Things will look darker in Mystic Falls when "The Vampire Diaries" returns for the second half of season 7.
In a recent interview with TVLine, executive producer Caroline Dries said the second part of "The Vampire Diaries" season 7 will begin with an entirely different theme that fans would not expect to see in the popular supernatural romance drama series.
"You might be asking, 'What show am I watching?' when you turn on the TV. We'll be dealing with the fallout from the winter finale for a while, both emotionally and plot-wise," Dries stated.
Dries also shared that a significant time jump will happen in the series since Caroline's (Candice King) babies will be born soon. But even if they are conceived with the help of magic, the babies inside Caroline's womb will still have the normal nine-month development stage.
The upcoming episode of "The Vampire Diaries" season 7 will also introduce the latest cruel vampire hunter named Rayna. She will go after Stefan (Paul Wesley) in the future storyline. The character will be portrayed by "NCIS" alum Leslie-Anne Huff.
But aside from the vicious nature of the character, fans are also talking about how Huff has a striking resemblance with the show's former lead star Nina Dobrev. This prompted the speculations that the show hired Huff because of her likeness to Dobrev.
However, Dries clarified the rumors, saying that Huff's resemblance to Dobrev is just a coincidence.
"We looked at a lot of actors, and I was like, 'I think she looks exactly like Nina.' I was convinced otherwise," Dries explained. "I actually haven't met her yet in person, though, and everyone says she doesn't look like her in person. She's a great actress, and she's perfect for the role."
"The Vampire Diaries" season 7 will return on The CW with a different time slot next year. For the midseason premiere, the show will be aired Fridays, beginning Jan. 29.
