Summary

• The Vampire Diaries rose to fame in the vampire craze of the late 2000s, finding new life now on HBO with a flood of new viewers.
• Lead Nina Dobrev comments on the show's resurgence, hinting at the potential for a reboot or spin-off to further explore its lore.
• Shows like Suits and The Office have successfully returned due to streaming popularity, indicating a possible future for The Vampire Diaries.

The Vampire Diaries star, Nina Dobrev, explains the series' popularity both when it originally aired and now on streaming. The series originally debuted in 2009, at the height of the vampire craze, with Twilight having come out only a year before. The Vampire Diaries ran for eight seasons on The CW and has found a second wind on HBO, with fans revisiting or even discovering the series now.

The renewed interest in The Vampire Diaries has also led to the limelight being back on the various cast members, including Canadian actress Nina Dobrev. Dobrev played multiple roles in The Vampire Diaries, most notably Elena Gilber and Katherine Pierce (which was possible thanks to the concept of doppelgängers in the Vampire Diaries universe). Dobrev has been asked about the sudden burst of popularity the show is experiencing on streaming, and her answers give a surprising level of insight into the future of the franchise.

What Nina Dobrev Has Said About The Popularity Of The Vampire Diaries

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant for The Bricklayer, Dobrev discussed the renewed popularity of The Vampire Diaries. She explained why she believes the series was originally so popular and how it has found a second life on streaming. Dobrev also commented on whether she could return for a potential reunion or prequel. Check out Dobrev's full quote below:

Nina Dobrev: I don't know specifically after its conclusion, but at the time, there was a huge vampire craze. Everyone just wanted vampire content of every kind. Where Twilight came out every once in a while, ours was more of a constant, and you can also explore a lot more story and character and fall deeper and get to know the characters a lot more when you're doing a TV show as opposed to a movie.

When a show comes out now, I get addicted to shows. Once I start it, I can't stop until I know what happens next. And so, when you have eight seasons of that, people get really attached. And so that's probably where the longevity comes from, if I had to guess.

But it's been really interesting ever since the pandemic and beyond, people were at home stuck and bored, and so a lot of people rewatched the show or a lot of people who maybe missed it the first go around started watching it for the first time in the pandemic. Even generations of kids that were too young maybe a decade ago to watch it, now started watching it. It sort of renewed its life in a weird way, and I've found that a lot of it feels like it's back on the air, even though it's not. And it has a new home. It's on HBO now.

If a reunion revival were to happen, would you want to return to play Elena or a doppelganger if there were a prequel?

Nina Dobrev: Oh, my goodness. You're asking me writer questions. I'm not in control of that kind of stuff. You should ask Julie Plec, I think. I don't get to control the story.

Could A Reboot Of The Vampire Diaries Work In Today's TV Environment?

The Show Returning Could Be A Surprise Hit

The Vampire Diaries created a rich lore and history spanning multiple eras. As the series progressed, this lore expanded, introducing werewolves, witches, and other supernatural creatures. The series not only ran for eight seasons; it inspired two spin-offs. The Originals followed the first family of vampires ever created, and Legacies was centered around the next generation of supernatural creatures in Mystic Falls, with the main characters of the series being children of characters introduced in The Vampire Diaries.

With the renewed popularity of the series, this could be the perfect time to either expand the world with a different spin-off series or potentially a prequel series bringing back Vampire Diaries characters that fans loved from the original show. Another possibility could be a reboot. that leans into the darker aspects of the supernatural world.

If there were a reboot, it would likely find a home on a streaming platform such as Max, which could lead to shorter seasons and a more mature approach to the storylines.

This could be an opportunity to explore storylines and character arcs that the creators couldn't fully explore due to the series being on The CW. The Vampire Diaries could be the perfect series to expand with a spin-off, prequel series, or even a reboot with deep lore ripe to be explored in a new way.

The Vampire Diaries Wouldn't Be The First Show To Return Thanks To Streaming Popularity

Many Properties Gained A New Lease Of Life Thanks To Streaming Platforms

If The Vampire Diaries were to return for a reboot or with a new spinoff thanks to its increased popularity in the era of streaming services, it definitely wouldn't be the first show to do so. The rules for what makes a successful show on streaming are incredibly different to broadcast television, meaning that several properties have suddenly become financially viable after leaving the air as far as the studios behind them are concerned. The Vampire Diaries could very well be one such show, following in the footsteps of many others.

Comments from stars such as Nina Dobrev indicate that the cast, crew, and studio behind the hit series are fully aware of the potential.

One of the most well-known examples of this phenomenon is Suits. After leaving the air in 2019, Suits experienced an explosion in popularity when it arrived on Netflix, becoming the most viewed show on the platform for a significant length of time. Unsurprisingly, this then led to the upcoming spin-off Suits L.A. moving forward, so that Universal Studios could capitalize on the sudden renewed interest in the franchise.

Another noteworthy example is The Office. The mockumentary sitcom was always popular when on the air, but on streaming platforms it has shown that it has a devoted and unwavering fanbase, continuing to pull in solid numbers month after month. This in turn has led to a confirmed The Office reboot, bringing the same formula back to screens but with a modernizing overhaul that can factor in many new workplace foibles unique to the 2020s, such as Zoom meetings.

So, while The Vampire Diaries may have concluded several years ago, the fact that the show continues to be a hit on streaming services means the franchise could return to see the light of day once again. Only time will tell, but comments from stars such as Nina Dobrev indicate that the cast, crew, and studio behind the hit series are fully aware of the potential.