You might think Ian Somerhalder, the actor who played Damon Salvatore on ‘The Vampire Diaries’ for eight seasons, is done with his character. But, you’re wrong!
‘The Vampire Diaries’ is one of The CW’s most popular television shows and one of the most intriguing vampire fiction stories we’ve seen in a long time. It premiered at a time when vampires were already cool, with films like ‘Twilight’ spearheading the popularity of the genre. It has everything a viewer would expect from it: romance, over the top drama, and an incredibly good-looking cast. Starring Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Candace King, and others, the series went on to make eight seasons. Through the course of which several characters died and were resurrected. Some transitioned into vampires and werewolves and hunters, and the show’s mythology sprawled into one too many plotlines.
Why does Ian Somerhlder not want to return as Damon in TVD?
Highlights —
- Has ‘The Vampire Diaries’ run its course?
- If there’s a new season, will Ian Somerhalder return?
- What’s ‘Legacies’ about?
Its incessantly increasing storylines became confusing for viewers to keep up with, but the biggest surprise came to fans when the lead heroine, Nina Dobrev, quit the series. And now, Ian Somerhalder has confessed that he’d happily return to Mystic Falls, but not as Damon Salvatore.
Has ‘The Vampire Diaries’ run its course?
After years of seeing vampires dismissing humans and then wanting to become humans, we’d say the show has run its course. The beloved vampire fantasy series was successful enough to have two spin-off shows as well, ‘Legacies’ and ‘The Originals’.

While ‘The Originals’ focused on the original vampire clan and primarily followed the life of Klaus, ‘Legacies’ was entirely different. It was set years after ‘The Vampire Diaries’ finale, and follows the life of Klaus’s daughter Hope, attending Alaric’s boarding school in Mystic Falls.
The spin-offs are enough to keep fans of the original show loyal to ‘The Vampire Diaries’ universe. But they still miss the show, and their favourite brooding vampire, Damon Salvatore! Whether Somerhalder, too, misses playing Senior Salvatore is something fans have been wondering about for a while. As it turns out, the actor is eager to return to the world of mystic falls, just not in the way you must have expected!
If there’s a new season, will Ian Somerhalder return?
When Nina Dobrev left the show, following the season six finale, fans were beyond surprised. The series anchored on her character Elena throughout those six seasons, so it was hard to imagine her absence. After Dobrev left ‘The Vampire Diaries’, the show focused on Stefan and Damon, and the brotherly bond they shared. The actors seem to have realised the effect the last two seasons had on fans because when Somerhalder was asked if he could ever see himself returning to the franchise, he had a positive answer.
He won’t be returning to Mystic Falls as a vampire in the future, but he has better plans! In an interview with “ET”, Somerhalder was asked if he’d like to revisit the show. He shared, “I actually would love to talk to Jules. I would love to go and direct one of [the Legacies episodes]”.
He continued, explaining how he’d love to play director on ‘The Vampire Diaries’ spin-off.
“We spent eight years on the show, and now it’s two years later, which we’re still talking about it while we’re working on other things. That’s a decade, 30 to 40. That’s a very substantial piece of your life. But I would actually love to go back and direct one. I love what they are doing. The show looks amazing, it’s all of my old team.”
What’s ‘Legacies’ about?
‘The Vampire Diaries’ spin-off ‘Legacies’ often references Elena and Damon, their happy life, and their children. They never appear on the show because the timeline follows the events that occur in the aftermath of ‘The Vampire Diaries’.
‘Legacies’ follows Mystic Fall’s new generation of teenagers, who study at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. It’s somewhat like the Hogwarts equivalent for Vampires. The school admits witches, vampires, and werewolves, and teaches them to learn to control their abilities.
With the insight Ian Somerhalder has from portraying Damon through eight seasons, it’d be interesting to see him direct an episode! Maybe there’s still room for flashback moments where we can see Elena and Damon living happily ever after? We’ll have to wait for the new season premiere to find out!
Do you want to see Ian Somerhalder return to Mystic Falls? Let us know in the comments!
