Lestat de Lioncourt is about to rock your world. Summer is only a few months away, and with the season will come the much-anticipated return of Anne Rice‘s Immortal Universe on AMC and AMC+ in the form of Interview with the Vampire Season 3. San Diego Comic-Con previously confirmed it’s getting a big shake-up, too, with a brand-new name, The Vampire Lestat, that reflects a shift to adapting book two in the series and a brand-new occupation for the titular immortal — rock star. As such, the network is starting to give viewers a taste of what’s to come with the change of scenery after a Season 2 finale of reconciliation for the vampire.

The Vampire Lestat will find its lead, once again played by Sam Reid, on an electric multi-city tour, haunted by the “muses” from his rebellious past while he leans into his new life of rock and roll. With the rise in his band’s star power comes greater influence over humans and vampires, making him an ever-greater force to be reckoned with in the night. Other powers are forced to take note of his growing might in the face of the Great Conversion, an event that sees a boom in the number of vampires in the world. Despite being in his rock-star era, Lestat remains largely the same aristocrat viewers know, embracing hedonism in his new, glamorous tour lifestyle. It’s also a chance to show off his talents as an artist through song.

Ahead of the summer premiere, the first track from Lestat’s catalog, “Long Face,” has just been released overnight courtesy of AMC Networks and Lakeshore Records. It’s the first of several singles that will be rolled out in the coming months on the official Vampire Lestat profile page on the major digital music services to get viewers hyped for the tour. Show composer Daniel Hart penned the lyrics and composed the music, while Reid himself performed on the song. According to the former, the goal was to lean into glam rock while tying the music into Lestat’s ability to blend in with just about any era, an aspect of the character that reminded him of the late great David Bowie:

“Long Face is the first song I wrote for The Vampire Lestat. We decided early on to make David Bowie a big influence for Lestat’s musical style and persona, and there’s certainly some Ziggy Stardust in this song. But we chose Bowie not only for his glam era, but because he was a chameleon. Expect Lestat to change his musical colors throughout the season as well, as he discovers how to remain true to himself, and how to express that truth on stage every night.”

‘The Vampire Lestat’ Brings New and Returning Faces on Tour

As for Lestat, well, he didn’t have as kind of words for Hart, sounding every bit like a rock diva. With his immortal expertise, he also threw a stray jab at Hart’s acclaimed work on The Green Knight in a scathing, in-character statement, adding, “Long Face is the first song Daniel Hart ‘produced’ for my album. He decided early on to steal where he could from Bowie because he hasn’t had an original idea for five years now (is that his Green Knight score fading in the rearview?) As for “Long Face,” the bass should have walked down with the guitar at the end instead of pedaling on E. Predictable. Like everything Daniel Hart touches.”

Reid will lead a cast of new and returning faces, headlined by Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles, and

Jennifer Ehle. Newcomers, meanwhile, include Sheila Atim, Noah Reid, Ryan Kattner, Seamus Patterson, and Sarah Swire, with Atim entering in a massive role as the Queen of the Damned herself, Akasha. Series creator, writer, and showrunner Rolin Jones is also back at the helm.

“Long Face” is now available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more digital music services via the Vampire Lestat artist profile. More songs will be released in the coming months, leading up to The Vampire Lestat‘s premiere on AMC and AMC+ this summer. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the series’ return until then.

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

October 2, 2022

Network

AMC

Advertisement

Directors

Levan Akin, Alan Taylor, Craig Zisk, Emma Freeman, Keith Powell

Writers

Advertisement

Jonathan Ceniceroz, Coline Abert, Eleanor Burgess, Ben Philippe

Advertisement

• 

  Jacob Anderson

  Louis de Pointe du Lac

  Advertisement
• 

Advertisement

Advertisement

Roomies, y’all already know Lori Harvey keeps a good, foine man! But when it comes to women moving gracefully and finding their prince charming, Lori is definitely ultimate cheerleader. That’s exactly the energy she had when TikTok star Amani Wortham shared her engagement news. Amani first went viral two years ago when she spilled about breaking up with her boyfriend even though he was “great,” he just wasn’t her husband.

RELATED: Match Her Fly! Lori Harvey & Damson Idris Shut Down Paris Fashion Week With Cozy Twin Energy (PHOTO) 

From Breakup To Engagement: Lori Harvey Celebrates Amani Wortham’s BIG Moment

Lori Harvey is giving the gworls life after sliding into Amani Wortham’s comment section to congratulate her on her engagement. For context, Amani Wortham is an influencer and podcast host who is going viral again after sharing where she’s at now following her breakup two years ago. Back in 2024, Amani blew up on TikTok when she opened up about splitting with her ex because he wasn’t her husband. Fast forward to now — Amani is engaged and showing off a huge rock in a new video. She made it clear that keeping her standards high and holding out for the right man led her straight to her hubby. “High standards do nothing, but good.” She continued, “If your standards to not eliminate most they aren’t high enough!”

