Sam Reid may not be a rock star in real life, but he convincingly portrayed one during the June 2 premiere event for “The Vampire Lestat” at New York’s Beacon Theatre, leaving attendees thinking he was the real deal.
Fully embodying the character of Lestat de Lioncourt, a vampire-turned-rocker, Reid delivered a 30-minute concert featuring six original songs composed by Daniel Hart for the series. His commanding stage presence and confident movements mirrored that of a true rock star, prompting one attendee to tell Variety, “It was just a tremendous showcase of why he was the right person for the job.”
AMC’s “Interview With the Vampire” has undergone a transformation for its third season. Now titled “The Vampire Lestat,” the series takes inspiration from Anne Rice’s second book in the vampire series. This shift in focus introduces a new narrative and tone, centering on Lestat’s evolution into a rock star.
“This season features a major tonal shift, and the promotion reflected that,” an attendee remarked. “Instead of downplaying it, they embraced it with a rock concert.”
The premiere was the highlight of AMC’s music-focused marketing strategy, designed to introduce the series’ new direction and possibly draw in new viewers.
Despite a solid fan base for “Interview With the Vampire,” AMC Global Media’s chief marketing officer, Kim Granito, acknowledged the challenge of attracting new viewers by the third season. “By that time, people generally decide whether they’ll give the show a chance,” she stated.
However, with “Lestat,” premiering Sunday on AMC and AMC+, the story offers a fresh perspective, both in narrative and vibe, Granito added. “Giving it its own title and relaunch moment seemed essential. If Seasons 1 or 2 didn’t appeal, this provides a new angle.”
The show also benefited from additional exposure on Netflix, which helped expand its audience ahead of the new season.
Part of the promotional strategy was to market Lestat as a real-world musician. The series features 20 songs, with five already available on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Lakeshore Records, in collaboration with AMC, released tracks such as “Long Face,” “All Fall Down,” and a cover of Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself,” all found on “Vampire Lestat” artist pages across music services.
“Watching the tracks’ performance on Spotify and other platforms has been fascinating,” Granito noted. “Given that this isn’t a real rock star, reaching about three and a half million streams is impressive. Bringing this character to life was a no-brainer for us. The Beacon Theatre was the ideal venue. When tickets were announced, they sold out instantly, with the excitement rivaling that of ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters.’”
AMC also produced a Rolling Stone cover, and “The Vampire Lestat” will be prominently featured on the Sphere in Las Vegas. Additionally, it will appear on an Amazon Music billboard in Times Square.
This season of “The Vampire Lestat” includes collaborations with Pom Wonderful, Fender Musical Instruments Corp., and Spanish designer Palomo. Reid, as Lestat, will feature in Pom Wonderful advertisements, while Hart played a custom Fender Stratocaster at the Beacon Theatre event.
Moreover, AMC enlisted renowned rock photographer Frank Ockenfels 3 for the season’s key art photography.
Hunter Ingram
Granito emphasized that the promotional efforts were not just about where they appeared, but also about maintaining the right tone and vibe. “It’s crucial to stay true to the audience while considering how a rock star would present themselves. We aim to create participation opportunities and experiential marketing, and the event on Tuesday night was a perfect example of that.”
