HBO

It seems the upcoming season of HBO's vampire-packed drama, "True Blood," will prominently feature one very hard-to-imagine scenario.

Sure, after four seasons of the bayou-based action, fang gangs, werewolves and shifters are easy enough to be believed. But a cordial partnership between Bill Compton and Eric Northman? No way!

Still, that's just what the first trailer for the upcoming season reveals.

Truebies have more to look forward to than just that unexpected odd couple. The clip also features the first shots of Roman, played by former "Law & Order SVU" star Christopher Meloni, in action. And it saves the very best tease for last -- a quick look at the show's long-lost, big-bad villain, Russell Edgington.

"True Blood" returns to HBO on June 10.

Are you excited about the upcoming season? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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HBO

Chris Meloni as Roman.

You asked for it, you got it! Though fans of "True Blood" were excited to see the first photo of former "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Chris Meloni as vampire Roman last week, many were hoping he would look a little more like one of the undead.

Today, HBO released several promotional posters for the upcoming season, and one of them features none other than the man formerly known as Stabler with his new deadly weapons. Show creator Alan Ball revealed a while back that Roman is "an ancient, powerful vampire who holds the fate of Bill and Eric in his hands."

Season five kicks off on June 10 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

What do you think of the fangs? Are they a good tease, or do you need more? Tell us what you think on our Facebook page!

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John P. Johnson / HBO

Christopher Meloni stars as Roman on season five of "True Blood."

Sink your fangs into this, "True Blood" fans! The first image of former "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Christopher Meloni as a vampire on the hit HBO drama is now available!

As you can see, he tidies up quite nicely and yet retains the fierce look "SVU" fans came to love so much. (And which many now desperately miss from the long-running procedural.)

In his new role, Meloni plays Roman, "an ancient, powerful vampire who holds the fate of Bill and Eric in his hands," creator Alan Ball told TVLine. Let's hope Roman, who is a member of The Authority, gives the two vamps some leniency -- even if they did deal the True Death to Nan Flanagan in the season four finale. (Please don't use that pretty stake on the boys, Roman! We wouldn't want you to get your spiffy suit bloody ...)

"True Blood" returns on June 10 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

What do you think of Meloni's vampiric new look? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Joel Ryan / AP file

Alexander Skarsgard believes he's the man for the buzzed-about lead role in a "Fifty Shades of Grey" film adaptation.

Alexander Skarsgard is tall, blond and handsome and the latest name fans are rallying behind in the hopes he’ll play the title character when “Fifty Shades of Grey” makes the leap from novel to big screen feature.

The “Battleship” star had not heard of the book when he sat down to talk about his new action sci-fi film at the junket in Hawaii over the weekend, but after Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson informed him about the erotic role, Alexander laughed.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: "True Blood’s" sexy swede: Alexander Skarsgard

“Where do I sign?” the “True Blood” hunk smiled.

Shaun made sure to prep Alexander on many facets of the character, created by E. L. James, and he reacted to one of the more titillating details, one that he’s already dealt with on his hit HBO show.

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“He’s got a sex chamber? My character has that on ‘True Blood.’ He’s got his little dungeon,” Alexander said, referring to vampire Eric Northman.

“I was born to play that part,” he added with a grin, of Christian.

“True Blood” will return for its fifth season on June 10, and joining the fold is Christopher Meloni, who Alexander said is a great addition to the cast.

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“He’s amazing,” Alexander said of the former “Law & Order: SVU” star who returns to HBO (he previously starred in prison drama “Oz”) in the new role of Roman, who is part of “True Blood’s” Vampire Authority.

“It wasn’t easy. His first day was basically him coming in. It was five pages of dialogue. Half of it was in Aramaic,” the Swede continued. “That was like, ‘Welcome to the show, Chris.’ But he’s a trooper, a really amazing actor -- obviously -- and a great guy. We’ve had a lot of fun together on the show.”

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Another star Alexander had fun with is Rihanna, who he joins for several scenes in her feature film debut, “Battleship,” which hits theaters on May 18.

“She’s pretty amazing,” he said.

But the actor noted that he wasn’t surprised by how easily Rihanna took to acting.

“I was honestly not surprised. Just like, watching her on stage, or her videos, you can tell [from] her energy and her charisma and personality, you know that she’s gonna be great in that part,” he said. “I knew that and she really is.”

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Art Streiber / HBO

Eric, Sookie and Bill of "True Blood" will be back on June 10.

Waiting sucks. And it really, really sucks for "True Blood" fans who were left hanging after the intense season-four finale!

In case you need a quick refresher, Tara got shot in the head protecting Sookie from crazy werewolf Debbie, and the show hinted at the return of the King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington.

