True Blood Reboot Update: Is the New Series Still Happening?
A lot has happened since 2020. And fans of True Blood who are still clinging to the promised return of the show might just have to wait a little longer than they had anticipated – if the reboot is to ever actually appear on our screens.
True Blood was a huge success when it was released and it's hard to imagine why there seems so little appetite for a reboot within HBO – especially when you consider that Vampire Academy, Salem's Lot, House of Darkness and The Invitation are all taking advantage of the interest in vampire shows and screenplays.
And if HBO isn't committing to the show now, it's difficult to know what they're waiting for. After all, it has a dedicated fanbase who are clamoring for more, fits a current viewing trend, and was a TV show rather than a film anyway so should be pretty easy to reboot without too much risk of being unfavorably compared to the original.
True Blood never had a big budget, and it wasn't packed with stars. So, it's not even like budgetary constraints should be an issue for producers. And the episodic nature of the show allows for it to pick up where it left off, making it (in theory) a writer's dream.
Despite all of this, the latest official update from February 2022 was pretty negative. In an interview with TVLine, Chief Content Officer Casey Bloys said the reboot is not "anything close to [getting a green light]". And no news has emerged since to suggest it's any closer yet.
And the words of Anna Paquin, who played Sookie Stackhouse in the original series aren't much comfort to fans either. She said, "We do live in an era of entertainment where the reboot and the sequel have become a currency. So, is it the time? I don't know. That's not really my department. It was some of the best years of my life, but I don't think them continuing to tell those stories or continuing in that world really has anything to do with the thing we created."
So, a reboot of True Blood is looking unlikely – especially in the immediate term.
But it's not all bad news. HBO Boss Casey Bloys has said, "multiple versions" of the possible new show have been worked on but that "nothing has really come to the fore". This suggests that a reboot is not off the table. And (yes, I may be clutching at straws here) it also shows HBO are not prepared to simply throw something out there to take advantage of the hype.
Now, while the chances of the show's return being some way off may not seem like good news, the fact that those in charge of it are keen to not besmirch the original show with a substandard reboot is surely something to feel positive about.