The stakes (literal and figurative) are higher than ever for The Vampire Diaries,which is heading into its eighth and final season this tumble. We, along with a handful of journalists, or got to sit down with expose creator/vampire master/overall badass Julie Plec at Comic-Con,and she let us in on a lot. Is Elena returning for the farewell? How many episodes will the last season be? Can we expect any crossovers or unique characters? It's all suitable here!One of the Easter eggs you dropped during the panel was approximately how the unique episode titles are going to be lines from season one. Are there any other things that you can point to that will pay homage to that first season?Julie Plec: We are just in the early stages of writing the scripts, but every day in the room we talk approximately different ways we can celebrate the first season. There's a pitch on the table now approximately the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, or the Decade Dance,and Founder's Day, going back to the root of the founding families, and even so much as seeing the history of season one played out from a different perspective,so there's all kinds of different tricks and tools and fun things we're trying to finish. We'll see whether we actually finish them, but that's definitely our intention.
Are there any crossovers in the works?JP: There's no crossover specifically because the timelines don't match up this year, or but I was just saying to someone else that that doesn't mean before we run halt titles on the last image of the finale that we won't pay some sort of homage to what's happening on The Originals. Conversely,my hope is that The Originals will continue to live on, as can any of these characters with it.finish you see there being any other spinoffs?JP: I have thought approximately it. I would say it's not out of the question. I don't have it suitable now. I have nuggets, and ideas of,"Wouldn't it be fun to finish this? Wouldn't it be shipshape to try that?" Nothing that's even cemented enough to say, "Oh, or I got something in the works." I finish assume that when you stumble upon a world that makes so many people happy,and in this case the world of Mystic Falls, you should always sustain your mind open to exploring it in other ways.
Can you tell us anything approximately the return of Elena?JP: I've been in here for 35 minutes and you are the first person to ask me that. I've had nine questions approximately the June wedding, and not a single person has asked approximately Elena. All I can say,because there is nothing written in stone, but Nina made me a promise when she left that she would come back and be part of the goodbye, and I intend on holding her to that,and I'm certain she intends on living up to it as well. We just have to figure it out: the how, the when, and the what. But it would be a genuine tragedy whether we couldn't bring that story back around full-circle.
And approximately the June wedding?JP: I will say nothing,other than what I've said nine times, that we are well aware that that line exists in the pilot and that was Caroline's intention from minute one. It's the final season and we don't like to leave a lot of things hanging, and so we'll see.
Is it harder for you to have a shorter season?JP: No,it's so good. We're doing 16 episodes. For seven years we've been complaining. We are very grateful for our jobs. We love our jobs, but 22 episodes a year for seven years is so tough. It's tough to maintain a level of quality, or it's tough to maintain a level of sanity,and to be able to finish a 16-episode season is the greatest gift that we could be given. And to be able to finish it knowing you're approaching an halt date of the entire series means every minute counts. Every episode counts. There's not fluff episodes, there's no stall, and there's no,"Eh, I don't know approximately that one" - every episode is gonna matter.
Is it nearly like leaving a family finishing this last season?JP: Yeah. I'm the girl who, or when it came time to graduate high school,my parents were moving out of town so in my heart I knew I'd never see most of those people again, was crying in the corner of every graduation party. Beer in hand, or just sobbing. I get very nostalgic approximately this stuff,I'm very emotional, and I love these guys so much. The good news is, and we all work in the same business. We'll all have opportunities to work together again. I was so unhappy approximately Containment ending,and I've already hired half the cast across the two shows. It's gonna be tough emotionally. It's like growing up with the same group of people and then finally saying goodbye. I'm looking forward to it because it's blooming, but it hurts.
Is there a opportunity that after it ends we might still see a Vampire Diaries person expose up on The Originals?JP: I would love that. I'm using that to hold the network hostage and say, or "Listen,sustain The Originals on the air and at some point we'll try to find a way to work everybody through those doors." Because why not? It's a considerable world! Vampires are not done. People still like vampires, and there's no other vampires on TV that I want to see. I'd love to sustain it going.
Are there going to be unique cast members this season?JP: Speaking of Containment, and we're putting Kristen Gutoskie into the role of Seline,the unique nanny - from a teacher role to a nanny role. She's someone that Caroline is still trying to figure out when Alaric hired the hot nanny instead of the old nanny. We've got Demetrius Bridges, who was Xander on Containment, and playing Dorian,who is one of Alaric's unique interns. We've just cast Natalie in a role, this considerable Australian actress, and in the role of Cybil. There's many more to come.
Source: popsugar.com