Lili Reinhart is campaigning for a screen adaptation of a queer vampire novella, but says nervous studios keep blocking the idea. The actor, producer and openly bisexual star believes lesbian vampires are an obvious fit for today’s audience, especially as viewers continue to embrace bold gothic stories and richer LGBTQ+ representation.

Essential Takeaways

  • Reinhart is pushing for an adaptation: She wants to bring an unnamed novella about lesbian vampires to the screen.
  • The title remains a mystery: Fans have speculated about Carmilla, the influential 19th-century Gothic story.
  • Queer representation is central: Reinhart has spoken openly about her bisexuality and her interest in LGBTQ+ roles.
  • Hollywood remains cautious: Recent industry discussion points to a wider retreat in LGBTQ+ film representation.
  • Her producing ambitions are growing: The Riverdale star has increasingly taken control of the projects she develops.

Reinhart's dream project has fangs and a queer heart

The most intriguing detail is also the simplest: Lili Reinhart wants to make a lesbian vampire film, and she can't understand why a studio wouldn't seize the opportunity.

Speaking to Hits Daily, Reinhart described the project as an adaptation of a novella centred on lesbian vampires. She didn't reveal the title, but her pitch has the sort of instant visual appeal Hollywood usually loves: candlelit rooms, dangerous romance and a heroine who may literally have a taste for forbidden desire. The A.V. Club reported that she believes studios are being unnecessarily timid. [2]

That hesitation feels especially curious in a market that has repeatedly returned to vampires. From Nosferatu to Interview With the Vampire, supernatural romance has proved remarkably durable. A queer vampire story isn't a strange detour from the genre; it could be one of its most natural next steps. [2]

Is Carmilla the mysterious novella?

The leading fan theory points to Carmilla, Sheridan Le Fanu's 1872 Gothic novella. Its central relationship between the young Laura and the alluring Carmilla helped establish the literary tradition of the lesbian vampire, long before the phrase became part of popular culture. Out noted the connection while discussing speculation around Reinhart's comments. [3]

Still, there’s no confirmation that Carmilla is the book Reinhart wants to adapt. The mystery has already invited the kind of online detective work that accompanies any tantalisingly vague celebrity announcement. A BookTok sleuth may yet identify the source before a studio executive does. [3]

A fresh adaptation could also move beyond the old template. Rather than treating queer desire as a sinister allegory, a modern version could give its characters humour, agency and a genuine love story, while keeping the velvet-dark atmosphere that makes vampire fiction so appealing.

Why studios still seem nervous about queer stories

Reinhart's frustration sits within a broader industry problem. Studios have often embraced LGBTQ+ themes when they can be softened, sidelined or tucked into a supporting subplot, but projects built unapologetically around queer characters still face resistance. The result is a strange disconnect between what audiences discuss enthusiastically and what major companies are willing to finance. [2]

The concern isn't limited to vampire films, either. Lilly Wachowski has reportedly spoken about studios responding positively to her action script while balking at its large trans cast. At the same time, GLAAD's 2026 film study identified a sharp fall in LGBTQ+ character representation among the biggest studio distributors during 2025. [2]

That makes Reinhart's proposal feel bigger than one adaptation. It's a test of whether Hollywood sees queer audiences as a core market rather than a niche gamble. A film with lesbian vampires may sound flamboyant, but the underlying question is very ordinary: who gets to be at the centre of a blockbuster story?

Reinhart is making queerness part of her creative choices

Reinhart has been open about being bisexual, and she has linked that identity directly to the roles and stories that attract her. In comments reported by Teen Vogue, she explained that she feels more immediately interested in projects when her character is somewhat queer. [4]

That doesn't mean every role has to become autobiographical. It does suggest that representation can be more meaningful when performers have a hand in shaping the material, rather than simply being asked to deliver a studio-approved version of identity. Reinhart's approach is increasingly hands-on, particularly as she develops projects as both actor and producer. [5]

Her career after Riverdale reflects that shift. She has moved from breakout television star towards a more active creative role, including work connected to the film adaptation of The Love Hypothesis. The pattern is clear: Reinhart isn't waiting for the perfect queer part to arrive in her inbox. She wants to help build it. [2]

What a modern lesbian vampire film could offer

The best version of this project wouldn't rely on sexuality as a shock tactic. It could use the vampire metaphor for secrecy, appetite, inheritance and the complicated freedom of becoming someone society doesn't quite know how to classify.

There's also room for a more generous kind of gothic romance. Audiences have already shown an appetite for morally tangled supernatural characters, while Reinhart's public comments suggest she sees queer storytelling as an advantage, not a limitation. Earlier reports on her coming-out have also placed her identity within a wider commitment to LGBTQ+ visibility. [6] [7]

Whether the novella is Carmilla or something less familiar, the opportunity is obvious. Give the story a confident script, a properly atmospheric production and characters who aren't reduced to symbols, and those fangs might finally have their moment.

It's a mystery for now, but Hollywood should probably stop pretending the audience isn't ready.

Source Reference Map

Story idea inspired by: [1]

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