Kevin Williamson, the writer behind horror icons likeScreamandI Know What You Did Last Summer, is one of the masterminds behind the creation of the CW’s teen horror seriesThe Vampire Diaries. Although he was credited with co-creating the show, he was only involved with a handful of seasons. Not entirely convinced to make the show at first, Williamson eventually found something innovative and worth exploring in the story. And as he has recently stated, he also saw an opportunity to address something “very personal” that he was going through.
The series was based onL.J. Smith’s young adult book series of the same name, and it ran for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017. While it wasn’t critically acclaimed at first, the show gained popularity throughout the years, ultimately becoming a staple of the CW’s teen-oriented shows. It was also the basis for the showThe Originals, which worked as an expansion/spin-off and was also very successful with fans.
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Williamson sat down with IndieWire to discuss his latest television series,The Waterfront, a show that he claims is inspired by his father’s problems with the law. The Netflix drama marks Williamson’s return to television after a long hiatus that began when he finished producing the CBS seriesTell Me a Story. The Hollywood veteran also addressed his time onDawson’s CreekandThe Vampire Diaries, a show that he claims isalsovery personal:
“Vampire Diaries, was, once again, another very, very personal story. It was me dealing with someone who had died, and I was in grief over someone, and I sat down and wrote a story about a dead vampire and a girl who was dead inside, and they brought each other back to life.”
Kevin Williamson Talks About the Vampire Genre, Including ‘Sinners’
When talking about the vampire genre, Kevin Williamson says he really liked Ryan Coogler’s 2025 vampire film,Sinners: “I really, really loved it. I thought it was awesome, and I loved the little Faculty shout-out too.” The writer is referring to Coogler’s claims that Robert Rodriguez’sThe Faculty, written by Williamson in the 1990s, was one of the inspirations behind the critically acclaimed film.
Williamson also talked about the evolution of television over the years, and stands divided: “Part of me just loves it, and part of me is like, ‘Oh man, I wish we could go back.'” When talking about the vampire genre, he has a theory of whysexy bloodsuckers still resonatewith modern audiences:
“You never know what’s going to resonate… I think there’s always room for a great vampire story. Interview with the Vampire — that book came out in 1976, and now we’re seeing it as a TV show. I watched Season 1, and I loved it. So I guess they are en vogue now, but I don’t know. I love genre. You’re asking someone who just lives in the world of genre, so I’m always going to be up for a good vampire story.
“Vampires are just dark and sexy and mysterious, and they live on the fringe of society and come out of the dark. I just think this idea that there’s this person that could kiss you or bite you — I mean, there’s this inherent allure to vampires in their ability to seduce and do everything, and they’re very dangerous. I just think they’re sexy. I think they’re romantic. I think they’re scary. They’re all those things. So if you tap into a great story with them, it’s always fun.”
Source:IndieWire
The Vampire Diaries