Amani didn’t throw shade at her ex. She just put the ladies out there hoping to walk down the aisle and find Mr. Right on. She hyped women up to realize that “good” isn’t always the best and that sometimes what you really need shows up after you thought you had already found the right person.

“Good wasn’t good enough […] Now I actually have the person that I should be with.” She added, “Never let nobody tell you that you’re doing too much, especially as a woman when it comes to your life partner.” 

Lori Harvey peeped Amani’s video and seemed to agree. She slid straight into her comment section, letting everyone know she’s living for her energy writing, “You ain’t wrong queen! Congratulations.” 

Lori Harvey’s Support For Amani Has Social Media Buzzing

The Shade Room’s comment section was basically on the same as Lori. Plenty of folks said they weren’t surprised to see her agree, while others preached that “good” doesn’t always mean right for you. Of course, some folks couldn’t help but throw a lil’ shade, saying Amani needs to keep the internet updated on her future with her hubby.

Instagram user @lovelyladynotes wrote, “And the girls who get it got it ☺️💍” 

Instagram user @fitwitbritt504 wrote, “Lori we knew you would agree sis 😂” 

While Instagram user @divinely_dimples wrote, “2 things can be true he can be a good man and still not be the right man for you.” 

Then Instagram user @getuptoparr wrote, “I love me a woman who knows how to LEAVE!!!!” 

Another Instagram user @jujuleger85 wrote, “A good man doesn’t always equal the right man for you… love this for her👏👏” 

Instagram user @killemallcoop wrote, “Keep us updated when y’all divorce too.” 

While another Instagram user @rudi.not.rudy wrote, “She’s not operating from a mindset of scarcity. Someone can be a great person just not YOUR person and that’s ok!” 

Finally, Instagram user @s.nashay wrote, “exactly that’s why ppl be miserable in them marriages cause they settled 🤣🤣” 

Amani Wortham Turns Breakup Lessions Into Viral Advice For Women

In 2024, Amani went viral on TikTok after sharing how she got through a breakup with an ex without crashing out. She said she’s been through rough heartbreak seasons, but her spirituality kept her sane. Her relationship with her ex didn’t end like a horror story, he was still sending her flowers even after they split. She made it clear that nothing messy caused them to part ways, it was really a few small things that led to the decision. That’s when she realized she needed to make room for her future husband. From there, Amani reminded women that holding your standards in relationships can be a positive experience. She also wanted her video to show that sometimes you can simply part ways because you are growing and desiring different things.

@amaniworthamA positive break up story ❤️♬ original sound – AmaniWortham

RELATED: Bawdy Tea! Lori Harvey Is Giving Curves In New Vacay Flick That’s Breaking The Internet (PHOTO)

JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers became parents in December 2025 following the arrival of daughter Romy.

“What a whirlwind these last couple of days have been but in the most magical way,” the former Bachelorette wrote via Instagram at the time. “Went in for our weekly sonogram this past Tuesday and found out we needed to deliver via emergency c section that day. At 5:37pm on Dec 23 – we met our girl. Romy Blair Rodgers you are our whole world. Cant wait to share more but in the meantime soaking up these moments as a new family of 3 ❤️ + 2 😉 🐶🐶.”

Fletcher gave an update on how she, Rodgers and Romy were faring following the emergency surgery.

“Mom & Dad and baby girl [are] all doing good! In the new born trenches so haven’t had much time at all haha but wanted to say thank you so much for all the love and wishes,” she wrote via her Instagram Story. “I’m recovering well, Jordy is literally DAD goals, it’s crazy how fast he took to it and has been a total rockstar caring for me and Romy.”

Since bringing Romy home, Fletcher and Rodgers, who wed in 2022, have given little glimpses of their life with their baby girl.

Keep scrolling to see some of Fletcher and Rodgers’ sweetest moments with Romy:

NBA YoungBoy fans have yet to let go of his past relationship with Jania Meshell. The former couple split back in 2018 and later welcomed their son, Kacey in 2019, who will soon be seven years old. Since then, Jania has moved on and is allegedly in a relationship with Dejounte Murray, while YoungBoy is married to Jazlyn Mychelle. However, after Jania showed support for her child’s father at one of his concerts last year, speculation quickly began to swirl. Instead of leaving the past in the past, some social media users became convinced the two were secretly messing around. Well, Jania has now taken to the internet to put the rumors to rest once and for all.

RELATED: The ‘Net Floods Jania Meshell’s Comments After NBA YoungBoy Asks Kacey To “Put In A Good Word” For Him In New Song (LISTEN)

Rumors About NBA YoungBoy And Jania Circulate Online

Earlier this week, rumors began circulating on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that Jania Meshell and NBA YoungBoy were allegedly dealing with each other on New Year’s. One account wrote, “So NBA YoungBoy and Jania Meshell was sneaking and geeking in Utah on New Year’s. Y’all, this is really happening before our eyes… cause omg. Why was YoungBoy on the phone with his wife Jazlyn while Jania was picking YB up from his godmother’s house? JANIA OUTSIDE!!!!”

