Lili Reinhart is urging studios to back a lesbian vampire film, while she promotes The Love Hypothesis and continues choosing roles with queer appeal. The mystery novella behind her idea hasn’t been named, but her pitch has already sparked plenty of curiosity among fans of gothic romance, LGBTQ+ stories and stylish genre cinema.

Essential Takeaways

  • A mysterious adaptation: Reinhart says she’s trying to bring a novella about lesbian vampires to the screen, but hasn’t revealed its title.
  • A personal connection: The actor has spoken publicly about being bisexual and says she’s especially drawn to characters with queer identities.
  • A busy moment: She’s currently promoting The Love Hypothesis, adapted from Ali Hazelwood’s popular romance novel.
  • Plenty of possible source material: Fans have floated titles including Carmilla and newer sapphic vampire fiction, though none has been confirmed.
  • A proven interest in queer roles: Reinhart has previously played LGBTQ+ characters in film and television.

Lili Reinhart’s next role could be deliciously gothic

The strongest detail is also the most tantalising: Lili Reinhart says she’s pursuing an adaptation about lesbian vampires, but she hasn’t said which novella she has in mind.

That leaves the internet with a very enjoyable mystery. Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla is the obvious gothic reference point, while modern reimaginings and sapphic vampire stories offer other possibilities. Still, there’s no confirmed book, studio or release date attached to Reinhart’s idea, according to Gayety.

What is clear is the mood she seems to be chasing. Think candlelit corridors, dangerous attraction and a heroine whose romantic life is considerably more complicated than simply surviving until sunrise. Frankly, the premise has already done much of the marketing work itself.

Why queer characters matter to Reinhart

Reinhart has been open about her bisexuality, and that openness seems to inform the roles she looks for. Speaking about her ambitions, she said she’s more interested in a film when her character is “a little gay”, connecting that preference directly to her own identity.

That approach gives her new vampire project a personal edge without making it purely autobiographical. It also reflects a wider shift in screen storytelling, where queer characters are increasingly allowed to be romantic, messy, funny, frightening or supernatural, rather than existing only to explain someone else’s journey.

Her previous work has included queer storylines in Riverdale, as well as LGBTQ+ characters in Hal & Harper and Forbidden Fruits. Industry databases and entertainment coverage continue to track the actor’s expanding filmography, but this potential project could be her most overtly genre-led queer role yet.

From The Love Hypothesis to lesbian vampires

For now, Reinhart’s confirmed focus is The Love Hypothesis, the screen version of Ali Hazelwood’s academic romance. She plays a PhD student whose impulsive kiss with a professor develops into a fake relationship, bringing the familiar push and pull of romantic comedy to a campus setting.

The film has also placed Reinhart firmly back in the celebrity spotlight. Coverage from Marie Claire and CinemaBlend has focused on the adaptation, its fan interest and the actor’s polished promotional looks, including a striking beaded dress and a pink custom gown.

That contrast is part of the fun. One minute, she’s fronting a glossy contemporary rom-com; the next, she’s campaigning for a sapphic vampire story. It’s a sharp reminder that modern stars can move between commercial romance and more distinctive, riskier projects without choosing just one lane.

Which novella could Reinhart be talking about?

Carmilla is the name most likely to spring to mind. Its story of a young woman drawn towards a mysterious female vampire has long been read through a queer lens, making it a natural candidate for a new adaptation.

There are also newer possibilities, including romantic retellings and contemporary vampire novels with explicitly sapphic themes. However, Reinhart specifically described the source as a novella, and no publication has confirmed that she means any of the titles fans have mentioned.

For viewers hoping for clues, the best approach is patience. Until Reinhart names the book or announces a producing partner, suggestions remain speculation rather than casting news. Still, the guessing game is part of the appeal, especially for audiences who’ve been waiting for a vampire romance with real emotional bite.

What a Reinhart-led vampire romance could offer

A successful adaptation would need more than beautiful costumes and atmospheric moonlight. The strongest version would treat the central relationship as a genuine romance first, with the supernatural danger adding pressure rather than replacing character development.

Reinhart’s interest could also help the project bridge two audiences: fans of accessible studio romance and viewers looking for queer genre stories. That combination is increasingly attractive in a market where distinctive concepts travel quickly through fan communities and social media.

Nothing has been announced yet, so there’s no release timetable to follow. But if a studio does take up the pitch, it would be hard to imagine a warmer welcome from audiences hungry for a stylish, unapologetically sapphic vampire film.

A little mystery, a little danger and a very good coat could be enough to get the night started.

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