I would assume that hearing the name Julie Plec strikes a certain chord of nostalgia and excitement in the heart of every Vampire Diaries fan, especially when it’s tied to a new project. Prime Video has greenlit a new YA tennis drama series called Rally from Plec’s My So-Called production company, as part of her deal with Universal Television. Having watched a number of Plec’s popular works, I’ll give anything with her name on it a chance. However, this announcement means it’s time to finally face an unfortunate truth: Julie Plec is officially getting out of the supernatural game.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but is Julie Plec taking a hiatus from the supernatural game? She helped shape the genre through the 2010s, creating some of the best teen supernatural dramas to date, like The Vampire Diaries and its spin-offs The Originals and Legacies. However, after the cancellations of Legacies and Vampire Academy, Plec seems eager to test her hand at realistic fictional dramas, creating The Girls On The Bus and the popular Prime adaptation of We Were Liars, which has been renewed for a Season 2.
Now, the announcement of Rally marks four years since Plec invited vampires into her life, and she seems to be quite content exploring this new chapter in her television career. However, she remains firm in the YA genre, as Deadline reports Rally will be set “at a hyper-competitive elite tennis academy” where “ambitious young players discover that the loneliest sport in the world demands sacrificing the very connections that might be the only thing that makes winning worth it.”
Aiding Plec in the series creation is Grand Slam champion and American tennis legend Andre Agassi, as well as Entertainment 360 executive producer Guymon Casady. Casady recently served as executive producer on Apple TV+’s sports comedy Stick, which stars Owen Wilson as a washed-up golf pro turned coach and has Season 2 premiering on the 2026 TV schedule in November. The series idea for Rally is based on Casady’s own experience with his sons navigating “elite tennis academy culture,” detailing the many reasons why this project will be something special:
The inspiration for Rally came from a deeply personal place – watching my kids train and navigate the intense pressure, dedication, and heartbreak of elite junior tennis at the IMG Academy. To build this world alongside a master storyteller like Julie Plec, and to ground it in the unmatched, authentic perspective of a true legend like Andre Agassi, is a remarkable privilege.
Guymon Casady
I think it’s safe to say Entertainment 360, Universal Television, and Prime Video have assembled an all-star team for Rally. I can’t say I blame Plec for taking a step in this direction either. Sports dramas are peaking in audience interest right now, with the continued success of shows like Ted Lasso and Stick, as well as recent acclaimed movies like Challengers (2024) and Marty Supreme (2025). Plus, shows like Off Campus and Heated Rivalry have taken the world by storm. Romeo Beckham is also set to make his acting debut in the upcoming gay tennis drama Forty Love on the 2026 movie schedule. I only hope the genre isn’t oversaturated by the time Rally is available to stream with a Prime Video subscription.
While Plec may be stepping away from the world of werewolves and super hot blood-sucking brothers, I do have faith that the supernatural world will come calling to her once more. The Vampire Diaries co-creator isn't totally against a reboot, and in the past she has suggested a movie revival might be on the table. Though it (unfortunately) doesn’t seem to be anytime soon. However, when the stars align, maybe we will eventually return to Mystic Falls.
