Mayfair Witches: Everything We Know So Far About The AMC Anne Rice Adaptation
American gothic fiction author Anne Rice (who passed away in December 2021) is most famous for her 1976 debut novel "Interview with the Vampire," a terrific vampire story centering on Louis de Pointe du Lac, a vampire who tells the story of his life to a reporter. Following an acclaimed 1994 feature film, the novel was adapted into a series at AMC and began premiering on the network and its streamer AMC+ in October 2022. It's the network's first adaptation of the author's work, but it won't be the last.
Rice's comparatively lesser-known fantasy trilogy "Lives of the Mayfair Witches" has also been greenlit by the streamer — the show has received an eight-episode order and stars Alexandria Daddario in the lead. Anne Rice's works are getting a major revival at AMC, and her readers have a lot to be stoked about. Here's all we know about the exciting "Mayfair Witches" adaptation.
What is Mayfair Witches about?
Anne Rice's "Lives of the Mayfair Witches" follows the classic fish-out-of-water plot with an added supernatural twist. The story follows a young neurosurgeon Dr. Rowan Mayfair (Alexandria Daddario), who one day discovers she's the unlikely heir to a family of witches (via Deadline).
The rest of the description reads: "As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations." The story is essentially about a family that deals with witchcraft and the occult through four centuries. There are three novels in the fantasy series, and the AMC adaptation will probably adapt the events of the first novel, "The Witching Hour," for its first season.
Meet the cast of Mayfair Witches led by Alexandria Daddario
The powerful spellcasters of New Orleans will be led by Alexandria Daddario (whose latest credits include "The White Lotus") as Dr. Rowan Mayfair. A brilliant practitioner of neurosurgery, Rowan's life changes forever when she discovers she's the heir to a powerful family of witches. Daddario stars opposite Harry Hamlin ("Clash of the Titans"), who will portray the family patriarch Cortland Mayfair. His character is described as someone with a voracious appetite for money, power, and life.
Other cast members include Tongayi Chirisa as Citroen, Beth Grant as Carlotta, Erica Gimpel as Ellie, Annabeth Gish as Diedre, and Jen Richards as Jojo (via Deadline). British actor Jack Huston ("Boardwalk Empire") was tapped to join the series as Lasher, a powerful shape-shifting entity who has been bound to the Mayfair witches for "hundreds of years." Lasher is famous for being one of Rice's most mysterious characters, so it'll be interesting to see how Huston tackles the role.
As for the team behind the show, Esta Spalding ("The Last Letter from Your Lover" and "On Becoming a God in Central Florida") is writing and executive producing AMC's "Mayfair Witches" along with Michelle Ashford ("The Pacific" and "Masters of Sex"). Spalding will also serve as the showrunner of the highly-anticipated series.
When will Mayfair Witches be available to stream?
The eight-episode season is expected to premiere in 2023 on AMC and its sister network AMC+. While we don't have a trailer for the adaptation yet, the network has released a glimpse of "Mayfair Witches," featuring some of its major players in action (via TV Line). The fantasy trilogy from Anne Rice has stood the test of time for its elements of family secrets and the power of witchcraft — and it'll be intriguing to watch the story come to life on the silver screen.
Here's a fun fact: "Mayfair Witches" takes place in the same universe as Anne Rice's "The Vampire Chronicles" novels, and with AMC bagging the rights to most of the author's books, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to anticipate some major crossovers in the future. Can we say that the Rice-verse has finally dawned upon us?