Queen of the Damned is a 2002 film adaptation of the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, The Queen of the Damned, although the film contains many plot elements from the latter novel's predecessor, The Vampire Lestat. It stars Aaliyah as the vampire queen Akasha, and Stuart Townsend as the vampire Lestat. Queen of the Damned was released six months after Aaliyah's death and is dedicated to her memory.
Vampire Lestat (Stuart Townsend) is awakened from decades of slumber by the sound of a rock band, which he proceeds to take over as lead singer. Achieving international success and planning a massive live concert, Lestat is approached by Marius (Vincent Perez), and warned that the vampires of the world will not tolerate his flamboyant public profile.
Jesse Reeves (Marguerite Moreau), a researcher for the paranormal studies group Talamasca, is intrigued by Lestat's lyrics and tells the rest of the group her theory that he really is a vampire. Her mentor takes her aside and tells her they know he is and that a vampire called Marius made him.[2] He also shows her Lestat's journal that he recovered and is now in the Talamasca library. In a flashback to his origins, Lestat recalls how he awoke Akasha (Aaliyah), the first vampire, with his music. Jesse tracks him down to a London vampire club where he confronts her, and she follows him to Los Angeles for the concert, where she gives him his journal. Shortly after they leave London. Akasha, awakened by Lestat's new music, arrives and torches the club, and all the vampires inside, who want Lestat dead.
At the concert in Death Valley, a mob of vampires attack Lestat and Marius. Akasha bursts through the stage and takes Lestat with her as her new King. Empowered by Akasha's blood, Lestat and the Queen confront the Ancient Vampires at the home of Maharet (Lena Olin), Jesse's aunt, who is an Ancient Vampire herself. The Ancient Vampires were planning to kill Akasha, to save the human world from demise. Akasha then commands Lestat to kill Jesse. Lestat ostensibly obeys but then turns and begins to drain Akasha's blood with the help of the Ancients. Mael (Christian Manon) and Pandora (Claudia Black) are killed by Akasha's power, and Armand (Matthew Newton) is almost killed, but is saved as her powers diminish. Maharet is the last to drink Akasha's blood, and thereby ends up becoming a marble 'statue'. Lestat then turns and walks to where Jesse is lying lifeless, and cradling her in his arms, gives her his blood, turning her into a vampire. Jesse, now a vampire, and Lestat then return the journal to the Talamasca, and walk away, among mortals, into the night. As they exit, Marius enters the Talamasca.
The film closes with a scene of David (Paul McGann) reading the journal as Marius's voice catches his attention, cheerfully saying, "Hello David."
