Lili Reinhart is hitting a major creative roadblock in Hollywood. The actor recently revealed that she is actively working to adapt a novella centered on lesbian vampires for the screen, but she is finding it surprisingly difficult to get a studio to sign off on the project. During a candid interview with Hits Radio, Reinhart expressed her frustration with the industry’s hesitation, pointedly telling executives, “People are too afraid to make that. If you work at a studio and are watching this video, I don’t know why you wouldn’t make that in this day and age.”
While Reinhart opted to keep the specific title of the novella under wraps, the mystery has sent fans into a frenzy of speculation. Many are guessing that the project might be a modern take on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 gothic classic, Carmilla. The novella is a landmark piece of literature that follows a young Austrian woman caught in the orbit of a titular vampire, and it is widely celebrated as one of the earliest examples of vampire fiction to feature a lesbian relationship.
Reinhart is currently busy promoting the Prime Video adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s bestselling novel, The Love Hypothesis. In the film, she stars as PhD student Olive, who finds herself in a complicated fake relationship with Dr. Carlsen, played by Tom Bateman. Beyond her on-screen role, Reinhart is also serving as an executive producer on the project, which is directed by Claire Scanlon. Her producer credits continue to grow, following her work on films like Chemical Hearts, Look Both Ways, and the upcoming American Sweatshop.
Despite the busy promotional schedule for her current film, Reinhart remains committed to her passion project. She has made it clear that she is not giving up on bringing the lesbian vampire story to life and is continuing to appeal to studios to recognize the potential of the narrative. For now, the industry is left waiting to see if a brave studio will finally step up to back the actor’s ambitious vision.