The Librarians: The Next Chapter showrunner Dean Devlin details how it's new lead librarian is different. The new TV show will feature a new cast led by protagonist Vikram Chamberlain, played by Callum McGowan. Noah Wyle’s Flynn Carsen, who led the previous installments of the adventurous franchise, doesn’t star in the new series, but he is an executive producer.

During an interview with ScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns, showrunner Dean Devlin explains how Vikram in The Next Chapter is a different character compared to Carsen. While both protagonists are well-educated and are committed to plenty of academic reading and research, Vikram has the power of magic. This means Vikram brings supernatural abilities into the new series, which Carsen uses at times but doesn’t obtain during his tenure. However, Vikram and Carsen are both knowledgeable librarians when analyzing historical artifacts, and they each begin their respective journeys as newcomers when traveling and physically exploring the world. Read Devlin’s full quote below:

I think where he shares DNA with the Flynn Carsen character is that Flynn had spent his life in academia. He had 27 degrees, he was in his 30s, and he still hadn't left college yet. And then, when he started in The Library, he was suddenly experiencing the world for the first time, a world he'd only read about in books. So, he literally was a fish out of water. Vikram was a Librarian in 1847 who suddenly finds himself here today, and he couldn't be more of a fish out of water, and that's where they're similar. Where they're different is Vikram has a very healthy ego, or maybe not so healthy ego [chuckles], and he refers to himself as "The Naughty Librarian", because he does things Librarians aren't supposed to do, namely, using magic. So, he's wildly different than Flynn Carsen, in that regard.

What Devlin's Comments Mean For The Librarians: The Next Chapter

The Next Librarians Series Will Have A New Protagonist With Unique Skills

Devlin’s comments reveal the showrunner’s desire to make the next Librarian series a throwback to the previous films and TV shows, while also trying to build a new show with fresh characters and more fantastical and adventurous storylines. Wyle’s Carsen is a bookworm who can instantly analyze other individuals and situations with his quick thinking and high IQ, thanks to his numerous academic degrees. He is reminiscent of Indiana Jones because of his growth from researcher to brave, adventurous hero who isn’t fearful of the supernatural.

Vikram is different from Carsen because he’s a man out of time, meaning that he is a 19th century librarian who unexpectedly finds himself in the present and has to adjust to new customs and advancements.

Without giving too much away, Devlin describes new protagonist Vikram as a slightly more egotistical character in The Next Chapter. Vikram is different from Carsen because he’s a man out of time, meaning that he is a 19th century librarian who unexpectedly finds himself in the present and has to adjust to new customs and advancements. However, Vikram has magical powers, making him a “naughty” librarian because librarians generally use books, not magic, to solve archeological mysteries. Vikram’s characterization is proof that his magical abilities against monsters and supernatural forces will make the new series more of a fantasy adventure.

Our Take On The Librarians: The Next Chapter And Its Potential To Expand The Franchise

The New Librarians Series Will Be A Combination Of Adventure And Fantasy

The Librarians: The Next Chapter is evidence that there’s still plenty of life in The Librarian franchise. From the first TV movie, The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, to the previous show, The Librarians, this franchise has endured for over two decades. This series continues the franchise’s tradition of being a modern-day Indiana Jones adventure mixed with more magic, fantasy, and monsters like Percy Jackson or Harry Potter. With The Next Chapter already picked up for a second season before the premiere, this iteration of The Librarians can honor the franchise and set itself apart as a brand-new adventure.

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