Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci, the co-scribes behind the rebooted Star Trek films and the first two entries in the live-action Transformers franchise have signed on as co-producers for movies based on Anne Rice’s series of novels known as The Vampire Chronicles. According to Variety, Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to the series – which encompasses ten novels, and an eleventh is on its way. Included in the deal is an adapted screenplay of the fourth book, The Tale of the Body Thief, written Rice’s son Christopher.
The first and third installments of The Vampire Chronicles have already been adapted to screen. The first, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles was made in 1994, directed by Neil Jordan, and starred Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. The third, Queen of the Damned was made in 2002, directed by Michael Rymer, and starred Stuart Townsend and the late hip-hop singer Aaliyah. While Interview was warmly received by critics and a huge financial success, Queen of the Damned was maligned by critics and Rice herself, and wasn’t nearly as profitable.
There is no release date for the first film spawned from the Kurtzman-Orci-Universal alliance. Also unknown is which novel will first be adapted from the deal – though considering they have an already completed screenplay, The Body Thief would make sense.
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