The Anne Rice Universe expands with the third season of "Mayfair Witches," officially set to debut on December 30. The upcoming season promises a significant shift in setting, moving the narrative from New Orleans to the historically charged locale of Salem. Co-showrunners Esta Spalding and Tom Schnauz, joined by executive producer Mark Johnson, explained that while the new season draws inspiration from Anne Rice's novels, it will diverge from exact book storylines to explore new territory. Spalding noted the intriguing irony of Salem, a town built on the commercialization of witches, where the series will "presuppose — maybe not so fast. Maybe they actually are there, embedded."
Fans can expect to see Alexandra Daddario's character, Rowan, evolve into a more "badass" and commanding figure, interacting with new characters like Jessica, a witch unknowingly trapped in Salem. Harry Hamlin's Cortland, now possessed by Julian, will embrace a "batshit crazy" transformation, including an eyebrow-raising incestuous relationship that Hamlin humorously acknowledged, "Thank you Tom and Esther for writing this beautiful character that I get to play. The thing about Anne Rice is that people can come back to life, and then they can have it off with their mother."
Also making waves at the panel was "Kill Jackie," a new series starring and executive produced by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Based on Nick Harkaway's novel The Price You Pay, the show centers on Jackie Price, a former drug queenpin who, after being hunted by seven elite assassins, ingeniously turns the tables on her pursuers. A key creative decision involved gender-bending the lead character from the book's male protagonist, Jack Price, to Jackie. Zeta-Jones expressed her excitement for the role, stating, "At this point in my life, I want to surprise myself. I want to take myself out of my comfort zone... It was a 360. It was a role that I could let my hair out, let it all hang out, basically, and get down and dirty."
Her dual role as actor and executive producer allowed her to actively shape the female rendition of the character. Showrunner Tom Butterworth also highlighted the demanding action sequences, noting Zeta-Jones's dance background was invaluable for the physical demands of the role.
Completing the trio of announcements was "Yaga," a series that reinterprets the ancient folklore of Baba Yaga, with Carrie-Anne Moss starring and executive producing. Showrunner Kat Sandler and executive producer Mackenzie Donaldson teased a story following a private investigator's arrival in a small coastal town to solve a disappearance, leading to encounters with enigmatic suspects and ancient magic. Sandler emphasized the series' exploration of powerful female narratives, stating, "What we’ve really been trying to posit is a witch is just someone that society has decided they’re afraid of, and what could be scarier than an older, sexually powerful woman living alone in the woods and doing whatever the f*** she wants?"
Moss shared her personal connection to the project, noting her long-standing intrigue with the Baba Yaga story and her passion for supporting Sandler's creative vision. She praised the character as "juicy, amazing" and appreciated the unique creative challenge presented by the show's more constrained budget compared to larger franchises.