Depp, Burton Making 'Dark Shadows' Next September

Just this past Friday, in a conversation about Johnny Depp potentially playing Pancho Villa, I mentioned that the film would have to wait until Depp got through his stack of projects, among them Dark Shadows. That's the Tim Burton movie based on the ABC vampire soap opera from the 1960s and early 1970s. It's a great franchise opportunity, perfectly cut out for Depp and Burton. We hadn't heard much about when it might happen, other than Burton saying it would probably be his next project after Alice in Wonderland. But Sci Fi Wire caught up with producer Graham King, whose Young Victoria with Emily Blunt is in my stack of awards screeners for the week. King told the site, "We're actually going to shoot that film next September/October with Tim Burton and Johnny. We've been working on the script a lot, even though he's working on Alice." "[Frequent Burton scribe] John August wrote the first screenplay," King added. "We're making some changes, but the film's going to be in production, as I say, September or October of next year." The original series has enjoyed a few small surges of popularity through the years, and now that vampires are everywhere again, it feels like the time is right to add a few new wrinkles to the story. There are tons of versions of the show available on DVD, if you've never checked it out, and there was even a revival about five years ago featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. But as I said, with Depp and Burton, the gothic tale of Barnabas Collins and his clan ought to be worth watching. Depp owns the film rights to the series, and this will be his eighth collaboration with Burton, one of the more entertaining actor-director relationships of all time.

Comments

[common]

Oh wow, i wonder if Depp will wear white make-up and act strangly? That would be a charature he has never played before, really stretch his acting skill....(sarcasm off)

[quin browne]

barnabas collins was the first vamp to have women in lust. i watched it down at debbie gilley's house, because her mom had a huge crush on b.c. recently, i caught a few episodes... and they are a hoot. true cheaply made soap, with tons of mistakes, bad props and shoddy costumes.

it was perfection.

[James]

The remake with Joseph Gordon-Levitt was actually in 1991 on NBC. In terms of the 5 years you mention, you are referring to the WB pilot that was filmed in 2004 and was not picked up by that idiotic and now defunct network. This history can get real confusing. Johnny Depp only owns the rights to film a Dark Shadows movie(s). The Dan Curtis estate still owns the rights to Dark Shadows. All this is great news. I hope Tim Burton does the Dark Shadows legacy justice. I think Depp will play an amazing Barnabas Collins.

[SEAN]

Wow this will do huge bizness let me tell ya...

I mean vampires are in "season" right now with everyone falling in love with them for whatever reason... why now? I would love for someone to answer that question...

Kinda excited I mean its Johnny, but I admit I know nothing about the soap or what this basically is, never heard of it before Johnny wanted to make this film