As the speculation continued to spread, folks on TikTok added fuel to the fire. Some users claimed that Jania had allegedly saved an edit of her and NBA YoungBoy to her account, further sparking conversation online.

Jania Clears The Air Once And For All

It looks like the rumors eventually made their way to Jania’s timeline, because early Thursday morning she hopped online to set the record straight. In her first post, she made it clear that everyone has moved on. 

“I’m just going to leave this here since people are confused….. Everybody has moved on don’t tag me in s*** don’t try to put 2&2 together y’all are getting piss I’m sick and tired of this it. If y’all rock with me y’all rock with me if you don’t you don’t idgaf anymore”

The influencer followed up by stressing that she has no interest in interfering with anyone’s marriage.

She added: “And furthermore the people that let the internet shape your opinion about ME… you too idgaf I’m in my own lane I’m not trying to mess with NOBODY HUSBAND OML” 

When one commenter asked, “But if he was single??” Jania quickly responded: “WE JUST HAVE A CHILD TOGETHER.”

Jania later became more vulnerable, opening up about how the ongoing speculation has impacted her personal life. She wrote, “Been trying to protect people I love and then get on the internet and everyday it’s something. If I was Dejounte I wouldn’t fwm cause all I bring is drama and honestly I’m just tired of this sh***. I want to be free.” In additional posts, Jania expressed feeling overwhelmed and embarrassed. She ended by apologizing to anyone she feels she may have negatively impacted, saying she hopes they can enjoy life without experiencing that again.

Social Media Reacts 

Folks on the net gathered under The Shade Room Teens comment section to react to Jania’s messages. Some agreed with her, arguing that NBA YoungBoy fans need to leave her alone. Others expressed that they feel like Dejounte might be the reason she’s speaking out. Meanwhile, a few are still standing ten toes down behind the rumors, insisting the two are still messing around.

Instagram user @barbrii._ added, “She went to one concert now yall won’t stop running with sht”

While Instagram user @youlovedreaa_ wrote, “Dejounte must’ve said something”

Instagram user replies @_____ntd wrote, “I mean It has to be exhausting to continue to be attached to someone even after publicly being in a relationship that would piss me off too!”

Instagram user @desifuckinbaby added, “If she wanted that man she would be with him let it go”

While Instagram user @anti_social626 wrote, “She’s lying and he will expose that in the next album”

Instagram user @naesoalias added, “Yall obsession w Nba Youngboy needs to be studied fr i would hate to have any affiliation w him the fans are CRAZY””

While Instagram user @_myiaaaaaa wrote, “If something was going on ion think he would be asking Kacey to put in a good word for him but idk”

RELATED: Leave Him Out Of It! Dejounte Murray Liked An Interesting Comment After NBA YoungBoy Responded To His Father’s Recent Advice

There isn’t a lot known, plot-wise, about S.S. Rajamouli‘s upcoming epic Varanasi. What we do know is that it’s going to be epic in scale with the filmmaker’s signature slow-motion beats, specific scenes filmed for IMAX, and Rajamouli’s dedication to building on the success of his globally revered period adventure, 2022’s RRR.

Starring Mahesh Babu (Pokiri), Priyanka Chopra-Jonas (Citadel), and Prithviraj Sukumaran (The Goat Life), Varanasi follows a Shiva devotee (Babu), who embarks on a mysterious mission to retrieve an ancient cosmic artifact. To do so, he must travel through history, using clues to aid him on his journey. But along the way, our hero discovers that the one who sent him on this quest is an evil mastermind looking to control the world. According to Rajamouli, “It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.”

At the end of last year, Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the pleasure of sitting down with the cast (which you can check out here) and the director in India, after the first-ever look at Varanasi. During their conversation, Rajamouli shares his vision for the final picture, what it’s like working with Telugu Cinema, how he selects his impactful slow-motion shots, and choosing which sequences will be filmed for IMAX. The filmmaker also discusses what to expect as far as Varanasi‘s runtime, shares the comments from James Cameron on RRR, and how he’s leveling up after that film’s success.

S.S. Rajamouli Shares James Cameron’s Response to ‘RRR’

“I was pinching myself to believe it.”

Image via Netflix

COLLIDER: I have a lot of questions about the movie, but I like throwing in a few fun questions at the beginning of all my interviews. What is your favorite Indian food, and what is in it?

S.S. RAJAMOULI: It’s called pothichoru. It’s basically a liquid form of lentils and rice. That’s home-cooked food, and I love it.

Is there something that you cook yourself?

RAJAMOULI: I never cook. I hate cooking. I only like eating.

