"True Blood" renewed for seventh season

"True Blood" will bare its fangs again.

HBO announced Monday that it is renewing the vampire drama for a seventh season, with Brian Buckner returning as showrunner.

"'True Blood' remains a signature show for HBO, and a true phenomenon with our viewers," said HBO programming president Michael Lombardo in announcing the news. "Thanks to Brian Buckner and his talented team, the show continues to be a thrill ride like nothing else on TV."

The series' sixth season -- its first under Buckner -- premiered in June.

Anna Paquin, who plays Sookie Stackhouse, recently told CBSNews.com the cast and crew were finding their way following the departure of series creator Alan Ball.

"We have an amazing writing staff," Paquin said. "It's not that we don't miss him at all. He's incredibly talented. He created the world that we're all living in now, but he kind of cut the apron strings. We're off on our own now."

The next season of "True Blood" will air in the summer of 2014.