Lestat Is Ready to Rock: First Look at Interview with the Vampire Season 3

It’s Comic-Con season, baby, and even though Interview with the Vampire Season 3 won’t sink its teeth into our screens until 2026, AMC clearly couldn’t wait to start the party. Ahead of the show’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con (Saturday, July 26, 4:30–6:00 pm in Ballroom 20), the network dropped a shiny new poster and a couple of stills from the new season. And yes, it’s not even Saturday yet. We’re feasting early.

This time around, it’s Lestat’s world, and we’re just living in it. Season 3 takes inspiration from Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat and promises to flip the script in more ways than one, placing everyone’s favorite bloodsucking drama queen center stage, literally. After being thoroughly roasted in Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Daniel Molloy’s (Eric Bogosian) bestselling tell-all, Lestat is ready to reclaim the narrative. His strategy? Forming a band, going on tour, and setting the record straight through the power of rock. We’re already screaming.

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sam Reid—who plays our favorite theatrical vampire—teased what’s in store for Lestat in this next chapter. “Lestat has an intention to express his views and his experience through music, music videos, and recordings,” Reid explains. And he’s not just dipping a toe into performance, he’s taking the whole damn stage.

This new era of Lestat is as bold and dramatic as you’d expect. He’s been working with series composer Daniel Hart for months now, even before scripts were finalized. “Trying to work out the character’s arcs through the songs has been an adventure in itself,” Reid says. Shaping Lestat through music gave the team a whole new entry point into the character, one that feels deeply personal and emotionally charged.

While the exact musical influences are under wraps, Reid hints that they’re pulling from a wide spectrum, from classical to glam to emotionally raw singer-songwriters. Showrunner Rolin Jones apparently references Fiona Apple a lot when describing how an artist can pour their lived experience into sound. “Lestat is a musician that writes from personal experience,” Reid says. “There’s something inherently vampiric about rock music,” and this season taps into that connection in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

But don’t think it’s just about the music. This season digs into what it actually means to be Lestat: immortal, passionate, volatile, and always performing. And for the first time, we’re getting that story from his point of view. While the first two seasons were filtered through Louis’ memories, Season 3 gives Lestat control of the narrative. Sort of.

Reid is quick to note that neither Louis nor Lestat is a totally trustworthy narrator. “If he’s unreliable, he’s intentionally being unreliable,” Reid says of Lestat, contrasting him with Louis, who might be emotionally entangled in his own memories. “They’re both unreliable in their own way.”

Still, there’s a new energy this season, something more playful, more chaotic, and yes, more emotionally revealing. “It’s deep, but it’s actually very fun and silly because Lestat is a big clown, so he is not as chest-bearing as others,” Reid says. Then he pauses, before correcting himself with a grin: “Well, he’s actually quite chest-bearing. He’s very chest-bearing, but in a different way.”

As for what to expect from the Interview panel at SDCC? TV Insider shared a juicy preview. The Immortal Universe block kicks off with a first look at AMC’s newest Rice adaptation, Talamasca: The Secret Order. Then it’s time for Interview with the Vampire Season 3 to take over Ballroom 20 with behind-the-scenes scoops, cast and creator insights, and what we’re sure will be a few show-stopping surprises.

Showrunner Rolin Jones, executive producer Mark Johnson, composer Daniel Hart, and cast members Sam Reid, Jacob Anderson, and Eric Bogosian are all confirmed to appear. They’ll be diving into the making of Season 3, revealing how Lestat’s rock tour comes to life. And maybe, just maybe, dropping some teasers that will leave fans screaming.

And look, we’re not trying to sound dramatic (okay, maybe a little), but this show still doesn’t get the flowers it deserves. With rave reviews across the board—including a 100% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes—and two knockout seasons already under its belt, Interview with the Vampire remains one of the best shows on TV. Full stop. It’s gorgeously made, unapologetically queer, emotionally rich, and criminally underappreciated. (Yes, we’re looking directly at you, Television Academy.)

So we’re fully expecting this new season to prove this point once again, because let’s be honest, we’ve gotten but crumbs, and Lestat’s comeback is already looking iconic. Season 3 is shaping up to be bold, bloody, and bursting with sound and fury. And we’re more than ready to let Lestat serenade us into the abyss.

[Read the full Entertainment Weekly interview with Sam Reid here.]

[Check out TV Insider’s SDCC panel preview here.]

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The first two seasons of Interview with the Vampire are available to stream on AMC+ (US) and Prime Video (Globally). Season 1 of Interview with the Vampire is available to stream on Netflix (US only). Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!

Featured Image: Image Courtesy of AMC Networks, via TV Insider.