We’re very similar. I’m wearing an Arnold Schwarzenegger T-shirt. I know you’re a movie fan. Do you have a favorite Arnold movie?

RAJAMOULI: Who doesn’t? [Laughs] T2, Terminator 2, and I like True Lies a lot. A completely different kind of film from him. I love True Lies.

What’s funny is that both are James Cameron.

RAJAMOULI: Yeah.

I’m assuming James Cameron must have seen RRR.

RAJAMOULI: Yes.

I’m assuming you spoke to him?

RAJAMOULI: Yes.

I know that you got to meet a lot of Hollywood filmmakers when you were promoting. As such a fan of James Cameron and Spielberg, and all these people, what has it been like to be embraced by Hollywood and have these filmmakers that you look up to talk so highly of you?

RAJAMOULI: It was unreal for me. First of all, meeting him is unreal. Then, him talking about my film is something else. And then him talking about the details of the film, the characters of the film, the movements of the film, and how he and his wife watched the film, and he recommended my movie to his wife, and both of them are watching the film again, he watched it a second time? All that was like, “Is this true?” I was pinching myself to believe it. It was one of the happiest moments in my career.

Pinpointing ‘Varanasi’s “Peak” Emotional Beats

“This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”

Image via Telugu Cinema

After RRR, you’ve been able to do what you want to do for the last few movies, but did you feel any additional pressure or indecision about what you wanted to do after RRR, knowing that so many people around the world are very interested in what you’re going to do?

RAJAMOULI: No. The success of RRR definitely has no pressure on me. My pressure is that, at the beginning of the film, we always have two or three ideas, which are interesting. So, if I start focusing on one idea, I feel that I’m missing out on those two. If I go for the other idea, I will feel that I’m missing out on this. That’s the pressure I go through at the beginning of the film. The success of the previous film, whether it’s Baahubali or any other film, has never affected me.

How did you decide on this film being, “Yes, this is what I want to make?”

RAJAMOULI: It is very difficult to pinpoint and say, “Yes, this is the time,” or “This is the moment in story development that I felt like this is the work.” It’s a kind of process that goes back and forth, back and forth. Also, it took a long time because at the same time, I was also in L.A. promoting RRR. So, I was doing that job there, coming back to India, dabbling a little bit with the story discussions, and again, going back. I don’t know exactly at which point I thought, “Yes, this is the film,” but I remember this definitely is one of the moments when we had the emotional sequence leading up to the moment where Rudhra, the character played by Mahesh [Babu], comes on the bull with the dust flying around. We thought, “This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”

I know this is very early; you’re in the middle of filming right now. The film’s not out for a long time, and I hate asking the generic question, but what do you want to tell people about the movie and what it’s about?

RAJAMOULI: It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.

One of the things that I love about your work is the way that you use slow motion in your action set pieces to help tell the story. How do you figure out which shots you want to do in slow motion, and are you figuring it out on set, or are you figuring it out in the editing room after, or is it a combination of both?

RAJAMOULI: Much, much before. Much before the shooting or editing on the writing table itself, I’ll be figuring out which shots are going to be slow motion. Those moments are the peak moments of emotion, so I can’t decide that on the set. It has to be much before.

S.S. Rajamouli Breaks Down His IMAX Strategy

“Why would I want to hide it?”

I love IMAX. It is my favorite format, and you are going to be releasing this in IMAX, and you’re filming it for IMAX. Can you talk about the decision as to why? Because James Cameron and films like Oppenheimer, all in IMAX, the full screen. Are you doing that, or are you doing select scenes in full-screen IMAX?

RAJAMOULI: Select screens. I would like to do the entire film in full IMAX, but our timelines and the way we work, we are not studio-backed. We are production company-based. So, that would be impossible for us to do the entire film in IMAX. That being said, I also love the moments where a normal scene opens into that gigantic world, you know? I really love that feel.

When we were having the conversations with the IMAX technicians and IMAX people in L.A., they were saying it can cut between the platforms and between the aspect ratios, and people will not notice it. You can hide those cuts. They were suggesting different ways to hide the cuts. I said, “Why would I want to hide it?” I want to blatantly tell the people, show the people that you are going to witness something extraordinary as they open the screen to the larger screen. It gives me elation. Why should I hide it? I would rather flaunt it rather than hide it. When we played this teaser for the audience at the event, you must have noticed when I opened Varanasi from the cinemascope to the full IMAX, there was a roar. So, I want to use it, capture it, and not hide it.

Oh yeah, when it does that, I’m like, “It’s on.” With the footage that you showed, can you talk about why you picked the scenes that you showed for the trailer over other scenes?

RAJAMOULI: It was in last October, I guess, when my artist started putting the pencil on the paper and started drawing the images. We know the story, and I told him that I wanted the audience to experience it. “I don’t want words, I want visuals. I want visuals, and people should get a sense of what this film is going to be, what scale, what scope this is going to be. So, there are no words. There are no words. I just want visuals.” And he started doing the job, and we picked some.

