffin?

Alan Taylor (The Many Saints of Newark) executive produces and directed the first two episodes of the series. Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) is overseeing AMC’s broader Vampire Chronicles plan. Rolin Jones (Perry Mason) created the show, runs it, and writes it, and he executive produces alongside Johnson and Taylor. Christopher Rice is an executive producer, and the late Anne Rice is credited as an EP as well.

Bottom line: rebranding season 3 as The Vampire Lestat makes sense, Sheila Atim as Akasha is a big swing, and the band storyline should give this season its own swagger. 2026 feels far away, but the extended look at least confirms they’re aiming for loud, lush, and unapologetically operatic. I’m in.