Universal locks down rights to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles

[KarmaContestant]

Hell yes.


http://www.deadline.com/2014/08/univ...re-chronicles/

BREAKING: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, and Brian Grazer have acquired rights to Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles in a juicy deal that spans the entire library of Rice’s bloodsucker series.

Rice’s Vampire Chronicles novels are centered around 18th century French nobleman vamp Lestat de Lioncourt and previously spawned feature adaptations Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned at rival Warner Bros. The deal gives Universal and Imagine access to the entire Vampire Chronicle series as well as the adapted screenplay for Tale of the Body Thief by Rice’s son Christopher Rice and any future novels including the upcoming 11th book Prince Lestat.

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, who are developing classic monster flicks The Mummy and Van Helsing for the studio, will produce. Imagine President Erica Huggins will oversee the series on behalf of the company and Bobby Cohen will exec produce. Anne Rice is repped by CAA, Janklow & Nesbit Associates and attorney Christine Cuddy of Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy & Carlo LLP. Christopher Rice is repped by Resolution, Janklow & Nesbit Associates and attorney Christine Cuddy of Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy & Carlo LLP. Kurtzman and Orci are repped by CAA and Gendler & Kelly, APC.


http://variety.com/2014/film/news/an...al-1201278069/

Setting up a potential “Twilight”-like franchise, Universal Pictures has acquired movie rights to Anne Rice’s novels in “The Vampire Chronicles” series for Brian Grazer and Imagine Entertainment.

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are on board to produce.

The deal — announced Thursday — includes the adapted screenplay for “Tale of the Body Thief” written by Rice’s son, author Christopher Rice. Other novels in the series include “Interview with the Vampire” and the upcoming “Prince Lestat.”

Rice published “Interview with the Vampire” in 1976 and “The Vampire Lestat” in 1985, followed by “The Queen of the Damned” (1988), “The Tale of the Body Thief” (1992),
“Memnoch the Devil” (1995), “The Vampire Armand” (1998), “Merrick” (2000), “Blood and Gold” (2001), “Blackwood Farm” (2002), “Blood Canticle” (2003) and “Prince Lestat” this year.

The series is centered on the fictional character Lestat de Lioncourt, a French aristocrat living in poverty who became a vampire in the late 18th century.

Imagine president Erica Huggins will oversee films based on the series for Imagine Entertainment, and Bobby Cohen will exec produce.

An earlier version of the story, “Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles,” starred Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in 1994 and was a strong performer for Warner Bros. with $220 million in worldwide box office.

Rice’s “Queen of the Damned,” also part of “The Vampire Chronicles,” starred Aaliyah and Stuart Townsend in 2002 and grossed $45 million worldwide for Warners.

Despite the amount of love the book received, “Queen of the Damned” was panned by critics and Rice fans alike. It has only a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a generally negative reception.

Kurtzman and Orci have teamed on multiple projects including “Transformers,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Now You See Me” and “Cowboys and Aliens.” Kurtzman is also on board to direct a reboot of “The Mummy” for Universal.

Anne Rice is represented by CAA, literary agent Lynn Nesbit of Janklow & Nesbit Associates and attorney Christine Cuddy of Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy and Carlo. Christopher Rice is repped by Resolution, Janklow & Nesbit Associates and attorney Christine Cuddy of Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy and Carlo LLP.

[sorcerer999]

Maybe NOW we'll finally get a decent film adaptation of "The Vampire Lestat", which was the absolute BEST book in the Vampire Chronicles (in my opinion).

[louielouie2000]

If only her Witching Hour series would get picked up. Though I have to admit- if it wasn't done well, I'd be crushed. Those are my absolute favorite books... I read the series twice a year.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by sorcerer999

Maybe NOW we'll finally get a decent film adaptation of "The Vampire Lestat", which was the absolute BEST book in the Vampire Chronicles (in my opinion).

Totally agree! That book is great!