The picking of those visuals is mainly based on, “Am I feeling it or not?” I didn’t want words to describe it. “Am I feeling it or not? Yes, I am feeling it here. I am feeling it here. Yes, go through it, go through it, go through that scale.” We made the basic, simple black and white pencil-lined drawing of what this is going to be, and from last October until now, we started developing it, developing, and developing it. Studios worked on it day and night, day and night, until the last moment, where we are releasing. Some of the artists were working 24 hours, like, literally 24 hours, no sleep. They are working until they deliver this.

S.S. Rajamouli Aims for Another Epic Runtime

“It is always whatever is best for the story.”

I’m waiting for this thing to pop up behind us. What can you say about the antagonist of the film and this wheelchair with the Dr. Octopus-type arms?

RAJAMOULI: Definitely not sci-fi. It’s not sci-fi. It feels like it’s a sci-fi film. It’s not. It’s a more fantasy, mythological-based film. And the antagonist, Kumbha, I’m always known for presenting my antagonist better than my protagonist. I love working with antagonists. I just love his character, his intensity, and Prithviraj [Sukumaran], the way he brought that out with his performance, is really incredible. He just had his face, nothing else. No arms, no legs, no body movement. Nothing. His menace, he had to bring to his face, and he did it with great aplomb.

I’m curious about the runtime of the movie. I love long movies, especially when they’re deserving of a long runtime. RRR is a little over three hours, but you’ve made previous films that are 3.5 hours. Are you already thinking that this could be three hours, 3.5 hours?

RAJAMOULI: Usually, I aim my films based on the script that we have. Usually, my stories feel like they will be a two-hour and 40-minute to a three-hour kind of thing. That is how most of my recent movies have been like that. I think Varanasi will be, also, on those lines. I am at this point. I’m assuming it will be a little bit less than three hours.

In America, not a lot of people are as crazy about a three-hour movie. They like a two-hour movie. Personally, again, if the movie warrants it, it could be any length, but do you get the pressure to make it shorter, or do you get the creative freedom to do whatever’s best for the story?

RAJAMOULI: It is always whatever is best for the story. I seriously believe that if the content is not interesting, whether it is, three hours, two hours, 1.5 hours, or even three minutes, people wouldn’t care for it. They just get bored, and they just switch it off, or they walk out of the theater. They’re not interested. If you’re able to pull the audience into the world, into the emotions of the characters, and resonate with the emotions of the characters, I think runtime doesn’t matter.

‘Varanasi’s Songs “Won’t Be Anything Like” ‘RRR’

“We should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger.”

Image via Variance Films

One of the things about RRR in America was the music and the songs. It exploded around the world. Can you talk a little bit about the music and the songs of your new film?

RAJAMOULI: Each film is different, Steve. It’s a big trap that many filmmakers tend to fall into, trying to see what are the elements in the previous film or the successful film, and because the audiences will be expecting it, how do we recreate that? Each film is different. Each film has different, unique points, with different emotions, different highs. I feel we should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger, rather than trying to recreate from the previous success. Of course, we feel great about RRR and how we performed worldwide.

I look at Varanasi as, “How can I get those kind of high moments,” but I do not try to recreate that music into Varanasi. We will have music, which will be great. Will have songs which are great, but they won’t be anything like RRR.

Which shot or sequence of this film thus far has been the most challenging to pull off, or is it still in front of you?

RAJAMOULI: The sequence that I am shooting now, in the middle of the shoot, I think that is one of the more technically challenging moments. We had to combine many known technologies to achieve what we needed to achieve. And the sequence I know, which will be really difficult, really tough to pull off, is a sequence that we have already shot. It’s the Ramayana episode. So, we completed the shoot, and we know the VFX for that is going to be a really, really tough job for all of us.

Right now, it’s November 2025. When do you actually finish filming? What’s still in front of you?

RAJAMOULI: We have completed about 50% of the shoot, and the 50% is behind us. We are thinking we can finish our shoot by next June. Something like that.

One of the things that I learned from Priyanka was that you will shoot the rehearsals and everyone is in street clothing, whatever they’re wearing, and then you’ll edit that and show it to them with their just normal clothes, and then that’s what you will actually shoot. Can you talk about your process? Because that’s unusual.

RAJAMOULI: Because I work with actors from different industries, and I am working with technologies which are not regularly used in filmmaking, it is very important for the cast and crew to understand, even for me to understand, the process of how we are going through filming it. So, I figured out the best way to do it is do a test shoot. So get the actors, give them the lines, get my DP, get the people who are involved in it, the production designer, whoever is involved in it, with the cameras, and let the actors do their acting. It’s a little bit like an extension of the actors reading the scripts. They invest. They do the reading. So I am taking it a little bit forward. I am doing the test shooting as they are reading the lines, making them act, and asking, “How do you like to do it? Would you like to walk as you are saying that? Would you like to sit? Would you lean onto something? Would you want something in your hand to explore?”

