The Vampire Diaries Season 8 finale aired in March 2017 after the season premiered in October 2016.
Shortly after Season 8 ended on The CW, the show became available on the Netflix streaming platform, where it gained even more of a following.
But since Season 8 ended on The CW, fans have been wondering whether The Vampire Diaries Season 9 would ever happen.
Set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, The Vampire Diaries followed orphaned teenager Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) who becomes entangled in a love triangle with the vampire Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder).
Although the show, which spawned two spinoffs — The Originals and Legacies — ended in Season 8 with the major storyline resolved, fans have been speculating and debating on social media whether they will ever get to see yet another season of the exciting teen drama.
did I just find out there may actually be a chance season 9 of the vampire diaries is actually happening which could explain this tweet ian somerhalder tweeted last year pic.twitter.com/Mlq9ZtUSUX
— ☻︎ (@dylanobrie) April 16, 2020
THERE MIGHT BE A SEASON 9 OF THE VAMPIRE DIARIES. I REPEAT, THERE MIGHT BE A SEASON 9 OF THE VAMPIRE DIARIES. if that’s true, a bitch might cry. ?
— amena ? (@amenafathimaa) April 16, 2020
so like vampire diaries really coming out with season 9 next year but not the same actors.. uhh
— angie ? (@angieeloverr) April 17, 2020
Can we expect that The Vampire Season 9 will ever happen? Here is what we know.
Will there be The Vampire Diaries Season 9?
After The Vampire Diaries was renewed for Season 8 in March 2016, showrunner Julie Plec announced in July 2016 that the 16-episode Season 8 would be the show’s last season.
Although the news came as a shock to fans, many were pleased that the showrunners were getting the chance to focus on plotting a happy ending that would give viewers a satisfying closure.
While dedicated fans of the series clamored for another season, it was clear to many that it was unlikely, for many reasons, that the show will return anytime soon for a ninth season, if at all.
Vampire Diaries Season 9: Several actors have left the show
Nina Dobrev, who played the leading character Elena Gilbert, left the show after Season 6 and returned only as a guest in the finale.
Kate Graham, who played Bonnie Bennett, revealed in April 2016 that Season 8 would be her last. Ian Somerhalder also made it clear that Season 8 would be his last on the show.
Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson have since moved on to new projects
Julie Plec has maintained a very busy schedule since The Vampire Diaries Season 8 ended.
She was busy working at the time on The Originals, a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, that premiered on The CW earlier in October 2013.
The Originals Seasons 4 premiered on The CW in March 2017, the same month that The Vampire Diaries Season 8 ended, while The Originals Season 5 premiered in April 2018.
The CW also ordered Roswell, Mexico to pilot in January 2018. The pilot, directed by Plec, premiered in January 2019.
The CW announced in May 2018 that they had given a series order to Legacies, another new The Vampire Diaries and The Originals spinoff, that premiered on The CW in October 2018.
Julie Plec continues to juggle a loaded schedule, and it might be difficult for her to fit plans for The Vampire Diaries Season 9 into her schedule after The CW renewed both Legacies and Roswell, Mexico, for Season 3 in January 2020.
Due to Plec’s busy schedule, it is unlikely, at least for the time being, that fans will be seeing The Vampire Diaries Season 9 anytime soon.