No, Ian Somerhalder's New Vampire Photo Doesn't Mean He's Coming To Legacies

Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries

Legacies would probably LOVE to see Ian Somerhalder back as Damon Salvatore, who is still living in Mystic Falls in the timeline of the spinoff. But that doesn't mean it's happening. Somerhalder recently shared a vampire photo that got some fans thinking Damon might be appearing on Legacies, which is currently airing Season 1 on The CW:

A photo posted by on

Lookin' good, man! So is Damon back in action? Well, he's not on set for Legacies. Legacies wrapped Season 1 filming on February 6. The CW renewed it for Season 2, but filming hasn't started yet. Besides, The Vampire Diaries ended with Damon as newly human. He and Elena -- now Dr. Elena Salvatore -- are raising kids together, including a daughter named Stefanie in honor of Stefan. Why would he be back in vampire mode?

Based on Ian Somerhalder's hair and clothes, it looks like this was probably a throwback to The Vampire Diaries Season 6, Episode 4. Here's a shot from that episode:

It looks like he was just having some fun on Instagram. It's not the first time he has gotten nostalgic for his vampire past. A few months ago, he posted a throwback photo from the first day of shooting for The Vampire Diaries Season 7.

Ian Somerhalder also has his own new vampire show coming to Netflix, called V-Wars. He's not playing a vampire in that one, though. He's Dr. Luther Swann.

You know who did recently come to Legacies, though? Paul Wesley. Not to act, but he directed an episode of Season 1 that fans will be able to watch pretty soon in March.

It wouldn't make too much sense for Paul Wesley's Vampire Diaries character Stefan Salvatore to show up again, considering how his storyline tied up in the finale. But there are plenty of Vampire Diaries and The Originals characters who would make perfect sense as additions on Legacies.

Elena and Damon are two characters who are not likely to be seen, considering Nina Dobrev's new sitcom Fam competes against Legacies on Thursday nights. Candice King's Caroline Forbes-Salvatore would definitely be welcome on Legacies -- as the mother of Lizzie and Josie Saltzman, and co-head of the Salvatore school. But that's up to her. Julie Plec and Kaylee Bryant have also mentioned wanting to see Chris Wood back as the twins' Uncle Kai Parker, and that would fit perfectly with The Merge storyline we keep hearing teased on Legacies.

Netflix currently has a page up for Ian Somerhalder's V-Wars, but there's no release date at this point. It's possible he'll stop by Legacies someday, next year or a few years out from The Vampire Diaries, which only ended in 2017. He and many other TVD stars are taking a well-deserved break after eight years on the show. In the meantime, Legacies airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW, as one of the many shows to watch this midseason.

Gina Carbone

Gina grew up in Massachusetts and California in her own version of The Parent Trap. She went to three different middle schools, four high schools, and three universities -- including half a year in Perth, Western Australia. She currently lives in a small town in Maine, the kind Stephen King regularly sets terrible things in, so this may be the last you hear from her.