So, that gives us a lot of freedom. And I see them as they are going through their lines and motions. I will be able to see, my DP will be able to see in which pose or which movement, or which still moment, they are more comfortable with delivering their emotions. So, we will be having multiple cameras, and we will be capturing all of that, and we will do the edit on that and see how it is flowing through, and that will be our basis for shooting the actual shoot.

Varanasi is slated for global release on April 7, 2027.

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

April 7, 2027

Director

S. S. Rajamouli

Advertisement

Writers

Vijayendra Prasad, S.S. Rajamouli

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

General Hospital comings and goings reveal Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) is going to be exiting Port Charles soon within the next few weeks as Steve Burton has just taped his last episode before he goes on a lengthy hiatus from GH.

The big question is how and why Jason is written out at the ABC soap opera. Let’s talk about Steve Burton’s upcoming exit. And how they may write Jason out.

Jason Morgan in Danger on General Hospital

Now, let’s dive in because the sharks are circling in Port Charles and Stone Cold is at the center of dangerous drama. So, the news broke this week that Steve Burton is taking a break from General Hospital. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He married his new wife, Michelle Lundström, nine months ago. And Steve said he wants to spend some quality time with his family. But he does plan to return to the soap.

There is some chatter that he and his new wife Michelle are relocating from California back to Nashville. But he hasn’t personally confirmed that. That remains in the rumor column. And it’s supposedly about his ex-wife relocating back east. And wanting to be around the child he shares with her still.

Steve Burton’s GH Hiatus and Return Timeline

No matter the specifics, Steve Burton is leaving for a while. And he recently taped his last episodes. GH is dark. And they’re not filming for a couple of weeks. But before he left, before everybody went out for the dark weeks, they were filming for late March and early April when he wrapped.

So, Jason’s final episode should be in about six weeks. Also, our inside source tells us that Steve Burton is planning to be back to filming in late May or early June. And that means we would have Jason back on screen by around July, which would honestly be really good timing. Because that would be right when summer sweeps hits.

So, Burton’s going to be off-screen from roughly late March through July, about three months, give or take. And of course, that begs the question, what happens to get Jason off-screen for two to three months while Steve Burton is out on his hiatus.

Jason Morgan’s Mission to Save Anna Devane in France on General Hospital

Jason just found out from Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) that Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) has some twisted tie to Anna Devane (Finola Hughes). And of course Jason’s got Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) issues as well. So there’s a lot of things that he’s into that could send him out. First of all, I think the likeliest possibility is Jason leaves to go help Anna. Because he’s very worried about her right now.

Jason’s concern just intensified when Josslyn showed him Cesar Faison’s (Anders Hove) book that he dedicated to Anna with the Muse message written into it and the cigarillo she found in Cullum’s coat. That’s when Jason flashed back to Britt telling him how ruthless Cullum is and that he wouldn’t think twice about killing Jason.

After what Josslyn told him, Jason may realize Cullum is somehow involved in what has happened to Anna and may be somehow responsible for her breakdown. And now her incarceration at this clinic in France. So, it could be that Jason’s planning to take off to France to help Anna and then once he leaves Port Charles, he abruptly disappears.

The WSB Connection and Potential Captivity at Steinauer

We know Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) has wanted Jason to be a WSB asset for a long time. So, he could play into it. And of course, Brennan is also suspicious about what’s going on with Anna. Somebody might grab Jason in France. And stick him in a random unmarked cell in Steinauer. Or Jason could be drugged. And stuck in the same mental hospital as Anna until they decide what to do with him.

Jason is feeling really guilty about Anna, so to me, this seems likely. Plus, Finola Hughes is still on her own hiatus. She is filming very minimally so that she can have a longer break from the soap that was negotiated with the powers that be. But both she and Steve Burton remain on contract. So Jason and Anna will both be back and their absences may be intertwined.

The Quest for Britt Westbourne’s Medication and a Hostage Twist on GH

The second thing we also know is Jason’s worried about Britt’s meds. So Jason may break into Wyndemere to look for the stash of Huntington’s medications for Britt so he can get a vial so that Brick (Stephen A. Smith) can have it reverse engineered.

We may see Pascal (Mark Forget) or Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) capturing Jason, getting the drop on him, drugging him, or sticking him in the same room where they were keeping Anna. That would be ironic. And that would be especially wild. Because Britt might even know that Jason’s there. But is unable to help him. Because Cullum would kill Jason if she defied him.

Britt knows her own life is at risk, not just from the Huntington’s. But from Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) putting a bullet in her. So, Britt wouldn’t be in any position to help Jason even if she knew he was there. He might be stuck as a hostage to leverage Britt into finishing her research ASAP.

