It’s been six years since The Vampire Diaries came to an end, and it’s been one year since the universe officially closed with the cancellation of Legacies. While creator Julie Plec has previously teased that the TVD universe could come back someday, this raises the question of whether or not fans could also see the return of some fan favorite stars. On that note, series OG Paul Wesley just got honest about whether he’d return for a revival while also explaining how he feels about his famous role of Stefan Salvatore at this point.
Paul Wesley portrayed vampire Stefan on Vampire Diaries for the entirety of the show’s eight-season run, but would he ever do it again? The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds actor told InStyle that any TVD-related project would be a “hard pass,” unfortunately, and it sounds like he’s not interested in returning to the genre at all:
I would never do another vampire anything, period, let alone Vampire Diaries.
Since Stefan did sacrifice himself during the series finale of TVD, it would be hard to bring him back. Theoretically, the writers could find a way, but any attempt to do so could undermine the narrative heft of his death. So it would seem that if a new show were to happen, we shouldn't expect Paul Wesley to reprise his role in a way that mirrors Joseph Morgan’s return as Klaus in the Legacies finale. It’s disappointing to hear, but maybe there's a chance he changes his mind as time goes on? We'll have to see.
Though the 40-year-old actor isn't aiming to do anything vampire-related in the future, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t appreciate his past work. The Vampire Diaries took up a significant portion of his life, and there's an aspect of his role that he truly appreciated during that time:
I don't really miss anything about playing him, and I don't mean that in a [negative way]. Eight years is a long time, and I'm so glad to put that to rest. Eight seasons. But I loved how dynamic he was. Because the show ran for such a long time, in order for it to not become monotonous, every season, he sort of had a different arc. At one point, he was pure evil, and he started out as the good guy, and then he ended as the good guy. But I liked the challenge of trying to keep the character fresh.
Paul Wesley still frequently attends conventions in celebration of The Vampire Diaries. So even if he doesn’t want to do any future project pertaining to the fictional universe, he clearly still enjoys looking back at his time on the show and interacting with fans. And on occasion, he'll even reunite with his former co-stars. Meanwhile, with the end of the franchise last year, some other stars have done some reflecting as well. For one, Kat Graham recalled her refusal to return as Bonnie, but she noted how much she put into the series and how grateful she is for her eight years.
It would honestly be great to see Paul Wesley return to the world of bloodsuckers for another TVD-adjacent production. Though one can understand why he wouldn't be keen on a revival or sequel series of any kind at this point. At the very least, one can still appreciate his continued love for the drama series. (And of course, franchise devotees can always use fan fiction to tell more stories with the characters.)
While Stefan Salvatore won’t be returning if The Vampire Diaries universe returns, but fans can always watch the series with a Max subscription to get their vampire fix. And be sure to also check out the 2023 TV schedule for prime viewing options.
