Anne Rice has been having a bit of a renaissance in television as of late and her novels being adapted for the small screen. While the late author has been gone from the world for nearly a year, her books have been beloved by many, with several attempts at turning them into movies or shows over the decades. Recently, a new version of her Interview with the Vampire came out on AMC, enchanting audiences. Now, it won’t be long before we see another one of her stories come to life with Mayfair Witches.
The series, based on the famous Anne Rice trilogy, Lives of the Mayfair Witches, is set to come out soon, but for those who don’t know anything about the novels, what is this series going to be about? Who is going to star in it? And, how soon can we see it? For some of your Mayfair Witches questions, here are six quick things we know about the upcoming series.
Mayfair Witches Will Release On January 8, 2023
Mark your calendars, fantasy fans, because Mayfair Witches is coming out much sooner than you may have thought. While it’s not going to be on any 2022 TV schedule, Mayfair Witches is set to debut early in 2023 – specifically January 8, 2023, as part of the 2023 TV schedule.
That’s right, we are literally starting off the new year with Mayfair Witches on AMC, according to Variety. And honestly, thank goodness, because AMC has been killing it with their programming, but a lot of their famous shows have been coming to an end. The Walking Dead just ended after eleven seasons, and Better Call Saul, the famous spinoff of the critically-acclaimed series, Breaking Bad, finished up its six-season run in August 2022, so the network is looking to build towards the future.
But hey, if the future involves more Anne Rice adaptations to build a whole TV universe with Interview with the Vampire and Mayfair Witches, I am all in. When AMC actually bought the rights for both of her series, The Vampire Chronicles and Lives of the Mayfair Witches, prior to her passing away, the author was excited to express her enthusiasm about the possibility of these two stories to be explored in the world of television:
It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof so that filmmakers could explore the expansive and interconnected universe of my vampires and witches. That dream is now a reality and the result is one of the most significant and thrilling deals of my long career.
I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next.
The Series Will Have Eight Episodes
Also reported in the Variety article was that the series is going to have eight episodes, which is a bit of a shame, because I am here for literally every episode that the show could give us. But, it was also reported that this was a first-season order so who knows? We might end up getting more seasons if the first installment of Mayfair Witches goes well.
Alexandra Daddario Will Star As Dr. Rowan Fielding
One of the first stars announced for Mayfair Witches was, of course, the actress who was going to be playing Dr. Rowan Fielding, the main character of the trilogy we previously talked about. And, per that Variety article, Alexandra Daddario is starring as the character in the famed series.
Dr. Fielding is a neurosurgeon who finds out that she comes from a long line of witches and has to learn to deal with her powers when new and dark forces emerge into her life.
Daddario actually talked about her preparation for the role at New York Comic Con in 2022 (via Syfy) saying that she was dedicated to getting the role right and that they even had real-life practicing Wiccans on set to help with consulting, as well as familiarizing herself with Anne Rice’s work and always keeping one of the copies of the Mayfair Witches books on her person at all times:
1,000 pages, you’ve got to get through it!
Daddario has been making rounds in Hollywood for two decades now, appearing in several big projects recently such as with The White Lotus cast during its first season, as well as having parts in Die in a Gunfight, We Summon the Darkness, and many more, so it’ll be exciting to see her take on another big role such as this one.
Harry Hamlin, Tongayi Chirisa, And Jack Huston Will Also Star
Of course, Daddario isn’t going to be the only person to star in Mayfair Witches, and according to the Variety article from before, several other stars have been announced to join her in the series, including Harry Hamlin, Tongayi Chirisa, and Jack Huston.
These actors have all had great roles in shows and movies before. Hamlin is known for many big roles such as in Clash of the Titans in 1981, Mad Men, L.A. Law, and more. Jack Huston has appeared in shows such as Fargo and Boardwalk Empire, and Tongayi Chirisa appeared in Antebellum, Palm Springs, and others. So, it’ll be super exciting to see all these actors come together under the banner of this great show.
Filming For The Show Wrapped In September 2022
While this shouldn’t be that surprising, filming for Mayfair Witches actually wrapped earlier this year. Production began at some point in early 2022, with it still going on in New Orleans in May 2022, according to The Hollywood Reporter, but in September, the showrunner of the series, Esta Spalding posted to her Instagram account with a picture of her co-workers to celebrate the end of filming.
You Can Watch The Teaser Trailer For Mayfair Witches Now
If you are just like me and can’t wait for the next fantasy series to appear on television, check out the trailer for Mayfair Witches down below.
The world of Anne Rice is vast and has so many interesting characters that could be explored and talked about for ages on end, and I have a feeling that Mayfair Witches (as well as Interview with the Vampire) is only going to be the beginning of it. What are you most excited for with this upcoming series? I just can’t wait to obsess over witches once again.
