‘The Originals’ Bloody Character Posters (Exclusive Photos)

Joseph Morgan as Klaus

Klaus has a lot on his hands when The Originals debuts. "We're used to Klaus coming in with a bull-in-a-china-shop mentality," star Joseph Morgan said at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, "dominating like a one-man army, but Marcel has an army of vampires. He has the numbers. He's running the city and he has the witches under his control. … He's going to have to employ a little bit of his backstabbing methods to get where he wants to be, to take back the throne."

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Charles Michael Davis as Marcel

Klaus' former protege Marcel Gerard (Charles Michael Davis) reunites with his master upon Klaus' return to New Orleans, after the Original vampire declares that he will take back his rightful kingdom. Executive producer Julie Plec promised at Comic-Con in July that Marcel's back story will be unveiled during the series.

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Daniel Gillies as Elijah

A fan favorite on The Vampire Diaries mother ship, Elijah (Daniel Gillies) kicks off The Originals' story in a redo — of sorts — of the April 25 backdoor pilot. But this time, the episode, titled "Always and Forever," will recount Klaus' New Orleans return from Elijah's perspective. "The first episode was incredibly difficult to figure out," executive producer Julie Plec admitted at Comic-Con, saying that Rashomon was an inspiration.

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Claire Holt as Rebekah

Klaus' sister Rebekah (Claire Holt) heads from Mystic Falls (on The Vampire Diaries) to New Orleans, when she is called upon by her brother, Elijah, to help with a family matter.

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley

Hayley made the trip to the French Quarter in search of her past. Instead, she found an unexpected future, carrying Klaus' baby. As Phoebe Tonkin tells it, Hayley's connection to Klaus will be merely a business relationship. "They don't know each other very well," Tonkin said at Comic-Con, adding that she didn't believe it would be "romantic."

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Daniella Pineda as Sophie

The Originals introduces several key new characters, one of whom is Sophie Deveraux (Daniella Pineda), a powerful witch who is connected to werewolf Hayley.

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Danielle Campbell as Davina

Davina (Danielle Campbell), a mysterious new witch that enters The Originals fray, is another fresh face that will play a role in the vampire drama's mythology. Though the character was not heavily featured in the April 25 episode of The Vampire Diaries, executive producer Julie Plec promised that her mystery will play out over the course of the season.

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut
Leah Pipes as Camille

Camille, who had a curious exchange with Klaus about painting at the end of the backdoor pilot, is one of the lone humans on The Originals, dominated by vampires, werewolves and supernatural beings. "It's going to be an epic first season. Pardon my French, but shit's going to hit the fan," actress Leah Pipes told THR in June.

STORY: 'The Originals': 8 Character Posters Debut

Joseph Morgan as Klaus

Charles Michael Davis as Marcel

Daniel Gillies as Elijah

Claire Holt as Rebekah

Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley

Daniella Pineda as Sophie

Danielle Campbell as Davina

Leah Pipes as Camille