AMC has finally given us our first look at season 2 of Interview With the Vampire. That means more peeks at Armand (Assad Zaman)! Plus, we get to see the new actress, Delainey Hayles, as Claudia. Season 1 ended the past storyline with Louis (Jacob Anderson) and Claudia killing Lestat (Sam Reid). However, Louis could never kill his love, so I imagine we will see more of the French vampire this season.
To get away from their former life, Louis and Claudia are headed on an extended European vacation. In the present-day interview timeline, Louis tells his interviewer, Daniel (Eric Bogosian), a surprise twist. Louis’s assistant/lover Rashid is actually the ancient vampire known as Armand. It looks like season 2 will pick right up with Louis and Claudia in Europe meeting Armand for the first time. Let’s examine all the details from this week’s reveal!
Louis and Claudia’s European adventure
A trio of images and a short video posted on the Anne Rice/AMC X account give us a taste of what we have in store. One picture shows Louis and Claudia in the seats of a theater. This is most likely the Théâtre des Vampires where Armand’s coven of vampires puts on shows for respecting mortals. Another picture shows Armand in a dated shirt sitting in an ornate chair, which leads me to believe this is part of a play for the Théâtre.
In the last photo, Armand leads Claudia and Louis down a set of stairs, probably giving them a behind-the-scenes tour of the Théâtre. The room they are in looks stacked with books and possible props for the plays. Prominently featured in the background is a framed painting of an aristocratic-looking blond white man. Could this be a painting of Lestat? In the Anne Rice novels the series is based on, Lestat was responsible for bringing the Théâtre into modern times. It makes sense that they might just have a picture of him lying around. (Poor Louis can’t even get away from Lestat on his vacay.)
We see you, Armand
Now let’s talk about that video. Instead of a trailer showing bits of various season 2 moments, it is one scene. Armand takes Louis and Claudia on a ride with his coven like a tour group. The vamps roll up to a mansion on motorcycles and I can’t get over this. Wearing these cute little glasses, Armand explains the house is full of adults who hoard wealth by exploiting goods on the black market while others in the country starve. Then the vampires feast. I LOVE it when vampires literally eat the rich.
Claudia happily goes inside the house to feast, while Louis and Armand hang back outside. The two men discuss Claudia being made into a vampire so young and how they find each other so alluring. Louis admits he thinks about Armand often. Their whole soft conversation is backdropped by a house full of screaming people and carnage. Armand brings up how coven life is “tricky.” He also mentions how he felt trepidation from Louis when someone said the name “Lestat.”
I’m loving every second of Louis and Armand’s flirty back and forth. I can’t wait to see how it plays out over the series. However, my toxic trait is being a Louis/Lestat stan for eternity, so I also want to see my boys together again. AMC said, “Consider this an amuse-bouche,” but now I’m just starving for the full meal. Season 2 is set to premiere sometime in 2024.
(featured image: AMC)
