Guide Note

Queen of the Damned is the third installment from Anne Rice's book "The Vampire Chronicles." This horror film revolves around Vampire Lestat, who forms a rock band and his music reaches out to Akasha, the original vampire. She awakens from her centuries long slumber to unleash terror on the world. Co-star Aaliyah died in a plane crash six months before the movie was released.

Fast Facts

1. Novel by Anne Rice
2. Directed by Michael Rymer
3. Screenplay by Scott Abbot and Michael Petroni
4. Starring: Aaliyah, Stuart Townsend
5. Music by Richard Gibbs and Jonathan Davis
6. Release Date: February 22, 2002
7. Released after Aaliyah's death
8. Budget $35,000,000.00
9. Running time 101 minutes
10. Rated R for violence and language
11. Tagline: The Mother Of All Vampires

1. Aaliyah died in a plane crash shortly after principal photography was completed. Michael Rymer called in Aaliyah's brother, Rashad Haughton, to help overdubbing her voice following her death.
2. The copy of "Rolling Stone" that Marius throws down in front of Lestat actually was the issue published on the movie before it was released.
3. The blood that Queen Akasha has in her mouth is really cherry juice.
4. Tom Cruise was initially asked to return in the role of Lestat, but he declined.

"Since the movie arrives and succeeds as entertaining B-movie fare, we may as well appreciate all of its howls, beastly or unintentional." - New Times (L.A.)

"Aaliyah rules as the undead Queen of the Damned, even if she has scarcely half an hour of screen time in this campy Anne Rice vampire tale." - New York Post

"Nothing near a modern vampire classic. Still, 'Queen' is a great dose of vamp camp." - Portland Oregonian