Could a proper Season 9 of The Vampire Diaries ever release new episodes to the world?
The original series ended on March 10, 2017, on the CW after a long eight-season run—consisting of 171 episodes in total. That's quite the meaty run.
It would be impossible to go over everything the show's series finale wrapped up in a short time. But, some of the most notable moments include Stefan sacrificing himself to kill Katherine and save his brother, Damon, Elena living a happy human life, and Bonnie going on a globe-trotting adventure, just to name a few points of interest.
Will Season 9 of Vampire Diaries Ever Happen?
For fans hoping to see a Season 9 release one day for The Vampire Diaries, it is probably best not to hold one's breath.
Back in July of 2016, as reported by KSiteTV, Vampire Diaries co-creator and executive producer Julie Plec confirmed the CW "allowed [them] to choose the time to end the journey on [their] own creative terms:"
“It’s so rare for a show to get to last this long, and what a privilege that Mark Pedowitz and Peter Roth have allowed us to choose the time to end the journey on our own creative terms... It’s been eight of the best years of my life. I will miss it terribly, but I’m so proud to be here to see it to its proper end.”
While talking with The Hollywood Reporter in March 2017, Plec admitted that "logistical stuff" played a big part in why the team decided to end the show when they did:
“There were a lot of things that went into [the decision to end the series]... Some logistics, some contractual, where you were just like, ‘OK if this person doesn’t come back, is the show still going to be good? What if they do come back, but we don’t know until the end?’ A lot of that silly stuff you’re not supposed to talk about. Logistical stuff..."
The producer candidly shared that they wanted to plot out Season 8, and "if it [felt] like it should be over, then it should be over:"
"What it came down to for us was, let’s start talking about the season and see what it feels like, see what stories we want to tell, see where those stories take us... And then if it feels like it should be over, then it should be over.”
But revivals and reboots are all the rage these days; perhaps the trend could catch up to The Vampire Diaries.
In June 2021, TMZ caught up with Kat Graham, who played Bonnie in the series, asking the star what her thoughts were on a reboot. Needless to say, there was not much excitement:
“I don’t think Nina and I are interested in that... But I think our friendship will be forever. I think that’s the dream.”
Graham went on to express how strong her friendship with co-star Nina Dobrev, who played Elena Gilbert, still thrives today and that when it comes to The Vampire Diaries, "some things end:"
“I think if they know that the stuff that they saw on screen and the friendship and the love that I have for her is real, then I think that’s all people need to know. Some things end, right? Seasons end, but friendships will be forever. She’s a really great person, and she’s really strong. And she always really had my back on that show. And I needed a lot of support sometimes, so she really was there for me in every aspect of that. She’s also incredibly strong and really had the back of me and the other women on that show.”
Dobrev herself told Andy Cohen in 2019 that she feels "the show had a satisfying, awesome [ending]:"
“I think the show had a satisfying, awesome [ending] — for me, it was great because I got to go back and be a part of the finale, say goodbye, and pay homage to the characters,” she said. “So, I was really happy with it, for sure.”
Paul Wesley, who brought Stefan Salvatore to life, previously admitted on the Watch With Us Podcast that he "think[s] [they] had told all the story that needed to be told"—a sentiment Ian Somerhalder, the man behind Damon Salvatore, agreed with.
Season 9 of Vampire Diaries Is Unlikely
Needless to say, the odds don't look great for Season 9 of The Vampire Diaries.
This should not be a surprise to most. Not only did the original series go out on its own terms with Season 8, but it also spawned two spinoff shows.
The first is The Originals, which followed the original family of vampires, the first of their kind. The villains first appeared in Season 2 of The Vampire Diaries and left by the end of Season 4.
After that show, Legacies was created, which follows Hope Mikaelson, Lizzie Saltzman, and Josie Saltzman. It even included Matthew Davis' Alaric Saltzman, a main character from the original flagship show, in a key role throughout.
He's not the only face to appear from The Vampire Diaries—characters like Matt Donovan, Jeremy Gilbert, Kair Parker, Caroline Forbes, and more all briefly visit the spinoff.
Sadly, Legacies was canceled in 2022, ending the show after four seasons, and The Vampire Diaries world with it.
Interestingly enough, had the show run for a fifth season, the creatives wanted to introduce Elena and Damon's kid (via Screen Rant), which would have been a huge move for fans. Perhaps, one day, it's a plot thread Julie Plec can pick up for a future project.
All episodes of The Vampire Diaries are currently available to stream on Peacock and Max.
