Anne Rice is speaking out on rumors that Robert Downey Jr. will star as Lestat in new a film based on her "The Vampire Chronicles" novels.

Lestat was previously played by Tom Cruise in 1994 for Neil Jordan's "Interview with the Vampire," and by Stuart Townsend in 2002 for Michael Rymer's "Queen of the Damned." Universal Studios is looking to resurrect Rice's popular series for the big screen, and Downey is their prime choice for Lestat, according to Bloody-Disgusting.

"First off, I cannot confirm or deny the rumor," Rice said in an interview with BSCreview. "I have not received official word as to the truth of it yet. But I can say without hesitation that I love Robert Downey Jr. and I think he would make a fabulous Vampire Lestat. He is a major actor, a powerhouse of talent and personality, and he evinces an irrepressible and seductive charm. He would bring great energy and skill to the role. I would love to see this happen.

"Ive loved Robert Downey Jr. ever since I saw him in Restoration years ago, and I thought he was magical and powerful in Iron Man. ... So I hope the rumors are true. ... Ive posted on my Facebook 'fan' page saying pretty much the same thing. Some are saying he is too old to play the part. This is absolutely not true. He is quite youthful. Besides, Lestat is a man when he is made into a vampire. A twenty year old man in the 18th century is the equivalent of an older man today. Age just shouldnt be an issue here, not with an actor of this scope and charisma. Im thrilled at the prospect that this rumor might be true."

Rice also spoke about why her work hasn't received more on-screen adaptations.

"The rights were controlled by one studio for a very long time; and though there was constant interest, that one studio controlled whether or not something got made," she explained. "The rights are no longer with that studio. And my agents are working diligently on the new possibilities.

"I have often wondered why so few movies have been made from my work. I think the problem lies in the fact that I wrote rather long series of books. If a studio buys one of a series, that studio wants to tie up the whole series. It is a built in problem. I cant complain. Had there been more movies, maybe I wouldnt have written so many books. And I loved writing the books.

"I hope now that the series can really take off, with one high quality film after another."