And of course, during the off-season, it was revealed that Chris Meloni, the dearly missed star of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," would be joining the cast as a vampire named Roman. Show creator Alan Ball revealed to TVLine that the new character would be "an ancient, powerful vampire who holds the fate of Bill and Eric in his hands."

Whew! That's a whole heck of a lot for Trubies to look forward to! And fortunately, though waiting sucks, it's also almost over.

HBO announced Wednesday that the sexy vampire drama is set to kick off season five on June 10 at 9 p.m.

Which story line are you most excited for in the season premiere? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Sunday was a good day for "True Blood" fans!

Along with the season-two premiere of "Game of Thrones," HBO gifted viewers with a tasty treat before the episode began: a new promo for "True Blood's" fifth season! Huzzah!

So what can fangbangers look forward to this season? Here are five goodies we learned from the promo...

MORE: Our spoiler chat is now daily: Get all the latest scoop on "True Blood," "Vampire Diaries," "Revenge" and more!

Death! Sex! Violence! Fangs! Shirtlessness!

Yes, those five things are heavily featured in the brand spankin' new promo! But the one scene that especially piqued our interest and had us pausing the teaser several times? Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) smooching ... we're not sure who, but it looked hot! Bonus: we got to see Eric and Sam (Sam Trammell) shirtless. It's going to be a good season, y'all!

Noticeably missing? Tara (Rutina Wesley), who was shot in the season-four finale, so the opening scene with Sookie (Anna Paquin) burying a body is making us nervous. Here's hoping it's Debbie (Brit Morgan) she's burying!

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Finally, this sneak peek has us extremely excited to see more of Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian), the Reverend turned vampire! A former vampire-hater who is now a fanger should make a very interesting storyline and Steve seems to be enjoying his sharp set of chompers in the new footage!

"True Blood" season five premieres this June on HBO.

Are you planning on sinking your teeth into the new season? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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FunnyOrDie.com

Tough, angry cop with a big heart on "Law & Order: SVU"?  Actor Christopher Meloni has been there, done that. But it never hurts to revisit it! (Especially when "SVU" fans miss him so!)

In a new video on FunnyOrDie.com, the new "True Blood" season five regular pokes a bit of fun at his former role -- complete with boiling rage -- as he prepares to bring Ugandan guerrilla group leader Joseph Kony down. 

"I'm quitting acting!" Meloni declares to an agent-type dude in the video that starts off as an "SVU" spoof. "Here's my fake gun. My fake badge. Real SAG card. I'm going Congo." How very Stabler-like!

And while getting into costume for his trip, Meloni even delivers some stretches reminiscent of his time on HBO's prison drama "Oz."

Check it out:

What do you think of Meloni's latest spoof of his former cop character? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Fangbangers, it's almost time to shove aside that coffin lid and get ready for the new season of "True Blood!"

New episodes for season five won't air on HBO until this summer, but the network is already preparing the masses for the next onslaught, with three new teaser trailers: "Sookie's House," "Bill's House" and "Fangtasia's." They feature no humans (living or undead) but each takes the viewer on a first-person wander through three key set locations, while playing audio clips in the background and ending with the ominous catch phrase: "You can't escape your past."

This can be nothing but good news for fans, who have no interest in escaping the goings-on in Bon Temps.

What do you think of the teasers? Do they get your blood up for the new season? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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"True Blood's" Alexander Skarsgard, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer will have to get along without the show's leader.

Are the vampires of HBO losing their maker?

Rumors are circulating that Alan Ball, who created the network's mega-hit "True Blood," will be exiting as head writer after this upcoming season. So what did the network have to say about Ball's possible exit from the show? And what does this mean for Ball's new show "Banshee?"

Here's what we can tell you....

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It's true: "True Blood" is losing its sire!

"'True Blood' has been, and will continue to be, a highlight of not only my career but my life," Ball says in a statement. "Because of the fantastic cast, writers, producers and crew, with whom I have been lucky enough to work these past five years, I know I could step back and the show will continue to thrive as I look forward to new and exciting ventures."

Forbes first reported the news that "True Blood," which is currently in production of its fifth season (premiering this summer), will lose Ball as a head writer. Apparently exhaustion is the reasoning behind Ball leaving the show.

HBO also released a statement regarding Ball's exit. "When we extended our overall deal with Alan Ball in July 2011, we always intended that if we proceeded to 'True Blood's' sixth season that Alan would take a supervisory role on the series and not be the day-to-day showrunner. If we proceed to season six, the show will remain in the very capable hands of the talented team of writers and producers who have been with the show for a number of years," the network says. "This is the best possible world for both HBO and Alan Ball. Alan will remain available as executive producer to consult and advise on 'True Blood' and he will be free to develop new shows for both HBO and Cinemax. 'Banshee,' on which Alan serves as executive producer, is the first in house series for Cinemax and is expected to begin production this spring."