A Presumed Dead Plane Crash Scenario for Jason Morgan on General Hospital

Another way that General Hospital could exit Jason is to repeat a plot they did with his twin brother, Drew Cain Quartermaine (Cameron Mathison), several years back. They could have Jason flying to France on a private jet to go help Anna. And then the plane goes down and Jason’s presumed dead.

If you remember, they did that when Drew was heading to Afghanistan to return the dirty money Hank “Shiloh” Archer (Coby Ryan McLaughlin) stole. That was when Billy Miller was in the role. And it was how they exited him. So, Drew’s plane supposedly crashed. And then he was presumed dead. But Victor Cassadine (Charles Shaughnessy) had him the whole time.

And then, of course, we got the Drew recast, Cameron Mathison. Of course, Carly Corinthos Spencer (Laura Wright) would flip out if Jason goes missing and Carly might ask Jack to try and find out what happened to Jason. That is if she and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) haven’t destroyed Jack by then. So that could pull Carly into the story.

Could Jason Morgan End Up in a Coma on GH?

Another possibility is Sidwell puts Jason into a coma like he did Maxie Jones (Kirsten Storms) and they stick Jason into some super secure private long-term care facility as a Jake Doe, which would be ironic since that was what Drew was called. Just to put him on ice for now.

And of course, this is feasible. Because that was how they covered for Kirsten Storms’ break by having Sidwell put Maxie in a coma. It would also be ironic if Jason’s put in a coma while Willow Tait (Katelyn MacMullen) has his twin brother Drew locked in awake. But basically physically comatose.

But it also could be Marco that does it to Jason, not Sidwell. Because we know that Marco wants Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) eliminated and getting his guard dog Jason out of the way would help.

Why Another Jason Morgan Death Story Would Upset GH Fans

Now, one final possibility that I honestly hope does not happen is that Jason is gunned down and GH tries to convince us that he’s really dead yet again. This is the thing that I’ve seen GH fans least wanting to see based on soap social media. Any sort of Jason death story where they try to convince the audience he’s gone is unwelcome.

He was already shot and killed once by Cesar Faison when he was disguised as Duke Lavery (Ian Buchanan) back when Steve Burton exited to go to Young and Restless. And then he came back. Because of the Covid vaccine stuff they wrote Jason out again. And he died in the tunnels in Greece.

So, I’m really hoping they don’t go that route again. Hopefully, if they do a presumed dead scenario, it’s one where the fans know that he’s alive. And the people in Port Charles may presume he’s dead.

I think that’s really the only way that a Jason death twist is acceptable if they don’t try and trick fans into thinking he’s dead. Wait to see. But I’m sure that as Steve Burton’s final episode airs, we’re going to wind up with a very shocking exit for Jason Morgan.

Editor’s note: The below interview contains spoilers up to The Pitt Season 2 Episode 6.

Now that HBO’s The Pitt has returned for Season 2, it’s clear things are only just beginning to ramp up for the doctors and nurses working in the emergency department of the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. While the first several hours of this Fourth of July shift were admittedly quiet, that’s no longer the case as of the season’s sixth hour of R. Scott Gemmill, John Wells, and Noah Wyle‘s medical drama, “12:00 P.M.” Another hospital is mysteriously reporting a “Code Black,” resulting in their patients being diverted elsewhere, and one of the ED’s most frequent occupants, Louie (Ernest Harden Jr.), has just coded seemingly out of nowhere.

Ahead of The Pitt‘s return, Collider had the opportunity to speak with the show’s creators and cast alike about some of Season 2’s most pivotal moments over the first six episodes, including Wyle. Over the course of the interview, which you can watch above or read below, the show’s lead and EP delves into what Dr. Robby is emotionally navigating ahead of his planned three-month sabbatical, whether the tension between Robby and Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball) is going to boil over before the end of shift, the deeper meaning behind The Pitt‘s staff memorial for Louie at the close of Episode 6, and more.

COLLIDER: We can’t start talking about Season 2 without talking about how Dr. Robby is coming into this shift, which is that he’s leaving the next day for a three-month sabbatical, as far as we know. For you, and in playing the character, do you feel like having that storyline hovering over the shift is impacting him at all? Does it feel like a kid on the last day of school, or is he just determined to get through this shift one way or another?

NOAH WYLE: I think it’s all of that. It was a wonderful device to come up with to allow the story to have something very specific that he was going through on this particular day while the day was challenging and had all sorts of obstacles that would potentially keep him from accomplishing his goal, which is to get out on the road before it gets too late.

This trip is Robby’s curated form of self-help that he has come up with for himself in lieu of going through the more traditional routes of finding a therapist and adhering to some of the prescriptive advice he’s giving his staff on the other side of their experience with this mass casualty event, and their own PTSD. So the trip becomes symbolic, both for the character’s avoidance of a healthier mode of treatment and maybe evidence that he’s not as well-adjusted as he’s coming off. And as the season progresses, that trip gets looked at with a finer and finer lens.

