Matt Davis Joins The Originals Spin-Off Focused on Hope Mikaelson

Talk about a franchise that just keeps on giving. The Originals may have been a spin-off ofThe Vampire Diaries, but it's inching closer to getting a spin-off of its very own centered on Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell).

Rumors of the spin-off built around Hope's years at Mystic Falls' magical boarding school have been circulating for months, but now Variety reports we're a step closer to making it happen. Along with Danielle Rose Russell, Matt Davis, who played Alaric Saltzman on The Vampire Diaries, is officially attached to the project.

The Originals fans might recognize Alaric from his crossover episode in Season 4, where he first met 7-year-old Hope Mikaelson. He gauged her natural affinity for magic and extended an offer to Klaus (Joseph Morgan) to let her attend his school of supernatural children. Though it doesn't look like he'll appear in Season 5 of The Originals, it sure sounds like he'll definitely be a major part of the potential spin-off.

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This casting does beg the question of how they're going to deal with Alaric's age in new series. Thanks to the multiple time jumps The Originals has had in its five-season run, about 16 years have passed between start and finish. That would put Alaric somewhere in his mid-50's, which will be a bit of a stretch for the 39-year-old Davis.

Maybe The CW should hit up whoever does Mandy Moore's aging makeup on This Is Us to help give Alaric a few more laugh lines?

The Originals Season 5 premieres April 18 at 8/7c on The CW.

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