Nearly a decade after The Vampire Diaries ended, the Salvatore brothers still haunt pop culture—and Paul Wesley has finally revealed how he thinks they should return. During a panel at the Indiana Comic Convention, moderated by Collider's Maggie Lovitt, Wesley and his longtime co-star Ian Somerhalder spent time reminiscing about their years in Mystic Falls. They shared behind-the-scenes stories, debated the show's ending, and joked about lost props and their recent reunion in a commercial. But when the inevitable question came—would they ever come back?—Wesley offered a surprising answer.
“We’re a bit old now,” he joked, acknowledging the obvious challenge of revisiting a show that ended in 2017. Wesley explained that nostalgia can be a tricky beast. Fans have spent years imagining their perfect reunion, and a live-action revival often fails to live up to those expectations. That’s why he’s not keen on another season of the supernatural drama. Instead, he pitched what he called “a nice little animated show” focused on Damon and Stefan.
Why Animation Makes Sense for the Salvatore Brothers
Somerhalder immediately embraced the idea, and the two briefly imagined what an animated continuation could look like. The concept offers a practical solution to one of the biggest hurdles facing any Vampire Diaries revival: the actors are mortal, even if their characters aren’t. Animation would allow the franchise to revisit the Salvatore brothers without pretending time has stood still. It also opens up storytelling possibilities that would be difficult to achieve in a traditional TV production, while preserving the versions of the characters fans remember most.
Wesley noted that revisiting beloved shows years later is risky because nostalgia can be hard to compete with. An animated series would sidestep those expectations, letting the story evolve in a fresh medium. For fans who have followed the brothers through love, loss, and countless supernatural battles, an animated revival could feel like a natural next chapter—one that doesn’t rely on de-aging technology or awkward time jumps.
No Official Plans Yet
Neither Wesley nor Somerhalder indicated that any behind-the-scenes conversations are happening. Still, after years of being asked whether they’d return to Mystic Falls, Wesley finally gave the clearest answer yet about how he thinks it should happen. Not with another season, but with animation. The idea has already sparked excitement among fans, who have long debated the best way to bring back the series. For those who miss the Salvatore brothers, this might be the most promising pitch yet.
In other supernatural news, Interview with the Vampire Season 2 delivered some key twists before Lestat takes center stage. And if you're looking for more vampire content, check out our ranking of the best Giles episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot for more updates on this potential animated revival and all your favorite supernatural series.