Noah Wyle Teases Whether Robby and Langdon’s Tension Is Going To Boil Over by the End of ‘The Pitt’ Season 2

“They’re terrific characters in that their relationship is extremely complex.”

Image via HBO

To talk about avoidance, it seems pretty clear that Robby was hoping that the timing of his sabbatical would overlap with Langdon’s return. I think he even says as much at one point. We see Langdon make the effort to broach a conversation, Robby shuts him down early on, but then, as the shift continues, they’re forced into each other’s orbit. Langdon obviously has the patient with the necrotizing fasciitis, and that pulls Robby in, whether he wants to be involved or not. That tension between them, though — what can you talk about in terms of how that’s really simmering in the background of Season 2, and is there any point at which it’s going to boil over?

WYLE: I hope so. You can’t keep these tantric lovers apart for too long. They’re terrific characters in that their relationship is extremely complex. Langdon’s addiction wasn’t just a moral failing of Langdon. It was a personal betrayal to his mentor in Robby and a breach of their friendship and the honesty that they shared. That’s one way of framing it. Another way of framing it is Robby fucked up. He was supposed to look out for his number one pupil, and under his watch, this guy developed a painkiller addiction in practiced medicine, and Robby was totally oblivious. So, who’s really at fault here?

Then you look at it through another frame, and you see Langdon’s coming back, having already walked through the therapeutic road. He’s humbled himself. He’s faced his demons, and he’s ready to come back and rebuild his life, all of which Robby hasn’t done yet. So to a certain extent, he represents kryptonite. It’s a relationship that, as the day progresses and they are thrown into each other’s company, all of those begin to kind of redefine themselves.

Related

‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Stars Tease Why “the Day Just Keeps Getting Worse” After Episode 4

Supriya Ganesh and Taylor Dearden also discuss what fans can expect from Mel’s reunion with Langdon and the possibility of a Mohan/Abbot romance.

Continuing this thread of talking about relationships with Robby, I picked up on some vibes between him and Noelle Hastings early on. I think fans will be curious to see if that develops. I did think it was interesting that Dana warns Noelle against getting involved with this man at this particular point, especially, as we’ve been talking about, he’s about to leave for three months. Is this meant to be maybe a little fun fling? Is it potentially more? What can you tease about where that is heading?

WYLE: Well, again, on one hand, it’s titillating. Robby’s been having a social life. It’s so exciting and probably speaks to him not being so bad off. Then you look at it for another frame, and you see somebody who’s unable to have a relationship that lasts more than six weeks, who only wants to mine it for the most superficial aspects, and who, when confronted with the opportunity to go deeper or more intimate, takes an escape route each and every time, and has very few personal connections to anybody.

We very rarely ever hear about anybody socializing, if ever, with Robby outside of work. We don’t know anything about him outside of work. And as the season progresses, that lone wolf, kind of do-what-he-wants thing that seems so cool and almost enviable in the beginning, we start to realize, is what’s probably throwing his life so far out of balance, is he has no offset for the work that he’s doing and for what he takes in and takes on through that work.

Noah Wyle Reveals the Meaning of ‘The Pitt’s Tribute to Louie in Season 2 Episode 6

“Robby is able to give the frame around the picture…”

Image via HBO

Advertisement

To wrap up, there is a scene in Episode 6 where the staff gets together to memorialize a lost patient. It feels like this shift is often so frenetic and hectic, and everyone is being pulled in a million different directions, that it’s rare that everyone gets to be in a room together to have a moment of quiet contemplation. Robby shares a lot of really moving and poignant details in their debriefing, and I was curious about the experience of bringing everyone together in that room and having that scene, because it feels really important.

WYLE: I was sort of taken with this notion of, when you know somebody, but you only know a fragment of them, you’re getting a glimpse of them in this moment of time that you share with them, you may get an impression, but it’s part of a mosaic that builds up a life or builds up somebody’s story. All of the staff know Louie. Louie is a frequent flier who has been coming in for years. We’ve been patching him up and sending him back out and listening to this joke and listening to that anecdote, but nobody’s really taken the full measure of the man. Nobody’s had the opportunity to.

So, in Episode 6, what we try to do is, from each person’s limited perspective, they fill in a piece to a puzzle that has been on their family table for years, but nobody really understands what the picture looks like and why it looks like it does. Robby is able to give the frame around the picture and say, “This was a great guy who had a real tragedy happen. As many people do when they face this kind of tragedy, it derailed his progress and his trajectory in a way that we all tried to help, but ultimately got the better of him. And as much time as we would love to take to confer this man’s dignity and to wrap up his life, we’ve got eight more Louies out there that we can still save.” So, even though this is a funeral, it’s a funeral with a clock.