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There was a rumor last July that Ball was thinking about exciting before "True Blood's" fifth season, but Ball shot that down during True Blood's panel at the Television Critics Association press tour. "There will be an end for me at some point, but I just closed a deal to do another season," he told reporters. "I don't have any desire to leave because I'm having more fun than I ever had in my life."

What do you say fangbangers? Think "True Blood" will be different without Ball behind the wheel? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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"True Blood's" Russell Edgington could soon be ready to reclaim his throne.

"True Blood" fans still upset by the less-than-regal season-three sendoff of big bad Russell Edgington can take heart. A new trailer for the fifth season of the series hints that the former vampire king of Mississippi could soon rise again.

"In Bon Temps, nothing stays buried forever."

That's the sole message of the trailer, delivered one word at a time as the camera pans up through a deep pit of rubble.

Of course, a tease like that could mean almost anything for a drama filled with vamps and other creatures of the night, but given the fact that Edgington was last seen burned, chained in silver and being buried alive (well, undead) in cement -- courtesy of Bill Compton, Eric Northman and their unlikely accomplice Alcide Herveaux -- he's certainly due for a vengeful return.

After all, his last words were "You will regret this!"

Are you looking forward to the return of "True Blood" and the possible return of the king? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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HBO

Ryan Kwanten plays dimwitted Jason Stackhouse on "True Blood," but he'll soon guest star on "New Girl."

Could frequently shirtless Schmidt, played by Max Greenfield, on Fox’s “New Girl” be getting some abs-olutely tough competition come Valentine’s Day?

Next month, “True Blood” hubba-hubba boy Ryan Kwanten (who is also often shirtless on the HBO hit) makes a guest appearance as Schmidt's roommate Jess’ target for a one-night stand when she spies him in a bar and hilariously hones in on her prey.

"It’s great to be on TV where that stuff can happen," said creator Liz Meriwether, the 30-year-old showrunner who patterned Jess after her own goofy self. Zooey Deschanel plays the adorkable roommate who lives with three guys, including Schmidt.

As it turns out, although Deschanel was happy to work with Kwanten, she actually didn’t know him before the shoot.

“No, but it was awesome,” she said during a set visit during the winter Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena on Monday. “I just never watch ‘True Blood.’ ”

Meriwether, however, is a big fan of the HBO vamp show and wanted the star for this part.

“I think he’s funny and such a subtle actor to make that character funny,” she said of the man who plays the dim brother of Sookie Stackhouse. “And I also think he’s just gorgeous and it’s really rare to find a really talented, really funny gorgeous guy. And he was excited to do a comedy.”

So as the writer, did she require Kwanten to go shirtless?

“I don’t think he takes his shirt off. I know, I know, I’m really sorry about that,” Meriwether said. “But I think there might be a few shots of him online with his shirt off. If you just Google him. Not that I would know, of course.”

So sadly, there will be no shirtless battle between Greenfield and Kwanten on the show. But what if there were one?

“I would lose,” said the pragmatic Greenfield.

"New Girl" airs at 9 p.m., Tuesdays on Fox.

Who do you think would win in a shirt-off: Kwanten or Greenfield? Will you tune in just to see Kwanten on "New Girl"? Tell us on our Facebook page.

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Will Hart / NBC Universal, Inc.

The man behind "Law & Order: SVU's" Det. Elliot Stabler could soon return to TV in HBO's "True Blood."

Fans of actor Christopher Meloni who still miss their weekly TV time with the former “Law & Order: SVU” leading man might soon have a chance to see him on the boob tube again in “True Blood.”

According to TV Line’s Michael Ausiello, the actor is currently being considered for a major role in the drama. That begs one obvious question: would that be a major human role or something from the “other” category? After all, Bon Temps is crawling with vampires, werewolves, werepanthers, shapeshifters and more.

Ausiello suggests Meloni will take on the part of an “incredibly powerful vampire.” Then again, given the past casting rumor that the show was seeking a “hard-bodied fiftysomething” for a werewolf role in the upcoming season, the actor may have more than one option.

If the “True Blood” casting plan pans out, it would mark Meloni’s first return to TV since he left “Law & Order: SVU” behind — that is if you don’t count his one-skit return to the small screen as a pepper-spray-happy lawman Tony Bologna on “The Daily Show.” Frankly, it’s worth counting.

The fifth season of “True Blood” premieres in June 2012 on HBO.

“SVU” fans, would you tune in to “True Blood” to just to see Meloni? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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