The Vampire Diariesstar Paul Wesley is diving back into the vampire genre—but this time, from behind the camera. Wesley rose to fame playing Stefan, the brooding vampire protagonist of The CW’ssupernatural teen drama. As the more noble half of the Salvatore brothers, Stefan quickly became a fan-favorite character throughout the show, which aired from 2009 to 2017.
According toDeadline,Wesley is set to be an executive producer on the vampire comedy at Fox Entertainmentalongside Victor Fresco, creator of Netflix’sSanta Clarita Diet, who will write the series withThe Rookie’s Liz Friedlander attached as director. Both Fresco and Friedlander will executive produce as well, alongside Aaron Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment and Tracy Katsky of KatCo. The untitled comedy series centers on a 25-year-old vampire who dreams of becoming an actor while struggling to keep his family business afloat at the behest of his murderous and suffocating vampire parents.
What Fox’s Upcoming Vampire Show Means
A New Vampire Comedy Is On The Horizon
The collaboration behind the upcoming vampire comedy series isrooted in a strong network of creative partnerships. Fresco’s previous horror sitcomwas also produced by Katsky and Kaplan at Netflix.Santa Clarita Dietwas unfortunately cut short during its third season, but the acclaimed creator’s darkly comedic touch will be key in crafting a quirky, genre-bending narrative. Friedlander, who directed several episodes ofThe Vampire Diariesduring Wesley’s time on the show, also brings a wealth of experience directing for acclaimed series like Apple TV+‘sBad Monkeyas well as the pilot ofThe EqualizerandThe Lincoln Lawyer.
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The idea for the vampire comedy began with a conversation between Friedlander, Wesley, and Kaplan, who eventually brought the comedy series to Fresco.Deadlinereports the pitch quickly garnered significant interest from multiple networks before ultimately finding a home on Fox.
The network recently developedThe Passage, a 2019 thriller about a young girl at a secret medical facility whose experiments could trigger a vampire apocalypse. Although the series was canceled after just one season, it demonstratedFox’s willingness to explore inventive takes on the vampire mythos—an effort they seem ready to continue with this new, comedy-driven twist.
Our Take On Fox’s Upcoming Vampire Comedy
This Series Could Be the Next Big Vampire Hit
Paul Wesley’s return to the vampire genre couldn’t come at a better time, especially following the recentending of FX’sWhat We Do in the Shadows. With no other comedic vampire take on the horizon, this new series has the potential to ride that momentum while offering a fresh story. Pairing Victor Fresco’s dark-comedic sensibilities with Liz Friedlander’s supernatural storytelling expertise, the show is poised to stand out, especially with one of the Salvatore’s at the helm. Blending family drama, Hollywood aspirations, and vampire hilarityis the perfect recipe to fill the void left byShadows.
The Vampire Diaries
Cast
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
