Anne Rice's 'Vampire Chronicles' Film Rights Purchased By Universal

(CBS NEWS) - Lestat just keeps coming back to life.

Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and producer Brian Grazer have acquired the film rights to Anne Rice's "Vampire Chronicles" book series, according to Deadline.

The lucrative deal gives the filmmakers the ability to potentially adapt any of the 10 entries in Rice's best-selling series of novels, which center on the centuries-old bloodsucker Lestat de Lioncourt.

A screenplay written by Rice's son, Christopher, based on the fourth book in the series, 1992's "The Tale of the Bloody Thief," was also acquired by the filmmakers in the deal.

Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci ("Star Trek Into Darkness," "The Amazing Spider-Man 2") will serve as executive producers on the new films.

The first book in Rice's series, 1976's "Interview with the Vampire," was already made into a successful 1994 film starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. The third novel, 1988's "Queen of the Damned," was later adapted in 2002 with the late singer Aaliyah acting in the title role.

A San Francisco State University alumni, Rice is currently working on the upcoming 11th novel in the series, "Prince Lestat."

Read more at CBSNews.com

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