How To Feed Your Addiction To Vampires When 'The Vampire Diaries' Is Gone Forever

The popularity of television shows like The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, along with movies like The Twilight Saga and Underworld, tell a story no one can deny: viewers have a addiction to vampires. Whether we're reading about it or watching it, we can't seem to get enough of the bloodsuckers, and now that The Vampire Diaries is ending in early 2017, we'll have one less way to feed the need.

So what's going to fill the hole in our viewing schedule? Here are some upcoming TV shows and movies to take a bite out of after The Vampire Diaries airs its final episode.

One new drama series, Let the Right One In — based on the book by John Ajvide Lindqvist — is in development now and it has promise. Teen Wolf showrunner Jeff Davis is currently working on the script.

As the Hollywood Reporter describes the show, "The drama follows the boy and female vampire, who lives in secrecy with her mysterious guardian. When a series of strange murders pops up in their small Vermont town, it attracts the attention of a federal marshal with a mysterious past of his own."

That certainly sounds intriguing, but there's also the promise of a lot of darkness, as the book has already been made into two separate horror films.

In January 2017, we'll see the return of Selene (Kate Beckinsale) in the fifth movie in the Underworld franchise. The battle between the Lycans and the Vampires heats up as Selene fights not only her mortal enemies but the vampires who betrayed her. A sixth movies is already planned as well, but no details have been released.

We also started hearing whispers about a potential Underworld television series back in 2014, and many fans had given up hope — until we received a glimmer of promise earlier this year. Underworld 1 and 2 director, Len Wiseman, confirmed to Collider in January that he was still working on developing the television series.

Based upon Charlaine Harris's bestselling series, Midnight, Texas is a mid-season replacement for 2016-2017. With Harris having penned the successful True Blood, Midnight, Texas is almost a shoo-in for a hit series, and the synopsis from NBC.com adds to that guarantee:

"From vampires and witches to psychics and hit men, Midnight is a mysterious safe haven for those who are different. As the town members fight off outside pressures from rowdy biker gangs, ever-suspicious cops and their own dangerous pasts, they band together and form a strong and unlikely family."

With two definite television series (and one possible), along with the return of the Underworld movies, it doesn't look like vampires are going away anytime soon. And that's a good thing as most of us will need something to help ease the ache once The Vampire Diaries leaves the air.

In the meantime, binge-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Underworld on Netflix will help with the transition.