Shared universe franchises have become so commonplace in Hollywood that the format has made its way to television, yet there is one underrated horror franchise that I feel doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. Not only have properties like Marvel and Star Wars successfully bridged the worlds of movie and television like never before, but franchises like The Boys and Star Trek prove that even television properties can become expansive multi-narrative hits. For better or worse, the concept of a shared universe has endured into the 2020s.
However, the horror genre has struggled to find similar success until one literary icon’s universe hit AMC in 2022.
What is the Immortal Universe?
A horror icon’s world is resurrected
Following a lengthy 14-year wait for the theatrical rights to revert to her, acclaimed author Anne Rice and her son, Christopher Rice, began shopping the theatrical rights to her literary works to various studios and production companies in hopes of developing a TV series. AMC Studios would acquire the rights to adapt the author’s works in 2020, with both the writer and her son serving as producers until Rice’s passing in 2022.
Despite her passing, Rice had been involved as a non-writing executive producer on the soon-to-be-named Immortal Universe’s debut show, Interview with the Vampire. And in 2022, audiences dove into the life of one vampire’s tale of love, loss, and a search for the truth.
Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat
A follow-up to a celebrated interview
Under showrunner Rollin Jones, AMC’s Interview with the Vampire saw Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) open up about his lengthy life with reporter Daniel Malloy (Eric Bogosian) during the 2021 pandemic. Along the way, Louis addresses the freedoms and challenges vampirism brought, his chaotic relationships with companions Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) and Armand (Assad Zaman), his adoptive daughter Claudia (Bailey Bass and Delainey Hayles), and his journeys across New Orleans and Europe during the early 20th century. Along the way, Louis confronts the web of lies and half-truths that his life has become entangled in.
Interview with the Vampire has been celebrated as a well-made update to Rice’s work, adding new layers to its characters thanks to both the writing and the cast’s performances. Seasons 1 and 2 captured the first novel in Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, while season 3 saw the show retitled as The Vampire Lestat, beginning an adaptation of the second and third novels in the series.
Mayfair Witches
A new spell is cast on the franchise
Following Interview with the Vampire, 2023 saw the release of Mayfair Witches, AMC’s adaptation of Lives of the Mayfair Witches. Alexandra Daddario’s Dr. Rowen Fielding learns that she descended from a coven of witches, bringing her back to New Orleans. With her family’s mystical duties thrust upon her, Rowan is forced to reckon with an ancient force that has haunted her bloodline.
Like Interview with the Vampire, Mayfair Witches is one of the ongoing titles in the Immortal Universe, with season 3 entering production in 2025. However, it has also proven to be the more controversial title, with it receiving mixed reviews online. For me, personally, Mayfair Witches lacked the strong and consistent storytelling that Interview with the Vampire held, feeling far less focused than the franchise’s launch series.
Talamasca: The Secret Order
The secret order is forced out of the shadows
In 2025, the Immortal Universe saw the groups who watch the monsters and mystical into the spotlight with Talamasca: The Secret Order. In the series, young new recruit Guy Anatole (Nicholas Denton) is recruited to uncover a conspiracy surrounding one sect of the Talamasca that is assumed to have gone rogue. Along the way, Guy learns that his family may have secrets of their own connecting him to the supernatural.
For me, Talamasca: The Secret Order holds a more focused and engaging narrative than Mayfair Witches, helped in part by its ties to the ongoing narrative and ramifications of Interview with the Vampire following season 2. However, any potential follow-ups have been hindered due to the show’s cancellation in 2026.
How is the Immortal Universe interconnected?
Connections between the shows are subtle
At the time of writing, there has not been any major connections between the three shows of the Immortal Universe, with each series for the most part acting as standalone stories with some allusions to one another. However, elements such as the Talamasca have played a part in each show, with Raglan James (Justin Kirk) appearing in both Interview with the Vampire and Talamasca: The Secret Order, and the release of Daniel Malloy’s novel and it’s cultural impact being witnessed across several shows.
What is next for the Immortal Universe?
AMC is eyeing other stories
Currently, much of the future of the Immortal Universe hinges on the fate of Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat. Season 3 began with a flashforward set in the aftermath of both the novel that inspired it and Rice’s following novel, The Queen of the Damned. The ramifications of potential future seasons will be on a world-shaking scale, and the flash-forward and hints at a wider vampire plan have hinted at these events.
Furthermore, two additional series set within the world are in development. Announced in 2023, Night Island is set to expand the events of Interview with the Vampire‘s corner of the world through a side story focused on the titular resort. Alongside this, AMC has also confirmed that Memnoch the Devil will be adapted, confirming that Lestat and the characters surrounding him will continue to play a major role.
Where to stream the Immortal Universe?
The franchise is surprisingly accessible on streaming
At the time of writing, the Immortal Universe can be found on AMC+, with new episodes of The Vampire Lestat airing on the streaming platform, as well as on AMC. Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches are also available through Netflix’s and Roku’s services.
For horror fans, AMC has more than proved itself capable of handling long-running horror hits through its Walking Dead universe. As such, it is clear that the streamer is more than ready to help Rice’s world achieve long-lasting success. While most major shared universes focus on spacefaring adventures and superheroes, the Immortal Universe is a welcome shake-up that deserves more recognition.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
