It is honestly a bit of a headache being a fan of Richelle Mead’s work these days. One minute you’re celebrating a big-budget adaptation, and the next, you’re scouring the internet trying to figure out where to watch Vampire Academy because it seemingly vanished into the digital ether. If you’re looking for the 2022 series developed by Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre, the answer is straightforward, but the context is a little depressing.
The show currently lives on Peacock.
That is the short answer. But if you’re a fan of the franchise, you know that nothing is ever quite that simple. We’ve had two bites at this apple—a movie in 2014 and a series in 2022—and both have ended up scattered across different platforms depending on where you live in the world. It’s frustrating. You want to see Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir’s bond on screen, but you end up spending twenty minutes clicking through "not available in your region" messages.
Why the 2022 Vampire Academy Series is a Peacock Exclusive
The 2022 reboot was a Peacock Original. This means that in the United States, Peacock is the primary home for all ten episodes of the first (and sadly only) season. If you have a subscription, you can hop on right now and see the St. Vladimir’s Academy drama unfold.
Peacock took a big swing with this one. They brought in Julie Plec, who basically ran the Vampire Diaries universe for a decade, hoping to capture that same lightning in a bottle. They spent a lot of money filming in Spain to get those gorgeous, gothic castle vibes. However, Peacock canceled the show after just one season in early 2023. This is why you won’t find a Season 2 anywhere. There were rumors and fan petitions to move the show to a different streamer—Netflix or Hulu—but those deals never materialized.
Basically, the rights stayed with Universal Television. Since Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal, they aren't exactly in a hurry to hand their content over to a direct competitor like Netflix unless they get a massive licensing fee. For now, if you are in the States, it's Peacock or nothing.
💡 You might also like: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep: The Dark Folklore of a Viral Lullaby
Looking for the 2014 Movie? That’s a Different Story
If you aren't looking for the Sisi Stringer and Daniela Nieves version, but rather the 2014 film starring Zoey Deutch and Lucy Fry, your search for where to watch Vampire Academy takes a different turn.
The movie has had a weird life. It was a box office flop when it first came out, but it’s become a bit of a cult classic over the years. Because it wasn't produced by a single streaming giant, the rights move around a lot.
- Tubi and Freevee: Often, you can find the movie here for free with ads. It’s the best way to watch if you don't want to shell out for another subscription.
- Max (formerly HBO Max): It pops up here occasionally when Warner Bros. licenses it for a few months.
- Rent or Buy: You can always find it on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or the Google Play Store for a few bucks.
The 2014 movie is a lot more "Mean Girls with fangs" compared to the darker, more political tone of the 2022 show. Depending on your mood, you might actually prefer the campiness of the film, even if it does condense a lot of the book’s plot.
Watching Globally: The International Struggle
Streaming rights are a nightmare once you cross a border. If you are in the UK, Australia, or Canada, finding where to watch Vampire Academy requires a bit more legwork because Peacock doesn’t exist everywhere.
In the UK, Sky and NOW TV usually carry Peacock content. You can find the series there under their "Peacock" branded section. In Australia, the series landed on Stan, which is often where those niche US streaming originals go to die or thrive. Canada is a bit more of a toss-up; usually, W Network or StackTV (via Amazon Prime Channels) handles these types of shows.
📖 Related: Kate Moss Family Guy: What Most People Get Wrong About That Cutaway
If you’re traveling or living in a region where no one has picked up the license, people often turn to VPNs. It's a common tactic. By setting your location to the US, you can access Peacock, though you still need a valid payment method from that region, which is its own hurdle.
The Reality of Why Vampire Academy Keeps Getting Canceled
It’s hard not to talk about the "where" without talking about the "why." Why is it so hard to keep this franchise alive?
The 2022 show actually had decent reviews. Critics liked the world-building. But Peacock’s leadership admitted that the show just didn't bring in the massive subscriber numbers they needed to justify the high production costs. It’s a "prestige" show that didn't get "prestige" viewership.
This happens a lot in the "Streaming Wars." Shows get buried. If a show isn't an instant Stranger Things level hit, streamers often cut their losses. This leaves fans in a lurch, wondering if the show will even stay on the platform. There’s always a fear that Peacock might pull a "Disney+" and remove the content entirely for a tax write-off. If that happens, the only way to watch will be through digital purchase or physical media—if a DVD even exists.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Rewatch
If you’re diving back into the world of Moroi, Dhampirs, and Strigoi, there are a few things to keep in mind. The series deviates significantly from the books. While the 2014 movie tried to be a faithful (if rushed) adaptation of the first book, the 2022 series mixes elements from several books in the series right from the start.
👉 See also: Blink-182 Mark Hoppus: What Most People Get Wrong About His 2026 Comeback
- Check the 2022 Soundtrack: One of the best things about the show was the music. It’s worth having Shazzam ready.
- Look for Deleted Scenes: Some of the cast members have shared behind-the-scenes clips on TikTok and Instagram that fill in some of the gaps left by the cancellation.
- Physical Media: If you really love the 2014 movie, buy the Blu-ray. Seriously. In an era where movies disappear from streaming overnight, owning the disc is the only way to ensure you can always watch it.
The Future of the Franchise
Is there hope for more? Probably not for a while. Usually, when a property fails twice in ten years, Hollywood puts it in a "cooling off" period. We likely won't see a new version of Vampire Academy until the 2030s when nostalgia for the 2010s YA era hits its peak.
For now, we have what we have. A flawed but fun movie and a stylish, high-stakes TV show that ended too soon.
Best Ways to Access the Content Right Now
To make it easy, here is exactly what you should do depending on what you want to see.
If you want the series, sign up for Peacock. If you’re a student, check for their discounted rates, as they often have deals for $1.99 a month. If you are outside the US, check your local listings for Sky, Stan, or whatever service typically carries NBC/Universal content.
If you want the movie, check Tubi first. It’s free. If it’s not there, it’s almost certainly on Amazon to rent for $3.99.
The most important thing is to support the official releases. Higher viewership numbers on these platforms—even years later—can sometimes signal to executives that there is still an audience for the IP. It’s a long shot, but it’s better than letting the series sit in a digital vault gathering dust.
Stop searching through shady pirated sites that will give your laptop a heart attack. The legitimate options are out there, even if they are spread across two or three different apps. Grab your stakes, find a comfortable couch, and settle in for some Strigoi hunting.
Immediate Steps for Fans
- Verify your current subscriptions: Peacock often has "Black Friday" or "Summer" deals that make the series very cheap to binge.
- Search "Vampire Academy" on JustWatch: This is a life-saver website. It tracks exactly where any movie or show is streaming in your specific country in real-time.
- Download for offline viewing: If you have the Peacock premium tier, download the episodes. You never know when licensing deals will expire and the show might move or disappear for a while.