"The Originals" sets up "Vampire Diaries" rivalry, "epic" Klaus "The Originals" is set to premiere this fall on the CW, and the show's stars are already working to establish their characters in their new setting, gearing up for a rivalry between their fledgling pilot and its parent series "The Vampire Diaries." In the same vein as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," "Hercules" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," and "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice," the new series picks up members of "The Vampire Diaries" cast and transplants them in a new setting while maintaining their previous story lines. The shows also amp up fan excitement, building to cross-over episodes featuring characters from both. The latest vampire saga on the network's supernatural roster sees the deadly original vampires, a brood of siblings who were turned into vampires to survive werewolves terrorizing their 10th century village, moving to New Orleans to take back the historic town they previously reigned over. The Louisiana landmark is said to be the one place the original vampire family was truly happy during their centuries of existence. FULL COVERAGE: Vampires on Hero Complex Joseph Morgan as Klaus and Daniel Gillies as Elijah. Skip Bolen / The CW "The Vampire Diaries" creator and executive producer Julie Plec, who has managed to sustain the momentum of the horror-filled drama for four seasons, is behind the new iteration, which centers on Niklaus Mikaelson (or just Klaus), masterfully played by Joseph Morgan. Fans have braced themselves for spinoff news ever since his bloodthirsty clan was introduced in Season 2 of "The Vampire Diaries" to terrorize Mystic Falls doppelganger-turned-vampire Elena Gilbert and the vampire Salvatore brothers, Damon and Stefan (played by Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, respectively). Klaus is arguably the show's darkest and most twisted antagonist. He's a hybrid vampire-werewolf bent on world domination via the creation of armies of his spawn (werewolves that are turned into vampires). One bite from him is fatal for both vampire and werewolf, and his victims can be cured only with his precious blood. A character that diabolical screams to star in his own series. Naturally, it's hard to talk about Plec's new series without talking about "The Vampire Diaries," since the new series follows Klaus out of Mystic Falls and down to New Orleans, where a plot is unfolding against him. "With the character Klaus, I think Julie was able to take and move him seamlessly to a whole new city," cast member Charles Michael Davis told Hero Complex at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Davis plays Klaus" charismatic protege-turned-nemesis Marcel, the so-called vampire king of New Orleans. Marcel supposedly rose to power after Klaus was driven out of the city by their vampire-hunter father. Klaus "fits in really well and he fits into a city that has its own dynamic," Davis said. "So, I think [Plec] did a great job of having the foresight to have Klaus be this powerful character but still have a vulnerability in searching for family, so that when he comes to New Orleans, that's what he's fighting for that he couldn't get out of "The Vampire Diaries."" Klaus was one of the new characters introduced when the CW aired the new series" backdoor pilot during "The Vampire Diaries"" Thursday time slot April 25. The next day, news broke that the network greenlighted "The Originals" as the first new order of the fall season. The pilot drew a solid-for-the-network 2.2 million viewers and a .09 rating among adults ages 18 to 49. However, it took a double-digit percentage drop from the vampire drama's season average, our sister blog Show Tracker reported. The show will premiere in the fall lineup opportunely nestled as the lead-in to the long-running "Supernatural's" Season 9 premiere. The cast also includes a bevy of English actors and sees the return of Daniel Gillies, who plays Klaus" even-keeled and older half brother Elijah. Elijah served as the first member of the globally threatening original family, whom viewers met in Season 2 of "The Vampire Diaries." Australian actress Claire Holt, who plays Klaus" scorned sister Rebekah, is among "The Originals" cast as well, though it is unclear how her character is going to be introduced since she's still finishing up an arc on "The Vampire Diaries." Elijah, ever the family peacekeeper, tries to convince her that Klaus needs his siblings back in the French Quarter with him, building on "The Vampire Diaries" recurring theme of sibling bonds being paramount. Another Australian actress, Phoebe Tonkin, is another "Vampire Diaries" alum making the journey to the Big Easy. In the pilot, viewers see the result of her werewolf character Hayley and Klaus" one-night stand. She goes to New Orleans seeking answers about her family. but the city's witch coven becomes obsessed with their future offspring. Yes, there are witches too! Production began Thursday in Atlanta, although the backdoor pilot was filmed in Atlanta and New Orleans. "We know it's going to be more of an epic scale," Morgan told Hero Complex at Comic-Con. It's got a war between the vampires and the witches, and there's a lot to do with this baby, which I think is going to become the thing that everybody is fighting over, or certainly in the center of this struggle. I'm not sure what to expect, but I know it's going to be of epic proportions. With two short lines in the pilot, Klaus chillingly delivers the synopsis of the upcoming series. This town was my home once. I want to be king," he tells Elijah after listing everything Marcel has taken away from him. Daniel Gillies attends "The Originals" video presentation and Q&A during Comic-Con International 2013. Ethan Miller / Getty Images And what of Hayley and the baby? Elijah asks. "Every king needs an heir," he says. Boom! That mystical child, if born, would be three-quarters werewolf, one-quarter vampire and 100% deadly. It also breaks the series rule of vampires being unable to breed, but since Klaus and Hayley are werewolves too ... well, you get it. The new plot lines could potentially build to a redemption story for Klaus, though that isn't in the cards any time soon. "I think that's very long-term," Morgan said. I think the entire span for of his journey on the series, hopefully for many seasons to come, will be a redemption story. But I don't think we can hope to see that by the midseason finale, to be honest. And he's got quite a bit of competition as the biggest adversary in town, given his newfound contention with Davis" Marcel, who will serve as Klaus" main foil. "I really want to show a lot of different sides" of Marcel, Davis said of his character, who viewers got to see as both lighthearted and treacherous in the pilot. As an actor you just want somebody that you can really sink your teeth into. For me I'm not a patient person," he said, laughing. I want to be excited about everything that I'm throwing into it and, so far just in Episodes 1 and 2, I'm really excited about the different layers and levels that you see in Marcel. So I just hope he just keeps unfolding and see where that takes him. In February 2012, Gillies told Hero Complex that he would love for there to be an "Originals" spinoff. "I think [showrunners] Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson would write the coolest show of all time," he said. "I can't remember who conceived of this fantasy, whether it was myself or Joseph Morgan, or actually it might have been Julie Plec who planted this seed when we were having beers one night, but I'm pretty sure someone said, "Yeah, why don't we get a corporate version of the Originals in New York that are white-collar criminals?" Every part of that sounds amazing. So I was thrilled by that idea and I've said it a multitude of times. Well, they're not exactly corporate and they're definitely not in New York, but Gillies was thrilled to be promoting the new series at Comic-Con. "It's awesome, we're delighted and here we are promoting it," he said at the annual San Diego convention. Gillies, whose character gives Klaus "a pep talk on the joys of fatherhood" in the pilot, added that he didn't necessarily have a preference for doing scenes with Morgan's "good Klaus" or "bad Klaus." "They're not mutually exclusive to me," Gillies said. I think what makes Klaus exciting is that he kind of has peaks and valleys. You never know which direction he's going to go in. "You can't have the rainbows by the rain," Morgan added. As to the inevitable rivalry that's already percolating between "The Originals" and "The Vampire Diaries," the guys didn't seem too worried. "Apart from the fact that we're better actors, more attractive, funnier and more intelligent and the story line is is a little more exciting..." Gillies started. "It's really an equal playing field apart from that," Morgan finished with a laugh.