Vampires are known for their immortality, but the big-screen saga of Interview with the Vampire proved far more mortal. Neil Jordan's 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice's novel was a critical and commercial hit, ending with a tantalizing hint that Tom Cruise's Lestat might return. Yet that sequel never materialized, and now Jordan has revealed why—and what might have been.
In an exclusive chat with Collider, Jordan discussed the new 4K restoration of the film and dropped a bombshell: he actually wrote a screenplay for a sequel based on Rice's second Vampire Chronicles book, The Vampire Lestat. The story would have shifted focus from Louis (Brad Pitt) to Cruise's charismatic vampire, diving into Lestat's origins in 18th-century France. But there was one major obstacle: Cruise wasn't interested.
“I wrote a sequel. They asked me to do a version of The Vampire Lestat, the second book that Anne had written, where Lestat is central. It’s Lestat’s story. Interview was Louis’ story, and I wrote that sequel,” Jordan told Collider. “It’s mainly set in 18th-century France. I mean, Anne had this rather ridiculous idea of him being like David Lee Roth or something, playing the guitar and all that shit. That was fine. But the 18th-century story of how he became a vampire was absolutely fascinating, I found, and I did write it. But Tom, at the time, he’d never done sequels to anything, so he didn’t want to reprise the character.”
Jordan's comments shed new light on the actor's mindset in the mid-1990s. Cruise was on the cusp of launching the Mission: Impossible franchise, which would become his signature series, and he had yet to embrace the idea of returning to a role. The sequel script, which Jordan describes as a compelling period piece, remains locked away—perhaps in a Warner Bros. vault or trapped on an outdated computer file.
“If he wants to do it, it’s still there. I don’t imagine he would do it. I don’t imagine Brad would want to revisit the part either. At the gap of 30 years, I’m not sure I would,” Jordan admitted. “I don’t even know where that script is. I can’t even access it on my computer because it’s in a version of Final Draft that no longer exists. So maybe somebody can read it at Warner Brothers, but I haven’t read it for a long time. I had fun writing it, though. I did.”
While Cruise has since become a sequel veteran—returning for multiple Mission: Impossible installments, Top Gun: Maverick, and even Jack Reacher—the idea of him slipping back into Lestat's velvet coat seems as distant as ever. Jordan's comments also echo his earlier reflections on the original film, including his fascination with Cruise's intensity and his defense of Brad Pitt's on-set struggles.
For fans of the gothic horror classic, the unmade sequel remains a tantalizing what-if. The original film's ending—with Lestat resurrected and ready for more—set up a perfect continuation, but it was not to be. Jordan's script, if ever unearthed, could offer a glimpse into an alternate timeline where Cruise's Lestat took center stage. Until then, viewers can revisit the original in its stunning 4K restoration, which brings Rice's world to life like never before.
As for the future of the Vampire Chronicles on screen, AMC's Interview with the Vampire TV series has already reimagined the story for a new generation, proving that Rice's characters have plenty of life left in them. But for those who grew up with Cruise's iconic performance, the thought of a sequel—however unlikely—remains a deliciously haunting possibility.
