Lili Reinhart Says Studios Are Reluctant to Adapt Sapphic Vampire Novella
Lili Reinhart said she has been trying to develop an adaptation of a novella about lesbian vampires but cannot find a studio willing to take it on. In a Hits Radio interview, she described Hollywood as too afraid to make the project. The novella's title was not revealed, prompting speculation that it may be Carmilla.
Reinhart discussed the project during a Hits Radio conversation, saying she has sought a studio willing to back a novella centered on lesbian vampires. She did not name the title, which has led to guesses that it might be Carmilla. That 1872 Gothic work follows a young woman stalked by a vampire and has inspired earlier films and a YouTube series.
Reinhart has taken queer roles before. Riverdale’s sixth season introduced Betty Cooper’s bisexuality, and Reinhart has said she is bisexual. In Hal & Harper, she played Harper, who shares a codependent bond with her girlfriend. She now appears in Prime Video’s The Love Hypothesis with Tom Bateman.
Reinhart’s comments could draw attention to how queer supernatural stories are financed. If studios remain hesitant, fans of sapphic vampire fiction may see fewer major adaptations, while filmmakers pitching similar projects could encounter added obstacles. The conversation may also highlight audience appetite for such material and encourage debate about which genres and romances receive wide theatrical or streaming backing. Its actual impact likely depends on whether another studio eventually takes on the project.